Psalm 119.33 marks a new section. All the next eight verses start with the Hebrew letter He. In these verses we find many prayers to understand God's path. These are prayers that God's people need to pray in our day.

Psalm 119.33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end. 

"Lord, teach me!" This is how a disciple prays. Whoever is an apprentice says this to his master. "Teach me the profession. Teach me how to do it. Teach me to become a master who knows his subject, just like you! ” When David says, Lord teach me, it becomes too weak to compare it with the student asking his teacher for instruction. He had both priests, prophets, and wise counselors he could get help from, but he asked to be guided by God's counsel. For who is a teacher like him? (Job 36:22)

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Psalm 119, 32 I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart! 

With these words, David shows us his great zeal for the Lord. He is eager and full of fire. He has a burning desire to live according to God's commandments. "I hasten to obey your laws!" "I want to run in the way your commandments."

That's a fantastic attitude David is expressing here. May we all have the same willingness of heart and mind towards the Lord's commandments.

There is a wonderful reason for this prayer: "For you make my heart great!" Some thinks that this  it is about gaining more understanding in the word of God: "for you help me to understand the commandments right." If there is narrowness in our hearts and if we are restricted in our minds, we will not understand the word of God the right way. If we are one-sided and petty, the understanding of the Word will also be so. Then we become prisoners of the letter that kills and brings condemnation. Then we become legalistic and judgmental. Then we hang up in all sorts of details and small things, and tend to hit others in the head with strong opinions.

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Psalm 119,31 I cling to your testimonies, O Lord; let me not be put to shame! 

Again, David confess his choice of life: "I cling to your testimonies!" He has bound himself to the word of God. In fact, he says he has been glued to God's commands. His entire life is firm and rooted in the Word of God. He has made a lifelong decision to hold on to the Word as his most valuable treasure. He hide it in his heart and lives after it.

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Psalm 119,30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me.

In this verse, David says something very important. He says with great conviction and zeal: "I have chosen!" He has made a decision. He has taken an unshakeable stand. He has decided what he wants to do, how he wants to live, what goals he wants to achieve. He has made a choice for life. Such choices of life are vital to us and will save us from turmoil and confusion. I thank God that at a young age I had the grace to make a choice to serve the Lord all of my life. This choice has helped me many times of adversity and temptation. It has helped me to guide my life through many challenges and trials.

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Psalm 119.29 Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! 

When life is heavy and difficult, it is easy to listen to our soul enemy. He pumps our head full of lies that are easy to believe: That there is nothing you can do. That there is no hope for you. That you might as well give up. That everything is meaningless. That you are hopeless and without a future. That you have said no and turned away from God, so there is no more forgiveness for you. That you are not good enough and never will be.Only give up. Or maybe he says, you are good enough the way you are, and can live the way you want to after your own desires, without it having any negative consequences for you.

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Psalm 119.28 My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word! 

Again, David tells how he is. Life is difficult. He cries with sorrow. He uses strong expressions to put words into the situation he is in. "It's as if my soul is melting away in those running tears." In fact, he says that the sorrow was about to kill him. In one version he says he has drowned in tears of pain (SPCL). He carries in his heart a painful grief that is heavy to bear. Grief overwhelms him. Sorrow eats him up. He is suffocated by the painful grief.

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Psalm 119.27 Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works. 

When meeting the many challenges in life, David prays a prayer that we need to pray over and over again: "Make me understand!" He asked to be able understand in both verses 12 and 18. We encounter things in life that we do not understand. The situation is not always the way we expected. Maybe our dreams were too big or unrealistic? Or maybe the challenges we face are part of the training to help us fulfill our dreams?

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Psalm 119.26 When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes! 

I told you about my path. I acknowledged my sin for you. Openly, I confessed to you everything I did. I told you all my ways. And you answered me!

An open confession is good for the soul. Acknowledging our sins brings inner health. It is not good to keep quiet and only struggle with our own thoughts. When we keep it all inside; our dishonesty devastate our inner lives. Then we are filled with frustration, irrepressible anguish, and misery. When we ponder and strive with heavy thoughts about something stupid we have said or done, we waste away. Then we become paralyzed. Then we lose our energy and courage. When we loudly and clearly confess our sin to God and do not cover our iniquity, then God answers and that changes everything.

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Daleth is the fourth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. All the next eight verses begin with this letter corresponding to D in our alphabet. It seems that David is having a hard time and is depressed in this section of eight daleth verses.

Psalm 119.25 My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word! 

There is a rather drastic portrayal David give us in the first sentence: "My soul lies in the dust", "my soul is depressed", "I lie pressed against the dust"! “I am close to death!” He is not doing well. Life is difficult. He lies prostrate in the dust and is pressed down. There is not much honour and royal reverence in this situation he is currently in.

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