Thou Understandest

‘Thou understandest my thought.’—Ps. cxxxix. 2.
WHO does not know what it is to be misunderstood? Perhaps no one ever is always and perfectly understood, because so few Christians are like their Master in having the spirit of ‘quick understanding.’2 But this does not make it the less trying to you; and you do not feel able to say with St. Paul, ‘With me it is a very small thing.’3 But this precious Word, which meets every need, gives you a stepping-stone which is quite enough to enable you to reach that brave position, if you will only stand on it. ‘Thou understandest my thought.’

1 2 Cor. xii. 9. 8 Isa. xi. 3. 8 1 Cor. iv. 3.

Even if others ‘daily mistake’ your words, He understands your thought, and is not this infinitely better? He Himself, your ever-loving, ever-present Father, understands. He understands perfectly just what and just when others do not. Not your actions merely, but your thought—the central self which no words can reveal to others. ‘All my desire is before Thee.’1 He understands how you desired to do the right thing when others thought you did the wrong tiling. He understands how His poor weak child wants to please Him, and secretly mourns over grieving Him. ‘Thou understandest’ seems to go even a step further than the great comfort of ‘Thou knowest.’ ‘His understanding is infinite.”
Perhaps you cannot even understand yourself, saying, ‘How can a man then understand his own way?” Even this He meets, for ‘He declareth unto man what is His thought.’* But are you willing to let Him do this? He may show you that those who have, as you suppose, misunderstood you, may have guessed right after all. He may show you that your desire was not so honest, your motives not so single as you fancied; that there was self-will where you only recognized resolution, sin where you only recognized infirmity or mistake. Let Him search, let Him ‘declare’ it unto you. For then He will declare another message to you: ‘The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

1 Ps. xxxviii. 9. 2 Ps. cxlvii. 5.

8 Prov. XX. 24, 4 Amos iv. 13.

Then, when all is clear between Him and you, ‘nothing between’ (and let that ‘when’ be ‘now!’), how sweet you will find it in the light of His forgiveness, and the new strength of His cleansing, to look up and say,’Thou understandest!’ and wait patiently for Him to let you be understood or misunderstood, just as He will, even as Jesus did. For who was ever so misunderstood as He?
Almighty God, unto whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid; Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of Thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love Thee, and worthily magnify Thy holy name, through Christ our Lord. Amen.