“Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.”
Psalm 139:23-24
In Psalm 139, King David shows us a beautiful and expansive understanding of God and gives us an idea of how to pray.
He begins this Psalm by stating that God indeed knows everything about him and then explains how wide-reaching this knowledge is. David continues by expressing that God knows everything about his daily activities, including when he rises, his thoughts, the path he takes, when he lies down, and even all his actions. As a result, David confidently affirms that God has protected and guided him, which means there is nowhere David can go where God is not present, and there is nothing in existence that God did not create or allowed to be created. Thus, gratitude flows from David, and he recounts the vastness of God’s thoughts of him and how they are, in fact, precious.
The last two lines of the Psalm show us an example of how to pray. Notice the rhythm and beautiful language he uses:
- Search…to know: my heart.
- Try…to know: my anxious thoughts.
- See: my hurtful ways.
- Lead: me in the everlasting way.
How Does This Apply To Us Today?
- To search is to investigate thoroughly.
- When we sincerely ask God to search our hearts, we willingly open our deepest desires and the emotional aspects of our lives to Him.
- To try is to prove through trial.
- When we sincerely ask God to try us, we do this by seeking His guidance on how we ought to think righteously.
- To see is to distinguish.
- When we sincerely ask God to examine our actions that may cause harm, we yearn for Him to correct our actions that do not lead to life.
- To lead is to guide.
- When we earnestly ask God for His direction, we expect Him to guide us forward using His Word and His Spirit.
God, please guide us in our prayers as we continuously strive to seek Your face. Lead our feelings, thoughts, and actions so that they are shaped by Your Spirit and Word. Amen.
— July 6, 2023