the motivation of a repentant heart

“To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments; according to The Sheminith. A Psalm of David.

1 O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger,
            nor discipline me in your wrath.
2 Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing;
            heal me, O Lord, for my bones are troubled.
3 My a soul also is greatly troubled.
           But you, O Lord—how long?

4 Turn, O Lord, deliver my life;
              save me for the sake of your steadfast love.
5 For in death there is no remembrance of you;
            in Sheol who will give you praise?

6 I am weary with my moaning;
              every night I flood my bed with tears;
        I drench my couch with my weeping.
7 My eye wastes away because of grief;
           it grows weak because of all my foes.

8 Depart from me, all you workers of evil,
            for the Lord has heard the sound of my weeping.
9 The Lord has heard my plea;
          the Lord accepts my prayer.
10 All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled;
            they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.” - Psalm 6

Very few men are as transparent as David.  In psalm 6 we are able to see the plea of David as he repents of his sin and cries out for mercy from the Lord.  As I read through this psalm, I was amazed by the brevity of this psalm and yet the passion it shows. Even though it is only 10 verses, David pours out his heart and lays it bare before us.  He shows us the state of his condition, his plea to God, the motivation for his plea, and the confidence he has in the Lord.

The state of his condition

David reveals to us the state of his condition in verses 6-7. In David’s cry before the Lord he shows us how he laments over his sin.  He shows us that true lamentation is not merely feeling sorry but being crushed by the reality of our sin.  David says that he is weary from moaning.  He is tired from the moaning and crying that has taken place in his life.  He says that his eye has grown weak from his growning.  He allows us to see how he has cried and been broken over his sin that brought him to the place he is at.  He has drenched his couch and flooded his bed with tears.   How often do we moan and cry over our sin in the same way that David does?

His plea to God

David does not stop with crying and moaning over his sin.  The realization of his sin causes him to plea with God for mercy and love.  He asks for God to withhold his anger and wrath because he is already broken and could not bear it.  He pleas for God to save him for the sake of the Lords love, not merely for the sake of his life and comfort.  The plea of David shows us the reality of the holiness of God. It shows us the reality that God is holy and because of His holiness, there is righteous anger and wrath towards sin.  David understand that he is in need of the mercy of the Lord to save him from death.  The repentant heart understand the truth of the wrath of our holy Lord. 

The motivation of his plea

However, it is the motivation of his plea that speaks volumes.  The motivation for this plea goes beyond remaining alive and being removed from wrath.  David shows us what is really at stake for him in verse 5 when he says “In death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise?” David realizes that his sin breaks his fellowship with the Lord.  He realizes that if he does not receive mercy he will die and no longer see the glory of God.  We are often aware that our sin may bring anger and wrath but sometimes we fail see that our sin robs us of joy and fellowship with Christ.  In our sin we struggle to see the Light.  We miss out of the glory that is to be seen.  The motivation of a repentant heart is the ultimate desire to come back into the Light and delight in the glory of the only begotton Son of God.  Do you delight in Christ so much that, when you hinder the view of His glory by sin, you are truly broken in this same way?

The confidence he has in the Lord

To close out this psalm David does not leave the reader wondering if God is good and answers his plea.  He proclaims it loud and clear.  He tells us that the Lord hears the pleas of the repentant heart. The Lord accepts prayers that lament over sin in this way.  The Lord answers the plea of the one who longs to see the glory of Christ.  What a confidence he has in the mercy and love of the Lord! How much more should this give us confidence in the mercy and love of the Lord? Do you know that your pleas for mercy and love are heard?

- one who longs to pray like David

praying with David

“Lead Me in Your Righteousness
To the choirmaster: for the flutes. A Psalm of David.

1 Give ear to my words, O Lord;
       consider my groaning.
2 Give attention to the sound of my cry,
       my King and my God,
   for to you do I pray.
3 O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;
         in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.

