Psalms 140-142: The Matter of the Heart
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Podcast Introduction
Today is Psalms Wednesday, and we’ll read chapters 140-142. I’m calling today’s episode “The Matter of the Heart.”
Comments on Psalm 140 and 141
Comments on Psalm 140
There were times in David’s life when he was pursued by men that literally wanted to kill him. He was slandered. He was hunted. This is a Psalm that was written during one of those times.
Do you ever think of the power of your words when you go to the Lord in prayer? David asked God not only for deliverance from evil men who would do him harm, but he also asked for their destruction. Listen again: “As for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them! Let burning coals fall upon them! Let them be cast into fire, into miry pits, no more to rise!”
I had a conversation with a man recently who had been the victim of slander. Another person was literally trying to destroy this man’s reputation and business. The attacks got so bad that this man, for whom I have tremendous respect, prayed this Psalm asking God to deal with his attacker. And the response from God was so powerful that he told me he would never pray this way again. He told me that this person’s life was utterly destroyed. He didn’t tell me any details, but based on our relationship I believe him.
If we are truly being attacked by genuinely evil people, God, our Heavenly Father, has it in His power to come to our rescue. His plan for our life will not be foiled by anyone or anything. If the plans of our enemies would keep us from fulfilling God’s plan, I believe He *will* intervene on our behalf.
I love the way David closed this Psalm: “I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy. Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall dwell in your presence.”
Comments on Psalm 141
In our translation today, David prayed in verse 4, “Take away my desire to do evil or to join others in doing wrong.” But in the original Hebrew, instead of the word “desire”, David said “heart”. I like how the NASB renders this verse, “Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds along with those who are evildoers…”
I think the distinction between desire and heart is important. At least it is for me. And maybe I’m the only one, but to me, desire resides in the mind. The more we think about the thing, the more we desire it. So if I can just force my mind to think of something else, the desire lessens. I have *some* control over my thoughts.
Ah, but the heart. It is not easily controlled by the mind, is it? The heart wants what the heart wants, pretty much no matter what the mind thinks.
So David prays, “Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil…”
Charles Spurgeon wrote, ““The way the heart inclines the life soon tends: evil things desired bring forth wicked things practised. Unless the fountain of life is kept pure the streams of life will soon be polluted.”
David well knew what trouble his heart could get him into. It was his heart that drew him to Bathsheba, and he never again wanted to get into that kind of situation.
How often, when tempted to sin, have you just tried to grunt it out…to not sin on your own strength of will? How’d that work for you? If you’re anything like me, lots of times it didn’t work very well. I have to admit that my own efforts, when the sin is right in front of me, are typically all too human. I fail. But David asks God for help in keeping his heart from being drawn to sin in the first place. And of course, that’s something that you and I can do, too. We can pray that same prayer.
It’s always a good idea to ask for help before it is needed, right? If we begin each day with a prayer that includes this request, and make it an ongoing habit throughout the day, I have a sneaking suspicion that the times of facing sin head-on will become fewer and farther apart.
Lifespring HymnStories
Today’s Bible Translation
Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 140 ESV; Ch. 141-142 NCV
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Transcript
STEVE WEBB – 0:00
I have some control over my thoughts.
INTRO S12E336 – 0:10
Coming to you from Riverside, California, home of The Mission Inn, the destination spot of ten United States presidents, including Richard and Pat Nixon, who were married there, and honeymooners, Ronald and Nancy Reagan, this is the Lifespring Family Audio Bible. And podcasting since 2004, I am your OG Godcaster, Steve Webb. This is the daily show where we’re reading through the entire Bible in a year. Today is Psalms Wednesday, and we’ll read chapters 140 through 142. And of course, I’ll have an introduction for you before reading each chapter. I’m calling today’s episode, “The Matter of the Heart”. The show notes page for today’s episode is at lifespringmedia.com/s12e336. And I was made aware today that my regular email is not delivering all email to me. So again, let’s go back to my Gmail address and use that for now, okay. That is st**************@gm***.com. Let’s use that instead. All right, let’s get started.
INTRO TO PSALM 140 – 1:11
Psalm 140 is entitled “To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David.” Now many of David’s Psalms were written when he was in trouble and he called out to God for help. In this Psalm, it seems as if he’s being slandered. Perhaps this was when King Saul was in pursuit of him.
