David is a man who relies upon the Lord for protection, not only from his outside enemies, but also from himself. Sometimes our worst enemy is the enemy that lies within. Therefore, David prays:
- “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24).
- “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips. Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men who work iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies” (Psalm 141:3-4).
- “Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You” (Psalm 143:8).
- “Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness” (Psalm 143:10).
David even prays for accountability to help him walk in the ways of the Lord, avoiding the lust and the temptations of this world and the wickedness of his own heart:
- “Let the righteous strike me; it shall be a kindness. And let him rebuke me; it shall be as excellent oil; let my head not refuse it” (Psalm 141:5).
Only a humble man can come to the Lord asking Him to search him for evil and requesting rebuke for any found wickedness:
- “Lord, my heart is not haughty, Nor my eyes lofty. Neither do I concern myself with great matters, Nor with things too profound for me” (Psalm 131:1).
Since David has a high view of God and His ways, he trusts the Lord with his life and that which he can’t understand. Whether David is a shepherd boy out in the fields, a man on the run from his enemies, or a king sitting on a throne, David finds contentment in the Lord, knowing that the Lord specifically designed him for a life that only David can live:
- “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them” (Psalm 139:13-16).
Later in the story, Paul will explain how the Lord not only saves us and gives us new life through Christ, but He also uniquely created us to carry out works that He predestined for each – “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). So if we truly believe this, that God has given us what only we were created to do on this earth and the same with those around us, we can rest and be content with His perfect plan for our lives. And the good news is, not only does the Lord have plans for us, He is the One who gives us what we need to execute His will:
- “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever; do not forsake the works of Your hands” (Psalm 138:8).
The writer of Hebrews will echo this same truth – “Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20-21).
So if you are alive in Christ today, you have a specific calling upon your life to carry out the will of God. It’s a calling only you can fulfill. Therefore, we too shall pray to the Lord to search us for any wicked ways, set a guard over our mouths and hearts, cause us to hear Your lovingkindness, show us the way in which to walk, and teach us to do Your will by the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Keep reading. (Psalm 131, 133, Psalms 138-141, 143)
Chronological Bible in Layman's Terms 