4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
         evil may not dwell with you.
5 The boastful shall not a stand before your eyes;
        you hate all evildoers.
6 You destroy those who speak lies;
       the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
        will enter your house.
   I will bow down toward your holy temple
         in the fear of you.
8 Lead me, O Lord, in your righteousness
        because of my enemies;
    I make your way straight before me.

9 For there is no truth in their mouth;
         their inmost self is destruction;
   their throat is an open grave;
           they flatter with their tongue.
10 Make them bear their guilt, O God;
          let them fall by their own counsels;
     because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,
              for they have rebelled against you.

11 But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
             let them ever sing for joy,
      and spread your protection over them,
            that those who love your name may exult in you.
12 For you bless the righteous, O Lord;
          you cover him with favor as with a shield.” - Psalm 5

Psalm 5 is a rich passage, written by the hand of David, aided by the Holy Spirit; all for the glory of the Father.  Take a moment and read all 12 verses.  After reading these verses, I invite you to step into His presence in prayer.  After praying, take a look at these verses with me.

 The Psalm begins with an intentional cry for the Father’s attention.  It’s not the same trite words that are prayed daily.  These words are deep, rich, and full of longing for the Father’s attention.  Now, compare verses 1-3 to your prayer.  How did you begin?  Where did you start.  Most people start with the traditional, “Father, thank you for this day…”  There is really nothing wrong with that, but do you come to Him with that statement, with a longing for Him to “Give ear to my words” (verse 1)?  Or, do you beg for Him to, “Give attention to the sound of my cry” (verse 2)?  I believe often times, if you are like me, I fall into a routine of prayer that often times loses its focus on the joy of wanting the Father’s attention.  I love verse 3 and how it paints to us a beautiful picture of morning devotionals.  I love how the Psalmist writes about how the Lord hears his voice in the morning.  Did you notice that the Psalmist (on top of waking up early, I imagine) brings a sacrifice to the Lord…for the Lord to watch?  I believe the heart behind that statement is the Psalmist wanting the Lord to find pleasure in His obedience.  I believe that since Christ eliminated the sacrificial system, by being the ultimate sacrifice (read Hebrews 10), then we inherit the pleasure of the Father by coming to Him through the authority of His Son.  We receive His pleasure, in the morning, by acknowledging the Son’s sacrifice and giving glory to the Father for giving us His graceful attention.

Verses 4-6 reveal to us the seriousness of sin in the sight of the Holy One.  I find comfort in these verses, for I am constantly at odds with the sins of this world and how it pulls down people.  This morning, I had coffee with a dear friend of mine.  During our talk, I was reminded of the toughness of ministry and how demanding it is on the day to day scheme of life.  However, I’m reminded that the errors and sins of others should not alter my life or make me sorrowful, for ultimately, those sins are done against the Father…not just against me.  These verses should remind us as His adopted children, to confess daily; knowing how sin is viewed in the sight of the Holy Lord God Almighty.

Verses 7-8 are so inspiring.  Here, we see the Psalmist write about how the steadfast love of God draws Him to enter into His presence, His house.  I’m reminded of 1 John 4 in this passage; how “in this is love, not that we loved him, but that He loved us…”(1 John 4:10).  I believe we often times forget the fact that our privilege of prayer, our privilege of worship is drawn by the steadfast love of our Father in Heaven.

Verses 9-10 again tie in with verses 4-6, in that we are so in love with the Lord and find our delight in Him, that what is sin to Him and evil in His sight, becomes evil in our sight.  In other words, when I see someone take His name in vain, live by the flesh and His holiness is ridiculed; I can understand verse 10.  Look here and compare it to Psalm  51:4.  It states clearly that the sins were against…HIM.  So, when someone spreads a rumor about me that isn’t necessary true, not only are they sinning against me…they are sinning against my Father in Heaven.  I truly believe what makes His grace amazing is that in our wretchedness (because all of us sin), He pours His steadfast love over us (going back to verse 7).  Isn’t He wonderful?

