Chroniques 1 21:26 Midrash : Aggadat Bereshit

[2] Another interpretation: When it was time to present the meal offering (1 Kings 18:36) David said, "My prayer, O Lord, is at an opportune time" (Psalm 69:14). God has appointed a time for everything except prayer. When should one pray in order to be answered? As it says, "For every desire there is a time and a judgment" (Ecclesiastes 8:6). If a person knew when to pray and be answered, he would only pray on that day. Therefore, God said, "I will not let you know when you will be answered, so that you will pray at all times" as it says, "Trust in Him at all times" (Psalm 62:9). Even the forefathers of the world were sometimes answered and sometimes not. Moses, the great leader of the world, prayed and was answered, as it says, "And the Lord did as Moses asked" (Exodus 8:17). And so it says, "I have forgiven you as you asked" (Numbers 14:20). But sometimes, even when he prayed, he was not answered, as it says, "But the Lord was angry with me because of you" (Deuteronomy 3:26). David was answered at all times, as it says, "I sought the Lord and He answered me" (Psalm 34:5), and also, "And He answered him from heaven with fire" (1 Chronicles 21:26). When was he not answered? When the child was sick and he fasted, lay on the ground, and begged for mercy, but in the end the child died. When is the opportune time for everyone? As it says, "At an opportune time I answered you" (Isaiah 49:8). David said to God, "Master of the universe, every hour that I pray, make it an opportune time for me to be answered" as it says, "My prayer, O Lord, is at an opportune time" (Psalm 69:14). When is the opportune time? It is the afternoon prayer, as it says, "And it came to pass at the time of the evening offering" (1 Kings 18:36).