Ep286_Psalm143. 

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Psalm 143 begins:
  Hear my prayer, Lord,
    listen to my cry for mercy;
  in your faithfulness and righteousness
    come to my relief.
  Do not bring your servant into judgment,
    for no one living is righteous before you (vv. 1-3). 

Frequently, in the psalms, the poets appeal to God as judge, asking him to decide in the poets’ favor and to condemn his enemies. For example, Psalm 7 says,
  Vindicate me, Lord, according to my righteousness,
      according to my integrity, O Most High (v. 8). 

So why is the poet in Psalm 143 asking God not to bring him into judgment? Why isn’t he confident, like the poet in Psalm 7, that God will see his righteousness and exonerate him? 

I give the usual answer, when faced with the complexity and depth of the psalms. Those poets pray honestly and authentically whatever is on their heart and mind. It’s a come-as-you-are prayer party. No need to dress up and look respectable. When they feel they’ve been doing a good job of living according to God’s covenant with Israel, they boldly claim their righteousness, castigate God for not doing his part, and call him to uphold his end of the covenant. 

But when evil surfaces in the poets’ heart, they ask forgiveness, basing their prayer entirely on God’s mercy instead of their own righteousness. 

Let’s pray. 

Our Father, with the psalmist we pray, “Don’t judge us quickly, because no human can stand before you.” We need your help, not your judgment.
  Do not hide your face from us,
    or we will be like those who go down to the pit (v. 7). 

We do not point to  the good things we have done. We point only to your love. Accept our faltering service, our stumbling ways, and the inadequate praise we offer. Because of your love, raise us up and set us on the way of eternal life.

With the poet we pray:    
Rescue us from our enemies, Lord,
      for we hide in you (v. 9).
We are crowded and cast down by our old enemy, the devil. Our enemy, the world, is always near, inviting us to a table of Christmas without Christ, of food without thanksgiving, of pleasures without joy. The enemy within tempts us to a feast of unbelief, of cynicism and doubt, questioning whether you rule the world in love. Our God, we ask: Are the randomness and violence we see your servants or your master? 

  Teach us to do your will,
    for you are our God;
  may your good spirit
    lead us on level ground (v. 10).
Yes, Lord, make it simple for us. We do not aspire to climb a spiritual Everest. We are amateur trekkers on this journey, looking for  level and well-marked paths. Teach us the path to take, help us follow the lead of your good Spirit, keep us from stumbling. 

We are your servants, Lord, we need your protection and guidance. 

Amen

I’m Daniel on the channel “Pray with Me”. 

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Psalm 142 follows the poet from trouble to hope, from a fainting spirit to resounding praise, from isolation to community.  

The psalm is titled “A poem of David, a prayer when he was in the cave”. It’s a psalm for when you feel like you’re stuck in a cave, crowded into a cold, dark corner; when your enemies harass and threaten, when your mind sinks slowly into depression, when you can’t pull yourself out. 

You are not alone. The poet complains,
  I have no refuge;
      no one cares for my life (v. 4b). 

The poet has no escape from his enemies, no friend who cares if he lives or dies. Let’s join the poet in praying our way out of the cave.

Our father:
  You are our refuge,
      our portion in the land of the living (v. 5). 

When we are stuck in a cave, when darkness crowds us, when enemies pursue, we turn to the simplicity of faith. You, O Lord, are our refuge, our helper, our bodyguard. You defend us from enemies, you shield us from their arrows. You protect us from their slander. 

Save us from darkness in our minds. The cold northern winter seeps into our hearts, brings bleakness and lethargy. Light up our lives with the song of the angels and the testimony of the shepherds and the light of the new-born Christ. 

Save us from darkness in our community. When we are friendless, teach us to be friendly. When discouraged, teach us hope. When overworked, teach us to rest. When others are weighed down with life, help us share their burden. 
Save us from darkness in the world. As America retreats from the role of global peacekeeper, as Russia and China expand their influence, we look for a Messiah to bear the weight of government on his shoulders, a Savior whose name will be Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6). 

With the poet we pray,
  Set us free from our prison,
      that we may praise your name.
  Let the righteous gather together
      because of your goodness to them (v. 7). 

Amen

I’m Daniel on the channel “Pray with Me”. 

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Psalm 141 says:
  Set a guard over my mouth, Lord;
      keep watch over the door of my lips.
  Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil
       so that I take part in wicked deeds
  along with the evildoers;
      do not let me eat their delicacies (vv. 3-4).

