“Let my cry come before you, O Lord;
give me understanding according to your word!” Psalm 119.169
With this verse, the psalmist opens the final stanza of this epic poem. His prayer increases in earnestness. He is making his final plea. Each verse in this stanza contains at least one synonym for the Word of God. He wants deliverance according to the Word. His praise is in line with Scripture. He sings praises to the Lord for his truth. He longs for the law of God. Oh, what staggering praise this is.
He begins that with another cry to the Lord for to teach him. We see in this verse, as we’ve seen throughout the psalm, that the poet is fixated on the word of God and pleads with the Lord for understanding.
May we ever seek to know and worship the Lord. Let us remember that our knowledge and praise must be aligned with Scripture, with how he has revealed himself to us. In order to do that, we must both treasure Scripture and plead with the Lord for understanding.
How often do you seek the Lord for understanding of his Word? What role does prayer have in your times of devotion and study? Plead with the Lord today for understanding and insight into his truth.
Our sovereign God and King, we praise you for the grace you have shown in revealing yourself to us. Help us, dear Lord. Give us understanding, that we might worship you in spirit and in truth. Amen.