Listen to what’s right, Lord;
pay attention to my cry!
Listen closely to my prayer;
it’s spoken by lips that don’t lie!
2 My justice comes from you;
let your eyes see what is right!
3 You have examined my heart,
testing me at night.
You’ve looked me over closely,
but haven’t found anything wrong.
My mouth doesn’t sin.
4 But these other people’s deeds?
I have avoided such violent ways
by the command from your lips.
5 My steps are set firmly on your paths;
my feet haven’t slipped.
Reflection
This is the prayer of a person in crisis! David’s in trouble and he’s making his case before God like a prosecutor building fact on top of fact. David demands that God hears his cry for help and sees what is right. David makes clear he is not seeking revenge for himself, rather David is seeking justice from God. David looks to God for the answer to his crisis. Because he has been following God’s laws and leading a righteous life he knows justice belongs only to God. David has a relationship with God that informs his actions, he hasn’t resorted to violence, while the enemy is not playing by the same rules. In prayer, David lays himself and his life open to God.
Like a child crying out in the dark night seeking the comfort and safety of its parents, so David cries out to God for help. Given the desperate situation the world finds itself in right now, trying to handle a global pandemic and seemingly teetering on the brink of a third World War, we can relate to David’s cry for help. Like David we too cry out for God’s help and we seek God in prayer.
By Jeneene Reduker
For Pondering & Prayer
Like David, are we willing to be transparent, to ask God to examine our hearts, to test us, to look us over closely? Are we willing to see our real selves, as God sees us, flawed, yet accepted and loved, just as we are? This can be hard as we are often harder on ourselves, too apt to dwell on our faults, or unwilling to love others and surrender ourselves to grow in the Spirit.
Lent is the time to examine our hearts, as God calls us to experience more in our lives. God invites us into a closer relationship by calling us to be with God in prayer. Prayer is that safe space to have God examine our hearts. Just you and the love of God. There is no fear or judgement, no condemnation, only pure love for you as God’s uniquely created child. Prayer is the holy space where we experience forgiveness and the extravagant love of God through Jesus Christ. It is a place of lifelong transformation by the Spirit. In prayer we enter into God’s presence with fear, anger, hurt, and brokenness and we leave with God’s presence and peace that never leaves us, even in times of crisis. Prayer with God transforms us, renews us, builds our trust in God’s promises, strengthens us and sustains us for the journey.
Prayer: Holy and Loving God, you are calling us into a deeper relationship, to that safe space of prayer to examine our hearts and have our lives be transformed by your Spirit. We put our trust in you God, our help and our Redeemer. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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