Tags

, , , , , ,

As we’ve been reading, reflecting and praying over Revelation 1-3, when I read Psalm 138 and saw the purity of David’s worship there I was reminded of the purity Jesus desires in the Church.

Ephesus: Pure Unreserved Love.
Smyrna: Pure Persevering Faith.
Pergamos: Pure Doctrine and Practice.
Thyatira: Pure Uncompromising Teaching.
Sardis: Pure Lively Religion.
Philadelphia: Pure Perseverance.
Laodicea: Pure Flaming Devotion.

Jesus was coming into the midst the seven churches and giving them both commendations and corrections. He had come to evaluate their worship of Him. Was their worship of Him pure? And He is coming to us today and asking us the same question: Is our worship of Him pure?

In Psalm 138 as we see purity of worship modeled for us, we also see God’s faithfulness to keep and uphold His chosen people, to make us holy as He is holy. As He is faithful to us, may we continue to be faithful to Him and offer Him the pure worship He desires and deserves for He alone is our God.

I’ve adapted Psalm 138 into a prayer we as the Church could pray together.

Holy Jesus, spotless Lamb of God, our Sanctifier,

We praise You, our Savior, for You have come to save us from our sins. The Father provided You as an atoning sacrifice on the cross for us. Your blood was shed so our sins might be forgiven. You took the punishment we deserved, so we now have peace with God. We can call “Abba, Father,” to Your Father because by faith Your Father has become our Father. Amen. And when we do sin we need not fear condemnation for Your blood covers all our sin so when we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. You became sin for us so we might become the righteousness of God. Your righteousness is credited to us, counted to our account, so You no longer see our sin! How wonderful. But You have also given us Your righteous nature. Your Holy Spirit has come to dwell in us to make us holy and to make us pure. You are not only our Justifier, but You are also our Sanctifier.

Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and in the midst of the lampstands one like a son of man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash around his chest. 14 The hairs of his head were white like wool, as white as snow. His eyes were like a flame of fire, 15 his feet were like burnished bronze, refined in a furnace, and his voice was like the roar of many waters. 16 In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength. 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.

–Revelation 1:12-18

We see how You appeared to John in his vision. John fell at Your feet as though dead. He saw Your holiness, well some of Your holiness, for He could not have lived if He had seen all of Your holiness.

Because You are a holy God, You cannot endure sin in Your presence. Through Your Holy Spirit, be merciful and kind to us, show us our sin. Show us where us our worship of You is impure. Show us where we are not walking before You with our whole heart. And then through Your Holy Spirit, give us the desire and the power to purify ourselves, so we might worship You and walk with You in purity, with our whole heart.

May we use David’s prayer to help us focus on Your purity and on the purity of worship You desire of each of us and of Your Church. You alone are our God and we ought to be worshiping You with our whole heart. Continue to purify us, O Lord, and perfect that which concerns us. Make us holy as You are holy. May we worship You with our whole heart and nothing less. Do not forsake us. Do not forsake Your Church, but complete the work You have begun in us so we might be a praise in the earth and shine brightly in the world so we might bring glory to You, our wonderful Savior and Redeemer.

We give you thanks, O Lord, with our whole heart

God forbid that we ever give thanks to any other god!
Keep us giving thanks to You alone, O Lord, with our whole heart,
May we never come to You with half-hearted worship
For You alone are our God!

before the gods we will sing Your praise

God forbid we ever sing the praise of other gods!
Other gods do call us to praise them,
Keep us singing Your praise always
For You alone are our God!

We bow down toward your holy temple

God forbid we ever bow down toward any other temple or any other god!
You alone are God and You alone are holy.
May we worship You with all our heart, all our soul, all our mind and all our strength,
Keep us bowing down toward You and Your holy temple alone.
For You alone are our God!

and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word.

God forbid we give thanks to any other name but Your holy Name!
God forbid we exalt anything or anyone above Your Name and Your Word!
Keep us exalting You, Your Name and Your Word above all things
For You alone are our God!

On the day we called, You answered us;
our strength of soul You increased.

God forbid we call on anyone or anything else!
There is no other God but you.
Other gods cannot answer our calls.
You alone are our Strength.
You alone will increase our strength when we are weak.
There is no true strength apart from You.
Keep us seeking strength from You alone, keep us calling on You alone
On the day we call, You will answer us
For You alone are our God!

All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,
for they have heard the words of Your mouth
and they shall sing of the ways of the Lord,
for great is the glory of the Lord.

God forbid we make ourselves kings!
God forbid we worship earthly kings!
One Day the knees of every earthly king will bow to You and sing and give thanks to You.
Your glory is greater than all the glory of all the earthly kings combined.
God forbid we never glory in any other king but give you, O King of kings, all glory
For great is the glory of the Lord
For great is Your glory, O Lord
For You alone are our God!

For though the Lord is high, He regards the lowly,
but the haughty He knows from afar.

God forbid we remain haughty and proud!
Humble us, O Lord, bring us down to our knees.
Most High God, You are seated high in the heavens and the earth is Your footstool
Yet You come to dwell with those who have humble, lowly and contrite hearts.
You look upon the one who is poor and trembles at Your word.
God forbid we refuse to bend our necks and bow our knees to You!
Humble Your Church, O God,
Have mercy upon us and look upon us,
We are poor and needy,
Come dwell with us once more in power.
For You alone are our God!


Though we walk in the midst of trouble,
You preserve our life;
You stretch out Your hand against the wrath of our enemies,
and your right hand delivers Your Church.

O Lord God, we are walking in the midst of trouble today.
We are Your chosen people.
You have set Your love on us and loved us with an everlasting love.
Nothing can separate us from Your love for us in Christ Jesus.
Preserve us. There are temptations from within and from without Your Body.
Yes, we praise You, O God, for we know You will preserve our life because You are our Life!
You will never forsake Your own children.
Stretch out Your hand against the wrath of our enemies, for our enemies are Your enemies.
We have no power to fight this battle. This battle is Yours, O Lord.
O God, may Your right hand deliver us.
In and of ourselves we are powerless and helpless to deliver ourselves.
Help us to wear the armor and to use the weapons You have provided for this warfare.
Help us not to resort to fighting by our own might or power but by Your Spirit,
Help us stand strong in the grace You have provided,
For You alone are our God!

The Lord will fulfill His purpose for His Church;
Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
Do not forsake the work of Your hands.

O Lord, You will fulfill Your purpose for Your Church.
Certainly You will.
O Lord, Your steadfast love to us endures forever.
You have promised to never leave us or forsake us.
Do not forsake the work of Your hands,
We are the work of Your hands.
You have birthed us into Your Kingdom family.
You are the author and finisher of our faith.
You will complete the work You have begun in us.
For You alone are our God!

Please add your prayers here for yourself and the Church as His Holy Spirit leads you.