Prayer is an art every believer must learn. It has certain dynamics that makes it fruitful if only we know how it works. Many people around the world pray and they cry unto God asking for one thing or the other but not everyone receive answer to their requests.

The Psalmist open to us another dimension in prayer that most of us ignore. In the opening text, he's saying to us that the state of the heart matters to God in prayers than the words of our mouth.

A heart that is full of hatred, strife, envy, jealousy, vain glory, pride and other works of the flesh would be ignored in prayers even when the mouth is shouting for the whole world to hear.

We sometimes mistake loud prayers for fervent prayers.

They are not the same. The man whose prayer is regarded as fervent by heaven is a man with the right heart in and outside the place of prayer. The state of the heart is so important that was why Solomon said, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life"(Proverbs4:23).

Before you pray, check the state of your heart. Are you holding grudges with someone?

Jesus said, "And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses".(Mark 11:25 KJV).

Unforgiveness is a subtle time waster. If you pray a million times and you're yet to forgive someone, Jesus said such prayer is unacceptable.

Further, we must be sure we are not praying from a heart that seeks to satisfy the flesh. If we  pray  from a selfish and carnal heart,  we wouldn't get answers.

"Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts"(James4:3).