Built Up In Truth

(Note: St. Augustine is famous for writing a book called “The Confessions,” which he wrote completely as a prayer to God. In the same spirit, I plan to write these posts as a prayer to God.)

“For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.” (Psalm 5:4–6, ESV)

For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you.

Heavenly Father, I am in awe as I meditate on your holiness. You are not just a holy God, but a holy, holy, holy God—perfect in holiness. You are pure, completely without any blemish or fault. You are set apart from all of creation—you are the Creator. In your perfection and holiness there is an abundance of joy. 

Father, help me understand these things. Help me understand that this is why you do not delight in wickedness. You don’t delight in wickedness because you cannot delight in something that brings destruction and death. You do not allow evil and wickedness into your holy presence because they are not good things. They are less than your joy and perfection.

Father, help me see the sinfulness of my own sin. I have a tendency to think it’s “not a big deal.” Yet, my sin separates me from you—my God. My sin is such a big deal that you sent your Son into the world to suffer and die. Remove any delight I have in sin, Father. Help me not to hang out with any evil in my life. Help me run from my sin. 

Father, help me run to Christ. He is the only one who can save me from my sin. He is the only one who can change my heart to no longer delight in sin. He is the one who cleanses me from my sin so I can enter more fully into your holy presence. 

The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers.

Father, this reminds me of the danger of pride. You have told me that pride comes before the fall. Those who come into your presence with their assumed righteousness—their assumed works, their assumed goodness—cannot stand. They will fall at your feet. 

Yet, Father, you have reminded me you will exalt those who humble themselves. It’s only when I more fully recognize the reality of sinfulness and come to you humbly—with nothing in my hands—that you receive me and lift me up. I don’t want to come to you trying to stand on my own. I want to come to you on my knees so you will lift me up. 

Father, I want to be more like Paul—boasting in my weakness. Help me truly understand that your grace is sufficient for me, and your power is made perfect in my weakness. Help me understand that when I am weak, then I am strong. Humble me, Father. 

You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

Father, I live in a world full of lies and deceit. At times, the world is so full of lies that it is difficult to know what is true. There is contradictory information all over the place—all claiming to be truth. Yet, they can’t all be true. Some of these are lies and deceit. 

Father, I know you hate lies and falsehood. I know you will destroy those who speak lies. So, I ask you to act, Father. Act in such a way to remove these lies from social media and news media. Act to remove these lies from the rumor-mill of our communities. You love the truth. You are the truth. Help me see the truth clearly and not be destroyed by all these lies. 

Father, I also have to admit that I can get caught up in lies. I am often tempted to twist the truth for my own purposes. Please forgive me. I want to love what you love and hate what you hate. So, turn my heart so I more fully love the truth and more fully hate anything that is false. Rather than being destroyed by lies, I want to be built up in the truth.