Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees,
that I may follow it to the end.
Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law
and obey it with all my heart.
Direct me in the path of your commands,
for there I find delight.
Turn my heart toward your statutes
and not toward selfish gain.
Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
preserve my life according to your word.
Fulfill your promise to your servant,
so that you may be feared.
Take away the disgrace I dread,
for your laws are good.
How I long for your precepts!
In your righteousness preserve my life.
Psalm 119:33-40
Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible—and the entire chapter is dedicated to talking about the Word of God. An amazing coincidence, no doubt.
It is a beautiful chapter with some of the most well-known verses in all of Scripture:
“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” (v.105)
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (v.11)
But today I’m drawn to a quieter section—verses 33 through 40.
In my quiet time, I noticed an important phrase in verse 33.
The psalmist writes: Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end.
It’s an interesting prayer. The writer’s goal is to walk in obedience so he asks God to teach him how.
If obedience is the goal, he realized, God’s help is the key.
And not just in verse 33, but the requests continue for several verses. Read our passage again for today and notice how he asks for help to walk in obedience:
“Teach me…”
“Give me understanding…”
“Direct me…”
“Turn my heart…”
“Turn my eyes…”
“Fulfill your promise…”
“Preserve my life…”
The one writing this psalm wasn’t just promising to walk in obedience. He was praying for the strength to do it. That attitude is noteworthy.
Clearly, if our ultimate goal is to live in obedience to God, then we must also recognize that we can’t do it alone. We need help—daily, and from God himself. We need the Holy Spirit to guide us, convict us, lead us, and sustain us.
We don’t obey God by sheer willpower. We obey Him by walking closely with Him.
We don’t pursue righteousness through discipline alone. We pursue it through dependence.
We don’t follow God’s will in our life by our strength. We follow it by the strength we receive from God.
So let me ask you:
When was the last time you asked God to help you and strengthen you to obey Him?
Not just to bless your day or meal, but to direct your heart? To turn your eyes from distraction? And to teach you how to live according to His ways?
Because if we’re ever going to fully appreciate and live out God’s Word in our lives, we’ll need His help to do it.
Prayer
Lord, I want to obey you. But I know I need your help to do that. Teach me today. Turn my heart toward your face, your Word, and your ways. Keep me from distraction and pride, and grant me the strength to live in joyful obedience. I love you, Amen.