Psalms 86:11

11 Teach me Your way, Lord, and I will live by Your truth.[a] Give me an undivided mind to fear Your name.[b]

Psalms 86:11 Meaning and Commentary

Psalms 86:11

Teach me thy way, O Lord
The methods of thy grace, which thou hast taken, and dost take, in the salvation of men, in the contrivance, impetration, and application of it; or the way which thou hast marked out for thy people to walk in, the way of thy commandments: each of these the psalmist had knowledge of before; but he desires to be more and more instructed therein, as every good man does; see ( Psalms 25:4 Psalms 25:5 ) ( Isaiah 2:3 ) .

I will walk in thy truth;
in Christ, the truth of types, and by whom grace and truth came, and who is truth itself, and the true way to eternal life; and to walk in him is to walk by faith in him, in hope of eternal happiness through him, ( John 1:17 ) ( 14:6 ) ( Colossians 2:6 ) or in the truth of the Gospel, of Gospel doctrine, Gospel worship, and Gospel conversation; to walk in it is to walk becoming it, and abide by it, its truths and ordinances; see ( 2 John 1:4 ) ( 3 John 1:3 3 John 1:4 )

unite my heart to fear thy name;
there must be an heart given to man to fear the Lord; for the fear of the Lord is not naturally in their hearts, or before their eyes; and they should have, not a divided and distracted heart, an heart divided between God and the world, between the fear of God and the fear of man; but a heart united to the Lord, that cleaves to him, and him only; a single and a sincere heart; a heart that has a single view to his glory, and a sincere affection for him; and such a heart the Lord has promised to give to his people, in order to fear him, ( Jeremiah 32:39 ) .

Psalms 86:11 In-Context

9 All the nations You have made will come and bow down before You, Lord, and will honor Your name.
10 For You are great and perform wonders; You alone are God.
11 Teach me Your way, Lord, and I will live by Your truth. Give me an undivided mind to fear Your name.
12 I will praise You with all my heart, Lord my God, and will honor Your name forever.
13 For Your faithful love for me is great, and You deliver my life from the depths of Sheol.

Footnotes 2

  • [a]. Ps 26:3; 27:11; Isa 2:3
  • [b]. Ps 111:9; Dt 28:58; 1 Kg 8:43
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