"Humble yourselves before the Lord
and He will lift you up."
James 4:10, NIV
. . . yet God used him for His own higher purposes.
It matters not how low my position is, God will use me for His higher purposes whenever He chooses.
"For whoever exalts himself
will be humbled . . . "
Matthew 23:12, NIV
King David was a mighty monarch . . .
. . . yet God humbled him for the fulfillment of His promises.
It matters not how elevated my position is, God will humble me for the fulfillment of His promises at His appointed time.
"Teach me Your way, O Lord;
lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors."
Psalm 27:11, NIV
As discussed yesterday, Scripture reveals that our oppressors are the devil, the world, and the flesh -- enemies that aim to poison our hearts with seeds of doubt. Indeed, whether in high or low stations, these fiends seek to steer us away from the road that leads to God. Gratefully, brokenness and repentance can chart a new course for us, a new highway guiding our steps to the fullness of the Father's mercy. Hence, also a poet and musician, David prayed and penned a most important confession in response to a season of utter and intentional disobedience to God.
David's prayer is helpful to me because, for the longest time, my own praying sadly exhibited traits that would repel the grace of God -- a prideful spirit, boastful words, critical and judgmental intention, sentences stuffed with impure motives, a mind hungry and greedy for self-righteousness. The Lord's grace has gratefully brought me to His Word. Psalm 51, in particular, has taught me that it is my humble contrition that attracts the Spirit of God and causes His ear to heed my prayers. In this psalm, I receive an invitation from God to think of prayer as a wonderful opportunity to be poor in the spirit, to be meek and humble, to be merciful, to be pure in heart, to hunger and thirst for righteousness.
David's prayer is helpful to me because, for the longest time, my own praying sadly exhibited traits that would repel the grace of God -- a prideful spirit, boastful words, critical and judgmental intention, sentences stuffed with impure motives, a mind hungry and greedy for self-righteousness. The Lord's grace has gratefully brought me to His Word. Psalm 51, in particular, has taught me that it is my humble contrition that attracts the Spirit of God and causes His ear to heed my prayers. In this psalm, I receive an invitation from God to think of prayer as a wonderful opportunity to be poor in the spirit, to be meek and humble, to be merciful, to be pure in heart, to hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Friend, would you please join me in prayer before endeavoring to read and digest David's penitential prayer?
O holy Father, slow us down and speak to our hearts as we receive Your Word. We commit to You this whole season of meditating on Psalm 51. Please, make of it exactly what You want for Your higher purposes and for the fulfillment of Your promises. In the name of Jesus, I humbly pray. Amen!
O holy Father, slow us down and speak to our hearts as we receive Your Word. We commit to You this whole season of meditating on Psalm 51. Please, make of it exactly what You want for Your higher purposes and for the fulfillment of Your promises. In the name of Jesus, I humbly pray. Amen!
Psalm 51
For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love;
according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions and my sin is always before me.
4 Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight,
so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will turn back to You.
14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me
and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
18 In Your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight You;
then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
How vulnerable of David to share his prayerful confession with you and me!
How wonderful to partake in worship in this manner!
How beautiful is the fire of confession!
Father, I thank You so very much for King David who has blazed such a vivid trail of brokenness and contrition for me to follow. His penitential psalm stirs my heart and steadies my feet. His words display the results of a faith genuinely practiced. O benevolent Father, the heart of Psalm 51 unveils the awesome power of Your mercy that dons my impure heart with the grace and strength I need to weather the tempest of idolatry and make it through unscathed. But more importantly, I thank You for using David to point me to Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of my faith.
3 For I know my transgressions and my sin is always before me.
4 Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight,
so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will turn back to You.
14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me
and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
18 In Your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight You;
then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
How vulnerable of David to share his prayerful confession with you and me!
How wonderful to partake in worship in this manner!
How beautiful is the fire of confession!
Father, I thank You so very much for King David who has blazed such a vivid trail of brokenness and contrition for me to follow. His penitential psalm stirs my heart and steadies my feet. His words display the results of a faith genuinely practiced. O benevolent Father, the heart of Psalm 51 unveils the awesome power of Your mercy that dons my impure heart with the grace and strength I need to weather the tempest of idolatry and make it through unscathed. But more importantly, I thank You for using David to point me to Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of my faith.
No comments:
Post a Comment