March 8
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LEAD ME IN YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS
Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning
2 Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray.
3 O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;
In the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.
4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you.
5 The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.
6 You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you.
8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies
Make your way straight before me.9 For there is no truth in their mouth;
Their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave;
They flatter with their tongue.10 Make them bear their guilt, O God;
Let them fall by their own counsels; because of the abundance of their transgressions Cast them out, for they have rebelled against you. – Psalm 5:1-10
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This psalm is an individual lament from David. It is the first psalm that prays for the downfall of one’s enemies. You may wonder how David can ask the Lord to bring downfall to his enemies. Only someone who is so deeply intimate with the Lord will have the honesty and courage to do so. His heart is right because he knows that the Lord hates evil. He knows well how God would react to transgressors and wicked people. He has the confidence that he is one with God’s heart. Do we have such confidence in our relationship with God?
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ADORATION: Blessings to the one who leads us to righteousness, the Lord Jesus Christ!
CONFESSION: Forgive me when I fail to see wickedness for what it is.
THANKSGIVING: Thank you for delivering me from evil each day, Lord.
SUPPLICATION: May we grow our intimacy with the Lord and confidently pray to him.
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REFLECTION
• Have you ever prayed confidently for God to bring justice to your enemies or those who oppose your faith?