Psalm 141 - A Prayer of Protection and Direction

INTRO & B2S TITLE

Today is Back to School Sunday.

I may be one of the few, but I LOVE back to school season! It’s a fresh start, filled with new pens, notebooks, binders, backpacks, clothes and haircuts.

Now, as a parent, school season also means that we are getting back into a routine…which is really nice after a crazy summer!

Ultimately, I love it because sometimes there is nothing better than a fresh start!

So, whether you have kids at home who will be starting this week or next week. Maybe you are a student/kid starting this week or heading back to college soon. Or, maybe it’s been some years since school really influenced the things going on in your home.

My hope is that no matter what stage of life you’re in, that you’ll take what you learn from the passage today and when you need it, help you get back into a routine with God.

Psalm Title

And yes, we did finish our summer series in Psalms last week.....but Jeff isn’t here, and I’m really excited about this psalm, so we’re just going to get a bonus week in! Sound good?

COMPASS ILLUSTRATION

I’m terrible with directions. Like really bad. I get turned around so easily that I’m thankful for devices and vehicles that can help me figure out how to get from Point A to Point B.

ASK: a compass isn’t used to guide us…what is it used for?

ANS: to point us to a direction.

**A good compass, accompanied by a good map, will always allow a hiker to find their way back to home.

This whole summer, we’ve seen how the book of Psalms can uplift us when we’re struggling, direct us to our Savior, give us confidence in the midst of the darkness, and be reminded of all the ways we can praise God!

It is OUR compass for walking through life and staying on track towards a Godly life.

SAY: My hope is that today’s Psalm just adds to that list of things as we’ve learned as we see from David what it looks like to pray for protection and guidance towards a life that seeks after God.

Now, before we get into this Psalm, it’s important to know that it’s classified as an individual lament. That means that David is going to use a certain structure/rhythm to this psalm.

LAMENTS:

Laments are important - in part because they make up almost 1/3 of the entire book of Psalms

There are two types of laments, individual and community. Both types deal with problems faced by either the nation or individuals. They are often seen calling out to God for help.

These psalms are meant to be sung TO GOD. They are still very helpful to us as we try to work through issues in life and seek out God’s guidance and help.

For Psalm 141, the structure is...

Prayer for deliverance (v1-2)

prayer for wisdom (v3-5c)

Prayer for vindication (5d-7)

Prayer for deliverance and vindication (8-10)

We’re going to see in this psalm that David is asking for God’s wisdom and protection.

He wants to live for God’s glory and so he’s praying for himself and for God’s justice against those who would cause him to NOT follow God.

SAY: So, if you WANT to live a life for God’s glory, but so much around you feels like it is pulling you away from God…then let’s get our map and compass set to the right direction.

READ Psalm 141:1-2

“O Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me! Give ear to my voice when I call to you! // Let my prayer be counted as incense before you, and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!”

v1 - David starts this psalm as he does so many, calling out to God, Yahweh, his faithful Lord!

Yet this time, he is asking God to “hasten” or to “come quickly”. This psalm doesn’t tie to any specific time of danger in David’s life that we know about, but that doesn’t change the fact that David wanted God to meet him QUICKLY!

“give ear to my voice” - David is going to request some bold things from God....but it doesn’t come out of a place of arrogance, but rather out of humility.

God wants us to bring our cares, our worries, our desires to Him....but it MUST be done with a right understanding our who we are when compared to a holy God!

v2 -David’s hope is

that God would receive his prayer like the sweet smoke that arises from the burning of incense on the altar.

That God would see David’s hands raised to Him and know that David’s heart is praising and trusting God!

Again, David is coming humbly before a holy God first.

SAY: He knows that without God on his side, he will lose the battles he’s going to face before they even begin!

READ Psalm 141:3-4

“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips! // 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!”

SAY: Now David is beginning his petitions to God. He is asking for God’s protection, specifically against the sins of his tongue (v3), his heart (v4), and his actions (v4).

v3- David starts with his tongue (v3)

Which is a bit interesting because we see in scripture that out of the heart flows the tongue.

But whatever reason it’s for, David knows that the tongue can either be used to express love or cause destruction.

ILLUS: Marriage Counseling

In marriage counseling, we talk about how the words you say, and the tone you say them with, can either help or cause greater harm to a situation.

We all know this is true! If you remember a time in your life, maybe around 13-18 years old, our tongue was often the thing that got us into the most trouble.

v4 - “heart” is where spiritual activity takes place. It’s where the desire for sin starts…especially when it comes to our speech.

SAY: While David starts with his tongue, the ultimate goal is “not let my heart include to any evil”.

