The psalmist was often a very burdened and troubled man, but never more so than when he cried out "it is time for Thee, Lord, to work; for they have made void Thy law" (Psalm 119:126). He was surrounded by those who were godless and careless and who acted as if God Himself did not exist. He was so affected by this spiritual and moral laxity that his lips expressed this urgent prayer for divine intervention.
How relevant this is to our situation. The greatest need of our time is for God to work in spiritual revival within the church and to stem the flood of wickedness in the world. The psalmist's prayer is an ap¬propriate one for today, when iniquity stalks the land and when sin has become the accepted thing.
"They have made void Thy law" - men broke it, treated it as if it were a thing of no consequence. Again, how relevant this is, for today the Ten Commandments are generally disregarded and flouted and considered as outdated.
As we look at the contemporary religious scene the churches are weak and ineffective. They are characterized by lukewarmness, half¬heartedness and worldliness. We need to pray that God will step into the situation and do a mighty work and turn back the tide.
The psalmist acknowledged that revival was God's work. Only the sovereign Lord Himself can send revival; it is not something worked up, but something sent down from heaven. In another psalm we find the petition "wilt Thou not revive us again, that Thy people may rejoice in Thee?" (Psalm 85:6). God is undoubtedly the Author of revival; it is His gracious work.
There is a wonderful promise which we should do well to heed - "if My people which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land" (2 Chronicles 7:14).
We are not simply to sit still and bewail the situation; we need to search our hearts and seek to fulfil the conditions God demands before He will hear from heaven. Revival has always been preceded by earnest prayer; do we pray earnestly for God's intervention?