“On guard”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – April 8, 2022
Psalm 141 (Forward, p. 69) CEV p. 641
Our psalmist, who is identified as King David, shows himself to be especially scrupulous in trying to do right and especially ‘on guard’ against erring in some way. We see this highlighted in three ways:
a) He asks God to guard his intentions: “Don’t let me want to do evil or waste my time doing wrong with wicked people. Don’t let me even taste the good things they offer” (verse 4). He freely admits that some of the things they aim for or offer might well ‘appear’ to be good at first glance. However, David recognizes the deceitful and vanity of such things and is determined to shy away from even trying any of them, even ‘tasting’ them. He knows how very seductive that first taste can be.
b) Secondly, he asks God to help him with his speech: “Help me guard my words whenever I say something” (verse 3). That’s a pretty big demand, and these days this prayer should be extended to our use of the social media as well.
c) And finally, he speaks about his associations, the people he pals around with. As noted above, he doesn’t want to associate with wicked people, but later he extends this to others in a more general sense: “Don’t let me be friends with those who do wrong” (verse 5b). But actually, he goes much further than this. He asks to pal around with faithful people and asks one seemingly peculiar thing of them: “Let your faithful people correct and punish me” (verse 5a). Wow. That’s accountability of the highest order. Lately, I have been reading about leadership and how leaders, especially in higher places, tend to attract aids and advisors who agree with them, support them and even ‘butter’ them up. Here David is asking for the opposite: he is asking to be surrounded by people who will challenge him, hold him accountable and even correct him.
No wonder, in light of all this, David is able to describe his prayers as sweet-smelling incense, as an appropriate evening sacrifice. Surely such desires, such intentions, such a deliberate guarding of his soul from evil thoughts, words or deeds, is pleasing to Almighty God. And so it is with us as well. Amen.
Forward notes: “Let my prayer be set forth in your sight as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice” (verse 2).
“I have served as a chaplain at summer camps. Some of my fondest memories are sitting around a fire as counselors and young people lead one another in songs. After the last song is sung and the young people get up and move away from the fire, it often grows quiet, and I watch as the fire sparks and dances.
“Like incense in church services, the smoke swirls in all directions. The smell of charred wood is a bit different from the incense, yet just as pleasing. Eventually, someone pours water on the fire, and a plume of smoke appears. As it drifts upward and fades into the sky, it seems to carry the songs and all of our praise and prayers, a lifting up, an evening sacrifice.”
MOVING FORWARD: “Have a campfire this weekend; you might even sing a few of your favourite camp songs.”