Psalms 143:1-12: a reflection

1Hear my prayer, LORD. Listen to my petitions. In your faithfulness and righteousness, relieve me. 2Don’t enter into judgment with your servant, for in your sight no man living is righteous. 3For the enemy pursues my soul. He has struck my life down to the ground. He has made me live in dark places, as those who have been long dead. 4Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me. My heart within me is desolate. 5I remember the days of old. I meditate on all your doings. I contemplate the work of your hands. 6I spread out my hands to you. My soul thirsts for you, like a parched land. Selah. 7Hurry to answer me, LORD. My spirit fails. Don’t hide your face from me, so that I don’t become like those who go down into the pit. 8Cause me to hear your loving kindness in the morning, for I trust in you. Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to you. 9Deliver me, LORD, from my enemies. I flee to you to hide me. 10Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness. 11Revive me, LORD, for your name’s sake. In your righteousness, bring my soul out of trouble. 12In your loving kindness, cut off my enemies, and destroy all those who afflict my soul, for I am your servant.

In this psalm of distress, amid his pleas for deliverance, the psalmist prays a humble and hopeful request: Teach me to do your will, for you are my God. Your Spirit is good; lead me in the land of uprightness. He does not presume that he already knows how to do God's will; he asks God to teach him, to lead him by his Spirit in the right way. His desire is not merely to be delivered from trouble, but to be taught and led to do God's will; he lifts up his soul to God to be taught the way he should walk.

Notice the psalmist's prayer: teach me to do your will. He does not assume he knows God's will and can do it of himself; he asks God to teach him, to lead him by his good Spirit in the way of uprightness. It is a humble prayer, admitting he needs to be taught, and a hopeful one, trusting God to teach and lead him. He wants not only rescue, but to know and do God's will; and he looks to God to teach him, lifting up his soul to be led. The desire to do God's will, and the humility to ask to be taught it, are joined in his prayer.

That prayer is worth taking to heart, for we too need God to teach us to do his will, and do well to ask him. We can presume that we know God's will and can do it of ourselves, or we can neglect to ask God to teach and lead us; but the psalmist prayed, teach me to do your will, humbly asking to be taught and led. Do not presume you already know how to do God's will, or neglect to seek his teaching; pray, as the psalmist did, teach me to do your will, lifting up your soul to God to be taught and led by his Spirit. Ask God to teach you his will and lead you in it, rather than presuming on your own knowledge or neglecting to seek his leading, as the psalmist prayed, teach me to do your will, for you are my God; lead me by your good Spirit in the way of uprightness, trusting God to teach and lead the one who lifts up his soul to him.

Lord, in this psalm of distress, amid his pleas for deliverance, the psalmist prays a humble and hopeful request: teach me to do your will, for you are my God; your Spirit is good; lead me in the land of uprightness. He does not presume that he already knows how to do your will; he asks you to teach him, to lead him by your Spirit in the right way. His desire is not merely to be delivered from trouble, but to be taught and led to do your will. Show me the psalmist's prayer: teach me to do your will. He does not assume he knows your will and can do it of himself; he asks you to teach him. It is a humble prayer, admitting he needs to be taught, and a hopeful one, trusting you to teach and lead him. He wants not only rescue, but to know and do your will. Take that prayer to my heart, for I too need you to teach me to do your will, and do well to ask you. I can presume that I know your will and can do it of myself, or neglect to ask you to teach and lead me; but the psalmist prayed, teach me to do your will. Keep me from presuming I already know how to do your will, or neglecting to seek your teaching; help me pray, as the psalmist did, teach me to do your will, lifting up my soul to you to be taught and led by your Spirit. Help me ask you to teach me your will and lead me in it, Lord, rather than presuming on my own knowledge.