Psalm 66:18 (NKJV)

If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.

Psalm 66 is all about praising the God of the Bible. It is usually split into three parts by theologians as the writer calls out to three different groups to Praise the name and works of the Lord – All the earth (v. 1-7), the assembly of the saints (v. 8-12), and the individual Believer (v. 13-20). Tucked into that last section, directed personally at you and me as followers of Jesus Christ, is this powerful and potentially disturbing line:

“If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear.” (v. 18)

At first glance, it might appear to some that this verse could potentially eliminate any and all prayers laid at the feet of a Holy God because every single person that approaches Him – short of God’s only Son – is a person saturated with sin. Is there sin in your heart? Are you harboring unforgiveness or bitterness or anger? Are you struggling with the lust of your eyes…the lust of your flesh…or the pride of your life? (1 Jn. 2:16). Are you plotting and positioning in order to experience some secret sin? Sin is an on-going struggle in the life of every Believer, that is certainly true, but it is your attitude towards that sin that verse 18 is referring to.

Pastor Chuck Smith, the founder of the Calvary Chapel movement, said, “Sin breaks your connection with God. It cuts the line. All the dialing in the world won’t get you through. All the sweet persuasive talk is of no avail.” Think of it in terms of a common business practice that most of us have experienced. Businesses keep a detailed accounting of their accounts receivable. In their books there is a “current” column, “30-day” column, “60-day” column, etc. If the client pays promptly, they are considered to be keeping short accounts with that business and are in “good standing.” Could the same be said of you or me when it comes to our “sin account” with God? Are we acting on 1 John 1:9 and making a regular act of confession and repentance?

Regarding today’s passage, Charles Spurgeon observed, “If, having seen it to be there, I continue to gaze upon it without aversion; if I cherish it, have a side glance of love toward it, excuse it, and palliate it; The Lord will not hear me. How can he? Nothing hinders prayer like iniquity harbored in the breast; as with Cain, so with us, sin lieth at the door, and blocks the passage. If thou listen to the devil, God will not listen to thee. If you refuse to hear God’s commands, he will surely refuse to hear thy prayers. An imperfect petition God will hear for Christ’s sake, but not one which is willfully miswritten by a traitor’s hand. For God to accept our devotions, while we are delighting in sin, would be to make himself the God of hypocrites, which is a fitter name for Satan than for the Holy One of Israel.”

There are numerous things that can hinder your prayers (Jas. 4:3, Pr. 28:9, Mk. 11:25, 1 Pt. 3:7, Jas. 1:5-7) and you should look them up after you finish reading today’s devotional…but none is more damaging than unconfessed or unrepentant sin. Struggling with your sin is normal and healthy but accepting it casually and going so far as to plot it out is another. If we are so casual about our sin how can God take our prayers seriously? Obedience does not bring you to the cross of Jesus Christ, but you most certainly should never leave Golgotha without it. If we refuse to deal seriously with our sin, God is under no obligation to hear and answer our prayers. That kind of hard-heartedness regarding sin will only yield a crop of pain, guilt, and shame as it will receive no sustenance from the Lord.