Text: Psalm 86:11–17
Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name. I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify Your name forevermore. For great is Your mercy toward me, And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. O God, the proud have risen against me, And a mob of violent men have sought my life, And have not set You before them. But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth. Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me! Give Your strength to Your servant, And save the son of Your maidservant. Show me a sign for good, That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed, Because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.
Devotion
The Lord had delivered David’s soul from the realm of death (Sheol) by saving him from the hand of Saul and from being in danger for his life during Absalom’s rebellion. But when we sing this verse: “For great is Your mercy toward me, And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol,” then we think of our salvation from spiritual death and the blessed gift of our life of grace. All who have learned the Lord’s “way” have gotten “a heart united to fear His name,” an upright heart that is completely on the Lord’s side and strives against all sin, – but still they pray to get such a heart by an ever new revelation of His grace.
“A united heart” commends itself with full confidence to the Lord. It sees only His Word and builds only on His promises. It is just as quiet when sin and Satan make their noise, as when they are silent, just as confident when distress and death threaten, as when the outlook is brightest. It rests completely on the mercy and truth of our almighty God.
“A united heart” hates all sin with perfect hatred and loves God with perfect love. There is only one joy that expresses itself in all that one thinks, speaks, and does, one sun that shines inside and outside, one life whose heartbeat only is felt everywhere. At any moment of life there is no corner of the heart in which God’s love does not live.
“A united heart” praises the Lord at all times. It thanks Him not only for joy, but for sorrow as well, and nothing can silence it. “I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And I will glorify Your name forevermore.” Yes, to fear the Lord with a “united heart” is above all to praise and thank Him. A divided heart murmurs; a “united heart” praises.
If you have an upright heart, then you walk in the light, though you still will feel your whole life long the divided concerns of your heart. You feel it is divided, but it is “united.” You feel it is sick, but it is healed. Everything in you is new. You believe in the Lord, love Him, and praise Him above all things. But still you always suffer from the old and must lament about your unbelief, the desires of the flesh, and ingratitude. Pray with all the saints for a perfect heart, and you shall receive it in a blessed hour.
Closing Prayer
Incline Your ears, O Lord. Answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my soul, for I am faithful. Save Your servant, O my God, the one who trusts in You. “Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name.” Amen.
Hymn
Holy Ghost, dispel our sadness;
Pierce the clouds of sinful night;
Come, Thou source of sweetest gladness,
Breathe Thy life and spread Thy light!
Hear, O hear our supplication,
Loving Spirit, God of peace!
Rest upon this congregation,
Great distributer of grace!
From the height which knows no measure
As a gracious show’r descend,
Bringing down the richest treasure
We can wish, or God can send!
Make us flee what Thou refusest,
Both from error and from sin.
Make us joy in what Thou choosest,
Holy Fountain, wash us clean.
Be our friend on each occasion,
God, omnipotent to save!
When we die, be our salvation,
When we’re buried, be our grave.
Seat us with Thy saints in glory,
When from out the grave we rise,
Then forever we’ll adore Thee,
Round Thy throne above the skies.
Gerhardt: Holy Ghost, dispel our sadness L 437:3.5 ELH 20 tr. Jacobi and Toplady, alt.;
tune: Geneva