Isaiah 58:2 English Standard Version (ESV) Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as if they were a nation that did righteousness and did not forsake the judgment of their God; they ask of me righteous judgments; they delight to draw near to God.

As if is a very telling comment. It acknowledges the effort while exposing the vanity in results. This is an expression of academic pursuit, knowledge in pursuit of feeling good about our own efforts.

Psalm 27:8 English Standard Version (ESV) You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”^{[the meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain]}

The meaning of the Hebrew verse is uncertain. That footnote is added to acknowledge a lack of understanding. Those who seek God in Isaiah 58:2 do so with the intention of satisfying themselves.

Psalm 27:8 could be seen in the light of this comparative effort as meaning, “I come to you as an empty vessel, ready to be filled with whatever you my God do choose.” No expectation, no desire except to receive as God wills, to serve His purpose and plans even though they are unknown. Their meaning is unknown as the footnote details.

Show me your face is an acknowledgment of a willingness to discover that which we do not already know. A servant does not come to His Master and says, “I am ready to do what I want.” That servant will come to His Lord and say “I am ready.” There is no expectation except to obey.

“Read my face” is a writer’s line to imply the seriousness of the speaker.

There will be days when our Lord says, “Come and sit with me.” That is an invitation to further the relationship, to strengthen the bond of faith. We must not come to Him with expectations.

“But I am troubled!” says my soul. He knows that.

Psalm 9:4 English Standard Version (ESV) For you have maintained my just cause; you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment.

Causation is the relationship between cause and effect; causality.

In order for our cause to be just we need to accept the Lordship of Jesus, who sits on the throne. He gives us righteous judgments that ensure our obedience of faith will produce the results that cause the will of God the Father to be done.

A just cause is a right decision and right decisions can only be made in the light of the truth.

Psalm 9:9-10 English Standard Version

⁹ The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
¹⁰ And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.

Our weaker nature will always cry out but the Lord has seen to it that a measure of protection accompanies obedience of faith. A measure of protection exist as long as the will of the Lord is being done. A measure of protection is not total protection from every bad decision made by others in furtherance of their agendas.

John 15:18-20 English Standard Version

¹⁸ “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.

Do not care about what the world thinks about us. Seek a just cause.