My God Is For Me
OPENING PRAYER:
God of the dawn and the day, I wait before You now to receive from Your hand.
For the director of music. A psalm of David.
1 Rescue me, Lord, from evildoers;
protect me from the violent,
2 who devise evil plans in their hearts
and stir up war every day.
3 They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent’s;
the poison of vipers is on their lips.
4 Keep me safe, Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
protect me from the violent,
who devise ways to trip my feet.
5 The arrogant have hidden a snare for me;
they have spread out the cords of their net
and have set traps for me along my path.
6 I say to the Lord, “You are my God.”
Hear, Lord, my cry for mercy.
7 Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer,
you shield my head in the day of battle.
8 Do not grant the wicked their desires, Lord;
do not let their plans succeed.
9 Those who surround me proudly rear their heads;
may the mischief of their lips engulf them.
10 May burning coals fall on them;
may they be thrown into the fire,
into miry pits, never to rise.
11 May slanderers not be established in the land;
may disaster hunt down the violent.
12 I know that the Lord secures justice for the poor
and upholds the cause of the needy.
13 Surely the righteous will praise your name,
and the upright will live in your presence. Psalm 140
REFLECT:
Remember these words? ‘I cling to you; your right hand upholds me’ (Psalm 63:8). Which are you more aware of at the moment: clinging to God, or his strength holding on to you? Talk to him about your answer.
The psalmist certainly isn’t unaffected by his enemies (vs 1-3), and he prays for protection (vs 4-8). Notice how he talks of ‘my’ God in verses 6 and 7. He is confident that despite what others think of him and intend to do to him, God is still very much for him. Do you share that confidence?
His prayer for his would-be assailants falls short of Jesus’ radical instructions to his followers (‘Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you’ (Matthew 5:44)), but it does reveal a desire for justice to be done (v 11a). Despite the threats against him, his confidence for the future (v 13) is drawn on his knowledge of God’s character and the ways that he has seen God act in the past (v 12).
As you may join with others to worship today, try to reflect on ways in which God has helped you to this point of your life, and take comfort in the unchangeable nature of the God who is always ‘on the side of victims’ (v 12, The Message).
APPLY:
Who do you consider to be your enemies? Pray for them now. If you can’t think of anyone, then thank God for that!
CLOSING PRAYER:
Forgive me Lord for failing to pray as I should as there seem to be so many things deflecting me from praying. Help me as I seek to become a prayer warrior.
WORSHIP:
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