Verses 11-12 close out this Psalm so beautifully.  I love verse 11.  Compare this verse to Psalm 34:8.  We find happiness, joy, etc…when we take refuge in Him.  We can rejoice, truly, knowing that we want Him and nothing else.  This leads us to receive His blessing.  I believe those that Jesus was preaching to in Matthew 5:3-12 were given those beatitudes, because they were wanting to find their joy and rejoice in Christ alone.  Blessings are poured out when God’s redeemed people rejoice in Him daily and long for His name to be known.  We are covered with His righteousness alone, we are blessed by His steadfast love, we are privileged that He would give us His attention.  Again, please allow me to ask:  Isn’t He wonderful?

- Dave

An Evening Hymn…

“Evening Prayer of Trust in God.
For the choir director; on stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.

1Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have relieved me in my distress;
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.
2O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach?
How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? Selah.

3But know that the LORD has set apart the godly man for Himself;
The LORD hears when I call to Him.
4Tremble, and do not sin;
Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

5Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,
And trust in the LORD.
6Many are saying, “Who will show us any good?”
Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O LORD!
7You have put gladness in my heart,
More than when their grain and new wine abound.
8In peace I will both lie down and sleep,
For You alone, O LORD, make me to dwell in safety.” - Psalm 4

This Psalm is apparently intended to accompany the third, and make a pair with it. If the last may be entitled THE MORNING PSALM, Psalm 4 could be entitled THE EVENING HYMN. The Inspired title is: “To the chief Musician on Neginoth, a Psalm of David,” thus we can assume that as the Third, David is the author here as well. Finally, the term Neginoth means stringed instruments, as opposed to horns or drums. This would have been a soothing hymn.

There are three divisions within this Psalm. The first is a Cry for Grace (v. 1). The second is a Cry for Holiness (vv.2-5) and the Third is a Cry of Praise (VV.6-8).

A Cry for Grace

David realizes that he has no business attaining an audience with God. While verse one initially sounds like it is a demand, it is actually a plea from David for God to extend his Grace to him, just as He has done in the past, one more time.

A Cry for Holiness

David also knows that God is a perfect and holy God who has been mocked by David’s enemies. However, instead of calling upon God to destroy those enemies, David calls upon them to change their ways. They are to turn from their wicked lives, meditate upon the understanding of who God is, and respond in appropriate worship.

A Cry of Praise

David indicates his own understanding of who God is in this last section. While others are seeking God’s blessings and not recognizing when/what He has already provided, David knows and understands who God is…David’s source of sustenance, provision, rest and peace.

Oh Lord our Protector and Sustainer

We, like David, live in a hostile world. And, like David we are no different from those who hate God, except that we have accepted by faith the grace that He has provided to us through His Son Jesus Christ. If our desire is to have the rest and peace that David enjoyed, we need to follow the same formula that David gave to his enemies:

1. Tremble, and do not sin – we are to live a life of holiness, because the God who provides for us is holy.
2. Meditate in your heart – spend time in disciplined study and prayer so that our relationship with God continues to grow in our knowledge of Him.
3. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness – worship the God of this universe with all that is due Him. Do not try to cut corners, but worship with everything we have.
4. Trust in the LORD – He is sovereign. He is capable of providing for all our needs. He will take protect His own. He alone is God, we are not.

- Mac

when fear and truth meet, you will find yourself on your knees

“A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.
       O LORD, how many are my foes!
                   Many are rising against me;
        many are saying of my soul,
                     there is no salvation for him in God. Selah

        But You, O LORD, are a shield about me,
                     my glory, and the lifter of my head.
         I cried aloud to the LORD,
                     and He answered me from His holy hill. Selah

        I lay down and slept;
                 I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.
        I will not be afraid of many thousands of people
                  who have set themselves against me all around.

