August 25, 2017
DON'T FORGET TO REMEMBER GOD'S FAITHFULNESS
Psalm 141
Nathan Quinn
Central Truth
Even after we have tasted and seen the Lord is good and He has proven Himself worthy of our trust and our hearts, we still have to be on guard. Cry out to Him for protection against our deceitful hearts, and seek admonishment from faithful friends.
Key Verse | Psalm 141:4–5
Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with men who work iniquity,
and let me not eat of their delicacies!
Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;
let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;
let my head not refuse it.
Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
(Psalm 141:4-5)
Psalm 141
Give Ear to My Voice
A Psalm of David.
1
O LORD, I call upon you; hasten to me!
Give ear to my voice when I call to you!
2
Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!
3
Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth;
keep watch over the door of my lips!
4
Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with men who work iniquity,
and let me not eat of their delicacies!
5
Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;
let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;
let my head not refuse it.
Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
6
When their judges are thrown over the cliff,
1
141:6
Or When their judges fall into the hands of the Rock
then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.
7
As when one plows and breaks up the earth,
so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.
2
141:7
The meaning of the Hebrew in verses 6, 7 is uncertain
8
But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord;
in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!
3
141:8
Hebrew refuge; do not pour out my life!
9
Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me
and from the snares of evildoers!
10
Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I pass by safely.
Dive Deeper | Psalm 141
At the time this psalm was written, God had already proven Himself faithful to David and worthy of his trust MANY times. (God had strengthened David against Goliath, sheltered him from Saul, established him as king, and led him to paths of righteousness.) Yet in verse 4, David says: “Do not let my heart incline to any evil, to busy myself with wicked deeds . . . .”
Why? David already knows God’s way is perfect. He also knows his heart is still tempted to go his own way. Me, too. In this psalm, David is crying out to God, asking Him for help so that David does not stray down paths of unrighteousness.
I have also witnessed the faithfulness of God in my own life:
God healed my father from leukemia . . . twice.
God showed me that He is all I need for joy and contentment no matter the circumstances.
God showed me loving others is life-giving compared to the destruction of living for my career.
God showed me His design for sex within marriage is life-giving compared to the destruction of lustful thoughts and actions outside of marriage.
God showed me pursuing Him was life-giving compared to the destruction of pursuing alcohol-fueled experiences.
God showed me that giving my money and possessions to His kingdom was life-giving compared to the destruction of building my own kingdom.
God sent His Son to pay the price I owed and to die in my place.
God turned my selfish, broken heart into one that desires and trusts Him for life.
God has shown me He is not a Heavenly Father with a list of rules causing me to miss out on life; instead, He is trying to show me the way that leads to life everlasting. Yet I, like David, forget because my heart is prone to wander. I need to depend daily on Him to help me and to change my heart.
I also need faithful friends who are willing to remind me where to find life. Verse 5a says, “Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness.” I like to call that a loving, swift, and forceful punch to the heart.
Discussion Questions
1. In what ways has God proven Himself to be a trustworthy Heavenly Father in your life?
2. In what areas of your heart are you prone to forget God and try life your way?
3. Who are the godly men or women in your life who know you and are willing to (forcefully if need be) point your heart back to Christ?