Transcript
Today's Bible Translation
Bible translation used in today's episode: Ch. 140 ESV, Ch. 141-142 NCV
Podcast Introduction
It’s Psalms Wednesday, and we’ll read chapters 140-142, and we’ll have a time of prayer. I’m calling this episode “Desires and the Heart.“
Design: Jason Paschall | Photo: DC_Studio on elements.envato.com
Summary
Psalm 140 reflects the difficult moments in David's life when he was pursued and threatened by those who wished to harm him. He prayed to God not only for deliverance but also for the destruction of his enemies. A story is shared of someone who, facing a similar situation, prayed this Psalm and witnessed a powerful response from God, which led to the downfall of their antagonist. This demonstrates that if we face genuine threats from evil individuals, God can come to our aid and ensure His plans for our lives prevail. The Psalm ends with a reassuring note about God supporting the afflicted and executing justice.
In Psalm 141, there's a significant translation nuance regarding David's prayer. While it's commonly translated as asking God to take away his "desire" for evil, the original Hebrew uses the word "heart." This difference matters because desire typically resides in the mind, and we can control it to some extent by redirecting our thoughts. However, the heart is more stubborn and tends to want what it wants, regardless of our rational thoughts.
David's plea is for God to prevent his heart from being drawn towards evil. This request aligns with the idea that the heart's inclinations influence our actions, and evil desires can lead to wicked deeds. David, who had experienced the consequences of following his heart in the case of Bathsheba, understands this well. He urges us not to rely solely on our willpower when tempted but to seek God's help in guarding our hearts from sinful desires. This heartfelt prayer, like David's, is something we can incorporate into our own lives.
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The Team
Lifespring Family Berean, Sister Denise: Transcript CorrectionMichael Haner: Podcasting 2.0 ChaptersLifespring Family Berean, Brother Scott Snider: Show ArtJason Paschall: Show ArtLifespring Family Berean, Sister Brittaney: Newsletter Publisher
Transcript
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Steve Webb 0:00The heart wants what the heart wants.
Steve Webb 0:03It's the Lifespring! One Year Bible coming to you from Riverside, California, podcasting since 2004. I'm your OG Godcaster. Steve Webb, good to see you. It's Psalms Wednesday, and we'll read chapters 140 through 142. We'll also have a time of prayer. If you'd like to check out other Lifespring shows, go to Lifespringmedia.com. and I'll have contact information at the end of today's show. Before we read, let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, we love you and we thank you for your words. and as we read today, we ask that you bless us and that you would teach us. We pray this in Jesus name. Amen. All right, beloved, let's begin.
Steve Webb 0:44Psalm 140 is titled, to the chief musician, a Psalm of David. Now many of David's Psalms were written when he was in trouble and he called out to God for help. In this Psalm, it seems as if he's being slandered. Perhaps this was when King Saul was in pursuit of him.
Steve Webb 1:02Psalms chapter 140. Deliver me oh Lord from evil men, preserve me from violent men who plan evil things in their heart and stir up wars continually. They make their tongue sharp as a serpents and under their lips is the venom of asps. guard me oh Lord, from the hands of the wicked. Preserve me from violent men who have planned to trip up my feet, the arrogant of hidden to trap for me, and with cords, they have spread a net beside the way they have set snares for me. I say to the Lord, You are my God. Give ear to the voice of my pleas for mercy. Oh, Lord, oh Lord, My Lord, the strength of my salvation. You have covered my head in the day of battle. Grant not, oh Lord, the desires of the wicked. Do not further their evil plot, or they will be exalted. As for the head of those who surround me, let the mischief of their lips overwhelm them. Let burning coals fall upon them. Let them be cast into fire into Miry pits no more to rise. Let not the slander be established in the land. Let evil hunt down the violent men speedily. I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted and will execute justice for the needy. Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name, the upright shall dwell in Your presence.
