Psalm 19:12-14
How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? 
Cleanse me from these hidden faults. 
Keep your servant from deliberate sins! 
Don’t let them control me. 
Then I will be free of guilt 
and innocent of great sin. 

May the words of my mouth 
and the meditation of my heart 
be pleasing to you, 
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. (NLT)

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Reading a psalm a day following the YouVersion reading plan called The Psalms – ARISE, I am now on my second time through Psalms this year. The BibleProject Biblical Storyline plan I am also reading is also in the Psalms right now. This means that this year I will read through the Psalms three times. That’s a lot of prayer and praise, grief and lament. 

I am convinced everyone should spend some time in the Psalms day by day. These poems and songs teach us truths in memorable ways. They are sticky in all the right ways. 

Somewhere along the line, I read the verses above and used them to shape my prayers in a specific manner. I asked God to show me the sins lurking in my heart. I asked him to enlighten me regarding my hidden faults. I asked him to keep me from deliberate sins. I asked him to prevent these sins from controlling me. 

These are good and noble prayers. However, they led to a measure of insight that was rather uncomfortable. The truth is, they were more than uncomfortable; they were painful. 

The good news is there was a clean sweep taking place in my heart and mind. The bad news is there was more to clean up than anticipated. 

The best part of this experiment is what I have learned regarding the patterns and pitfalls that form tripping hazards for me. I’m better at noticing them as they take shape. I’m better at circumnavigating them. Circumnavigation is a word I learned in Mrs. Law’s senior English class in high school. She would be proud to know I remember it after all these years.

Life is light and free when we are unburdened by all the baggage from our past. If there is one thing we do not want to hoard, one weight we do not want to bear everywhere we go, it is the heaviness of sins we have not been honest with God about. It is the sins we have not repented of to God and to those we’ve wounded. 

Life is much better when we keep the accounting up to date. This psalm helps us live the life God intended, a life that honors him and blesses others. 

I still have to take daily issues before God and others in repentance and for renewal. There always will be. However, there is also a lightness in the willingness to be honest with God about all things at all times. It’s easier to pray verse 14 after working through verses 12 and 13.

May the words of my mouth 
and the meditation of my heart 
be pleasing to you, 
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

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I will keep short accounts with God by inviting him to see what he needs to see and to show me what I need to do to come clean and avoid everything that could trip me up.

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Our Father, I want the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart to please you. I want these words and thoughts to reflect your words of truth and life. I want a pure heart and clean hands. Amen.