Do You Have A Humble Passion for Praying God’s Beautiful Word?
Good Morning Friends,
I have been touched by the Psalms of David and moved to study them in depth. David is credited with writing 75 of the 150 Psalms. Today’s Psalm from the lectionary helps us to understand that God can do things better than we can. Many of the Psalms ask for the strength to carry out a human task but this one asks for God to keep us from messing up what God has already planned and put into motion. It is a confession of sorts. It points out how we can be our own worst enemy. Especially when we fail to address the inconsistences and shortfalls and failures of our past. It is intriguing to me that David as he is running from Saul asks God to uphold his steps, incline his ear, show loving kindness, to save him and hide him not because he was too wimpy to take on Saul but for the very reason that he could and did not want to become King in that way. Somehow David knew that the humble pathway to the Crown was the way God desired for him. His words are wisdom for us today. Do You Have A Humble Passion for Praying God’s Beautiful Word?
Scripture: A Prayer of David. Hear a just cause, O Lord; attend to my cry; give ear to my prayer from lips free of deceit. From you let my vindication come; let your eyes see the right. If you try my heart, if you visit me by night, if you test me, you will find no wickedness in me; my mouth does not transgress. As for what others do, by the word of your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent. My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped. I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me, hear my words. Wondrously show your steadfast love, O savior of those who seek refuge from their adversaries at your right hand. Guard me as the apple of the eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings, from the wicked who despoil me, my deadly enemies who surround me. They close their hearts to pity; with their mouths they speak arrogantly. They track me down; now they surround me; they set their eyes to cast me to the ground. They are like a lion eager to tear, like a young lion lurking in ambush. Rise up, O Lord, confront them, overthrow them! By your sword deliver my life from the wicked, from mortals—by your hand, O Lord— from mortals whose portion in life is in this world. May their bellies be filled with what you have stored up for them; may their children have more than enough; may they leave something over to their little ones. As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake I shall be satisfied, beholding your likeness.
Psalm 17 (NRSV)
These Jews were more receptive than those in Thessalonica, for they welcomed the message very eagerly and examined the scriptures every day to see whether these things were so.
Acts 17:11 (NRSV)
This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth; you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it. For then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall be successful.
Joshua 1:8 (NRSV)
again he sets a certain day—’today’—saying through David much later, in the words already quoted, ‘Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.’
Hebrews 4:7 (NRSV)
Message: Today we explore how the Psalms are the key to the spirituality of the Old Testament and how they are an essential and permanent part of Christian prayer. The Psalms have various headings to describe what is to come. Many lack background context. Some are referred to as Maskils and others Miktams and scholars suggest that they are perhaps musical directions and notes as to the connection of a specific Psalm with others. The meaning of many of the words have been lost with the actual music. Today’s psalm’s heading simply says it is a prayer.
Of course all the Psalms can and should be prayed. But today’s Psalm from the lectionary was designed for this very purpose. David’s idea was something like this: Lord, I believe my cause is just and I have searched my own heart for deceit. Yet I wait for Your vindication, and I want You to do and to promote what is right. If I’m not on Your side, move me so that I am.
This psalm is both personal and communal. In it we can see David’s life as an open book before God. He hides nothing. And that is the power of prayer. Sometimes we try to hide things from God and it is only the goodness of God that saves us when we do. Friends, know that God is capable of giving each of us the tools we need when we need them. But it really helps, if one wants to grow spiritually to read the Bible daily. And the Psalms are like a little Bible. So know that God helped David with the right words and God will help you too. Just open the Psalms and read and pray and let go and let God.
Pray we have a passion for scripture. Pray we use scripture to help examine ourselves from the inside out and to determine what might be holding us back from our purpose. Pray we not mess with God’s plan. Pray we not try to manipulate God. Pray we remember that it is more important for us to allow God’s Word to go through us that it is for us to go through God’s Word. Pray we meditate on God’s word day and night. Pray we realize that just because David’s cause was just it does not mean that ours is as well. Pray we determine to base our life on God. Pray we dig deep into the Word of God and reflect it in our lives. Pray we benefit from praying the psalms. Pray we believe that God will not give up on us.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 