Daily Prayer for January 20, 2025: Psalm 14

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”
    They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds;
    there is none who does good.

The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man,
    to see if there are any who understand,
    who seek after God.

They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt;
    there is none who does good,
    not even one.

Have they no knowledge, all the evildoers
    who eat up my people as they eat bread
    and do not call upon the Lord?

There they are in great terror,
    for God is with the generation of the righteous.
You would shame the plans of the poor,
    but the Lord is his refuge.

Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion!
    When the Lord restores the fortunes of his people,
    let Jacob rejoice, let Israel be glad.
(Psalm 14:1-7, ESV)

Prayer: Father, we thank you for your infinite kindness and grace, and we adore you because you are mindful of your people, always keeping them in your sight as we live our lives as pilgrims in this world. We confess that we are prone to wander, Lord; we feel it. We are prone to leave the God we love. We confess that we live as practical atheists at times. We acknowledge that there are days when we have little thoughts of you and low affection for your marvelous work of saving and helping us. Please forgive us and help us. We know that it is utterly foolish for us to think and live this way because only a fool will say, "There is no God," Please help us to live our faith from the heart and cause us to do so with boldness before a world that is rebelling against you. Father, many in this world hate you by denying your existence. We pity them and plead that you will be pleased to rescue them as you have rescued us. We further ask that you will protect us from those who are corrupt, doing evil, and seeking to destroy the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. We ask that you be pleased to rescue the spiritual Israel from their actions, preserving them as promised. We pray that the Gospel would reach the ears of those who reject you and ask that you will use the labors of your redeemed people to save rebellious and wicked people. We pray these things through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Scripture Meditation: Psalm 14