Psalm 119 - 10 - Yodh - Bold Requests

"(Yodh) You made me; You created me.
Now give me the sense to follow Your commands.
May all who fear You find in me a cause for joy,
for I have put my hope in Your Word.
I know, O LORD, that Your regulations are fair;
You disciplined me because I needed it.
Now let Your unfailing love comfort me,
just as You promised me, Your servant.
Surround me with Your tender mercies so I may live,
for Your instructions are my delight.
Bring disgrace upon the arrogant people who lied about me; 
meanwhile, I will concentrate on Your commandments.
Let me be united with all who fear You,
with those who know Your laws.
May I be blameless in keeping Your decrees; 
then I will never be ashamed." (Psalm 119: 73-80)  

Dear friend,

Notes from "Yodh": The Psalmist is making some bold requests of God!

• He wants a transformed mind so that he can obey ("Give me the sense").
• He wants to bring joy to others because of how he lives. 
• He asks for God's unfailing love to comfort him after being disciplined.
• He asks for God's tender mercies to surround him so that he can live.
• He wants God to act with justice toward the wicked who have injured him.
• He wants to be able to be with others who live righteously.
• He asks God for help to live blamelessly, to follow God's decrees, so that he will never be ashamed.

     Sometimes my prayers are bold. Often they are "meek and mild". When the Psalmist talks with God in prayer, he makes big requests, and we see his heart. Do you think that God would approve of the Psalmist's prayer here?
     Other people may pray "boldly" (call on God to do big/great things), but what are their motives? How would God value their prayers? At times I am ashamed of my prayers: not what I am praying for, but rather what I am NOT praying for (but should).

     Genuine prayer to God 

reveals the genuine desires 

of our heart. 

• What are "bold" prayer requests?
• How do our prayers reveal our heart?
• In what ways might we use this prayer to guide our own? 
• Can we pray for God to change/transform our heart, so that these are our desires?

Heavenly Father, We are humbled by the Psalmist's desire for knowing You and walking in Your ways. We are ashamed that this isn't the cry of our hearts. Will You work in us? Will You give us hearts that desire You? 

"And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice--the kind He will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship Him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." (Romans 12:1-2)