READ v4b

"iniquity” - immoral behavior

David is aware/afraid of where his heart will go if not for God’s protection. He knows (from watching others and seeing his own life) that his natural bend is away from God and towards sin.

The draw to the “wicked deeds” are the men who will accompany him and sin’s enticement, like a nice dessert (“delicacies”).

What’s interesting is both the focus on the deeds themselves and the men who do them.

SAY: As believer’s sometimes our desire is for the sinful act itself, and sometimes our desire is to join in with a group that causes our hearts to abandon the things of God.

This obviously applies to kids/teenagers/young adults

BUT, those of us who are well past those times don’t get an out for this. We are all tempted to look at that people around us and compromise the beliefs we hold to for our own personal gain or enjoyment.

The temptation to cut that corner in business.

To give a little too much emotionally to that coworker instead of our spouse.

The temptation to replace our time with God (both at church and at home) with activities that draw us closer to God!

SAY: Either way, David is asking God to protect him from such things.

READ Psalm 141:5-7

“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. When their judges are thrown over the cliff, then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant. As when one plows and breaks up the earth, so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.”

SAY: It’s not just “good enough” to hope that we can fight off the sinful desires ourselves. We MUST get others around us involved.

v5 - David knew this, and so he asks for God to send a “righteous man [to] strike [him].”

ASK: Have you ever had someone call you out for something that you were doing that you shouldn’t be doing?

MAN IT’S ANNOYING!!

I love though how David is comparing the righteous man’s words as a “strike”.

This word David is using for “strike” is painting a picture of a horses hooves hitting the ground and the sound it makes (bang on table).

It’s quite the THUMP.

David then asks for the righteous man to “rebuke” him.

“rebuke me” - is strong statement by David. This time from a legal perspective as rebuking someone is to make a case against them.

David is describing this action as ”oil for my head”, and or as a blessing being anointed on him.

It is crazy to think that someone would refuse a blessing, but David knows that this blessing is not easy to accept.

So he reminds himself of it’s purpose, in hopes of faithfully accept it as good for him.

LIFE GROUP PICTURE

I’ve been at Waterbrook for almost 8.5 years, and for almost every bit of that time, I’ve had a group around me that has challenged me like David is describing.

There have been some changes in people over the years, but this group of guys especially, won’t let me get far without calling me out!

Called Justin frustrated, he called me out on how part of it was my fault.

THAT is what I needed in that moment.

SAY: I am a better man, a better husband, father, pastor, leader, Christ follower because these people are in my life.

READ v5 again (5-7 on screen)

Now we get to an important part of the psalm...

READ Psalm 5d-7

Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds. When their judges are thrown over the cliff, then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant. As when one plows and breaks up the earth, so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.”

Now, if you spend much time reading the Psalms…especially written by David, you will see, several times in fact, where he is actively praying for the downfall and even the destruction of his enemies.

But that raises a question, if we are supposed to use the psalms as a model for our prayers at times, how can we pray these things in light of Jesus commands to “love one another”?

These sections are called “imprecations”

Imprecations are prayers by God’s people asking for God’s judgement, His vengeance, and even a curse on their enemies.

Again, there are a bunch of these prayers in the first half of psalms.

David’s prayer here is that the wicked would fail. Not just fail, but be “thrown over the cliff.” Which, years later, one of the kings of Judah, Amaziah, would throw 10,000 men whom he had defeated off the cliff. (2 Ch 25:12). 2 Chronicles tells us that Amaziah “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.” (2 Ch 25:2)

Sometimes people try to use the OT to say that God is full of hatred and anger and can’t be a loving God.

We see in both the Old and New Testaments this tension between love and evil.

The OT isn’t just about God’s destruction of the evil who oppose Him, but it includes commands to love your enemies (Lev 19:17-18; Pr 25:21).

The NT isn’t only about loving our enemies. There is an accountability to God for the actions we take in our lives (Ac 17:30-31).

This accountability can/does include God’s wrath at times. Jesus himself encouraged the godly to persevere in prayer and thereby confirmed the conviction that God is just, as He will “bring about justice for this chosen ones...” (Lk 18:7)

PT: These imprecations in the psalms focus on the reality of evil and the hope of restoration.

The destruction of those who do and cause evil is more about restoring the glory of God and His name than the destruction of the people they are praying against.

So how does it fit for us, as believer’s?

As Christians we must first get rid of our selfish passions, judgements, and our own personal vindictiveness because if we live with those desires in our heart, we fall under the same judgement that we are praying for from God.

Back to Verse 5-7

There is a balance of honest expressions of frustration and anger and hope to see God’s righteousness come.

David desired for God’s name to be protected (“they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant”).

David’s hope isn’t just in the destruction of the enemy, but that the wicked would learn that David’s words had been true all along. And that those who survived would see the bones of the dead and turn towards God.

