Why this song?
The psalmist (David) wrote a very bold prayer of supplication. He is not afraid to ask God for exactly what he wants. At the same time, he reminds God (and us) of many great promises of God: he’s forgiving, good, and hears our prayers.
Just as David was able to pray boldly, knowing that God would hear and answer his prayers, so can we.
Song Breakdown
Jenny and Tyler do an excellent job of versifying this psalm. While they weren’t able to include all 17 verses of the psalm, the verses they do include are almost direct quotes, yet they were able to fit them into metered lines.
There is a nice progression in the verses as the first two are asking God for things (preservation, joy, etc.) but as we get to the chorus, we see how those things will come about. When God teaches us his way then we can, with an undivided heart, walk in his truth.
After coming to that realization, there’s a change in the verses. Now, instead of asking God for things, we are thanking him for his goodness, mercy, and grace.
Use in Worship
While you could certainly write out the melody to this song, even your more gifted sight-readers might struggle with it. We recommend learning this song by rote, which worked well for us.
Thematically, the song is very versatile as I can not think of a season where praying boldly to God and thanking him for his goodness are not appropriate.
Resources