I Am Purposed

Psalm 17:3 “Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.”

Here is a remarkable prayer to the Lord. David makes a bold statement to God. It’s one thing to tell someone else  we’re determined to make it to heaven. It’s another thing to tell God. Psalm 17 addresses the necessity for every child of God to do this. More now than ever life’s demands are against us. There is the pressure to doubt and grow impatient; allurements are thrown at us all the time. It’s a challenge to step up to the plate and say “I am purposed” to be a Christian. This involves every area of our life. As we purpose to do it, the devil works on every area of our life. We feel we have to sleep with one eye open to stay ahead of him. Remember God always has both eyes open.

David didn’t speak rashly. He thought it though. He counted the costs. He then purposed in his heart to put God first. This wasn’t a big promise to show off his righteousness. We don’t show God anything.  David was aware of the details and saw his need for God’s help. We, as David was, must be purposed or the devil will get the best of us. With God’s help David won the victory over Goliath and Saul. None of it is through our own strength; it is by God.  Along with David’s declaration of purpose, he recognized what he needed to be able to do it. He asked for it.

What was David purposed to do?

Verse 1 says “Hear the right, O LORD, attend unto my cry, give ear unto my prayer, that goeth not out of feigned lips.”  Prayer is the basic foundation of a relationship with the Lord. We call upon him. It is a purpose for fellowship with God. He purposed do so and not be fake (feigned) about it. Every time we pray we seek an audience with God. We cannot take that for granted. We can’t do it without thought. It cannot be just a ritual of words. The only way to pray is by seeking him. Our heart and soul has its own language. This is how God speaks to us.  Verse 6 says “I have called upon thee, for thou wilt hear me, O God: incline thine ear unto me, and hear my speech.” Our purpose should be  real fellowship with God.

Verse 2 says “Let my sentence come forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things that are equal.” David is speaking about equality. He was purposed to be like Jesus. God is not a respecter of persons. David purposed to recognize God’s view of other people and how he treats us all the same. David didn’t want to show partiality. He purposed to look on his fellowman as equals. We are the ones who put people in different classes. There is no such thing are an uptown God or an old country church God. He is God. That’s it. David purposed to look at others as God does. We all get to heaven the same way, by obedience to the gospel. As Christians we’re part of the family of God.  David purposed to love all people.

How is this possible? Ask for it.  Verse 7 says “Shew thy marvelous loving kindness, O thou that savest by thy right hand them which put their trust in thee from those that rise up against them.” We’re saved through the loving kindness of the Lord.  Ask for a touch of God’s loving kindness. It makes it easier to get along with others. I’m not talking about being tolerant of sin. It is not for us to look down on others all the time; pray for loving kindness.

Study Psalm 17 for next week.

See how purposed David is. Do you want to be purposed?