Our hearts are, because of the fall of man, naturally inclined to evil and sin and disobedience and rebellion against God.
Yet in His grace, God works in the hearts of men to incline them in new ways to Him. We call this regeneration. It is God making a stony heart into a fleshly (sanctified and living) heart (Ezk. 36:26). It is God’s Spirit blowing into the heart of man to make him to be born again (Jn. 3:5-8). A man is moved from death to life and from darkness to light (1 Pt. 2:9). In grace and not because of any impulse other than His own loving kindness, God generates and brings to life the man in a new way — not only physically, but now also spiritually.
The result of this regenerating act of God is that the man who was at odds with God and contrary and hostile to God is now inclined to move towards God.
This Godward inclination was the prayerful of David in Psalm 119:36-37. He recognized with these words that if His heart was going to move towards God it would be because of the work of God in his heart.
Incline my heart to Your testimonies
And not to dishonest gain.
Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity,
And revive me in Your ways.
And yet this Godward inclination was also David’s own commitment and resolution later in that very same Psalm —
I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes
Forever, even to the end. (119:112)
Not only does David depend on God to change his heart, but David also trusts that God will and acts on that trust by committing to do what he desires God to work in his heart. And he was fully engaged in that pursuit of God and obedience to Him. Spurgeon has several helpful comments on this section, writing,
He was not half inclined to virtue, but heartily inclined to it. His whole heart was bent on practical, persevering godliness. He was resolved to keep the statutes of the Lord with all his heart, throughout all his time, without erring or ending. He made it his end to keep the law unto the end, and that without end.…Many are inclined to preach, but the Psalmist was inclined to practise; many are inclined to perform ceremonies, but he was inclined to perform statutes; many are inclined to obey occasionally, but David would obey alway; and, alas, many are inclined for temporary religion, but this godly man was bound for eternity, he would perform the statutes of his Lord and King even unto the end. Lord, send us such a heavenly inclination of heart as this: then shall we show chat thou hast quickened and taught us. To this end create in us a clean heart, and daily renew a right spirit within us, for only so shall we incline in the right direction.…
Heart inclination is requisite for pleasing a heart searching God.…And to make obedience easy and even delightful.
Words of Grace 