Psalm 119:12 | “Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes!”

The psalmist turns to praise, declaring, “Blessed are you, O Lord.” Instead of beginning with a request, he begins with adoration; he acknowledges who God is before asking anything from him. Praise comes first, and then prayer follows. He then asks, “Teach me your statutes.” The one who treasures God’s word knows he cannot understand it rightly apart from divine help. Though he has stored the word in his heart, he still depends on the Lord to instruct him. Christopher Ash wrote regarding this verse: “Teach me here means, ‘Please write this in my heart so that it guides my thinking, shapes my affections, directs my will.’” This is a fitting prayer for us, asking God to help us not settle for gathering information but to be transformed by the truth. How easily we settle for familiarity. We can memorize verses and still need the Lord to teach us what to love, how to think, and how to live. When praise fuels our prayers and our prayers seek genuine change, the word moves from the page into our lives.