“To you, O Lord, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy: “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper!”” -Psalm 30:8–10
There is, perhaps, something disconcerting to our “Christian” sensitivities about David’s argument here. He argues from a very pragmatic, down-to-earth sort of position: if you allow me to die, God, I won’t be able to worship you. In fact, David’s argument before the throne of God is quite Mosaic and Abrahamic in its tenor. Moses argued that his lips wouldn’t work well enough to stand before Pharoah so God told him he would be with his mouth and sent Aaron to be a spokesman for him. Abraham negotiated with God to save the cities of Sodom and Gommorah if there were even ten righteous people living there.
It shouldn’t offend us that David also participates in this very honest, very human, approach to prayer. As a matter of fact, we can learn from it. We can learn that God hears our prayers, acknowledges our reasoning, and patiently lets us work out our appeal before his throne (Hebrews 4:15-16). Yet, at the end of the day, it is all about his mercy, as David (and Moses and Abraham) rightfully conclude.
Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper!”