The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-06-19
LESSON FOR JUNE 20
PRAYER FOR THE TEMPTED.
EssoN TExT-Psalm i41.

GO1DtN IL me from 1n8
snare which they have laid for me-
Psalm 1919.
The style Of this psalm closely res
sembles the known psalms OF David in
the first part of the psalter. From
its structure and character, it is to
be credited to David. In II are pre-
scented complaint, prayer and conf
dent hope Of relief. 1t is a petition for
d~eliverance from sins to which his at
h~ictions tempted him, and from the
enemies who caused his affection
I. Prayer. MY prayer directed
wv. 1, p. There is good reason for
believing David wrote this while go-
ing through the experience recorded
in l Samuel "a. 1t is evident he 10
passing through a time of great stress
and was in dire need of help for no
urges haste in giving heed to bis
call, duke 1919. David looks to
Jehovah as his only and sure helper.
We are told to omit the first word
unto" in this verse and to read, =
have called thee" Every human help
had failed and faith fearlessly turps to
God. Can God be urged? Surely we
are taught that God respects his
"remembrancers" who cry day and
night" psalm 40:13; 69:17, 10; 70:5S
71:12; 143:O. To fold the hands
weakly and to "bide his time" is usu-
ally an evidence of spiritual debility
and Of a desire to shirk the worb
involved in a true exercise of prayer,
True faith knows but one way Of de-
liverance, that of prayer (Phil. 4:6. -,
and those who call in faith get deliv-
erance from. 1913. Such prayer
the fruit of heart and lips, is before
God "as incense" and it's effectiveness
does not depend upon its being. pre-
scented in the tabernacle-it is a"sac'
ri1ce'' Of praise we~ll-pleasing to God
We are to pray to God through his
Son and in the Holy Spirit. Such
prayer is set forth before him as a
sacrifice of sweet smelling SAVIOR,
II. Practice. Incline not my hearS
. to practice wicked works"
". ~. Such prayer as here suggested
demands a preparation of purity, Az
the incense" was prepared with
great care (Ex. 30:36) and its fra
GRANGE was brought out by fire from,
1925, 81; Eph. 6:1S), so likewise there
!. must be a continual practice Of prayer
! and an absence of wicked works"
In no way are we SO apt to sin as
with our lips, but back of the lips is
: the heart Matt. 1911; Luke 6:45)-
y The tongue can no man tame (JameS
\ $3.50, yet God is able and his way iS
TO cleanse the fountain. To have
the mouth filed frs. with prayer and
praise and hen with evil is contrary
to reason and to Gods commands
David recognized that the heart is the
source of wicked works" and prayed
{ that he be not even inclined tO
them Matt. 6:13; Jam. 1:13). If he
= keeps the door" we have a safe guard
Ps. 127:1). God permits circum>
stances to come upon us which test
our ~inclinations and cur desires. Da-
vid, feeling his own weakness and
~wickedness, pleads for a heart that
is not inclined to evil and as a furtheV
safeguard that he be delivered from
, the intercourse with "men that work
q iniquity." Association with such men
6 separate us from God lisa. 59:2). Thus
David prays for a separate life. To
lust after the dainties of the world
! and to participate therein soon leads
to having the hands occupied In
deeds of w~ickedness't ". 4 R. W..
III. Position. Let him reprove me"
e Wv. 81. Faithful are the wounds OF
a friend" This seems to be the po-
sition David desired to occupy, one
S that would be "a kindness" to him,
Such correction is as sweet oil. Oil
Is healing and soothing and here SYM
e bolizes the healing effect of correc'
ton. Fools hate reproof, wise men
e plead for it. David not only welcomed
S wisdom but (see r. W promises to
e pray for such friends when calamitieS
come upon them and in the time when
they are overcome by w~ickedness-
!, When such are cast down by the rocky
u roadside they shall hear my words" "
says David, and they will be sweet
q The psalmist's experience, when hunt
ed as a partridge, taught him how to-
appreciate the petitions of Jonathan
his friend, whose words to him we're
/ sweet" A careful reading of verse
Q seven reveals David's dire extremity
Z (see Am. R. W. Death stared him
In the face. His soul wal torn as one
u ploweth and cleaveth tho earth"
~. Protection. In thee do ! put my
y trust" (R. W. Though thus brought
= low David knew where to turn, and
one to whom he could look The
church Of Christ needs to look to
: God, to become like him. 1t needs the
= transforming. encouraging, ~energizinE
y vision. David is now taking his eyes
OF the difficulties and fixing them ON
the ono who enables him to over
come. Look unto me and be ye
saved" Literally his prayer Ia
l make not my soul naked" or "pOUs
not out my soul" David had made
proof Of God among the sheep, al
IS the court, as a fugitive, on battlefield,
% in adversely and in prosperity, even in
gross sin, yet God had not forsakeu
: him. Our David has promised TO abide
with all who put their trust in him
John 14:1S R. W. AS his enemies
- had set their snares God had deliS-
a, cred David from them. Satan's gins
or snares are pride. passion. sensual
ity, i-ntemperance, al0th, greed, NAL,
ice, covetousness, hat &c, falsehOoC,
and so on, an interminable list. easily
IA