            Arise, O LORD!
                      Save me, O my God!
          For you strike all my enemies on the cheek;
                     you break the teeth of the wicked.

              Salvation belongs to the LORD;
                       your blessing be on your people! Selah” - Psalm 3

This is the first Psalm that we have seen thus far with a title.  The title lets us know who it is written by (David), when it is being written and what it is in response to (when he fled from Absalom his son). So, this tells us our context. I encourage you to read the account of David fleeing from Absalom in 2 Samuel 15-16. This is also the first time we see the word Selah appear in the Psalms, but it won’t be the last.  Selah is there to give a break in the flow (possibly a musicial direction). So, because of the Selah, we can easily break this up into three parts. I am going to agree with the ESV Study Bible and break these three parts up as What He Sees, What He Believes, and What He Prays For.

What He Sees - v. 1-2

The psalmist first tells us what he sees around him and the magnitude of what is going on.  He uses the word “many” three times to show that those who are against him are great in number.  This shows us the magnitude of what he sees.  He sees that there are many foes, and they (the many) are rising up against him, and they (the many) are even mocking him saying that his sins are so many that God cannot or will not save him.  The psalmist is being attacked in many different ways, even to the point of trying break his confidence in the Lord.  No doubt that the psalmist had fear, yet look at what he says next…

What He Believes - v. 3-6

He first declares who the Lord is.  He says that the Lord is “a shield” about him, his “glory” and the ”lifter” of his head.  The Lord is protection from the foes who are rising up against him.  The Lord is not only his salvation (”the lifter of my head”) but He is also his glory (his strength and treasure). He then recalls how the Lord has answered him when he cried out and that when he laid down to sleep, he woke back up alive, because the Lord sustained him.  It is because of these things that the psalmist can say “I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.” Notice now he says ”many thousands” now showing that even if more than “the many” he spoke about (v. 1-2) come he will still not be afraid. Because of the truth of the Lords deliverance, he is no longer afraid. So he prays with confidence…

What He Prays For - v. 7-8

The Psalmist prays for him to be saved again by the hand of the Lord.  He understands that “Salvation belongs to the Lord,” it is the Lords to give and withhold as He desires.  Yet, because of the Lord deliverance in times past, the psalmist can ask for deliverance and the Lord’s blessing to be on His people.  He calls for the Lord to ”strike his enemies” and thus make them powerless as He alone has the power to do (Isaiah 40:22-24). 

Lord, bring us to our knees!

When fear is met with the truth that the Lord is Sovereign and on the throne, our response is prayer.  Prayer for the hand of the Lord to be on us, for Him to give us strength and comfort, for Him to be our glory.  May He be our treasure in times of distress! May we fall to our knees in dependance and cry out to the Lord for help! May we not “pull ourselves up by our bootstraps” but rather lay ourselves down and delight in the shadow of His wings (Psalm 61)! Because only then will we find that the fear will reside and we will find rest for our souls, for salvation truly does belong to the Lord!

- one amazed by the truth of Psalm 3   

the Reign of the Lord

“1 Why do the nations rage
   and the peoples plot in vain?
2The kings of the earth set themselves,
   and the rulers take counsel together,
   against the LORD and against his anointed, saying,
3′Let us burst their bonds apart
   and cast away their cords from us.’
 4He who sits in the heavens laughs;
   the Lord holds them in derision.
5Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
   and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6′As for me, I have set my King
   on Zion, my holy hill.’
 7I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, ‘You are my Son;
   today I have begotten you.
8Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
   and the ends of the earth your possession.
9You shall break them with a rod of iron
   and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.’
 10Now therefore, O kings, be wise;
   be warned, O rulers of the earth.
11 Serve the LORD with fear,
   and rejoice with trembling.
12 Kiss the Son,
   lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
   for his wrath is quickly kindled.
  Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” - Psalm 2

