“Let my cry come before you, O Lord;
give me understanding according to your word!
Let my plea come before you;
deliver me according to your word.
My lips will pour forth praise,
for you teach me your statutes.” (Psalm 119:169-171)
The psalmist calls out to the Lord to answer His prayers. He asks the Lord to always enable Him to follow His word and always enable him to look there for godly wisdom. We who trust in the Lord can share this same prayer. And the prayer itself gives us great peace. This peace comes even amid opposition from those in the world who intimidate us, as well as the rich and powerful who seem to exercise inordinate control over our lives, who seem to get away with wickedness and sin. This peace is due to the confidence the word of God engenders in us for the words remind us of the things God has promised to those who follow Him, and the ways in which He has fulfilled those promises in the past. He will always fulfill His pledges to us.
These verses ought to instill in us the great importance of the Word of God. His Word relates to every area of life, and give us valuable lessons and principles that can address every situation we face. All that is in our life is addressed in the Word. Too often we separate life into compartments that we think have no effect on each other. Our faith, many assume, has nothing to do with our politics, social life or leisure time. We can avail ourselves of God’s wisdom that will bear on every area of life if we are willing to take the time to sit down with God in prayer and ask Him for guidance.