Psalm 143:10
Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.
Teach me
The phrase "Teach me" reflects a deep yearning for divine instruction and guidance. In the Hebrew text, the word used is "לַמְּדֵנִי" (lamdeni), derived from the root "למד" (lamad), which means to learn or to be taught. This root is often associated with the idea of being trained or disciplined, suggesting a process of growth and development. The psalmist's plea is not just for knowledge but for a transformation that aligns his life with God's will. Historically, this reflects the Jewish tradition of discipleship and learning under a rabbi, emphasizing the importance of being molded by divine wisdom.

to do Your will
The phrase "to do Your will" underscores the psalmist's desire to align his actions with God's purposes. The Hebrew word for "will" is "רָצוֹן" (ratson), which conveys the idea of pleasure, desire, or favor. This indicates that the psalmist seeks not only to understand God's commands but to find joy and fulfillment in carrying them out. In a broader scriptural context, doing God's will is a central theme throughout the Bible, reflecting a life of obedience and submission to God's authority. It is a call to live in a way that pleases God, reflecting His character and purposes in the world.

for You are my God
This declaration, "for You are my God," is a profound statement of personal relationship and commitment. The use of "my God" signifies an intimate and covenantal bond between the psalmist and the Lord. In Hebrew, the word "אֱלֹהַי" (Elohai) is used, which is a possessive form of "Elohim," a name for God that emphasizes His power and majesty. This personal acknowledgment of God as "my God" reflects a deep trust and reliance on Him, recognizing His sovereignty and authority over one's life. It is a declaration of faith and allegiance, affirming that the psalmist's identity and purpose are rooted in his relationship with God.

May Your good Spirit
The phrase "May Your good Spirit" highlights the role of the Holy Spirit as a guide and helper. The Hebrew word for "Spirit" is "רוּחַ" (ruach), which can mean breath, wind, or spirit. The adjective "good" (טוֹבָה, tovah) emphasizes the benevolent and righteous nature of God's Spirit. In the Old Testament, the Spirit of God is often associated with wisdom, guidance, and empowerment for service. This invocation for the Spirit's guidance reflects a dependence on divine assistance to live a life that honors God. It is a recognition that human effort alone is insufficient without the empowering presence of God's Spirit.

lead me on level ground
The request to "lead me on level ground" is a metaphor for a life of stability, righteousness, and integrity. The Hebrew word for "level" is "מִישׁוֹר" (mishor), which can mean a plain or a place of evenness. This imagery suggests a path that is free from obstacles and dangers, symbolizing a life that is upright and pleasing to God. In a historical and geographical context, level ground would be the preferred path for travel, offering safety and ease. Spiritually, it represents a life guided by God's truth and wisdom, avoiding the pitfalls of sin and moral compromise. The psalmist's prayer is for a life that reflects God's order and peace, walking securely in His ways.

Persons / Places / Events
1. David
- The author of Psalm 143, David is expressing his deep reliance on God for guidance and deliverance. He is often seen as a man after God's own heart, seeking divine wisdom and direction.

2. God
- The central figure in this verse, God is portrayed as the ultimate teacher and guide, whose will is perfect and whose Spirit is good.

3. The Holy Spirit
- Referred to as "Your good Spirit," indicating the divine presence that leads and guides believers in truth and righteousness.

4. Level Ground
- Symbolic of stability, righteousness, and the right path, it represents the life of integrity and peace that comes from following God's guidance.
Teaching Points
Seeking Divine Guidance
As believers, we should continually seek God's guidance in our lives, recognizing that His will is perfect and leads to true fulfillment.

The Role of the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is our guide and counselor, leading us into truth and helping us to walk in righteousness. We should be attentive to His leading.

Living on Level Ground
Walking on "level ground" symbolizes living a life of integrity and stability. This is achieved by aligning our actions with God's will.

Dependence on God
Acknowledge our dependence on God for wisdom and direction, understanding that our own understanding is limited.