The psalmist begins this psalm in verse 1 saying “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain?” Here we see the extent of mans total depravity. They plot in vain (on purpose, for selfish gain, in anger) against the Holy God. However, they don’t just secretly plot; the first part of verse can also be translated as “Nations noisily assemble” meaning that it is openly and loudly devising against the Lord. In Acts 4:23-31, Luke explains how this was still going on in the early days of the church,

“23When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord,  who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, 25who through the mouth of our father David, your servant,  said by the Holy Spirit,

‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
   and the peoples plot in vain?
26The kings of the earth set themselves,
   and the rulers were gathered together,
   against the Lord and against his Anointed’—

 27for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. 29And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, 30while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” 31And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.”

Peter and John were just released after being arrested for preaching the Gospel. Just as it was when the psalmist wrote this Psalm, when the author wrote Acts, and at this very moment people the wicked are plotting in vain against the Lord and His servants. In verse 2 we see them set themselves up as their own rulers and counsel of their own kingdom. After writing how depraved these nations are, and how they plot to destroy the Lord and his servant, he concludes with the statement in verse 3 “Let us burst their bond apart and cast away their cords from us.” Here is a joyful, exciting, humbling statement that will ultimately lead to grace and rejoicing for those who are believers in Christ. In Jeremiah 30:8 we read “And it shall come to pass in that day, declares the Lord of hosts, that I will break his yoke from off your neck, and I will burst your bonds, and foreigners shall no more make a servant of Him.” Plain and simple at the end justice will be poured out on those who are against the Lord. Yet as believers we can still rejoice because of the HOPE to come! As believers we have a peace that is above all understanding (Philippians 4:7) and a hope in Christ for His return. In verses 4-9 we can find security and joy in time of suffering and trials. I do not think I need to explain these verses because they speak for themselves about the sovereignty, power and grace that He has given to us as believers, and the wrath that will be poured out on those who don’t repent and believe.

“4He (Jesus) who sits in the heavens laughs;
   the Lord holds them in derision.
5Then he will speak to them in his wrath,
   and terrify them in his fury, saying,
6′As for me, I have set my King
   on Zion, my holy hill.’
 7I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, ‘You are my Son;
   today I have begotten you.
8Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage,
   and the ends of the earth your possession.
9You shall break them with a rod of iron
   and dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.’”

I will however highlight in verse 7 this is where we can see the HOPE for the ones who are redeemed, that he has “begotten” us and we will have favor in His eyes because of the blood of Jesus Christ.  In verses 1-2 we see the human rebellion, in verses 3-9 we see the divine sovereign justice of God, and now in verses 10-12 we see our called response. The psalmist calls all the leaders to be wise in verse 10. However, it is not a scholarly wisdom but wise in the will of God. We should in verse 10 “serve the Lord with fear and trembling” with full repentance and brokenness knowing that we do not deserve to be allowed in His grace much less be allowed to serve. In verse 12 it says “Kiss the Son” which sounds awkward, but it is a sign of submission to allow that person to rule. “Lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled.” In this verse it says “you perish in the way” picks up the plea in psalm 1, but also shows how insignificant we are. “You perish in the way,” his wrath as a target, and nothing can stop Him from reaching it. If you are the wicked you will be nothing but a spec of dust that hits a car windshield on the interstate. However, the psalmist ends with this “Blessed are all who take refuge in him.” Here is the plea of the Psalms and me. Repent from your wicked ways and believe in Christ.  Do not fall into the loud and restless “nation” who plot against the Lord or don’t believe judgment will come to them. As we read in scripture you are either a blessed one or a wicked one. For the blessed ones have a HOPE for the return of the Lord to enter into paradise and dwell with our Holy creator for all eternity!

