Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1519
DELIVERED BY, School.
“Teach me to do Your will; for You are my God.” Psalm 143:10.
THIS is a prayer about doing, but it is perfectly free from legal taint. The man who offered it had no idea of being saved by his doings, for in the second verse of the Psalm he had said, “Enter not into judgment with Your servant: for in Your sight shall no man living be justified.” This is not the prayer of a sinner seeking salvation, for salvation is not by doing the will of God but by believing in Christ. It is the prayer of the man who is already saved and who, being saved, devotes himself to the service of God and wishes to be taught in the fear of the Lord. “Teach me to do Your will, O God.” The connection leads us to make the remark that David looked upon the doing of God’s will as his best escape from his enemies.
He speaks of his cruel persecutors. He declares that though he looked all around he could find none who would help him. Then he prays, “Teach me to do Your will; for You are my God.” And depend upon it, the surest way to escape from harm is to do no ill. If you are surrounded by those who would slander you, your best defense is a blameless life! If many are watching for your halting and maliciously desiring your fall, your safety lies in holiness! The very best prayer you can pray for your own protection is, “Teach me to do Your will.” If you do right, none can harm you. This prayer was suggested by the perplexity of the Psalmist’s mind. He was overwhelmed and did not know what to do and, therefore, he cried, “Teach me to do Your will, O God,”
He had come to a place where many roads met and he did not know which path to take and so he prayed God to guide him in the way appointed. I commend this prayer to all who may be sorely puzzled and anxious. You have exercised your own judgment and you have, perhaps, consulted too much with friends and yet your way seems entirely blocked up—resort to God with this as your heart’s prayer, “Teach me to do Your will; for You are my God.” May the Spirit of God now bless us while we open up this short prayer that we may be helped to understand it and use it. First, we will speak upon the prayer. And then, secondly, upon its answer.
I. And, first, THE PRAYER ITSELF—let us notice its character. It is a holy prayer. “Teach me to do Your will.” The man who utters this language desires to be free from sin, for sin can never be God’s will. Under no circumstances, whatever, may I do wrong and fancy that I am doing God’s will! I have read of an extremely poor man who needed fuel for the fire for his children and the text came to his mind, “All things are yours.” Armed with this text, he thought he would take a little wood from his neighbor’s woodpile but, very happily there came to his mind another text, “You shall not steal.” He was quite clear about its meaning and so he left the wood alone. And he remembered, afterward, how that text had saved him from a great transgression.
Depend upon it, whatever circumstances or impressions may seem to say, it is never God’s will that you should do wrong! There are devil’s Providences as well as God’s Providences. When Jonah wanted to go to Tarshish, he found a ship going there and I dare say he said, “How Providential!” Yes, but no Providence can ever be an excuse for sinning against God! We are to do right and, therefore, we pray, “Teach me to do Your will.” It is a humble prayer—the prayer of a man of deep experience and yet, for all that and, perhaps, because of that, a man who felt that he needed teaching as to every step he should take. When you do not need teaching, Brothers and Sisters, it is because you are too stupid to learn—you may depend upon that.
It is only a very young lady fresh from a boarding school who has “finished her education.” And it is only a great fool of a man who thinks that he can learn no more. Those who know themselves best and know the world best and know God best always have the lowest thoughts of themselves. They have no wisdom of their own except this—that they are wise enough to flee from their own wisdom and say to the Lord, “Teach me to do Your will.” This is a holy prayer and a humble prayer and commends itself to every holy and humble heart.
It is, dear Friends, a docile prayer—the prayer of a teachable man. “Teach me to do Your will.” It is not merely, you see, “Teach me your will,” but, “Teach me to do it.” The person is so ignorant that he needs to be taught how to do anything and everything. You may tell a child how to walk, but it will not walk, for all that! You must teach it to walk. You must take it by the arms as God did Ephraim. He says, “I taught Ephraim, also, to go, taking them by their arms,” just as a nurse teaches her little ones. “Teach me to do.” Lord, it is not enough that You teach my head and teach my heart, but teach my hands and my feet. “Teach me to do Your will.”