“Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!” Psalm 119.36 What is your heart inclined to? Charles Spurgeon wrote, “The leaning of the heart is the way in which all of life will lean; happy shall we be when we feel habitually inclines to all that is good.” The affections of your heart set the guide for all …

“Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.” Psalm 119.35 The writer has explained his need for teaching that enables obedience (33). He has explained his need for God to give him understanding, which sets his affections (34). Now, as he continues this stanza focused on dependence, he acknowledges his need for God to guide him …

“Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.” Psalm 119.34 Having called upon the Lord to teach him (33), the psalmist intensifies his show of dependence here by calling upon the Lord to give him understanding. He not only needs to receive instruction from the Lord; the writer also needs understanding from …

“Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end.” Psalm 119.33 With this verse, we move into the fifth stanza of this extraordinary psalm. In the previous stanza the psalmist wrote at length of his own weakness, frailty, and sin. Out of that comes this section, where the psalmist speaks at length of his …

“I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!” Psalm 119.32 Scripture often speaks of one’s relationship with God and his Word as a walk. In this verse, the psalmist models zeal—an eagerness to obey the Lord quickly and steadfastly—by asserting that he will run in the way of God’s commandments. He also realizes the need …

“I cling to your testimonies, O Lord; let me not be put to shame!” Psalm 119.31 In the opening of this stanza, the psalmist grieved that his soul clung to the dust. Here, he declares that he clings to the testimonies of the Lord. What a marvelous contrast! Left to the influence of our flesh and the world, our soul is …

“I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me.” Psalm 119.30 Growing in faithfulness does not occur by happenstance. God calls believers, predestines us to be adopted as his sons, and gives us a righteousness not our own. None of that is accidental. It all comes about according to the kind intention of God’s will (Eph. 1.3-14). …

“Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law!” Psalm 119.29 Without God’s intervention, we are without hope. This is true of every aspect of life. If it were not for God’s good providence, we would not take our next breath. In this verse, the psalmist takes that massive truth and applies it to sin. He please for …

“My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!” Psalm 119.28 In the depths of sorrow, the psalmist cries out to the Lord. We must keep the context in mind here. This cry of sorrow comes on the heels of confessing his ways to the Lord (26) and considering the precepts and works of God (27). Sorrow …

“Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works.” Psalm 119.27 We continue through this section of confession and lament by the psalmist. He’s called out to the Lord for life, though his soul cleaves to the dust. He has confessed his sins and begun to call on the Lord to align his thinking …