“Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.” Psalm 25:4-5
I love this prayer from Scripture. Here, David, who penned a lot of the psalms, is asking God three things: for God to show him His ways, to teach him His path, and to lead him (and teach him) in truth.
David then affirms that God is his salvation, his rescuer. David is reminding himself of who God is and why he trusts in him.
He then resolves to wait on the Lord.
Oh, if only we too can remember to wait on the Lord! How much more peace and joy would we feel?
A few verses later, David gives the key to being led and taught by God. Read verse 9 and see if you catch it:
“He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way.” (v. 9)
Humility. We must be humble.
Being humble is the exact opposite of being prideful. We are to trust that God is greater than us, and that his ways are the best ways. When we do, David says that God will lead us in what is right and teach us his ways.
It sounds so simple, but why is being humble so hard for me? I know that God is greater than me and that his ways are best, and yet, I struggle trusting him sometimes. Maybe you do, too?
There’s one more verse from Psalm 25 that I want to highlight as we start a new year:
“All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.” (v. 10)
If you are ever in doubt this year that God’s plan for you is good, if you ever question his love or his faithfulness, remember this verse. For those in Christ, God’s paths are not only full of love and faithfulness; they are love and faithfulness.
As we seek to remember these truths from Psalm 25 and take them to heart not just today but throughout this coming year, let’s pray and ask the Lord to help us. We cannot do this on our own!
“Dear Lord, you know the plans you have for us. Your ways are higher than our ways, and your thoughts are higher than our thoughts. You guide us in truth and show us the way if we humbly submit to your plan. Help us to do that, Lord. Help us to search our heart for any pride, and help us to cast it at the foot of the cross. Replace that pride with a gentle humility that trusts in and relies on you.
At the beginning of this new year, we lay before you our plans for ourselves, our hopes, our dreams, our goals. We surrender them to you, for you know what is best for us. Help us, by your grace, to wait on you. Help us to not get ahead of you and what you are doing in our lives. Help us to not get too far behind you, either, while we drag our feet as you’re trying to lead us somewhere we don’t want to go.
Help us to stay in step with you. When we feel discouraged, remind us that your paths are steadfast love and faithfulness. We need not be shaken when things don’t go our way. Help us to trust you and you alone. We live for your glory and for your Name to be known. We live for you, by your power and your grace. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Pressing on in faith, Jennifer