Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties. — Psalm 141:4
This is our third day in this verse of Psalm 141. The verse has spoken volumes for Christians about how they live their lives and associate with those around them. We have learned about temptation and the effects of those around us on our Christian reputation. However, David has one other thing that he talks about that is worth noting.
The statement he makes is unique in the King James translation above. “Let me not eat of their dainties.” This is not talking about eating anything specifically. If you study back into the original text, the idea is referring back to both temptation and those around him. David realized the power that temptation and those around us have over our lives. He knew there needed to be extra protection from God to help.
In this concept, David says don’t let those around me tempt me to live the way they are. This wasn’t necessarily the people he was spending time with, but the world around him. The flashy things of this world can catch our eye, and they often tempt Christians.
David first dealt with the temptations of his own heart and, second, the effect of his friends. Lastly, he focused on the influence of the world. He knew that the world would offer nice things. It can be tempting to see those living in sin around you and want those same things.
But those things are acquired through things that go directly against the word of God. They not only lead you into a life of sin, they can ruin your character and your witness. David’s prayer was that God help protect him from falling into the traps of the world.
How do you handle the temptations of things around you? It can be tempting to just give up on living a life for God when those around you seem to have it so easy. But their pleasures are only temporary. Instead of giving up and giving in to the influence of the world, ask God to help you continue to resist the temptations of this world and live a life for Him!
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