In the two previous verses David concludes his prayers with these words:

Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,

who alone does marvelous deeds.

Praise be to his glorious name forever;

may the whole earth be filled with his glory.

Amen and Amen (Psalms 72:18-19 NIV).

There may be no great theological significance to the statement, "The prayers of David son of Jesse are ended"; however, they prompt me to ask: How will I conclude my prayers? I'm not talking about the prayer at the end of the day or the prayer before a meal or the prayer before I write an article or the prayer before I preach a sermon or the prayer at a graveside or the prayer at a bedside. How will conclude my prayers? When it's all over and, as John Ortberg says, "It all goes back in the box," how will I conclude my prayers? (From John Ortberg's When the Game Is Over It All Goes Back in the Box)

Will I be making one more request for some physical need to be met? Will I be asking for one more favor? Will I be pleading my case? Will I be making an excuse for not living the way I should have, or the way I wanted to but didn't? Will I be asking Him a question about why He acted in one way, or why He did not act in another?

I wonder how I will end my prayers.

David had done many wonderful things in his life. He had done some awful things in his life. He had accomplished much. He had seen a lot. He had missed a lot. He had messed up in big and small ways. He had sinned and been forgiven. He had seen God's glory and God's great deeds. So have I.

Yet, when his prayers were concluded (at least those we have recorded for us in Psalms), he did not speak of his deeds, his needs, or make a request to succeed. He concludes with:

Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel,

who alone does marvelous deeds.

Praise be to his glorious name forever;

I hope I will.

may the whole earth be filled with his glory.

Amen and Amen (Psalms 72:18-19 NIV).

Two Hearts Praying as One by Dennis and Barbara Rainey "Praying together may be the single most important spiritual discipline you and your spouse will ever share," say the Raineys--it reduces conflicts and safeguards marriages from divorce.

Tom Norvell is the author of "A Norvell Note." He ministers at the Hermitage Church of Christ in Hermitage, Tennessee.

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