"Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name."
Psalms 86:11
Psalm 86 is a prayer by David to the LORD. Please read it all. We will settle on verse 11 for our verse of the day.
“Teach me thy way, O LORD;”
Whenever David asked the LORD to teach him, it was never with the attitude that says, “LORD, show me what you want for me, and I will decide if I will do it.” No, when he asked the LORD to teach him, he did what he was shown.
“Teach me,” says, “show me,” or “point out to me” what you want LORD, I will obey.
“That is, in the present emergency. Show me what thou wouldst have me to do that I may obtain thy favor, and thy gracious help,”1 (Barnes).
“I will walk in thy truth:”
Whatever the LORD told David to do, he did it. He made it his practice to walk in God’s truth. A walk means he’s on a path, a journey going somewhere. He had not arrived yet, but he was on the move, one step after another, day by day. He was walking with the LORD in His truth each day of his life. What God said was true, David accepted as true. He trusted God completely. And because David believed God, he obeyed Him.
“Unite my heart to fear thy name.”
David had his times of doubts and fears; otherwise, he would not have asked God to unite his heart.
David asked God to, “…join all the purposes, resolutions, and affections of my heart together, to fear and to glorify thy name,”2 (Clarke).
Believer, what is it that is dividing your heart? A divided heart is a miserable heart that has real trouble following the LORD.
“A double minded man is unstable in all his ways,” (James 1:8).
The answer for a divided heart is to get close to the LORD!
“Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded,” (James 4:8).
LORD, unify my heart with Yours! Help me to fear your name.
1. Albert Barnes, Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.
2. Adam Clarke, Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible, the electronic version in eSword.