Unite My Heart to Fear thy Name.
We have a wonderful prayer of King David in Psalm 86:11 KJV: "Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name." I find it interesting that the psalmist is asking JAH to teach him how to walk in the truth. It's a wonderful thought that we should all consider from time to time. It's like a self examination of my faith to ensure I am still aligned to The Faith. It's an acknowledgement that maybe I have not yet uncovered all there is to know and experience concerning my LORD. It's also a promise to walk in the light as the light is revealed. Teach me thy way O Lord and I will follow thy way.
Show me the light and I will walk in the light. It's a confession that I cannot walk in God's way and truth unless He reveals the way and truth! And once it is revealed, I will submit to it.
And then David asks, "Unite my heart to fear thy name." The psalmist is looking to JAH to give him an undivided heart. He is asking JAH to give him a single heart that's single-heartedly devoted to his LORD!
I find that very helpful because it speaks to the fact that we are not called to use our own human resources to walk in the fear of the LORD. In other words, it is highly appropriate to lean on JAH for His help to walk in His Truth. It's highly appropriate to ask JAH to help me to fear Him! In other words, to walk in the fear of the LORD is not my natural state and I need help - divine, supernatural help - if I am to do so.
Consider carefully these closing remarks from Bible scholar Matthew Henry, "The most upright believers find it difficult to attain simplicity and singleness of heart, and they still have cause to pray, Unite our hearts to fear thy name, O LORD. Our hearts indeed are apt to wander, their powers and faculties scatter after a thousand things; we therefore need God's grace to unite them, that we may serve God with all that is within us. Let my heart be fixed for God; firm and faithful to him, and fervent in serving him - that is a united heart."
Well said Brother Henry and Amen!