Keeping From Deceitful Ways

Psalm 119:29

“Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me through your law.”

When dealing with our children and their sin, especially deceitfulness (lying),  we try to show them that their sin is really a result of their pride.  In other words, it is more important to them to do what they want to do than what they know is right to do.  If they respect our rules and choose to obey them then they are learning humility. They are learning to put others before themselves.  If a young person can learn humility at a young age it will surely make them wiser in their old age.  Humility, I think, is the key to keeping from deceitful ways.  When you lie to someone is shows a lack of respect for their desire to trust you. I want to trust my children, but if one of them lie’s to me about where he has been then I am very hesitant to allow him to go somewhere with a friend for a long time.  He must earn my trust back.

David asked God to be gracious to him through his law.  If we truly understand humility then we place ourselves in complete submission to those in authority over us.  As a child I knew that when I disobeyed I would be punished & often I was very afraid of what my punishment would be like.  Maybe David had the same type fears and asked God to be gracious to him.  He knew that he deserved to be punished for his deceitful ways, but the best part about God is that he never responds’ to us according to what we deserve.  He is full of grace and mercy and he gives grace to those who humble themselves.

The word “law” in this scripture means “teach”.  David asked God to teach him graciously so that there would be no deceitful ways in him.  Sounds like a great prayer to me.  Matthew 11:29 says, “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle [gracious] and humble [no deceitful ways] in heart.”  We should never worry about what will happen to us when we humble ourselves before God, because he is so gracious to us.