Prayer for Guidance
Make it a regular practice to pray for God's guidance and the leading of the Holy Spirit in all areas of life.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does David's request in Psalm 143:10 reflect his relationship with God, and how can we emulate this in our own lives?

2. In what ways can we discern God's will in our daily decisions, and how does this align with the teachings in Proverbs 3:5-6?

3. How does the role of the Holy Spirit in guiding us into truth, as mentioned in John 16:13, relate to the request for guidance in Psalm 143:10?

4. What does it mean to walk on "level ground" in today's world, and how can we ensure that our path aligns with God's will?

5. Reflect on a time when you sought God's guidance in a difficult situation. How did this experience strengthen your faith and reliance on Him?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Proverbs 3:5-6
- This passage emphasizes trusting in the Lord with all your heart and not leaning on your own understanding, which aligns with the plea for divine guidance in Psalm 143:10.

Romans 12:2
- This verse speaks about the transformation and renewal of the mind to discern God's will, echoing the desire to be taught to do God's will.

John 16:13
- Jesus promises the Holy Spirit will guide believers into all truth, paralleling the request for the Spirit's guidance in Psalm 143:10.
Active Obedience to the Will of GodG. Bainton.Psalm 143:10
At SchoolPsalm 143:10
Prayer for Divine TeachingH. P. Wright, B. A.Psalm 143:10
Teach MeA. Symson.Psalm 143:10
The Delight of the GodlyH. B. Saxton.Psalm 143:10
The Doing of God's WillF. W. Faber.Psalm 143:10
The Good SpiritThomas Spurgeon.Psalm 143:10
The Prayer of PrayersAlexander MaclarenPsalm 143:10
The Supreme Desire of the Devout SoulA. Maclaren, D. D.Psalm 143:10
A Complaint and a PrayerC. Short Psalm 143:1-12
A Penitential Soul in PrayerDavid Thomas, D. D.Psalm 143:1-12
Prayer IllustratedNewman Hall, LL. B.Psalm 143:1-12
The Cry of the Overwhelmed SpiritS. Conway Psalm 143:1-12
People
David, Psalmist
Places
Jerusalem
Topics
Ground, Guide, Lead, Level, Path, Plain, Pleasure, Righteousness, Spirit, Teach, Teaching, Uprightness
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Psalm 143:10

     1050   God, goodness of
     1115   God, purpose of
     1175   God, will of
     1225   God, as Spirit
     3045   Holy Spirit, sovereignty
     3110   Holy Spirit, titles of
     3140   Holy Spirit, teacher
     3272   Holy Spirit, in OT
     8128   guidance, receiving
     8241   ethics, basis of
     8605   prayer, and God's will

Psalm 143:8-10

     8351   teachableness

Library
The Prayer of Prayers
'Teach me to do Thy will; for Thou art my God! Thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.'--PSALM cxliii. 10. These two clauses mean substantially the same thing. The Psalmist's longings are expressed in the first of them in plain words, and in the second in a figure. 'To do God's will' is to be in 'the land of uprightness.' That phrase, in its literal application, means a stretch of level country, and hence is naturally employed as an emblem of a moral or religious condition. A life
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Third Rule to be Added Is: that He who Comes into the Presence Of...
The third rule to be added is: that he who comes into the presence of God to pray must divest himself of all vainglorious thoughts, lay aside all idea of worth; in short, discard all self-confidence, humbly giving God the whole glory, lest by arrogating anything, however little, to himself, vain pride cause him to turn away his face. Of this submission, which casts down all haughtiness, we have numerous examples in the servants of God. The holier they are, the more humbly they prostrate themselves
John Calvin—Of Prayer--A Perpetual Exercise of Faith

Earnest Supplication, under Trials of Faith. --Ps. cxliii.
Earnest Supplication, under Trials of Faith.--Ps. cxliii. Hear me, O Lord! in my distress, Hear me in truth and righteousness; For, at Thy bar of judgment tried, None living can be justified. Lord! I have foes without, within, The world, the flesh, indwelling sin, Life's daily ills, temptation's power, And Satan roaring to devour. These, these, my fainting soul surround, My strength is smitten to the ground; Like those long dead, beneath their weight, Crush'd is my heart, and desolate. Yet in
James Montgomery—Sacred Poems and Hymns

