Praying in the Present Tense for God's Power and Ability
Praying in the present tense for God's power and ability involves an active reliance on God's attributes and an expectation of His immediate involvement. The Bible commands prayer, directing believers to offer it to God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit [4]. This access to God is granted through Christ and by the Holy Spirit, and it is obtained through faith [5].
The power of God is a core attribute, described as great, strong, glorious, mighty, everlasting, sovereign, effectual, irresistible, and incomparable [6]. Biblical figures often appealed to this power in their prayers. Moses, for instance, prayed, "So now I pray, may the power of my Lord be magnified, just as You have declared" [1]. Job also expressed a desire to "speak to the Almighty and argue my case before God" [2]. These examples illustrate a direct address to God's present capacity and authority.
Commentators emphasize seeking God's strength. John Gill interprets "Seek the Lord and his strength" (Psalm 105:4) as seeking God's presence, symbolized by the ark, which demonstrated His great strength [9]. Gill also notes that the "voice of the Lord is powerful," referring to the Gospel when it is "attended with the power of God to the conversion and salvation of souls" [8]. Similarly, on Psalm 71:16, Gill explains that going "in the strength of the Lord God" means not relying on one's own strength but on divine grace for praise and service [7].
The New Testament further reinforces this idea, urging believers to serve "by the strength that God provides, so that in all things God will be glorified through Jesus Christ" [3]. This suggests that believers are to draw upon God's present strength for their actions. Matthew Henry, in his commentary on Psalm 105:1, encourages believers to "Call upon his name, as one whom you depend upon for further favours," indicating an ongoing reliance on God's immediate provision [11]. The concept of God's omnipotence and His consequent power to grant any request serves as a foundational argument for prayer [10]. This continuous appeal to God's active power underscores the "present tense" nature of such prayers.
Sources
- Numbers “Numbers 14:17 (BSB) — So now I pray, may the power of my Lord be magnified, just as You have declared:”
- Job “Job 13:3 (BSB) — Yet I desire to speak to the Almighty and argue my case before God.”
- I Peter “I Peter 4:11 (LEB) — If anyone speaks, let it be as the oracles of God; if anyone serves, let it be as by the strength that God provides, so that in all things God will be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom is the glory and the power ⌞forever and ever⌟. Amen.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prayer — Commanded -- Isa 55:6; Mt 7:7; Php 4:6. To be offered To God. -- Ps 5:2; Mt 4:10. To Christ. -- Lu 23:42; Ac 7:59. To the Holy Spirit. -- 2Th 3:5. Through Christ. -- Eph 2:18; Heb 10:19. God hears -- Ps 10:17; 65:2. God answers -- Ps 99:6; Isa 58:9. Is described as Bowing the knees. -- Eph 3:14. Looking up. -- Ps 5:3. Lifting up the soul. -- Ps 25:1. Lifting up the heart. -- La 3:41. Pouring out the heart. -- Ps 62:8. Pouring out the soul. -- 1Sa 1:15. Calling upon the name of the Lord. -- Ge 12:8; Ps 116:4; Ac 22:16. Crying to God. -- Ps 27:7; 34:6. Drawing”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Access to God — Is of God -- Ps 65:4. Is by Christ -- Joh 10:7, 9; 14:6; Ro 5:2; Eph 2:13; 3:12; Heb 7:9, 25; 10:19; 1Pe 3:18. Is by the Holy Spirit -- Eph 2:18. Obtained through faith -- Ac 14:27; Ro 5:2; Eph 3:12; Heb 11:6. Follows upon reconciliation to God -- Col 1:21,22. In Prayer -- See Prayer. De 4:7; Mt 6:6; 1Pe 1:17. In his temple -- Ps 15:1; 27:4; 43:3; 65:4. To obtain mercy and grace -- Heb 4:16. A privilege of saints -- De 4:7; Ps 15:1; 23:6; 24:3,4. Saints have, with confidence -- Eph 3:12; Heb 4:16; 10:19,20. Vouchsafed to repenting sinners -- See Repen”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Power of God, The — Is one of his attributes -- Ps 62:11. Expressed by the Voice of God. -- Ps 29:3,5; 68:33. Finger of God. -- Ex 8:19; Ps 8:3. Hand of God. -- Ex 9:3,15; Isa 48:13. Arm of God. -- Job 40:9; Isa 52:10. Thunder of his power. -- Job 26:14. Described as Great. -- Ps 79:11; Na 1:3. Strong. -- Ps 89:13; 136:12. Glorious. -- Ex 15:6; Isa 63:12. Mighty. -- Job 9:4; Ps 89:13. Everlasting. -- Isa 26:4; Ro 1:20. Sovereign. -- Ro 9:21. Effectual. -- Isa 43:13; Eph 3:7. Irresistible. -- De 32:39; Da 4:35. Incomparable. -- Ex 15:11,12; De 3:24; Job 40:9; Ps 89:8.”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 71:16: I will go in the strength of the Lord God,.... Go on praising him, as he had determined to do in the preceding verses; not in his own strength, knowing that his heart was not always disposed aright or prepared and fit for such service; and that though the daily continuance of favours required constant praise, yet he needed always the aids of divine grace to raise his affection and song: or "I will go into the strengths of the Lord God" (d); the power of God is expressed in the plural number, to show the greatness of it, which is as a garrison to the believer; see Pe1”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 29:4: The voice of the Lord is powerful,.... Or "with power" (a); as thunder, in the effect of it, shows; and so is the Gospel, when it comes, not in word only, but is attended with the power of God to the conversion and salvation of souls; it is then quick and powerful, Heb 4:12; and the word of Christ personal, when here on earth, was with power, Luk 4:32; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty; Christ, in his state of humiliation, spake and taught as one having authority; and now, in the ministration of his Gospel by his servants, he goes forth with glory and majesty”
- Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 105:4: Seek the Lord and his strength,.... The ark, which is called his strength, and the ark of his strength, Psa 78:61, because he had shown his great strength by it, in dividing the waters at Jordan, throwing down the walls of Jericho, and plaguing the Philistines because of it, when among them. This was a symbol of God's presence, before which he was sought by his people; and was a type of our Lord Jesus, the man of God's right hand, whom he has made strong for himself, and who is called his strength, Psa 80:18. Some render it, and which Aben Ezra makes mention of, thou”
- Isaiah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Isaiah 45:12: The same argument for prayer, drawn from God's omnipotence and consequent power, to grant any request, occurs in Isa 40:26-31. I, even my hands--so Hebrew (Psa 41:2), "Thou . . . thy hand" (both nominatives, in apposition).”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 105:1: Our devotion is here warmly excited; and we are stirred up, that we may stir up ourselves to praise God. Observe, I. The duties to which we are here called, and they are many, but the tendency of them all is to give unto God the glory due unto his name. 1. We must give thanks to him, as one who has always been our bountiful benefactor and requires only that we give him thanks for his favours - poor returns for rich receivings. 2. Call upon his name, as one whom you depend upon for further favours. Praying for further mercies is accepted as an acknowledgment of fo”