14 day plan

The God Who Guides

Day 3 of 14

NIV

Psalms 32:8-9

8I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

9Do not be like the horse or the mule,

which have no understanding

but must be controlled by bit and bridle

or they will not come to you.

Reflection: Do not be like the Mule 

In Psalm 32:8, the Lord gives a wonderful promise: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.”

Now you can’t get a better ‘guidance promise’ than that! If you go on to verse 9 it sets the conditions upon verse 8. “Do not be like the horse or the mule,” says the Lord. These two animals are domesticated yet need a bit and bridle in order to guide them. They have no understanding of their master’s will, save through the mechanistic control of the master’s reins. And the Lord warns you to not be like them.

So, what is God after? What condition does he actually set in Psalm 32:9 in order to activate the promise of Psalm 32:8? You will find the condition in the latter part of the Psalm 32:9, when God instructs us not to be like the mule who, without a bit and bridle, “will not come to you.” So, what is the condition of Psalm 32:9? Very simple. Come to the Lord! Be ready to obey and yield to this guidance. Be prepared to correct those areas in your life that come under the spotlight of his word, to realign your life voluntarily to the guidance he brings.

Verse 8 cannot be read independently of verse 9. The first verse gives the promise, and the second verse sets the conditions, making guidance a conditional promise. This conditional promise involves two parts:

God’s part — he promises to instruct, teach, counsel and watch over you. Your part — you must come to God, yield to him, and obey his guidance.

God does not want to control your life by bit and bridle. He wants you to respond to his voice. And so God uses another animal to describe your relationship with him. Rather than being like a mule, he encourages you to be like a sheep.

Prayer:  Father, thank you for the promise to teach, instruct and watch over me. Even in the face of hard discussions you are present instructing and guiding me. I choose to come and yield to you in obedience. With my life and all that I am, I seek to glorify you. Take my dreams. Take my life. It is yours.

The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.

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Psalms 32:1-11

Psalm 32

Of David. A maskil.

1Blessed is the one

whose transgressions are forgiven,

whose sins are covered.

2Blessed is the one

whose sin the Lord does not count against them

and in whose spirit is no deceit.

3When I kept silent,

my bones wasted away

through my groaning all day long.

4For day and night

your hand was heavy on me;

my strength was sapped

as in the heat of summer.

5Then I acknowledged my sin to you

and did not cover up my iniquity.

I said, “I will confess

my transgressions to the Lord.”

And you forgave

the guilt of my sin.

6Therefore let all the faithful pray to you

while you may be found;

surely the rising of the mighty waters

will not reach them.

7You are my hiding place;

you will protect me from trouble

and surround me with songs of deliverance.

8I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;

I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

9Do not be like the horse or the mule,

which have no understanding

but must be controlled by bit and bridle

or they will not come to you.

10Many are the woes of the wicked,

but the Lord’s unfailing love

surrounds the one who trusts in him.

11Rejoice in the Lord and be glad, you righteous;

sing, all you who are upright in heart!

The Holy Bible, New International Version® NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.