Tell Me, O Thou whom My Soul Loveth, Where Thou Feedest, Where Thou Reposest at Midday, Lest I Should Begin to Wander after the Flocks of Thy Companions.
O Thou whom my soul loveth! exclaims this poor affianced one, thus obliged to leave the sweet employment within, to be engaged about external matters of the lowest description; O Thou, whom I love so much the more as I find my love more thwarted; ah, show me where Thou feedest Thy flocks, and with what food Thou satisfiest the souls that are so blessed as to be under Thy care! We know that when Thou wert upon earth, Thy meat and drink was to do the will of Thy Father (John iv. 34), and now Thy meat
Madame Guyon—Song of Songs of Solomon

The Law Given, not to Retain a People for Itself, but to Keep Alive the Hope of Salvation in Christ Until his Advent.
1. The whole system of religion delivered by the hand of Moses, in many ways pointed to Christ. This exemplified in the case of sacrifices, ablutions, and an endless series of ceremonies. This proved, 1. By the declared purpose of God; 2. By the nature of the ceremonies themselves; 3. From the nature of God; 4. From the grace offered to the Jews; 5. From the consecration of the priests. 2. Proof continued. 6. From a consideration of the kingdom erected in the family of David. 7. From the end of the
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

The Tests of Love to God
LET us test ourselves impartially whether we are in the number of those that love God. For the deciding of this, as our love will be best seen by the fruits of it, I shall lay down fourteen signs, or fruits, of love to God, and it concerns us to search carefully whether any of these fruits grow in our garden. 1. The first fruit of love is the musing of the mind upon God. He who is in love, his thoughts are ever upon the object. He who loves God is ravished and transported with the contemplation of
Thomas Watson—A Divine Cordial

Of Having Confidence in God when Evil Words are Cast at Us
"My Son, stand fast and believe in Me. For what are words but words? They fly through the air, but they bruise no stone. If thou are guilty, think how thou wouldst gladly amend thyself; if thou knowest nothing against thyself, consider that thou wilt gladly bear this for God's sake. It is little enough that thou sometimes hast to bear hard words, for thou art not yet able to bear hard blows. And wherefore do such trivial matters go to thine heart, except that thou art yet carnal, and regardest
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

Concerning the Sacrament of Penance
In this third part I shall speak of the sacrament of penance. By the tracts and disputations which I have published on this subject I have given offence to very many, and have amply expressed my own opinions. I must now briefly repeat these statements, in order to unveil the tyranny which attacks us on this point as unsparingly as in the sacrament of the bread. In these two sacraments gain and lucre find a place, and therefore the avarice of the shepherds has raged to an incredible extent against
Martin Luther—First Principles of the Reformation

The Early Life of Malachy. Having Been Admitted to Holy Orders He Associates with Malchus
[Sidenote: 1095.] 1. Our Malachy, born in Ireland,[134] of a barbarous people, was brought up there, and there received his education. But from the barbarism of his birth he contracted no taint, any more than the fishes of the sea from their native salt. But how delightful to reflect, that uncultured barbarism should have produced for us so worthy[135] a fellow-citizen with the saints and member of the household of God.[136] He who brings honey out of the rock and oil out of the flinty rock[137]
H. J. Lawlor—St. Bernard of Clairvaux's Life of St. Malachy of Armagh

The Man after God's Own Heart
"A man after mine own heart, who shall fulfil all my will."--ACTS xiii. 22. A BIBLE STUDY ON THE IDEAL OF A CHRISTIAN LIFE No man can be making much of his life who has not a very definite conception of what he is living for. And if you ask, at random, a dozen men what is the end of their life, you will be surprised to find how few have formed to themselves more than the most dim idea. The question of the summum bonum has ever been the most difficult for the human mind to grasp. What shall a man
Henry Drummond—The Ideal Life

