Today's Verse: Psalm 40:8

Wednesday, October 21, 2026

I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.
— Psalm 40:8
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Thoughts on Today's Verse...

Too many of us are paranoid about the word "law" and find it hard to hear a scripture like today's verse. However, we must recognize that the goal of the New Covenant of grace and the gift of the Spirit is that God's law is written on our hearts (Hebrews 8:10, 10:16) and demonstrated in our lives (Romans 8:3-4). God is not concerned with the law being written on tablets of stone. He wants us to know his will in our hearts and live it out in our daily lives. Jeremiah prophesied of this day coming, a time when God's people desire to do God's will from the heart, with a passion to love what our Father loves and despise what he despises (Jeremiah 31:33). Having been saved by our faith in Jesus based on God's grace and filled with the Holy Spirit, we can now say with confidence:
I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.

My Prayer...

Abba Father, I long to do your will. I desire to please you, glorify you, and lead others to you. Please give me spiritual discernment to know your will, and spiritual courage to do it each day. I yearn for your character and righteousness to inform my heart when Satan tempts me not to live for you. Gently humble me when I am wrong, have lost my way, or ignore the Holy Spirit's influence in my heart. Awaken me, dear Father, to your law written in my heart, and unleash the power of the Holy Spirit to animate my life to live your will more completely. In the mighty name of Jesus, my Savior, I pray. Amen.

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1 Related Resource by Heartlight

From the Heart
Illustration of Psalm 40:8
Inspirational illustration of Psalm 40:8 -- I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.

Illustration

Illustration of Psalm 40:8 — I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.

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About This Devotional

Today's Verse is a free daily devotional that includes a Bible verse, thought and prayer.

The Thoughts and Prayer on Today's Verse are written by Phil Ware.

All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.

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