I’ve always loved the book of Psalms in the Bible. Many of the verses in these psalms, these sacred prayers, are instructional, inspirational, and comforting. There’s great wisdom and perspective being shared. Authentic in voice and relatable in tone, they are just as accessible today as when they were first penned or sung. And there’s great value in letting these prayers guide us in our own prayers to God, as well as in how to think about the world and our place in it.
One such meaningful psalm is highlighted in the first section of this week’s Bible lesson, found in the Christian Science Quarterly. The subject of the lesson is “Spirit,” which is one of seven biblically based synonyms for God. There’s much in this Bible lesson about how God, Spirit, guides our steps and cares for each one of us, and the following passage captures this idea beautifully: “Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk” (Psalms 143:8).
The pairing of the clear instruction with the lyricism of the poetry renders this verse particularly memorable. When we read or pray with this verse, we are calling on God directly, specifically, and with expectancy of being heard and answered. It is an engaged, thoughtful prayer of humble obedience. We’re asking God to cause us to hear – to be sure we hear – what? His lovingkindness.
What a precious thing to ask to hear. Who among us doesn’t want to have a clearer, more consistent sense of the ever-present love and tender care God bestows on all?
“In Thee do I trust.” Trusting God enables us to expect to hear – and to hear – the Christ, which is God’s timeless message of lovingkindness. And not only in the morning, but all day and all night, too! It’s natural for us to trust God, our infinitely good divine Parent.
The psalm continues with another request: “Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk.” In effect, “Dear God, enable me, open the way for me, to know which path I should take.” Nurturing a purer, clearer, more trusting sense of God’s presence and lovingkindness enables us to hear what direction we should take or what decision we should make.
Mary Baker Eddy, who founded The Christian Science Monitor, wrote in her textbook, “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,” “Having no other gods, turning to no other but the one perfect Mind to guide him, man is the likeness of God, pure and eternal, having that Mind which was also in Christ” (p. 467). Along with Spirit, Mind is another Bible-based synonym for God, who created us in His spiritual image. We reflect His wisdom, goodness, and love. When we yield to divine Spirit, divine Mind, we find that God is always guiding us, and that we are innately capable of following His leading.
The New Living Translation of the Bible renders the verse as follows, which gives further insight into how we can pray to God and what we can expect when we do: “Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, for I give myself to you.”
At one point several years ago I was particularly praying with this verse, and what most stood out to me was the first part of it: “Cause me to hear.” If there is cause, there is naturally effect. Because God is All-in-all and all good, as Christian Science teaches, we can expect to hear God answer us when we pray to better understand His nature. We can trust that our prayers aren’t just thrown out into the proverbial wind, but have a deep and lasting resonance.
All day, I found myself turning to God in prayer with these profound words in my thought. Small decision to make? “Cause me to hear.” Big decision to make? “Cause me to hear.” And then I would listen to hear God’s voice and feel His lovingkindness.
The more I prayed with this verse and brought it into my day, the more inspired I felt. A sense of peace and trusting quiet were my constant companions that day, and ever since I have loved this psalm and the promise it contains for every moment.
So, as we all go about our days and weeks and lives, we can turn to God, our ever-present guide. Expecting an answer, we will hear, and can obey!
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