“Plead my cause, O LORD, with them that strive with me: fight against them that fight against me” (Psalm 35:1).

Yeah, that sounds good to me. Really good. Very, very, super good.

I really would like the Lord to take up my case and my cause. I want Him to stand up for me, to be my defender, to be on my side. I would be delighted if He would reason with my opponents and detractors, if He would open their eyes to the truth, if He would open their hearts to me.

Then I wonder, whom do I know that is praying that same prayer regarding their adversaries . . . and have me in mind?

Oh wow!

May the Lord open my eyes to the truth about them. May He open my heart to them.

That, too, is what I want.

“My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad” (Psalm 34:2).

Too often, the boasting in the secret chamber of my own heart has been in me.

And now what do I have? Key “accomplishments” now seem as sawdust and glorious dreams as the fading sparkles of short-lived-but-spectacular fireworks.

May such bitter lessons be well-learned . . . and not forgotten to be repeated another day.

“Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it” (Psalm 34:14).

So often, I want peace to come to me. I want peace to happen. I want peace to be.

But peace is something to be sought and pursued. Hmmmm!

“The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

Since that’s what it takes, that’s what I want.

(But I don’t like the breaking process!)