Whispers of His Power – NOVEMBER 2

Ps. 141.4 (BCP):  O let not mine heart be inclined to any evil thing:  let me not be occupied in ungodly works with the men that work wickedness.

This verse speaks of inclination and occupation.  Miles Coverdale lived from 1488 to 1569, and the history of that period, when he was translating the Scriptures and giving us the version of the Psalms which we have in the Prayer Book, is one of falseness and cruelty and utter disregard of all true goodness.  The nations of the world were inclined to and occupied in works that had nothing to do with the holiness of God.

But even then God had His own, and as they prayed this prayer He heard them and He answered them.  They were the salt of the earth.  They were the candles set in the house of that dark age.

Is it not good to think that we may belong to that company?  On what are my inclinations set?  On pleasing my Lord?  If so, He will see to it that my occupations are His pleasure only.

O let not our hearts be inclined to any evil thing today, for as our inclinations, so will be our occupations.

oooOOOooo

These words are from ’Whispers of His Power’ a collection of writings that Amy Carmichael wrote for her ‘children’ and others associated with the Dohnavur Fellowship. and are Copyright © The Dohnavur Fellowship 1982

Unless otherwise stated, biblical quotations are from the Authorized King James Version of the Bible.

The following abbreviations are used to refer to other versions and sources:

BCP:               Book of Common Prayer, the Great Bible of Coverdale

Conybeare:       W. J. Conybeare, The Epistles of Paul (a translation)

Delitzsch:        F. Delitzsch, Notes on Job and the Psalms

Kay:                W. Kay, The Psalms (a translation)

LXX:              The Septuagint

Moffatt:           J. Moffatt, The New Testament: a new translation

Rotherham:      J. B. Rotherham, The Emphasized Bible Revised Version

RV:                 Revised Version

Way:              A. Way, The Letters of St Paul (a translation)

Westcott:         F. Westcott, Notes on the Gospel of St John

Weymouth:      R. F. Weymouth, The New Testament in Modern Speech

Young:            R. Young, A Literal Translation of the Bible

Verses of poetry without quotation marks were written by Amy Carmichael.