Prayers with 'For I' Declarations in Psalm 119: For I have chosen Your precepts

 Let Your hand become my help, For I have chosen Your precepts. Psalm 119:173

The psalmist's prayer and desire are right: let Your hand become my help, and has the right argument to expect that help: for I have chosen Your precepts. He has chosen the preceptsof God, he wants to obey them, and he knows that he cannot do it on his own, he needs God's help.

If he had chosen something else, he could not expect help from God.

If I have chosen holiness, I can confidently ask God for help to be holy, because it is His will: "For this is the will of God, your sanctification." (1 Thessalonians 4:3), it is His commandment: "Be holy, for I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16).

If I have chosen love, I can be sure that the hand of God will help me to live in the true love; I will love God with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind and with all my strength, and I will love His children as myself, I will do good to my enemies, I will bless them and pray for them.

The rule is very simple: make the right choice and you will get the right help to implement what you have chosen.

Topical meditation 2024

January 14

 

Prayers with 'For I' Declarations in Psalm 119: For I do not forget Your law

"Consider my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget Your law." - Psalm 119:153

"I have gone astray like a lost sheep; Seek Your servant, for I do not forget Your commandments." - Psalm 119:176

The psalmist is afflicted, and he shares his affliction not with anyone else but with God. He needs deliverance and knows whom to turn to. He confesses that he has gone astray like a lost sheep and asks the Lord to search for him, to find him. And for these prayers, he has the same argument: "For I do not forget Your law, Your commandments."

He may have forgotten many things in his affliction, but not God's law. He knows that the Lord will not forget his affliction because he has not forgotten the law of the Lord. Although he had gone astray like a lost sheep, his heart had not forgotten God's commandments. He couldn't find his way back on his own, but he knew God could find him.

Every person who loves the Word of God, has been delighted by His Word, has been born again and renewed by the Word of God, no matter how weak their memory is, will not forget the Word of God written in their hearts. One does not forget what one loves most.

Neither affliction nor one's own sins can erase the Word written in the heart, and every child of God, no matter how bad their condition, can say, like the psalmist: "For I do not forget Your law, Your commandments."

Topical meditation 2024

January 13

 

Prayers with 'For I' Declarations in Psalm 119: For I have sought Your precepts

 "I am Yours, save me; for I have sought Your precepts." - Psalm 119:94

The psalmist prays, "Save me," and has a compelling argument for expecting salvation: "I am Yours." Those who belong to God can expect salvation from Him. The one who belongs to the Lord understands the need for salvation, recognizing that only God can save him, which is why he calls upon Him with confidence, knowing that the Lord will surely save the one who belongs to Him. We can pray: "Save me, for I am Yours. You created me, redeemed me, chose me, and accepted me into Your family."

The evidence that the psalmist belongs to Him is this: "For I have sought Your precepts." A hypocrite will not seek the precepts of God. Although a hypocrite may know God's precepts, they will not seek them. The seeker of the precepts longs for the Word of God, strives to fulfill God’s commandments, meditates on the commandments of God, finds joy in them, and keeps them in their heart.

If one seeks the precepts of God, then God has initiated a work in them, and God always completes His work.

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January 12

Prayers with 'For I' Declarations in Psalm 119: For I believe Your commandments

"Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe Your commandments." - Psalm 119:66

The psalmist desires to acquire good judgment and knowledge, and in expressing this request to God, he presents the right argument: "For I believe in Your commandments." Without faith, he would not seek knowledge, and without faith, he could not expect to receive it. Because he believes in the Word of God, he wants to understand it in order to practice it. He demonstrates the right attitude towards the true Word: he believes in that Word, therefore, he asks for the right thing—to understand that Word in which he believes.

If you have faith, you can ask for good judgment and knowledge.

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January 11 

 

Prayers with 'For I' Declarations in Psalm 119: For I trust in Your Word

 "Let Your mercies come also to me, O LORD— Your salvation according to Your word. So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me, for I trust in Your word. And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for I have hoped in Your ordinances." (Psalm 119:41-43)

In verse 22, the psalmist had asked God to remove his reproach because he had kept His testimonies. Now, he pleads for mercy to answer the one who reproaches him, and again, he presents a convincing argument: "I trust in Your Word." He places trust in God's Word rather than relying on his own understanding or wisdom. He acknowledges that he cannot give the right answer without the Word that contains the answers to everything. Having hope in God's ordinances enables him to pray that His Word will not depart from his mouth. If he had placed his trust in something or someone else, he would not have been able to make such a prayer. His trust in God's Word in his heart allows him to request that the Word also be in his mouth.

He understands that God will not withhold His Word from those who trust in it. Any person who places trust in God's Word can pray with assurance with these arguments, just like the psalmist did.

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January 10

Prayers with 'For I' Declarations in Psalm 119: for I delight in Your commandments

 

"Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it." (Psalm 119:35)

This prayer can be offered by every person sincerely desiring to walk in the path of God's commandments but finds it challenging. They delight in this path but realize they cannot navigate it alone; hence, they turn to Him who can make them walk in that path.

"For I delight in it." This statement serves as a compelling reason for this prayer. We can request that our feet be directed toward God's Word because our hearts are already aligned with it. Where did the delight in God's Word originate within the psalmist's heart? From heaven! No one can find delight in God's Word unless the Lord has implanted it within their heart. Therefore, if the Lord has instilled delight for His Word within our hearts, He will also provide the strength and guidance to walk in the path of His Word.

Lord, like the psalmist, I come with this reasoning as I offer this prayer. You have instilled within my heart a longing, delight, and love for Your Word. And because You never leave Your work unfinished, I trust that You will also assist me in walking in the path of Your commandments.

Topical meditation 2024

January 9

Prayers with 'For I' Declarations in Psalm 119: For I have kept Your testimonies

This week, I want to meditate on the verses from my favorite psalm in which the psalmist prays, indicating the reasoning behind his requests to God by stating what he does, what he has done, repeatedly using the words "for I…"

Prayers with 'For I' Declarations in Psalm 119
Day 1

"Remove from me reproach and contempt, for I have kept Your testimonies." - Psalm 119:22

God's Word emphasizes that a good name is to be chosen rather than great riches (Proverbs 22:1) and is better than fine perfume (Ecclesiastes 7:1). Therefore, it is reasonablel that the psalmist desires God to remove the reproach from him. The slandered psalmist doesn't attempt to dispel it himself or justify himself, but instead entrusts this concern to God. Moreover, he presents a compelling argument for making this request to God: "for I have kept Your testimonies."

In the following verse, he mentions that princes speak against him, yet he chooses to meditate on the statutes of the Lord. He doesn't contemplate revenge but meditates on the statutes of the Lord. He asks God to keep his good name because he has faithfully kept God's testimonies. This serves as a perfect argument for his prayer.

Topical meditation 2024

January 8