Psalm 141

“Lord, I cry out to You; make haste to me!  Give ear to my voice when I cry out to You. Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.  Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips.  Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men who work iniquity; and do not let me eat of their delicacies.” Psalm 141:1-4 (NKJV)

Today’s psalm, number 141, is another composition of King David.  We are very aware of both David’s triumphs against temptation and his failures to live righteously.  Not that David was blame-shifting, per se, but we must quickly correct an error in his theology.  God does not incline the hearts of people to do evil or practice “wicked works” or “eat of their delicacies.”  While God allows situations to develop in our lives that bring us to moments of crisis, where we must choose to follow Him or cave into worldly pressure, He does not tempt us.  Testing comes from God to show us the extent of our faith, but temptation is the world’s advertisement offering a means of escape from God’s testing.  It’s a trap.  

“Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.  But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.  Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”  James 1:12-15 (NKJV)

Again, the same scenario that Satan uses to tempt us, God intends to use to build our faith.

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.  If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.  But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.  For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” James 1:2-8 (NKJV)

Now that we know the difference between a “trial” and “temptation” and how we should faithfully hold to the Word of God until He brings us through the trial, what happens if we succumb to temptation?  What do we do then?  We humble ourselves and receive correction from fellow believers.  (Galatians 6:1; Proverbs 27:5-6) Confession and restoration are always better than concealing or denying our sin.

“Let the righteous strike me; it shall be a kindness.  And let him rebuke me; it shall be as excellent oil; let my head not refuse it.” Psalm 141:5 (NKJV)