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I. THE STUDENT'S PRAYER. I hope that we are all students in the school of Christ — all disciples or scholars — and I trust we shall adopt the student's prayer as our own: "Make me to understand the way of Thy precepts." Prayer is to study what fire is to the sacrifice.

1. The student's prayer deals with the main subject of the conversation which is to be that student's occupation, namely, the way of God's precepts. It is well for us to know exactly what the law teaches, and what the law designs; why we were made subject to its prescript, and how we may be delivered from its penalties. Great need too have we to understand the way of God's Gospel precepts — what these precepts are: "repent," "believe," "be converted," and the like; to be able to see their relation, where they stand, not as means to an end, but as results of Divine grace — commands but yet promises, the duty of man but yet the gift of God. The way of God's precepts! Does not that mean that we ought to be acquainted with the relative position which the precepts occupy, for it is very easy, unless God gives us understanding, to preach up one precept to the neglect of another. It is possible for a ministry and a teaching to be lop-sided, and those who follow it may become rather the caricatures of Christianity than Christians harmoniously proportioned.

2. Very obviously here a confession is implied. "Make me to understand the way of Thy precepts." It means just this. "Lord, I do not understand it of myself. I am ignorant and foolish, and if I follow my own judgment — if I take to my own thinkings, I shall be sure to go wrong. Lord, make me to understand." Who can put wisdom in the inward parts but the Lord? Or who can give understanding to the heart but God Most High?

II. THE OCCUPATION OF THE INSTRUCTED MAN. When the Lord has taught a man the way of His precepts, it behoves him rightly to use his sacred privileges: "So shall I talk of Thy wondrous works." As a faithful teacher let him testify of God's works — His wondrous works. There are two works, especially, that you Christian people must talk about to others — the work of Christ for us and the work of the Holy Ghost in us. These are themes that will never be exhausted. Some men are far more interested in stating their own crotchets than in unfolding God's counsels. If we understand the way of God's precepts, acquire the language of it, get into the groove of it, then we shall talk with understanding; and there will be a harmony and a wisdom about our utterances which will be blest to the edification of the hearers.

III. THE INTIMATE RELATION BETWEEN THE PRAYER OF THE STUDENT AND THE PURSUIT THAT HE SUBSEQUENTLY FOLLOWED. "Make me to understand the way of Thy precepts: so shall I talk of Thy wondrous works." The connection lies partly in the enchantment of this knowledge and the passion to communicate it. A man who understands Christ and His mediatorial work, and the Spirit and His sanctifying work, cannot be silent. The fire once kindled, the flames will spread. "Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel."

( C. H. Spurgeon.)

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KJV: Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.

WEB: Let me understand the teaching of your precepts! Then I will meditate on your wondrous works.