Praying Through: Psalm 18:16-27

The Psalm

Psalm 18:16–27 (CSB)
¹⁶ He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he pulled me out of deep water.

¹⁷ He rescued me from my powerful enemy and from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.

¹⁸ They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the LORD was my support.

¹⁹ He brought me out to a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.

²⁰ The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; he repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands.

²¹ For I have kept the ways of the LORD and have not turned from my God to wickedness.

²² Indeed, I let all his ordinances guide me and have not disregarded his statutes.

²³ I was blameless toward him and kept myself from my iniquity.

²⁴ So the LORD repaid me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

²⁵ With the faithful you prove yourself faithful, with the blameless you prove yourself blameless,

²⁶ with the pure you prove yourself pure, but with the crooked you prove yourself shrewd.

²⁷ For you rescue an oppressed people, but you humble those with haughty eyes.

The Prayer

My hands are not clean. My hands are washed in my own sin. They stink of feces and dung. If you judge me according to what I have done, then surely I am damned!

What hope do I have in myself and the works that I have done? I have nothing to give you, God.

But you knew. You knew and you came to be born as a man like me. But unlike me, you lived the perfect spot less life. Why, so that you would live? No, you lived the perfect life so that you might die so that I may live.

You alone have kept your ways of perfection and goodness. You alone abided by your rules. You alone kept your statutes. You alone are blameless. You alone are free from guilt. You perfectly followed the laws of holiness because every single law speaks of you. You alone are the righteousness. You alone are the source of righteousness. Therefore, you are my righteousness.

Where else can I go? You alone have the words of eternal life.

Thank you for you saving me.

I love you.

In your great name, I pray. Amen.