Walking in the Truth
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Psalm 86:1-11
1. Incline thy ear, O Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. 2. Preserve my life, for I am godly; save thy servant who trusts in thee. Thou art my God; 3. be gracious to me, O Lord, for to thee do I cry all the day. 4. Gladden the soul of thy servant, for to thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. 5. For thou, O Lord, art good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call on thee. 6. Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer; hearken to my cry of supplication. 7. In the day of my trouble I call on thee, for thou dost answer me. 8. There is none like thee among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like thine. 9. All the nations thou hast made shall come and bow down before thee, O Lord, and shall glorify thy name. 10. For thou art great and doest wondrous things, thou alone art God. 11. Teach me thy way, O Lord, that I may walk in thy truth; unite my heart to fear thy name.
David readily admits to God that he does not possess the ability to bring about his own deliverance. He recognizes his total and absolute dependence upon God. He declares to God his trust in Him and claims possession of his great God—or rather recognizes that God possesses him! David knows and trusts that God answers our prayers, so he brings his request before his Lord.
David assures God that he is aware of God's sovereignty—that none of the lesser gods compare in any way to the one true God of David’s praise. David’s complete trust in God’s willingness and ability to answer his prayer serves as a model for us and how we are to approach God with our own requests and supplications. First we acknowledge Him as the one true, living God. Then we commit ourselves completely to Him and His will. Then we lay our request at the foot of the throne, humbly beseeching God’s action. We don’t cower in fear, but rather respond out of reverence and awe.
David envisions a day when all the nations will worship his God! All the peoples of the earth will recognize God’s divine actions in the world, and they will respond as David does, and as we are compelled to respond—with deep gratitude, with abject humility, and complete commitment to God’s will. We are to spend our lives on worshiping and praising the great and glorious God who does wondrous things! We are further to spread the word throughout the lands—preach the Good News to all mankind!
Finally David asks that God continue to teach and mold Him, so that he can grow in his understanding of the truth and make his heart and mind united in his actions, thoughts, and words. God had demonstrated to David on countless occasions His faithfulness and His desire and ability to intercede for David. Was it because of David’s complete reliance upon God? Was it because David worshiped and praised him every day, all day? Or did David worship Him because of the many times God interceded to spare his life? Did he praise God because he acknowledged that he was powerless without God’s strength and power? Yes!
It’s kind of like the chicken and the egg question. One is not possible without the other, and yet who knows which came first? Does it really matter?
I hope you spend your day glorifying God’s name and seeking His instruction in how to walk in the truth.
Mary
