May my cry come before you, Lord;
    give me understanding according to your word.
170 May my supplication come before you;
    deliver me according to your promise.
171 May my lips overflow with praise,
    for you teach me your decrees.
172 May my tongue sing of your word,
    for all your commands are righteous.
173 May your hand be ready to help me,
    for I have chosen your precepts.
174 I long for your salvation, Lord,
    and your law gives me delight.
175 Let me live that I may praise you,
    and may your laws sustain me.
176 I have strayed like a lost sheep.
    Seek your servant,
    for I have not forgotten your commands.

Verse 170 reads like this in ‘The Message’:

Give my request your personal attention,
    rescue me on the terms of your promise.

One major implication of taking God’s Word seriously is that we take His promises seriously. I found George Mueller’s biography inspiring and instructive when I first read it – probably close to 30 years ago. I saw how, in his experience of God, the Bible and prayer went hand in hand. He read the Bible diligently, looked to the Holy Spirit to be His Teacher, and his faith-filled prayers were fuelled by what he knew God had said. He prayed according to God’s promises. The Lord still has much to teach us through him today.