PRÉCIS ON AN OLD MAN’S PRAYER FOR FINISHING WELL

SCRIPTURE. “In you, O Lord, I have put my trust and confidently taken refuge; Let me never be put to shame.” ― PSALM 71:1, AMP

KEY TERM: “PUT TO SHAME.” ‘Bosh’ [בּוּשׁ]: “From a primitive root, ‘To be pale;’ thus to be disappointed or delayed; also, to be or become disconcerted, confounded and confused [unable to proceed]; related to one’s sexual conduct or more generally, acting unwisely [unbecoming a follower of  Christ]; likened to a farmer who is without a harvest [save for a ‘harvest of shame’]; a painful sensation excited by a consciousness of guilt, or of having done something which injures reputation; or by of that which nature or modesty prompts us to conceal.”

QUOTATION. “‘To see Evil and call it Good, mocks God.’ Worse, it makes Goodness meaningless. A word without meaning is an abomination, for when the word passes beyond understanding the very thing the word stands for passes out of the world and cannot be recalled.” ― STEPHEN R. LAWHEAD, Arthur, 1996; edited

COMMENTARY. “David prays that he might never be made ashamed of dependence upon God. With this petition every true believer may come boldly to the Throne of Grace. The gracious care of Divine Providence in our birth and infancy, should engage us to early piety. He that was our Help from our birth, ought to be our Hope from our youth. Let none expect ease or comfort from the world. Those who love the Lord, often are hated and persecuted; men wondered at for their principles and conduct; but the Lord has been their strong refuge. The faithful servants of God may be assured that He will not cast them off in old age, nor forsake them when their strength fails.” ― MATTHEW HENRY, Exposition of the Old and New Testaments, 6 vols., 1708-1710; edited

DK. As I approach my 80^th year, I am in wonderment at how the Lord has preserved me in so many ways to reach this landmark. In all that time, I have seen glorious interventions by Him to make me a far better man than when I first met Him in the Fall of 1979. But there is also this.

I have failed Him many times as well, and in my old age I have prayed this prayer oftener and oftener: “Lord God, please, Sir, do not let me fail you now as I approach my finish line, please! I would rather die than bring shame to your name ever again.”

I haven’t much left to leave behind except for some semblance of an admittedly tarnished reputation, some writings that I hope and pray honor Him, and the manner in which I treated people. So, my bottomline prayer is to ‘Finish well,’ enough to have Him greet me at those Towering Gates with something like:

“You did fine, son, you did just fine. Enter into your rest.” Selah.