Psalms 31:3. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.
David is of a logical turn of mind, notice the "therefore" in this verse. What a singular "for" there is here! "Be thou my strong rock," "for thou art my rock." What God is already, we may ask him to be. What we believe him to be by faith, we ask him to be in our experience. Observe that David’s appeal is not in any degree to his own merit; but "for thy name’s sake,"-"because I trust in thy name, and if thou dost not do as thou hast said, thy great name will suffer dishonour. How can I believe in thy veracity if thou dost not do for me according to thy promise and covenant? ‘Therefore, for thy name’s sake, lead me.’ ‘Guide me,’ too, even when I do not think of thy presence. Lead me like a child, and guide me like a traveler." There are shades of meaning here, so that there is no redundancy of expression in the words, "Lead me, and guide me." But even if the two words meant the same it would be quite lawful for the psalmist to repeat the prayer, since he felt his need of leading and guiding to be so great. "Lord, I am so foolish, and the way is so difficult, ‘therefore, for thy name’s sake, lead me, and guide me.’"
Psalms 31:3. For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name’s sake lead me, and guide me.
David is of a logical turn of mind, notice the "therefore" in this verse. What a singular "for" there is here! "Be thou my strong rock," "for thou art my rock." What God is already, we may ask him to be. What we believe him to be by faith, we ask him to be in our experience. Observe that David’s appeal is not in any degree to his own merit; but "for thy name’s sake,"-"because I trust in thy name, and if thou dost not do as thou hast said, thy great name will suffer dishonour. How can I believe in thy veracity if thou dost not do for me according to thy promise and covenant? ‘Therefore, for thy name’s sake, lead me.’ ‘Guide me,’ too, even when I do not think of thy presence. Lead me like a child, and guide me like a traveler." There are shades of meaning here, so that there is no redundancy of expression in the words, "Lead me, and guide me." But even if the two words meant the same it would be quite lawful for the psalmist to repeat the prayer, since he felt his need of leading and guiding to be so great. "Lord, I am so foolish, and the way is so difficult, ‘therefore, for thy name’s sake, lead me, and guide me.’"