Steve Webb 2:27The title of Psalm 141 is simply a Psalm of David. David wanted to have a close relationship with God but he knew that sin would stand in the way of that he knew his own weakness. So he asked God to help him deal with sin in his own life.
Steve Webb 2:45Psalms chapter 141. Lord, I call to you Come quickly, listen to me when I call to you. Let my prayer be like incense placed before you and my praise like the evening sacrifice. Lord helped me control my tongue helped me be careful about what I say, take away my desire to do evil or to join others in doing wrong. Don't let me tasty food with those who do evil. If a good person punished me, that would be kind. If he corrected me, that would be like perfumed oil on my head. I shouldn't refuse it. But I pray against those who do evil. Let their leaders be thrown down the cliffs, then people will know that I have spoken correctly. The ground is plowed and broken up. In the same way. Our bones have been scattered at the grave. God, I look to you for help. I trust in You, Lord, don't let me die. Protect me from the traps. They said for me. and from the net that evil people have spread. Let the wicked fall into their own nets, but let me pass by safely.
Steve Webb 3:52The title of Psalm 142 is a masculine David a prayer when he was in the cave. A masculine was something to contemplate or was an instruction. Charles Spurgeon wrote of this Psalm, he calls this prayer Maskull, a Psalm of instruction because of the good lessons he had himself learned in the cave, learned on his knees, and so learned that he desired to teach others.
Steve Webb 4:17Psalms chapter 142. I cry out to the Lord, I pray to the Lord for mercy. I pour out my problems to him. I tell him my troubles, when I am afraid, you Lord know the way out. In the path where I walk, a trap is hidden for me. Look around me and see, no one cares about me. I have no place of safety. No one cares if I live. Lord, I cry out to you. I say you are my protection. You are all I want in this life. Listen to my cry because I am helpless. Save me from those who are chasing me because they are too strong for me. Free me from my prison and then I will praise your name Then good people will surround me because you have taken care of me.
Steve Webb 5:06I've got comments today on Psalms 140 and 141 and 140. There were times in David's life when he was pursued by men that literally wanted to kill him. He was slandered. He was hunted in this psalm is one that was written during one of those times. Do you ever think of the power of your words when you go to the Lord in prayer, David asked God not only for deliverance from evil men who would do him harm, but he also asked for their destruction. Listen again. He said, As for the head of those who surround me, let them mischief of their lips, overwhelm them, let burning coals fall upon them, let them be cast into fire into Miry pits no more to rise. My goodness. I recently had a conversation with a man who had been the victim of slander. Another person was literally trying to destroy this man's reputation in business. and the attacks got so bad that this man for whom I have tremendous respect, prayed this psalm asking God to deal with his attacker. and the response from God was so powerful that this man told me that he would never again pray this way. He told me that this person's life was utterly destroyed. He didn't tell me any details, but based on our relationship, I believe in if we're truly being attacked by genuinely evil people, God, our heavenly Father, has it in his power to come to our rescue. You see, his plan for our life will not be foiled by anyone or anything. If the plans of our enemies would keep us from fulfilling God's plan, I believe that God will intervene on our behalf. I love the way David closed this song. He said, I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted and will execute justice for the needy. Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name. The upright shall dwell in Your presence. In Psalm 141, in our translation today, David prayed in verse four, take away my desire to do evil or to join others in doing wrong. But in the original Hebrew, instead of the word, desire, David said, heart, I like how the New American Standard renders the verse, Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil so that I take part in wicked deeds along with those who are evil doers. I think the distinction between desire and heart is important, at least it is for me, and maybe I'm the only one but to me, desire resides in the mind, the more we think about a thing, the more we desire it. So if I can just force my mind to think of something else that desire lessons, I have some control over my thoughts about the heart that is not easily controlled by the mind does it? The heart wants what the heart wants, pretty much no matter what the mind thinks. So David prayed, do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil. Charles Spurgeon wrote, the way the heart inclines the life soon 10s. evil things desired, bring forth wicked things practiced,