As believer’s, we can pray for God’s justice to come, but we must also pray that in doing so, those that are doing evil would see God and that their hearts would be moved towards Him.

READ Psalm 141:8-10

“But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord; in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless! // Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me and from the snares of evildoers! Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely.”

v3 David is again praying for deliverance

He says “my eyes are toward you” - like a kid whose attention you’re trying to get

SAY: This commitment to God, points David’s heart to trust God and God alone.

“in you I seek refuge” - to seek refuge is to seek safety. “leave me not defenseless”

ILLUS - Tornado Shelter

You only seek refuge in things that you trust to keep you safe! In a tornado, don’t go sit in your car...you get into an inner room with no windows

READ v9-10

Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me and from the snares of evildoers! Let the wicked fall into their own nets, while I pass by safely.”

v9-10

There are two options when you know that you’re headed for a trap. You are either stay back, paralyzed with fear, or boldly face what’s ahead.

For David, knowing that his enemies were waiting with traps didn’t deter him from following God.

David prayed that the wicked ones would fall into their own nets while he walked by safely.

EX: Wylie Coyote and RoadRunner

David’s heart was for God to be known because of the success He granted David.

What a great success it would be to safely walk by traps that have captured the people who set them for you?!

APPLICATION

This Psalm is David asking God for wisdom and protection. His desire is to live for God’s glory and so he is praying for his own self and for God’s justice against those who would cause him to not follow God.

SAY: Whether you are heading back to school this month or not, let’s see what we can learn from David about how to ask God for wisdom and protection.

1. Come to God humbly and honestly (v1-2)

David started this psalm off calling on God to come to him…but it wasn’t in arrogance, it was in humility, and it was going to be very honest.

HUMBLY

I have talked with many people over the years that think that God owes them something. That they deserve for their prayers to be answered how they want them to be answered.

Whew, that is NOT the attitude of David here.

Humility happens when we realize who we are before a holy God....and spoiler alert, that’s not anything special!

But God, still wants us to come to Him! He desires for us to call out to Him.

HONESTLY

And the good news, God already knows what’s in our heart, so honesty should be the next expectation.

Honestly is sometimes the harder of the 2 though.

Sometimes we are afraid to ask because we are afraid of the answer

Sometimes we are afraid to be honest because we are ashamed of the thoughts we are having.

Psalm 44:21b “...[God] knows the secrets of the heart.”

My prayers over the years haven’t always been pretty. Sometimes they are filled with anger, hurt, disappointment, confusion.

SAY: But going to God, honestly and openly with those things shows a level of faith and trust that isn’t there when we don’t pray honestly.

2. Take an inventory of your heart and the people that influence you. (v3-5)

David knew, that if left up to his own strength, he was going to mess up big time! He asked for God’s protection against the sins of his tongue (v3), his heart (v4), and his actions (v4).

SAY: When was the last time you stopped and took an inventory of how the things you say, the things you desire, and the things that you do reflect your relationship with God?

David wasn’t just worried about his heart, but also the people he put around himself.

This DOESN’T mean to avoid people who aren’t Christians!

SAY: It means that we need to know WHO is impacting us and HOW they are impacting us.

I spent 20 years in student ministries and I watched both side of this play out.

On one side, students who could go either way in their walk with God, would surround themselves with Godly, righteous people and would flourish in their faith!

Then, on the other side, I saw students who were passionate, leaders for God in their youth group, completely fall away from their faith because they let their inner circle of influencers become a group that enticed them with the “delicacies” of the world rather than God.

SAY: Somebody is influencing you. Who is it and how does your heart look after you spend time with them?

SAY PT AGAIN

3. Pray confidently for God’s justice and His mercy. (v6-10)

David’s confidence in God comes from his trust in God’s authority over all things. His hope for justice comes from a desire for God’s name to known to all as holy!

It’s ok to pray for those who do evil to be brought to justice by God. But, we must make sure that our heart is as David’s is…that our desire for justice is built on the hope that name of God is remembered as holy.

And, we must never forget that we have been shown mercy instead of getting what we deserve. God’s mercy is the best outcome we could hope to see in others (even our enemies) because it’s what God showed us by sending Jesus to die on the cross for our sins.

Our hearts should break when we see evil, but our prayers must also include prayers for the souls of those who don’t know God.

That they would KNOW and be TRANSFORMED by the same Savior that saved us.

As we get ready to transition to a special prayer time, I hope that you leave today challenged to do something.

To see today as a refresh point in your faith. To pray for others in a way that aligns with the heart of God. To find a group of people that will hold you accountable in your faith.

Whatever it is, begin praying God. Pray confidently to a God who is able to do immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine!

PRAY