PSALM 140 (ESV) – 1:29
Psalms, chapter 140.
(1) Deliver me, O Lord, from evil men;
preserve me from violent men,
(2) who plan evil things in their heart
and stir up wars continually.
(3) They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s,
and under their lips is the venom of asps.
(4) Guard me, O Lord, from the hands of the wicked;
preserve me from violent men,
who have planned to trip up my feet.
(5) The arrogant have hidden a trap for me,
and with cords they have spread a net;
beside the way they have set snares for me.
(6) I say to the Lord, You are my God;
give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy, O Lord!
(7) O Lord, my Lord, the strength of my salvation,
you have covered my head in the day of battle.
(8) Grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked;
do not further their evil plot, or they will be exalted!
(9) As for the head of those who surround me,
let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
(10) Let burning coals fall upon them!
Let them be cast into fire,
into miry pits, no more to rise!
(11) Let not the slanderer be established in the land;
let evil hunt down the violent man speedily!
(12) I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted,
and will execute justice for the needy.
(13) Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;
the upright shall dwell in your presence.
INTRO TO PSALM 141 – 2:54
The title of Psalm 141 is simply “A Psalm of David”. David wanted to have a close relationship with God, but he knew that sin would stand in the way of that. He knew his own weakness. So he asked God to help him deal with sin in his own life.
PSALM 141 (NCV) – 3:12
Psalms, chapter 141.
(1) Lord, I call to you. Come quickly.
Listen to me when I call to you.
(2) Let my prayer be like incense placed before you,
and my praise like the evening sacrifice.
(3) Lord, help me control my tongue;
help me be careful about what I say.
(4) Take away my desire to do evil
or to join others in doing wrong.
Don’t let me eat tasty food
with those who do evil.
(5) If a good person punished me, that would be kind.
If he corrected me, that would be like perfumed oil on my head.
I shouldn’t refuse it.
But I pray against those who do evil.
(6) Let their leaders be thrown down the cliffs.
Then people will know that I have spoken correctly:
(7) “The ground is plowed and broken up.
In the same way, our bones have been scattered at the grave.”
(8) God, I look to you for help.
I trust in you, Lord. Don’t let me die.
(9) Protect me from the traps they set for me
and from the net that evil people have spread.
(10) Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
but let me pass by safely.
INTRO TO PSALM 142 – 4:18
The title of Psalm 142 is “A maskil of David, A prayer when he was in the cave.” A maskil was something to contemplate or was an instruction. Charles Spurgeon wrote of this Psalm, “He calls this prayer ‘Maskil. A Psalm of Instruction’ because of the good lessons he had himself learned in the cave, learned on his knees, and so learned that he desired to teach others.”
PSALM 142 – 4:44
Psalms, chapter 142.
(1) I cry out to the Lord;
I pray to the Lord for mercy.
(2) I pour out my problems to him;
I tell him my troubles.
(3) When I am afraid,
you, Lord, know the way out.
In the path where I walk,
a trap is hidden for me.
(4) Look around me and see.
No one cares about me.
I have no place of safety;
no one cares if I live.
(5) Lord, I cry out to you.
I say, “You are my protection.
You are all I want in this life.”
(6) Listen to my cry,
because I am helpless.
Save me from those who are chasing me,
because they are too strong for me.
(7) Free me from my prison,
and then I will praise your name.
Then good people will surround me,
because you have taken care of me.
COMMENTS – 5:33
I’ve got comments today on Psalms 140 and 141. In 140 there were times in David’s life when he was pursued by men that literally wanted to kill him. He was slandered. He was hunted. And this psalm is one that was written during one of those times.
Do you ever think of the power of your words when you go to the Lord in prayer? David asked God not only for deliverance from evil men who would do him harm, but he also asked for their destruction. Listen again. He said,
(9) As for the head of those who surround me,
let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them!
(10) Let burning coals fall upon them!
Let them be cast into fire,
into miry pits, no more to rise!
My goodness. I recently had a conversation with a man who had been the victim of slander. Another person was literally trying to destroy this man’s reputation in business. And the attacks got so bad that this man, for whom I have tremendous respect, prayed this psalm asking God to deal with his attacker. And the response from God was so powerful that this man told me that he would never again pray this way. He told me that this person’s life was utterly destroyed. He didn’t tell me any details, but based on our relationship, I believe him.
