FEBRUARY 4
Psalm 25:4, “Teach me your paths.”
“Teach me thy way, O Lord; teach me thy way!
Thy guiding grace afford; teach me thy way!
Help me to walk aright, more by faith, less by sight;
lead me with heav’nly light; teach me thy way!”
–Teach Me Thy Way, O Lord; Author: B. Mansell Ramsey (1919)
Years ago, I taught a beginning algebra class at a community college. The class was a prerequisite for most students, and some, having little appetite for math, took it only because they had to. You’ve no doubt attended such classes. There’s another course of study that is of much greater value, for it holds benefit both for now and eternity. And it has the best of teachers, God Himself.
The twenty-two verses of this psalm begin consecutively with letters from the Hebrew alphabet, which is why it is referred to as an “Alphabetic” psalm. It is believed that David wrote this psalm later in life, driven by sorrow over his sin to seek God’s guidance and wisdom.
All sinners need to be taught by God. In His goodness, He instructs those who humbly recognize their need for Him (Psalm 25:8). While learning from wise and godly individuals is important, ultimately, everyone needs to be taught by God Himself. Proverbs 14:12 reminds us that the way that seems right to a man leads to death. This is the path we are naturally inclined to follow, but God’s ways are infinitely higher and better than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). To walk in His ways, we must first long to be taught by the Creator, who knows us intimately.
The believer in Christ hosts, in the Holy Spirit, a teacher who is preeminently qualified (1 John 2:27). There’s no need to travel to a distant school because the Spirit resides in the heart of every Christian. Day by day, He patiently reveals the truth of God’s Word, guiding us in matters of godliness. Regardless of our earthly education or intellectual ability, the Spirit’s capacity to teach surpasses all our limitations. All that is required is a Bible and a heart that desires the truth.
Sin teaches us that we need God to save and transform us. The prayer to “teach me Your paths” arises from a recognition of both our sin and God’s holiness. Is God your teacher? Are you seeking to know and walk in His ways? There is no more vital education than this.
“Until the race is run, until the journey’s done, until the crown is won, teach me thy way!”—B. Mansell Ramsey
Application Questions: A good student possesses a teachable spirit. How teachable are you when it comes to the things of God? Do you even now yearn for the truth as a newborn babe longs for its mama’s milk (1 Peter 2:2)? Ask God to grant you such a desire.
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