A PSALM OF DAVID.
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!
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!
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.
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.
Gracious God and Heavenly Father,
Hear our prayers this morning. Help us to trust in you, LORD, and that everything is under your sovereign control. We are distressed when we see talented preachers fall from grace and Christians we know acting in unloving ways. It hurts to see the damage done to your gospel and we grieve like Jeremiah for the people who turn from you and will not repent.
Father, we are all sinners, and we are all subject to temptation and straying from the narrow path. It is so easy to speak unkind words, words that bring people down, gossip that harms others. Keep us from this sin. Help us to say kind things, to build people up and to know when to remain silent. Keep us away from those who would lead us into sin. Help us to speak up for the truth of the gospel, no matter the cost. We know what it cost you, LORD, to save us. Keep us ever cheerful and thankful for your love and mercy!
If a believer uncovers some dark sin in our lives, let us accept their rebuke and not react in a proud or defensive way. Let us always receive the invitation to repent of our sins so that we might be restored.
LORD, hear us when we are troubled. Protect us from those who seek to do us harm. We look up to you because we know where our help comes from and that our only comfort in life and in death is that we belong to our faithful Saviour Jesus Christ who has paid for our sins and set us free from the power of sin, death and the devil.
We pray this with thankful hearts, In Jesus’ name.
AMEN.