A Sermon on Psalm 119:26, by Thomas Manton. Sermon XXVII.

I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me; teach me thy statutes.
— Psalm 119, Ver. 26.

I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah. For I will declare mine iniquity; I will be sorry for my sin. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.
~ Psalm 119:106, Psalm 32:5, Psalm 38:18, Proverbs 28:13

Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths. Teach me thy way, O LORD, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies. Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name.
~ Psalm 25:4, Psalm 27:11, Psalm 86:11

Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.
~ 1 Kings 8:36

1. That we may acknowledge the sovereignty of his providence and dominion over all events: Prov. xvi. 9, ‘A man’s heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his steps.’ Man proposeth, but God disposeth, and carrieth on the event either further than we intended, or else contrary to what we intended.

2. We must declare our ways to God that we may take God along with us in all our actions, that we may ask his leave, counsel, blessing: Prov. iii. 6, ‘In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.’ There is a twofold direction, one of God’s providence, the other of his counsel. The direction of his providence, that is understood: Prov. xvi. 9, ‘A man’s heart deviseth his way, but the Lord directeth his steps.’ But then there is the direction of his counsel, and the latter is promised here; if we acknowledge God and declare our ways to him, God will counsel us. And David did thus declare his way upon all occasions: 2 Sam. ii. 1, ‘David inquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I go up into any of the cities of Judah?’ It is a piece of religious manners to begin every business with God; to go to God, Lord, shall I do so, or shall I not? to desire him that is Lord of all to give us leave; who is the fountain of wisdom, to give us counsel; and the disposer of all events, to give us a blessing.

3. The declaring of our ways is necessary, that we may be sensible of God’s eye that is upon us, and so act the more sincerely. Certainly it is a great advantage to make God conscious to every business we have in hand, when we dare undertake nothing but what we would acquaint him withal. There are some to whom the prophet pronounceth a woe: Isa. xxix. 15, ‘Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?’ For the opening of this place, surely none can seriously be so vain, and grow up to such sottish atheism, as to think to hide a thing from God; but they are loath solemnly to draw it forth in the view of conscience, to revive a sense of God’s omnisciency upon themselves. We are said to deny that which many times we forget and will not think of. So that those which hide their counsels from God are those that will not take God along with them. In short, this declaration is not necessary for God, who ‘knows our thoughts afar off,’ Ps. cxxxix. 2; not only our words and works, but purposes, before we begin to lift up a thought that way. But this declaration is necessary for us, to increase the awe of God upon our heart, and that we may undertake nothing but what we will solemnly acquaint the Lord with. Well, then, this declaring our ways is an act of dependence.

Secondly, By his ways may be meant all his straits, sorrows, and dangers; and so this declaring it is an act of holy friendship, when a man comes as one friend to another, and acquaints God with his whole state, lays his condition before the Lord, in hope of pity and relief. We have liberty to do so, to tell God all our mind: Heb. x. 19, ‘Let us come with boldness, by the blood of Jesus;’ and Heb. iv. 16. The word signifies, with liberty of speech, speaking all to God, your whole state and condition; if you have any sins to be pardoned, any miseries to be redressed; that where you are doubtful, you may be helped by God’s counsel, where you are weak, you may be confirmed by his strength, where you are sinful, you may be pitied by his mercy, where you are miserable, you may be delivered by his power. This is holy friendship, to acquaint God with our doubts, wants, griefs, and fears; and we may do it with more confidence, because we go to him in Christ’s name: John xvi. 23, ‘Whatsoever you shall ask the Father in my name, it shall be granted unto you.’ It is no fiction or strain, but a real truth.

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