1 Hear my prayer, O Lord;
give ear to my pleas for mercy!
In your faithfulness answer me, in your righteousness!
2 Enter not into judgment with your servant,
for no one living is righteous before you.
3 For the enemy has pursued my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
4 Therefore my spirit faints within me;
my heart within me is appalled.
5 I remember the days of old;
I meditate on all that you have done;
I ponder the work of your hands.
6 I stretch out my hands to you;
my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah
7 Answer me quickly, O Lord!
My spirit fails!
Hide not your face from me,
lest I be like those who go down to the pit.
8 Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,
for in you I trust.
Make me know the way I should go,
for to you I lift up my soul.
9 Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord!
I have fled to you for refuge.
10 Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God!
Let your good Spirit lead me
on level ground!
11 For your name’s sake, O Lord, preserve my life!
In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!
12 And in your steadfast love you will cut off my enemies,
and you will destroy all the adversaries of my soul,
for I am your servant.
The Theme for this Sunday is faith alone or Sola Fide. In this Psalm it begins with a reminder of a plea for God to have mercy upon us. It is only in the Righteousness that we have any hope. But I would also point you to verse 10. "Teach me to do your will, for you are my God!" God's will is done when he breaks and hinders every evil plan and purpose of those who would not allow his Kingdom to Come and his name to be hallowed. Here though we desire God to teach us to help him in this task.
This would mean God should teach us first off about his grace and that it is not we who bring about the Kingdom of God nor we who make his name holy. It is God who does these things. Likewise, it is God who gives us the power to do his will. It is God who strengthens us through his word. It is not about us coming to God. It is not about us asking God. But the Holy Spirit working in us to do these wonderful things.
Just as we confess that we are saved by Faith alone apart from the works of the Law, it is the righteousness which God gives us that makes us righteous. Abraham believed and it was credited to him as righteousness. So it is also our faith in the steadfast Love of God and sacrifice of Jesus Christ that is given to us by the Holy Spirit.
This gift of faith makes God's people righteous, just as Abraham's faith made him righteous. Thus, we confess with the Psalmist that no one living is righteous before God, but through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection God has made all those who believe more righteous even than the Pharisees.
This would mean God should teach us first off about his grace and that it is not we who bring about the Kingdom of God nor we who make his name holy. It is God who does these things. Likewise, it is God who gives us the power to do his will. It is God who strengthens us through his word. It is not about us coming to God. It is not about us asking God. But the Holy Spirit working in us to do these wonderful things.
Just as we confess that we are saved by Faith alone apart from the works of the Law, it is the righteousness which God gives us that makes us righteous. Abraham believed and it was credited to him as righteousness. So it is also our faith in the steadfast Love of God and sacrifice of Jesus Christ that is given to us by the Holy Spirit.
This gift of faith makes God's people righteous, just as Abraham's faith made him righteous. Thus, we confess with the Psalmist that no one living is righteous before God, but through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection God has made all those who believe more righteous even than the Pharisees.
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