Prayer For Zion’s Good

Minister:
Date: AM
Text: Psalm 51
Psalters: 368, 381, 141, 283
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper
  • Psalm 51: 18,19

    Lord’s Supper

    PRAYER FOR ZION’S GOOD

    I. The Necessity

    A. Repenting sinners must pray for the church as well as self because public sin endangers/injures the church’s well-being.

    1. God declared that David’s sin gave occasion for Zion’s enemies to ridicule and blaspheme (II Sam. 12:14).

    2. Also, we hurt and endanger our fellow-saints because our sins bring a stumbling block to them.

    3. Worse, David’s sins (and our’s) expose the church to God’s chastening wrath.

    B. Our text properly presupposes corporate responsibility because of the intimate unity of the one body of Jesus Christ.

    C.We need to be aware of the effects of our sins.

    II. Thus, David prays that God “do good” for Zion and Jerusalem.

    A. This good is the good of salvation in the Messiah.

    1. David’s focus for Zion’s good is on her “walls” (cf. Isaiah 26:1; 60:18).

    2. Question arose in David’s mind: would his sin prevent the coming of the royal Son promised to him.

    B. The way in which this protection is obtained is the public confession for sin, especially a public sin.

    C.The only ground and basis for this good is God’s “good pleasure,” i.e., His grace.

    III. The ultimate purpose of this petition is the worship of God by the church as a whole (19).

    A. God delights in the “sacrifices of righteousness.”

    1. These are sacrifices which give thanks and praise.

    2. Righteous sacrifices proceed from the heart of one justified by grace alone, and express the love and thanks.

    B. “Then” indicates that these sacrifices are given as a result of seeing God do good to the church.

    1. We praise and thank Him because He gives the blessing of salvation in the Messiah, and builds up.

    2. A part of all worship is the offering of sacrifices of righteousness.