Nehemiah knew God's Word and promise. His knowlegde prepared him for a holy confidence to understand the current condition and expect God's deliverance. Verses 10 and 11 demonstrate Nehemiah's reliance on God's merciful power and redemption.
Verse 11 infers that Nehemiah does not pray should or should I not approach the King, he assumes b/c of his position it is the obvious thing to do. We often wait for these amazing signs and openings to approach those God has placed in our lives to accomplish His will. Most likely, during the timeframe of verse 4, God was impressing Nehemiah's heart toward action.