By Pastor Dr. Ronnie W. Wolfe
To incline the heart means to bend it toward a certain direction. Several pages in Psalms mention the idea of inclining the ear toward God and asking God to incline his ear toward us, but only a few passages speak of inclining the heart.
We read in Psalms 141:4 Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with men that work iniquity: and let me not eat of their dainties. This is the negative position of inclining the heart. We are NOT to incline our heart to the practice of wicked works and the dainties of the wicked. That is a job in itself. The world (secularism) is constantly pressing us to incline our heart to the things of the world. The wicked are continually at our door, tempting us with thoughts that will turn us away from our God.
But in our text today we see that the psalmist has inclined his heart to God's word (statutes). He is persuaded of that which God has set in his heart, being saved by grace. Notice that he has already inclined his heart, pointed the arrow of his heart toward God and God's testimonies (see Psalm 119:36).
In the flesh the heart is desperately wicked (Jer. 17:9), but God has given us a new heart. Ezekiel mentions this at least twice (Ezek. 18:31 and 36:26). This is the only way that we can incline our heart toward God. Without God's interception we have only a wicked heart, but by his grace we have a new heart that is directed toward God and his word.
So, if we have not a heart inclined toward his word and set upon God himself, then we must examine whether we be in the faith (2 Cor. 13:5). Notice what the psalmist says in Psalms 16:8 I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
What about your heart? Is it right with God through grace and dedication?
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