2 Nephi 4:31 - 4:35
2 Nephi 4:31 O Lord, wilt thou redeem my soul? Wilt thou deliver me out of the hands of mine enemies? Wilt thou make me that I may shake at the appearance of sin?
Knowing Nephi can’t do this on his own, he appeals to the Lord to pull him out of his poor attitude towards those who he has struggled against all this life. He knows he can’t do this alone. No mortal man can help us to do this. It takes a God to help us.
It takes a God to help us see when we are succumbing to sin. God needs to wake us up to what is happening to us because we can’t sometimes see that we are falling into forbidden paths. We just are not able to see what is happening because the devil to just to smart for us. If our focus is on keeping the commandments, we won’t even notice what the devil is trying to get us to and he not have the ability to tempt us.
2 Nephi 4:32 May the gates of hell be shut continually before me, because that my heart is broken and my spirit is contrite! O Lord, wilt thou not shut the gates of thy righteousness before me, that I may walk in the path of the low valley, that I may be strict in the plain road!
Nephi asks the Lord to keep reminding him of these things concerning his weaknesses. He does not want to succumb to satan at any time. He needs for his spirit to be humbled so he can keep us this righteous attitude. He wants the path to God well lit so he can follow it easily. He wants to see the path well enough to get through the darkness that comes into our lives by sin.
And because he is trying to be teachable and submissive, he wants the Lord to shut the gate of hell that he cannot open them. But Nephi wants the gates of heaven to be wide open. He wants the path to the gates of heaven marked so he may go through areas of temptation so he will not stray from the course to salvation.
2 Nephi 4:33 O Lord, wilt thou encircle me around in the robe of thy righteousness! O Lord, wilt thou make a way for mine escape before mine enemies! Wilt thou make my path straight before me! Wilt thou not place a stumbling block in my way—but that thou wouldst clear my way before me, and hedge not up my way, but the ways of mine enemy.
He wants to feel the spirit around him at all times. He wants the spirit to show him when he is drifting and how to get back on the correct path. He wants the path well marked with no confusing detours that might cause him to not know just exactly where the path is. He wants this for his enemies who might be following him and trying to destroy his peace.
2 Nephi 4:34 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.
Nephi has been trusting the Lord all these years during his great trials and will continue to do so forever. He knows that men fail often even in spite of good intentions to do all the right things. So those who put their faith in even good men will come out losers. There are just to many variables for men to know in order to know what to do next. In addition, they will always use their own wisdom which is always wrong and will again fail every time.
2 Nephi 4:35 Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.
Knowing this failing in men, the Lord has said he will help all men that come to him and asked for help. The Lord does not hold back from the sincere inquirer. And Nephi for one will always be asking the Lord for wisdom because the Lord will NEVER give wrong information or direction to the lost soul.