If we’re truly being attacked by genuinely evil people, God, our heavenly Father has it in his power to come to our rescue. You see, his plan for our life will not be foiled by anyone or anything. If the plans of our enemies would keep us from fulfilling God’s plan, I believe that God will intervene on our behalf.
I love the way David closed this song. He said, “I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and will execute justice for the needy. Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall dwell in your presence.”
In Psalm 141, in our translation today, David prayed in verse 4, “Take away my desire to do evil or to join others in doing wrong.” But in the original Hebrew, instead of the word “desire”, David said, “heart”. I like how the New American Standard renders the verse, “Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds along with those who are evildoers…”
I think the distinction between “desire” and “heart” is important. At least it is for me – and maybe I’m the only one – but to me, “desire” resides in the mind. The more we think about a thing, the more we desire it. So if I can just force my mind to think of something else that desire lessens. I have some control over my thoughts.
Ah, but the heart – that is not easily controlled by the mind is it? The heart wants what the heart wants, pretty much no matter what the mind thinks.
So David prayed, “Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil…”
Charles Spurgeon wrote, “The way the heart inclines the life soon tends: evil things desired bring forth wicked things practised. Unless the fountain of life is kept pure the streams of life will soon be polluted.”
David well knew what trouble his heart could get him into, didn’t he? It was his heart that drew him to Bathsheba. And he never again wanted to get into that kind of situation.
How often, when tempted to sin, have you just tried to grunt it out, to not sin on your own strength of will. How’d that work out for you? If you’re anything like me, lots of times, it didn’t work very well. I have to admit that my own efforts when the sin is right there in front of me, are typically all too human. I fail. But David asks God for help in keeping his heart from being drawn to sin in the first place. And of course, that’s something that you and I can do, too. We can pray that same prayer.
It’s always a good idea to ask for help before it’s needed, isn’t it? If we begin each day with a prayer that includes this request, “Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil, Lord.” And if we make it an ongoing habit throughout the day, I’ve got a sneaking suspicion that the times of facing sin head-on will become fewer and farther apart.
What do you think? Have you had experience here? Haven’t we all. Comment at lifespringmedia.com/s12e336. Tomorrow is Poetry Thursday and we’ll begin reading the Song of Solomon with chapters 1 and 2.
Boost.
ON THIS DATE IN CHURCH HISTORY – 10:32
On this date in church history, August 3, 1858, Maltbie D. Babcock was born. He was an American Presbyterian clergyman and hymn writer. He’s best remembered today as the author of the hymn, “This Is My Father’s World”. And as it so happens, I did an episode of Lifespring HymnStories on this very hymn. I’ll have a link on the show notes page if you’d like to hear it.
CLOSING PRAYER – 11:04
Let’s pray. Our Heavenly Father, like David, we asked you to help keep our hearts from being attracted to evil. We know that we’re weak, Lord, and we need your help. As Paul said, “We do that which we do not want to do. And we do not do that which we want to do.” Help us, Lord, as we learn to lean on your strength. And forgive us, Lord, when we fail. And thank you for your grace and Your mercy. I pray this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
If you’ve got a prayer request or a praise, the place to go is prayer.lifespringmedia.com.
OUTRO S12E336 – 11:46
Please do remember to give some thought and prayer to the question of what you would like to see me do once this season is over, and then email your thoughts to me at st**************@gm***.com with the words “THE NEXT STEP” in the subject line. Very important. Put that in there “THE NEXT STEP”. A few of you have sent emails to me already, and I appreciate it very, very much. Now, as I said, I became aware this morning that my email system is not delivering every email to me. And if you’ve emailed me and I have not responded, it’s probably because I didn’t receive your email, because I try very hard to respond to every email I get from Lifespring family members. So if you did not get a response from me, please send your email again and send it to st**************@gm***.com. Comment on today’s show at lifespringmedia.com/s12e336. Thanks to the team: Kirsty, Sean of San Pedro and Denise. Thank you for inviting me into your life today.
And until tomorrow, may God bless you richly. My name is Steve Webb.
Bye.
Coming soon to a theater near you.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
Corrected by Denise