David’s prayer in Psalm 5:8 gets right to the heart of so much of our need and longing: “lead me, LORD, in your righteousness.” The reason for the prayer is expressed as “because of my enemies” - because his life is far from easy, his days difficult and strained. The odds are against him and he feels it. So much is volatile and unpredictable. He’s walking on thin ice, paying a heavy price for his stab at living a godly life while all around him fill their hearts with malice.
To ask to be led is to recognise several possibilities: that we do not know the way; or, knowing the way, we cannot see it; or, knowing and seeing the way, we recognise its dangers and how much we need a capable guide to get us through. In all those ways, this prayer makes perfect sense and offers profound hope. Because the LORD knows the way that he takes and the way that he has set before us. Nothing is hidden from him, nothing comes as a surprise. He sees what we cannot and he can tame the terrors that cause us unceasing alarm. He is willing to take our arm and be our faithful guide.
To be led is to taken somewhere, towards something, to becoming someone. Places we cannot reach on our own. The maturity that always seems out of reach. We need to be led into all these - led into the light, with life as the destiny. Recognising the difficulties involved in the life of faith, David asks the LORD to “make your way straight before me.” Make the path clear. Lighten the darkness. Clear the rubble from the road, make the rough places smooth and untangle the chaos. Please, LORD.
The leading David seeks will be “in your righteousness”. Every step that we’re called to take will be in his complete integrity, in the commitment of his heart to make good on every promise he had made, in his unfailing goodness. He will not lead us astray and abandon us when the going gets tough. Our Lord Jesus came to fulfil all righteousness, from identifying with us in his baptism in the Jordan to carrying our sins in his body upon the tree. His ways never fail and his guidance never disappoints because they are anchored in the perfection of divine love.
The beautiful gospel song, Precious Lord, was written by Thomas A Dorsey from within the agony of the death of his wife in childbirth and the baby son she bore. In the song he prays, in the howling gale of sorrow, that the Lord would both lead him on and lead him home. There is our need in its entirety: to be led onward, in our life in Christ, in growing in grace and knowledge, in deepening trust in the Saviour; and to be led homeward, to the “fair city so bright where the Lamb is the light”, safe in the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home
When my way grows drear, precious Lord linger near
When my light is almost gone
Hear my cry, hear my call
Hold my hand lest I fall
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home
When the darkness appears and the night draws near
And the day is past and gone
At the river I stand
Guide my feet, hold my hand
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home
Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home.
(Thomas A. Dorsey, 1899-1993, © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc)
