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Psalm 17:3-5 - Meditation - Day 225

Hello again, dear friends,

Enjoying a "day off" from helping out with our grandsons.  They went for an expedition to a state park with their parents.  This is probably calm before the storm as our son starts 4th year vet program on Monday and will be out of the house 5 days a week at least.  

I hope today's devotional helps in seeing how meditation on the psalms gets very personal.

Blessings,

Jeff

One of the things I like to do with the Psalms is make them into questions.  

V3 - Have I known the Lord's trying, testing and visitation?  If not, why not?  David did not have the Holy Spirit in the same way that Christians do.  If he was aware of the Lord's presence in trials, testing and visitation, certainly I should be aware of the Holy Spirit probing my thoughts, emotions and deeds.  God tells me that His will is to present me holy and blameless before Him.  Am I growing in holiness?  If not, the problem is not with God but me.

 Can I say that he would find nothing?  This does not mean sinless perfection.  David's history shows that he fell into some terrible sins.  In Philippians, Paul tells us that he was not already perfect, but pressed on for the prize of the upward call of God.   Do I apply 1 John 1:8&9?  Is there unconfessed sin in my heart? 

Have I purposed that my mouth will not transgress?  The abundance of verses warning about the tongue and speech show me that agreeing with God's assessment is the way to purity in speech.  If I deny that the tongue is a restless evil full of deadly poison, how can I hope to gain victory by the power of the Spirit?

v4 - Can I say "I have avoided the ways of the violent.

and My steps have held fast to your paths; my feet have not slipped"? 

These questions and answers then inform prayer of adoration for God's holiness, confession for my lack of conformity to the image of His beloved Son, thanksgiving for the warnings and supplication for help in areas where I fall short.

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