Congregation at Prayer

Catechesis Notes for the Week — Psalm 144: The Prayer of a Godly Ruler—Psalm 144 is the prayer of a godly king, but it also grasps the humble perspective of faith that all Christians should have in their station in life. David confesses that it is the Lord who is his Rock, who trains him for war, and establishes his kingdom. In these words, and throughout the psalm, he gives all glory to the Lord for who he is and for what he is able to do. He echoes the words of Psalm 8, but with a slight alteration, “What is man, that You take knowledge of him? Or the son of man that You are mindful of him? Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.” Compared to the Lord and His mighty acts in creation we are nothing. It is He, alone, who gives salvation. Out of these truths, David prays for the Lord to establish his kingdom and bless him with the prosperity necessary to faithfully serve his people. As a pattern for each of us, David shows us that our lives are blessed, happy, content, and at peace in so far as we draw our life and strength from the Lord alone.

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Catechesis Notes for the Week — Psalm 143: A Prayer for the Lord’s Guidance—Psalm 143 teaches us how the Lord guides, comforts, and directs our lives. By His Word He teaches us to know how weak and frail we are because of sin. No one living is righteous before God. We are all sinners, and the devil especially persecutes our soul by reminding us of our past failings. The evil one’s desire is to crush our lives and lead us into despair. But the Lord guides, comforts, and directs us by not entering into judgment against us. Christ has taken away the condemnation we deserve. By His Word we remember the days of old, we meditate upon all God’s works, we ponder the work of God’s hands, and according to His promises we open our hands to receive the help that our soul needs to survive the attacks of the evil one. When our spirit fails, the Lord does not hide His face from us, but causes us to hear His loving-kindness in the morning. By His Word He causes us to know the way in which we should walk and vanquishes every enemy that is set against us. “Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness…For I am Your servant.”

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Catechesis Notes for the Week — Psalm 142: A Prayer for Relief from Persecutors—When we, as Christians, feel as if we are all alone, the Lord is with us. He who endured every form of persecution and testing for us, stands with us when our faith is assaulted by an entire world that is hostile to the Gospel. Psalm 142 is a fervent prayer for relief: “I cry out to the Lord…I pour out my complaint…I declare before Him my trouble…” The Lord wants us to lean upon Him. He knows everything we are facing and He knows what the future holds: “When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path.” All other helpers fail us. Only the Lord stands with us. “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living…Deliver me from my persecutors.” Our enemies and persecutors may be stronger than we, but they are not stronger than the Lord Jesus who has trampled sin, Satan, and death under His feet. Because we belong to Him, we are safe and the Lord shall deal bountifully with us for our good and the preservation of our faith.

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Catechesis Notes for the Week — Psalm 142: A Prayer for Relief from Persecutors—When we, as Christians, feel as if we are all alone, the Lord is with us. He who endured every form of persecution and testing for us, stands with us when our faith is assaulted by an entire world that is hostile to the Gospel. Psalm 142 is a fervent prayer for relief: “I cry out to the Lord…I pour out my complaint…I declare before Him my trouble…” The Lord wants us to lean upon Him. He knows everything we are facing and He knows what the future holds: “When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path.” All other helpers fail us. Only the Lord stands with us. “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living…Deliver me from my persecutors.” Our enemies and persecutors may be stronger than we, but they are not stronger than the Lord Jesus who has trampled sin, Satan, and death under His feet. Because we belong to Him, we are safe and the Lord shall deal bountifully with us for our good and the preservation of our faith.

Catechesis Notes for the Week — Psalm 141: An Evening Prayer—Psalm 141 is an evening prayer in which we cry out to the Lord to guard our lips from speaking falsehood or harmful words, and in which we ask Him to deliver our hearts from the practice of evil. Our prayer is like ascending incense when it is offered out of faith in God’s merciful protection in Christ alone. We pray that the Lord would defend us from lying words and overthrow the plots of those who are set against us. If we take matters into our own hands, we will surely fail. But reliance upon the Lord alone carries with it the promise of His absolute protection from our enemies and deliverance from every evil that is set against us. There are many traps and snares laid out for us by the wicked, but the Lord delivers those whose eyes are fixed upon Him. He alone is our refuge and deliverer from all evil.

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Catechesis Notes for the Week — Psalm 140: A Prayer for Deliverance from Evil—Psalm 140 reminds us of the Seventh Petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “Deliver us from evil.” When David prayed this psalm, he recognized that behind evil and wicked men was the father of evil, Satan himself. Evil comes at us on every side to try to destroy both our lives and our faith. David teaches us that the Lord God alone is our defense against evil. He will defend us. He will protect us. He will give us the victory by sustaining our faith in Christ and by preserving us in His good and gracious will. The Lord will also execute judgment against those who have rejected God’s Word and who persecute the faith of Christians. He will establish His truth so that the lies of the wicked do not prevail. David concludes his prayer in confidence: “I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted…Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name.”

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