In Psalm 71:4 David prays: “Rescue me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked.” The phrase David uses here, “O my God”, has become for many a light, meaningless expression, made so by multiplied and thoughtless use. This is nothing less than taking God’s name in vain. However, when employed in a heartfelt manner, as David does here, it is actually the most important thing a person can say.

“O my God” can indicate that one has a personal connection, a personal relationship with God, that He is not just “God”, but “MY God.” This was so with David, as we see throughout Psalm 71:

— The Psalm opens in :1 with, “In You O Lord I have taken refuge …”.
— Then following his use of “O my God” in :4, David says in :5, “You are my hope; O Lord God, You are my confidence from my youth.”
— :6 says “By You I have been sustained from birth …” and “my praise is continually of You.”

Thus we see repeatedly that when David said “O my God”, he really MEANT it! He knew God, and had a lifelong relationship of commitment to Him, and trust in Him.

Thats an entirely different thing than the manner in which so many abuse the phrase, “O my God.” The old expression is that many will miss heaven by eight inches — the distance from one’s head to one’s heart. The way that a person uses this phrase is an example of that difference. Many know in their minds that there is a “god”, and they use the expression, “O my God”, but they do it lightly; they do not really know Him and trust Him like David did. Others, like David, DO know Him personally, and it is out of that heartfelt relationship that they pray prayers like he did here: “Rescue me, O my God.”

The important question for you is: How would YOU employ those words, “O my God”? Do you use them thoughtlessly, or to express a relationship of commitment and trust in a God you personally know?