We arrive at the final stanza, the taw stanza. The psalmist closes where he began, in prayer. He asks that his cry would draw near before the Lord. He longs for his voice to be heard in his presence. Then he specifies the intended result: “Give me understanding.” He does not ask for relief alone, nor for vindication alone, but for insight. His request is not abstract or self defined. It is “according to your word.” He seeks understanding that accords with what God has spoken. Stephen Yuille writes, “We must ‘cry’ for the light of the Holy Spirit to illumine our minds and incline our hearts for things seen: that we might perceive their vanity (Ps. 90:12); for things unseen: that we might perceive their value (Eph. 5:15–23).” True understanding requires divine illumination. We need light to see this world rightly, and we need light to treasure what cannot yet be seen. So the psalm begins to close as a humble appeal. Let my cry come before you. Give me understanding. Renew my mind and transform my heart according to your word.
