September 29
“But You, Lord, my Lord, deal kindly with me for Your name’s sake; because Your faithful love is good, rescue me.” Psalm 109:21 (CSB)
A motive is a reason for doing something, giving purpose and direction to behavior. Psychologists have determined there are three kinds: biological (to acquire food, water, etc.), social (to achieve, understand, etc.), and personal (a combination of the other two that include goals, habits, etc.). At its core, motive answers the question: Why?
Psalm 109 is maybe the strongest of what are known as the imprecatory psalms: A psalm where the psalmist calls for calamity and judgment on a personal enemy or enemy of God. In this psalm, David is using pretty stiff language about what he wants Yahweh to do to his enemy. After he spits out his vitriol and gets it off his chest (vv. 1-20), he cools down and turns to self-examination and reflection. I can identify with that!
In v.21 (read again), David states why God does what He does: His ultimate motives are to glorify Himself and display His love. Not one or the other—both, and in that order.
This is good for us to remember. So many times, I appeal to God based on His love for me: God, because You love me, heal Sue’s cancer, grant me success in this endeavor, etc. But upon reflection, that’s a pretty selfish prayer: it’s all about me and mine. There is another of God’s motives that surpasses even His love, and that is His glory and reputation. God always acts in a way that emphasizes the brightness and beauty of His essence.
Knowing this, I need to make sure my own motives in prayer are not just for my desires, my family, my reputation, my, my, my. I first and foremost need to get focused on and caught up in His glory, His desires, His motivations. If that is in the forefront of my heart and mind when I pray, it may just change my prayers!
David said, “Deal kindly with me—for Your name’s sake, because Your faithful love is good.” He asks for God’s help, not based on his own merit, but on the basis of doing what’s best for God’s sake, AND on the basis of God’s unmerited and undeserved love. That’s a powerful prayer.
God, purify my motives and align them with Yours in my prayers and my living. Amen