I AM HOLY!

I AM HOLY!

Ps 86:1-7

Bow down thine ear, O LORD, hear me: for I am poor and needy.

2 Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee.

3 Be merciful unto me, O Lord: for I cry unto thee daily.

4 Rejoice the soul of thy servant: for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.

5 For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee.

6 Give ear, O LORD, unto my prayer; and attend to the voice of my supplications.

7 In the day of my trouble I will call upon thee: for thou wilt answer me.

          Perhaps today’s title is offensive to you because you feel that holiness is something for which to strive and not something to be attained. We bristle at the boldness with which David declares himself to be holy and then makes it the ground of his plea but we need to be better informed.

          The phrase “for I am holy” literally means “because I am one that you favor.” Ah! Now it makes better sense to our senses. Now the offensive boasting flees away and becomes a statement of faith and a song of praise. Yes! Now things are in proper order. David had devoted himself to God, had found favor with God by grace and it was on this basis that he makes his appeal. A child looks to a parent for protection, because he is a child; a citizen looks to the protection of the laws, because he is a citizen; and so the people of God may look to him for protection, because they are his people.

Ps 79:13

13 So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.

Dear Lord, we graze in Thy rich pasture because we are Thy sheep. You have bought us and we are your own. Be merciful unto us because we are favored. AMEN