“I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land” (v6).  The psalmist shows us how a person of faith handles grief, sorrow, and fear. “Therefore my spirit faints within me; my heart within me is appalled” (v4), he says, because the enemy “pursued my soul … crushed my life to the ground ...” (v3).  Rather than giving up, the psalmist meditates on God’s past faithfulness (v5) and reaches out to the Lord for help (v1).

“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!” (v10).  God’s unshakeable goodness and mercy are “level ground” for our souls.