 - Channing

 

firmly rooted to the source

“1 Blessed is the man 
           who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
    nor stands in the way of sinners,
           nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
           and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree
              planted by streams of water
    that yields its fruit in its season,
              and its leaf does not wither.
     In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
            but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
            nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
 6 for the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
            but the way of the wicked will perish.” Psalm 1

The psalmist begins by showing the delight of the man who walks in the counsel of the Word rather than with the world.  He uses the word blessed meaning that this person is happy because the Lord showers favor on him (see also verse 6). He begins with a few statements about what the man does not do and then moves to what the man does do. He first writes that this man does not walk in the counsel of the wicked. We will truly be blessed when we do not carry out the counsel that is received from the wicked.  Where does our source of counsel come from? Who do we lean on for guidance through difficult seasons?  The psalmist is telling us that we are blessed when our counsel is not received from the wicked.  We are truly happy when we do not emulate their lifestyles.  But the psalmist continues with what the man does not do.  He first does not “walk in the counsel of the wicked” but he also does not “stand in the way of sinners.”  The truly happy man is one who does not stand with sinners.  Standing implies something a little greater than walking.  You have slowed down when you are standing.  You are further in with the wicked and the sinners.  You are now planted in their ways by standing with them.  Rather than just taking counsel, you are not right in the midst with them.  But the psalmist does not stop there, he then says that the blessed man does not “sit in the seat of scoffers.” To sit is to plant yourself even further than standing.  Not you are relaxed, you are completely amongst the people.  You have become one of the guys, so to speak. And the people he uses in this metaphor is more than just sinners, they are scoffers. Those who not only do not care for but mock the moral standards of the law of the Lord.  The psalmist tells us that we will be happy when we avoid these kinds of people, but he continues on to show us what the man does do.  “His delight is in the law of the Lord, and on His law he meditates day and night” (v. 2).  The truly blessed and happy man find all his delight in the Word of God.  So much so that he meditates on it day and night.  He stores it in his heart (Psalm 119:11) and dwells on it through out the day and through the night.  He wakes up with the desire to search the scriptures for glorious truth.  What is your craving of the Word like? Where is your delight?

The psalmist gives us a beautiful illustration of what happens when our delight is in the law of the Lord, when we meditate on it day and night.  He says that this man is like a “tree planted by streams of water.” When the Word is our delight we are firmly planted in the truth.  We are connected to the source.  We can withstand the storms and heat because our roots are strong and receiving the nutrients they need.  We are not swayed by the counsel of the wicked and the ways of sinners.  We receive everything we need from the Word and thus we produce fruit and will not whither.  Fruit is something that a tree produces for others.  Our delight in the Word is contagious and when other see our delight they see our fruit.  Our words become more edifying and uplifting.  Our actions become more sacrificial, declaring the glory of God (see Matthew 5:16 and 1 Peter 2:12). We are strong and will not whither.  God’s workmanship is on display for all to see (Ephesians 2:10). But the wicked are not so.  They are like the chaff that is blown away by the wind.  When the farmer threshes the wheat, the kernels (good edible food) remain, and the chaff (bad inedible food) is driven away by the wind because it brings no benefit to anyone. 

Then the psalmist closes by reminding the reader that the wicked will not be standing in judgment nor the sinners remaining in fellowship with the righteous.  This is because the Lord “knows the way of the righteous” and “the way of the wicked will perish.”  The Lord cares for and prefers the way of the righteous.  He knows them affectionately.  While He does know about the way of the wicked (Psalm 94 “know their deepest secrets”), He does not know them affectionately.  And in the end the righteous will be the ones that stand and the wicked will be the ones that perish. 

This is a strong call for us to avoid the lifestyles of the wicked and pursue godliness. But we do this by pursuing the Word and ultimately pursuing Christ (John 1). Jesus Christ has given His righteousness as the testimony to God for the life of those He has called to Himself (Acts 2:39, Romans 8:30). Let us pursue Him and Him alone! Let us seek His counsel that is found in the Word and meditate on it day and night!

“Oh Praise the one who paid my debt and raised this life up from the dead”

- one who is truly blessed because he has found favor with the Lord through 
  Jesus Christ

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