(REFLECTIONS ON Psalm 143:1-12)
Today’s Psalm reminded me of an old Vineyard worship song called “Undivided Heart.” Below you will find the lyrics and a link to the song. Please use it as your worship and prayer today.
Psalm 143 begins with the psalmist writing,
1 Hear my prayer, O Lord,
Give ear to my supplications!
Answer me in Your faithfulness, in Your righteousness.
The psalmist writes that this prayer is coming from a place of persecution, “therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me.” The psalmist then stretches out his hands to the Lord, for his soul longs for God, as a parched land longs for rain.
In this opening prayer though, we read the psalmist crying out to the Lord for His faithfulness and His righteousness. The psalmist isn’t asking for the desires of his heart, but that the Lord’s faithfulness and righteousness will be the answer to his prayers.
The psalmist desires for the Lord to teach him, writing,
8 Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning;
For I trust in You;
Teach me the way in which I should walk;
For to You I lift up my soul.10 Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
And the psalmist ends writing, “For I am Your servant.”
May our prayers be that the Lord would answer us with His faithfulness and lovingkindness. May it be the lovingkindness of the Lord that we desire to hear in the morning, because we trust in Him, more than we trust in ourselves and our prayers.
May the Lord’s faithfulness and lovingkindness teach us to trust in Him, to walk in His ways, to do His will. And may His Spirit lead us on level ground even though our feet may be physically stumbling on rocky paths.
May this be the way we approach the Lord today, “For I am Your servant.” Let us not dictate to the Lord what He should do and how He should do it, but pray for the Lord’s faithfulness and lovingkindness, learning from Him, and walking with Him on level ground, “For I am Your servant.”
And may the Lord give us an undivided heart for Him.
“Undivided Heart” Lyrics
Teach me your ways oh Lord
And I will walk in your truth
Show me your paths oh Lord
For I am devoted to you
Purify my heart’s desire
I long to be your servant
Give me an undivided heart
That I may fear your name
Give me an undivided heart
No other gods, No other love
No other gods before you
Pastor Michael Lu
Enduring Word Bible Commentary: Psalm 143
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