When David wrote this psalm, some event prompted his anxiety and urgent prayer with which this psalm begins. The seven times the Lord is mentioned indicate that the psalmist has focused his mind and heart on God even when arrogant foes attack him. He is convicted and convinced that God does answer prayer, so he asks the Lord to “bow down” and listen to his plea. He had a profound need for divine help and recognized his own poverty and need, so he said to the Lord, “Hear me.”
In his plea for help from the Lord, he recognized his own personal need. “Preserve me” is a prayer that is good for us all to make. We have been given a divine nature at our new birth and set apart for God. A true child of God wants to do what is right, despite what is widespread, and is confident that when our trust is in the Lord, He will answer and “save us.” We need our Lord to “be merciful to me” because we are still inclined to act in the flesh. That is one reason why it is so important that we call on the Lord's name daily. We can honestly say that He “gladdens me” and “rejoices our soul” when our devotion is sincere, and we lift up our souls in their need to the Lord.
Although the interpretation of the psalm is directed to the children of Israel, specifically to their future time of blessing, it is also appropriate for us to apply the words of this psalm to ourselves. We need to learn God’s way and God’s truth. God is our Teacher, and He is the One who unites our hearts and focuses our minds to fear with reverential respect for His Person and His name. Our Lord Jesus used the years of His life here on earth to do the will of His Father purposefully. He never wasted time. Wasted time can lead to wasted years, which can result in wasted testimony. The unwritten history of our lives is most of our lives. But God takes account of all we say and do. Praise comes from the heart that is not scattered by trivialities. True devotion to the “Lord my God” glorifies Him.
As he wrote this psalm, prayer, petitions, and praise were all in David’s heart. Prayers with a purpose are neither mere rituals nor outdated or unheard. He prayed for mercy and the preservation of life. He testified that he had been faithful to the Lord and was confident that God would answer his requests because of God’s love for him and His kindness to him. He knows our God is unique because He is alive and able to answer prayer, unlike other gods people have who are lifeless and figments of their imagination. Our God can do “wonderful things” for those who love Him. He is the Living God and the only God.
When times come, and there is no relief in sight from all that has befallen us, our best course of action is to declare our trust in God's faithfulness and greatness and move forward in confidence, knowing that better days lie ahead. That is one reason why prayers, petitions, and praise complement each other so well. That is a testimony to our unswerving faith in our Lord. He is God, and He alone. There are no other true gods. Evidence of spiritual vitality is evident when we seek to be taught by our Lord and are willing to learn from Him, acting upon what He teaches.
Examining our motivation for life and service to God is an excellent way to maintain our focus on what is essential. We avoid uneasiness, agitation, anxiety, and fear when our prayers are specific. The reasons behind divine teaching are that we would walk in His truth and fear God’s name with respect, reverence, and honor. Like David, we have confidence because we know God, we know some of what He is like, and our belief in Him is unshaken by all that goes on around us or against us. A united heart is committed to the will of the Lord. Trusting God is never in vain.
God has given us ample evidence of His goodness, as “every good and perfect gift” comes from above to bless us daily. Our gracious Lord knows every need we have and every situation in which we are found. He has comforted me, and I praise and thank Him for that. God’s goodness is experienced when He stands with us in our times of difficulty.
In the future, “all nations” will bring glory to the Sovereign Lord. David desired a godly, undivided heart and promised to praise the Lord God with all his heart. He knew he needed to be taught by God and that God would give him a “single (united) heart.” There will always be opposition to godliness. “All that live godly shall suffer persecution.” But like the psalmist, our testimony is to what the Lord is like. He is full of compassion. He is gracious to us and meets our needs. He is long-suffering as He patiently waits for our faith and devotion to be manifest. He abounds in mercy and truth. Therefore, we can be assured that all is well when God is for us.
A united heart is undivided, even when under pressure to compromise. There are no competing concerns that take precedence over one's heart. Spiritual vitality in prayer enables each request to center on God for a specific purpose. "Walk in truth... fear Thy name" happens when one’s heart is united. A prayer for God's goodness is good. We must be thankful for all the "tokens for good" we have received: Life, health, light, salvation, fellowship, family, grace, and mercy. The opposition is ruthless without regard for God, but the Lord holds and comforts us in all our distresses.