Don’t let me eat their delicacies? Does the poet imagine great evildoers lounging around the pool,sipping wine and sampling hors d’oeuvres? Does that lifestyle attract you? What’s more pleasant than good food and good wine in civilized company? But the poet prays, Don’t let me be drawn into their evil society.

He goes on to say,
  Let a righteous man strike me–that is a kindness;
      let him rebuke me–that is oil on my head.
  I will not refuse it,
      for my prayer is against the deeds of evildoers (v. 5). 

Let a righteous man strike me? Yes, if that’s the only way to learn wisdom. Proverbs says fools are not interested in second opinions, but it’s a wise person who searches out good advice. She welcomes news she is wrong, and listens to those who correct her. One proverb says:
      Do not rebuke mockers or they will hate you;
         rebuke the wise and they will love you (Prov 9:8). 

In Psalm 141, the poet says, I’m ready for good advice, whether given with a stinging blow or rebuking words. It’s more important to make good decisions than to preserve my self-importance and dignity.

Let’s pray. 

Our father, with the poet, we pray against our predilection to evil.
  Guard our mouths so we don’t slip into evil speech–slandering the righteous, parading our tongues through the earth, planning evil deeds.
  Guard our hearts, for they love unkind words and unholy thoughts.
  Guard our friendships for we love the rich, the famous, and the socially competent, even when they reject you, scorn others, and plot  evil.
  Guard our appetites for we love the delicacies of Christmas–chocolates and eggnog and fruitcake and butter tarts. 

Teach us self-control in what we think and what we do. As Peter wrote, “Be clear-minded and self-controlled so that you can pray” (1 Pet 4:7). 

With the poet:
  We call to you, Lord, come quickly;
      hear us when we speak.
  May our prayers be incense before you;
      may the lifting of our hands be like the evening sacrifice (vv. 1-2). 

Amen

I’m Daniel on the channel “Pray with Me”. 

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube

Hello, I’m Daniel Westfall on the channel “Pray with Me”.

Psalm 140 is the first of five lament psalms that describe the poet’s enemies and their evil deeds. The poet moves through lament to faith. Faith that God will save him by overthrowing his enemies and setting his world right. 

The psalm opens like this:
  Rescue me, Lord, from evildoers;
    protect me from the violent,
  who devise evil plans in their hearts
    and stir up war every day.
  They make their tongues sharp as serpent’s;
    the poison of vipers is on their lips (vv. 1-3). 

It looks like the snake from the Garden of Eden is still at work. The poet’s unscrupulous enemies speak sharply and falsely, they plan violence and war, they threaten the poet’s life. His only recourse is to God:
  Keep me safe, Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
    protect me from the violent,
    who devise ways to trip my feet (v. 4). 

Let’s pray. 

Our father, we stand in a long line of believers who have studied how to be faithful when evil is everywhere. As our weary world plods on, as power corrupts leaders, as the Internet distributes the snake venom of divisiveness and lies, as entertainment grows more violent and pornography more hardcore, we pray to you, our God, to protect us from the ruin of our society, from the ruin of the world, from the ruin of unbelief. 

When we look at ourselves, we hear Jesus’ words, “From within, out of the heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit” (Mark 7:22). Perhaps as Pogo said, “We have met the enemy and he is us” (Walt Kelly, Pogo (comic strip), April 22, 1971. 

With the poet, we pray against all our enemies, those within and those without; those who are subtle and well-spoken like the snake in the garden; and those who are forthright and violent as they run roughshod through the world. 

We believe that you,Lord, will rescue and redeem us. As the poet says:
  Keep me safe from the hands of the wicked;
      protect me from the violent,
      who devise ways to trip my feet (v. 4).
    Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer,
      you shield my head in the day of battle (v. 7).
  I know that you secure justice for the poor
      and uphold the cause of the needy.
  Surely the righteous will praise your name,
      and the upright will live in your presence (vv. 12-13). 

O God, you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Christ carries the world’s sin on his cross. The Spirit shines in all dark corners, bringing light and truth.. 

Teach us to live in the truth. Expose the lies of the snake. Confound his conspiracy theories. Paralyze the hands of the violent. Stop the tongues of rage and slander. In the strong name of Jesus, protect the upright. Build your church into a community of life and truth. 

Amen

I’m Daniel on the channel “Pray with Me”. 

YouTube channel: Pray with Me – YouTube