Sharper Iron — Time in the Psalms: An Evening Prayer to the LORD

Rev. Jeff Hemmer, pastor at Bethany Lutheran Church in Fairview Heights, IL, and assistant to the president of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, joins host Rev. Timothy Appel to study Psalm 141.

In Psalm 141, David finds himself unable to join the other faithful Israelites worshiping at the temple in Jerusalem, and so he asks the LORD to count his prayer as a part of the incense that ascends to the heavenly throne. He prays that the LORD would keep his lips from speaking lies and his heart from any evil along with workers of wickedness. Rather than receiving delicacies along with an evil man, David would rather receive a rebuke from a righteous person as his anointing. David prays in hope that the LORD will have the last word, even in death, and so David sets his eyes toward the LORD and asks that the LORD deliver the wicked into their own snares.

Join Sharper Iron during the month of July to study selected Psalms. In the Psalter, God speaks His Word to us and teaches us how to speak back to Him in prayer. Even in the great variety of the Psalms, each one points us to our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Sharper Iron, hosted by Rev. Timothy Appel, looks at the text of Holy Scripture both in its broad context and its narrow detail, all for the sake of proclaiming Christ crucified and risen for sinners. Two pastors engage with God’s Word to sharpen not only their own faith and knowledge, but the faith and knowledge of all who listen.

Sharper Iron is underwritten by Lutheran Church Extension Fund, where your investments help support the work of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. Visit lcef.org.

Psalm 141

Give Ear to My Voice

A Psalm of David.

141 O Lord, I call upon you; hasten to me!
Give ear to my voice when I call to you!
²Let my prayer be counted as incense before you,
and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice!

³Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth;
    keep watch over the door of my lips!
⁴Do not let my heart incline to any evil,
    to busy myself with wicked deeds
in company with men who work iniquity,
    and let me not eat of their delicacies!

⁵Let a righteous man strike me—it is a kindness;
    let him rebuke me—it is oil for my head;
    let my head not refuse it.
Yet my prayer is continually against their evil deeds.
⁶When their judges are thrown over the cliff,^[a]
    then they shall hear my words, for they are pleasant.
⁷As when one plows and breaks up the earth,
    so shall our bones be scattered at the mouth of Sheol.^[b]

⁸But my eyes are toward you, O God, my Lord;
    in you I seek refuge; leave me not defenseless!^[c]
⁹Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me
    and from the snares of evildoers!
¹⁰Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
    while I pass by safely.

Footnotes

Psalm 141:6 Or When their judges fall into the hands of the Rock
Psalm 141:7 The meaning of the Hebrew in verses 6, 7 is uncertain
Psalm 141:8 Hebrew refuge; do not pour out my life!

Rev. Timothy Appel

Although a mathematics degree may not be incredibly helpful to (proudly born-and-raised Texan) Rev. Timothy Appel while hosting Sharper Iron, his love of CFW Walther and the season of Easter will come in handy. His Call is shepherding the flock at Faith Lutheran Church in Godfrey, Illinois, and he’s also husband to wife Kristin and dad to their growing basketball team of children. When he’s not carrying out pastoral duties, you may find him reading “The Lord of the Rings,” snacking on Reese’s peanut butter cups, playing dominoes with his boys, or studying up on Texas history (including Sam Houston, of course).