“I entreated Your favor with my whole heart; be merciful to me according to Your word. I thought about my ways, and turned my feet to Your testimonies. I made haste, and did not delay to keep Your commandments” (Ps 119:58-60).
David’s prayer for mercy is among five statements of personal action. The first four are positive: “I entreated Your favor…. I thought about my ways…turned my feet to Your testimonies. I made haste…” Yet, for all this, the psalmist still needed mercy.
No action on our part causes us to merit God’s mercy; it is always undeserved. But our co-operation is essential to benefit from that mercy. The psalmist: 1. simply asked for God’s favor on his life; 2. assessed his life to see areas of need; 3. aligned his walk (not his talk) with God’s Word; and 4. acted, not wasting time in doing it. The fifth phrase, the opposite of the fourth, could be translated, “I did not stand what-what-whating” (velo hithmahmahti), or, as we say, dilly-dallying. Today’s the day!