May 8

Keep me from evil. - 1 Chronicles 4:10.

A MAN who utters this prayer must know that he is liable to fall into temptation and sin. He may neglect or he may restrain prayer before God: this is sin. He may trust in man, or make flesh his arm: and this is sin. He may fall into vice; indeed, there is nothing too vile for him to fall into, if left to himself. The believer is most sensible of his danger when he thinks of Satan, the adversary of his soul, who goeth about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. He is peculiarly sensible of it when he thinks of the world in which he lives, which is full of evil. What errors are there in it to deceive! what smiles to seduce! what frowns to menace! what examples to pervert! “The whole world lieth in wickedness.”

The Christian is also sensible of his danger when he thinks of himself; for, though there is a difference between him and others, and between himself formerly and now, and though there is a work begun in him, yet he is only sanctified in part. He knows there are internal traitors, holding correspondence with external enemies; therefore, having so much sin dwelling within him, he feels that he stands in jeopardy every hour. And there is nothing in which we may have any concern through the day which may not prove the occasion of our falling into sin: “Yea, our table may become a snare;” and the things ordained for our welfare may become “a trap.” Knowledge may puff up; liveliness and enlargement in duty may engender spiritual pride. Even Paul, with all his progress, was in danger of being elated by his manifestations, and therefore he says, “Lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan, to buffet me.” No wonder, therefore, the Christian, knowing the character of his enemies, and sensible of his own weakness, should pray, with Jabez, “Keep me from evil;” or that our Lord should teach his disciples, when they pray, to say, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil;” and in his own prayer for them to say, “Keep them from the evil.”