Psalm 141

Sometimes reading the Psalms is no fun. Sometimes they feel like convicting reminders of our own sin - pricking the heart a little. Psalm 141 is kinda like that. 

Oh, don't get me wrong, the first couple of verses are really nice, 

"Lord, I call on You; hurry to help me. Listen to my voice when I call on You. 2 May my prayer be set before You as incense, the raising of my hands as the evening offering." (http://msb.to/Ps141:1) 

I love the idea of God hurrying to help me, listening intently to little ol' me with my little ol' problems. I love the concept of our prayers being as incense - a pleasing aroma in the throne room of God. This is comforting, this helps, this is what I want God to look like, this is the kind of scripture passage I can really get into. I can witness to my friends with this kind of passage: "Hey buddy, Jesus loves you - and look, see here in Psalm 141, God's gonna come running to your rescue ANY TIME YOU WANT!" So
convenient, this God. Isn't this how we witness to our friends these days?

But then, "Lord, set up a guard for my mouth; keep watch at the door of my lips. 4 Do not let my heart turn to any evil thing or perform wicked acts with men who commit sin. Do not let me feast on their delicacies. 5 Let the righteous one strike me— it is an act of faithful love; let him rebuke me— it is oil for my head; let me not refuse it. Even now my prayer is against the evil acts of the wicked." (http://msb.to/Ps141:3)

Oh, how often I "feast on their delicacies!" How often do I let the words and deeds of men influence my own speech and actions.  How easily I am swayed to enter into behavior that is decidedly not God-honoring in response to my environment. How often to I sit at the banquet of iniquity and dive in.

You know what I'm doing when I do that? 

Yep.

How do we stop doing this?



Are you ready? It can be a bit painful...











 



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David said it like this in Psalm 141, "Let the righteous one strike me— it is an act of faithful love; let him rebuke me— it is oil for my head; let me not refuse it... my eyes look to You, Lord God. I seek refuge in You; do not let me die." (http://msb.to/Ps141:5)

Will you ask God to strike you? To rebuke you? The wise one sees it for what it is: healing.

God, convict me of my failings. Teach me to love what you love and hate what you hate. Give me the courage to deny myself and not partake of the banquet of the world.