Project 119: Psalm 15 & Psalm 16
| Project 119 | Amy Hirsch
Morning: Psalm 15
A Psalm of David.
15 O Lord, who shall sojourn in your tent?
Who shall dwell on your holy hill?
2 He who walks blamelessly and does what is right
and speaks truth in his heart;
3 who does not slander with his tongue
and does no evil to his neighbor,
nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
4 in whose eyes a vile person is despised,
but who honors those who fear the Lord;
who swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5 who does not put out his money at interest
and does not take a bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things shall never be moved.
Lord,
You are mighty and full of power. You are worthy of our praise. You are perfect in all of Your ways, and Your love is loyal. Who is holy like You? Who is worthy to enter Your presence?
Certainly I am not, chief of sinners. I do not always walk blamelessly. The words on my mouth are not always pleasing to You. I’ve used my tongue to tear down others. My hands are guilty of bringing evil against others.
And even if I could come before You with the right outward behavior (which I can’t!), the thoughts of my heart would condemn me - and You know them all! You search my heart and You know the sin, brokenness, and shame. You hear every evil intention and every unrighteous notion, the things that I think only I know about myself. You recognize my prejudices. You are acquainted with my frustrations against my loved ones. You see the wicked schemes I play out in my head and are privy to every malicious plot I plan.
I come before You and confess that I am in need of Your forgiveness and grace, Father. I am not worthy to enter Your presence: I fail, time and time again, to meet Your standards for perfection. However, I am reminded, time and time again, that my only hope is also in You. When the odds were stacked against me, when my sin separated me from You like the ocean separates continents, when I could not doing anything to make myself right with You through my own paltry obedience (or lack thereof ), You sent Christ, Your perfect Son, to die in my place. Christ, who walked blamelessly and did what was right. Christ, who treated others with kindness and justice. Christ, who honored You with every thought and intention.
Because Christ came and died for my sins, I have the privilege of being called Your child. It’s a title that is unearned and undeserved. Would You help me, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to live into this calling and title, to walk blamelessly, to honor others, to act justly, and to love mercy? While I find myself unqualified to enter into Your presence on my own merit, You have given the gift of the Holy Spirit dwelling in me - Christ in me, the hope of glory!
I await the day when my faith will be sight, when sin will no longer be present, and when I will see You face to face, dwelling in Your holy city, the New Jerusalem. Thank You for this promise, and for the reassurance that You always keep Your promises. In Christ, every promise of God is Yes (1 Corinthians 1:20)! Amen.
Evening: Psalm 16
A Miktam of David.
16 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.
2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all my delight.
4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on my lips.
5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel;
in the night also my heart instructs me.
8 I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,
or let your holy one see corruption.
11 You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.