Striving to Please the Lord

Ps. 19:14

Have you ever been doing some task - going to college, doing a job, serving in some area of the church, helping somebody, and had one of those moments where you asked yourself ‘Why am I doing this?’ ‘Why do I put myself through this sacrifice day after day?’ Have you ever woke up and discovered that you were doing something because someone else wanted you to do it? You were living someone elses dream rather than your own.

This psalm challenges us to examine why we do what we do. Like the song says, “striving to please Him in all that I do;” and later “my dearest treasure the light of His smile” (#470 Living for Jesus) that should be our controlling thought everyday. That is the thought of this passage. David’s total desire is to do what is acceptable to the Lord. In a sense to lay down his life an offering and sacrifice to the Lord. Paul echoes this sentiment in Romans 12:1,2 where he says, I beseech you therefore brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies as living sacrifices holy, acceptable (pleasing) to God which is your reasonable service; and be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind that you would prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

David divides this Psalm into three parts:

1. the heavens/creation declaring the glory of God, vss. 1-6

2. The word of God declaring commands of God, vss. 7-11

3. The Psalmists response to both is to desire purity of life: forgiveness of sin, avoidance of sin, blamelessness; and to think and say what is pleasing to God, vss. 12-14

It is this last verse that I want to think on.

We see here the close connection between our thinking and our words.

The words of my mouth flow out of my heart.

So His desire is that his thinking would be right and his words would be right to. They would be acceptable to the Lord.

Theme: Always seek to please God

The word Acceptable = favor or delight, pleasure, to be favorably received as in an offering. Lev. 1:4ff referring to offerings ceremonially; Gen. 33:10 - referring to Jacob’s offering to Esau when he met him on his return to the land. David is determined to be careful about what he thinks on and what he says in order that he might attain the goal of pleasing God, . . .

1. Because He is God,

a. He saw God as his rock/strength- He is our refuge

David understood that his strength and protection came from God. He was his refuge and deliverer.

Rock= Yahweh himself is many times called a Rock; I Sam 2:2 says, “There is no rock like our God.” Yahweh is a Rock, not in being represented as an idol carved from stone, but in that he is totally reliable. He is a sure source of strength and he endures throughout every generation. There is no unrighteousness found in him; he is completely upright (Deut 32:4; Ps 92:15 [H 16]). God is a Rock of salvation (Deut 32:15; Ps 89:26 [H 27]). He is a strong refuge in which his people may take shelter from any difticulty (cf. Ps 94:22). In distress the psalmists cry out to Yahweh so that they may experience the security of his steadfast endurance (Ps 27:5; 28:1). Harris, R. L., Harris, R. L., Archer, G. L., & Waltke, B. K. (1999, c1980). Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed.) (762). Chicago: Moody Press.

He has experienced God’s strength, especially during those times as a shepherd protecting the flock from wolves, lions, or bears. He experienced and was already convinced of God’s power in his life when he came before the giant, Goliath. And he experienced it untold times in his fights with the enemies of God during his flights from king Saul. So he sought to please God in all that he does.

b. He also saw God as his Redeemer - And we should too. He owns us.

redeemer= to buy back, to redeem from slavery.

David understood that he was owned by the Lord - We ourselves are bought with a price, 1 Cor. 6:19-20 what know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which you have from God and you are not your own; for you are bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body.

The creation and the Scripture declare who God is. It is also through the Scripture that we discover/understand what pleases Him, what is acceptable to Him. cf. Paul prays for this in Col. 1:9, 10 “That you might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; to walk worthy of the Lord into all pleasing, in every good work bearing fruit and increasing in the knowledge of God.”

In another place He desires that the “word of Christ would dwell richly in you” Col. 3:16.

Thus, David understood who God is and where he stands in relationship to Him and responds in the only acceptable way- with the desire to please God in all that he does.

2. Please Him with our thinking, Mt. 15:19

meditation= mutterings, the low moaning or growling of a lion over its prey, Isa. 31:4; pondering or devising in your own mind, Prov. 24:2; 15:28. It speaks of the thought process , speaking to oneself.

cf. Jesus teaching in Matt. 15:19

Thus, David reminds us to get out thinking right. When we think right about God, and about our situations we then will be able to say and act right.

If we think that we have certain rights and those rights are violated we will act accordingly. we might get angry. For example, if you think you have a right to peace and quiet, when someone brings their noise into your space you might get angry and shout at them to shut up.

But if you remember that you have no rights because you are not your own, you will probably not get angry and shout at them to shut up. You might ask them in a nice way to keep the noise down or simply accept the noise.

So you see, the need for you and me to think correctly/biblically, what is pleasing to God will dictate your next step which is your words to others.

3. Please Him with with our words,

words= sayings, what we speak

James 3 speaks about the difficulty of controlling our tongues. But as we see, the controlling of our tongues demands first that we control what we say to ourselves, our thinking. Then under the influence power of the Holy Spirit we will be able to please Him with our words. For as we understand, our words flow out of our thinking.

Conclusion

Thus, he compares his own words flowing out of his heart with what God communicates in creation and Scripture.

Hence, David describes God as his strength and owner. As such his one desire is to please Him in everything from what he thinks to what he says. which would include his actions too, for we do what we think.

Here is my challenge to you:

Memorize this verse and daily strive to filter your thoughts/words and actions through it throughout the day. Even filter your thoughts through it after you think and do them so that you can evaluate yourself and deal with sin, or begin to change your thinking.