Our two-year-old grand-twins have reached the stage of wanting our attention when they do things they have just learned. FaceTime has enabled us to participate in their toddler Olympics, and we always know we are in for a show when they interrupt their mother by yelling, “PAPA! NANA! PAPA! NANA! WATCH ME! WATCH ME!” This continues until we yell, “WE’RE WATCHING! SHOW ME! SHOW ME!” They’ll peer intently into the phone until they have ascertained that we are indeed watching, and then perform twirls, spins, running around the house in circles, rolling a ball, etc. while yelling, “LOOK ME! LOOK ME!” It’s exhausting. Not for them, for us.

Today’s psalm is very interesting in its format. Before you read the whole thing, take a look at the beginning of each sentence. Do you see this pattern? Tell me. Show me. Deliver me. Teach me. Guide me. Make me. Bring me. And finally: Wipe out my enemies. Destroy my attackers. This use of verbal directives is striking! Do you get the sense that the psalmist has a very deep and personal relationship with God (so much so that he comes off as a little bossy!) and that he fully and completely believes God is able to do all these things? I do. With the intensity of a toddler, he demands our attention.

It probably comes as no surprise then to learn that this is a psalm of David.

Now that we’ve looked at the beginning phases, let’s isolate the phrases that follow the words “because” or “for.” You’ll see this pattern emerge: I trust you. I offer my life up to you. You are my God. You are righteous. You offer me faithful love. I am your servant. The demands at the beginning of each sentence are softened by the assurances of David’s covenantal relationship with a God who loves him completely. Our toddlers make their demands for our attention based on the deep and sure knowledge that we love and adore them.

Psalm 143 (Common English Bible)

Tell me all about your faithful love come morning time,
    because I trust you.
Show me the way I should go,
    because I offer my life up to you.
⁹ Deliver me from my enemies, Lord!
    I seek protection from you.
¹⁰ Teach me to do what pleases you,
    because you are my God.

Verse 10 reveals the basis of David’s pleas. He asks God to guide him by God’s good spirit into a good land. Remembering that the concept of the Holy Spirit is a New Testament thing, this wording speaks to David’s deep understanding of the many layers of God. God as warrior, God as protector, God as deliverer, God as Spirit. David understood the width, depth, height, and dimensions of the God he loved. Do you know God this well?

Guide me by your good spirit
        into good land.
¹¹ Make me live again, Lord, for your name’s sake.
    Bring me out of distress because of your righteousness.
¹² Wipe out my enemies because of your faithful love.
    Destroy everyone who attacks me,
        because I am your servant

If you felt bold enough to list your petitions to God today, what would you say? What aspects of God’s relationship with you would you base your pleas on? Do you ask to be led by God’s good Spirit? May we approach our Lord with the assurance and directness of twin toddlers.

Look me, Lord!

Look Me!