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.”
We need both a vision and a purpose. Without a vision there would be no United States of America. United against England, the colonists were able to start our country. John Adams wrote “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” This was a vision and a purpose. They made up their mind. The same is true with us. We have to make up our mind to be purposed. Daniel and the three Hebrew children purposed in their hearts not to bow to the king.
Here David was praying. Before he showed his heart to others, he showed it to the Lord. He recognized his need and had the desire to serve the Lord and asked God to help him carry it through. With God’s help we have and can serve the Lord and have a purposed heart.
In verse 1 David said “I am purposed” not to have fake lips. In verse 3, as seen above, he said “I am purposed” that my mouth shall not transgress.” In other words “I’ll control my tongue.” God tells us we can do this. James and many of the teachings of Jesus speak on this. Solomon, David’s son, said a wise person is slow to speak and a fool is rash with his lips. The bottom line is that the tongue is the hard to bridle. We must purpose for our sake and others in general to control our tongue.
Verse 10 says “They are enclosed in their own fat: with their mouth they speak proudly.” The wicked are careless and have loose lips. This is very true today. There is loose talking and cursing in everyday speech, from some people we wouldn’t think. Sin is our greatest addiction. Unfortunately some of those are gossip and cursing. God is not pleased. As Christians we have to watch what we say. Words reflect what’s in the heart. There is a tremendous need to purpose to control the tongue. No wonder verse 3 also says “Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing.” He’s saying check me out, test me, convict me and help me not to sin with my mouth.
In verses 4-5 David says “Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer. Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.” He purposed to stay in the right path, not the path of the “works of men.” He was saying that he didn’t want to walk the general path of the world. He didn’t want to follow the broad road to destruction, rather the narrow path of the Lord. It’s not fashionable for us to follow the right path, yet we can’t blend in. We have to purpose in our hearts to walk in the path of God. David asked the Lord to help him in his comings and goings so that “my footsteps slip not.” When we start to slip, we start to fall—fall away from the Lord. Follow God’s instruction not that of the world. Daniel refused to follow the wrong path no matter what. Regardless of what would happen the 3 Hebrew children said throw us in the fire. They purposed to follow the Lord whether delivered from the fire or not. With a purposed heart we need to make up our mind that we’ll follow the Lord regardless of the circumstances.
In verse 9 David said keep me “From the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass me about.” He is asking for help not to let the oppressor get to him. Don’t let others pressure and get to us. The world tries to wear us down. Satan knows the certain points to apply pressure to us. To the world, Christians ought to be eradicated. Let others do what they wish, but we should be quiet. They want to break us down to make us quit. We’re not commanded to beat the world. We cannot win the world. We’re commanded to witness and let God save. Pray for your oppressors. In verse 13 David said “Arise, O LORD, disappoint him.” He said when others try to get to me “disappoint him.” The devil doesn’t have to get to us. A Christian has no right to quit. Who is greater? The Bible says greater is HE that is in me than he that is in the world. Pray for God to “press” our oppressors to the altar. Let’s purpose in our heart not to let people get to us.
Verse 15 says “As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” David purposed to stay in the light, not darkness. Why would he have written verse 3, “Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing,” if he had no intention of following through. Paul and John wrote that we are the children of the day. The sun gives us vitamin D, so walking in the light make us healthy. As we go through life, let’s purpose to stay in the light of the Lord. No matter how close the darkness gets, purpose to stay away. Satan reaches out and offers us a lot. David purposed to “be satisfied” with the Lord.
There are many things that our eyes have yet to see and that our ears are yet to hear concerning heaven. If the only thing in heaven was the Lord and us, it is still worth purposing to make it. “I’d rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today.” In eternity there is real, pure eternal satisfaction. David purposed in his heart to do all these things to awake in heaven and be in the likeness of the Lord.
What about it? How purposed are you?
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 