Its Meaning
Deliverance from the condemning sentence of the Divine Law is the fundamental blessing in Divine salvation: so long as we continue under the curse, we can neither be holy nor happy. But as to the precise nature of that deliverance, as to exactly what it consists of, as to the ground on which it is obtained, and as to the means whereby it is secured, much confusion now obtains. Most of the errors which have been prevalent on this subject arose from the lack of a clear view of the thing itself, and
Arthur W. Pink—The Doctrine of Justification

Of Prayer --A Perpetual Exercise of Faith. The Daily Benefits Derived from It.
1. A general summary of what is contained in the previous part of the work. A transition to the doctrine of prayer. Its connection with the subject of faith. 2. Prayer defined. Its necessity and use. 3. Objection, that prayer seems useless, because God already knows our wants. Answer, from the institution and end of prayer. Confirmation by example. Its necessity and propriety. Perpetually reminds us of our duty, and leads to meditation on divine providence. Conclusion. Prayer a most useful exercise.
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

The Work of Jesus Christ as an Advocate,
CLEARLY EXPLAINED, AND LARGELY IMPROVED, FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL BELIEVERS. 1 John 2:1--"And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." By JOHN BUNYAN, Author of "The Pilgrim's Progress." London: Printed for Dorman Newman, at the King's Arms, in the Poultry, 1689. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. This is one of the most interesting of Bunyan's treatises, to edit which required the Bible at my right hand, and a law dictionary on my left. It was very frequently republished;
John Bunyan—The Works of John Bunyan Volumes 1-3

Question of the Contemplative Life
I. Is the Contemplative Life wholly confined to the Intellect, or does the Will enter into it? S. Thomas, On the Beatific Vision, I., xii. 7 ad 3m II. Do the Moral Virtues pertain to the Contemplative Life? S. Augustine, Of the City of God, xix. 19 III. Does the Contemplative Life comprise many Acts? S. Augustine, Of the Perfection of Human Righteousness, viii. 18 " Ep., cxxx. ad probam IV. Does the Contemplative Life consist solely in the Contemplation of God, or in the Consideration
St. Thomas Aquinas—On Prayer and The Contemplative Life

A Treatise on Good Works
I. We ought first to know that there are no good works except those which God has commanded, even as there is no sin except that which God has forbidden. Therefore whoever wishes to know and to do good works needs nothing else than to know God's commandments. Thus Christ says, Matthew xix, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." And when the young man asks Him, Matthew xix, what he shall do that he may inherit eternal life, Christ sets before him naught else but the Ten Commandments.
Dr. Martin Luther—A Treatise on Good Works

The Beginning of Justification. In what Sense Progressive.
1. Men either idolatrous, profane, hypocritical, or regenerate. 1. Idolaters void of righteousness, full of unrighteousness, and hence in the sight of God altogether wretched and undone. 2. Still a great difference in the characters of men. This difference manifested. 1. In the gifts of God. 2. In the distinction between honorable and base. 3. In the blessings of he present life. 3. All human virtue, how praiseworthy soever it may appear, is corrupted. 1. By impurity of heart. 2. By the absence of
John Calvin—The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Second Great Group of Parables.
(Probably in Peræa.) Subdivision G. Concerning Offenses, Faith, and Service. ^C Luke XVII. 1-10. ^c 1 And he said unto the disciples [Jesus here ceases to speak to the Pharisees, and begins a new series of sayings addressed to the disciples, which sayings are, however, pertinent to the occasion, and not wholly disconnected with what he has just been saying], It is impossible [in a world where Pharisees abound, etc.--I. Cor. xi. 19] but that occasions of stumbling should come; but woe unto him,
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

Psalms
The piety of the Old Testament Church is reflected with more clearness and variety in the Psalter than in any other book of the Old Testament. It constitutes the response of the Church to the divine demands of prophecy, and, in a less degree, of law; or, rather, it expresses those emotions and aspirations of the universal heart which lie deeper than any formal demand. It is the speech of the soul face to face with God. Its words are as simple and unaffected as human words can be, for it is the genius
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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