Psalm 119:97-104

Psalm 119:97-104 

Mem 

The Word of God provides him wisdom greater than the difficult circumstances. 

In this passage the poet declares that the Word of God has given Him wisdom, insight, and understanding. (Verses 98-100)  Each of these words carries an important and distinct nuance.  The first, wisdom found in verse 98, refers to the ability to make correct moral judgments, to know if something is right or wrong.  The second translated “insight” (NASB) carries the idea of being prudent or having the capacity to perceive things.  It is the word that described what Eve was wanting when she took the forbidden fruit.  The third attribute is “understanding”, and it has the implication of having a broad base of knowledge from which to make decisions.  While all these words are similar, they each carry a unique and specific area of insight.  

The poet is given, by the superior wisdom provided by the Word of God, an advantage over three groups of people: his enemies, his teachers, and his elders.  The poet faced active opposition from an enemy that was open and aggressive.  The enemy here is overt and active in the attacks on the poet.  Some of the teachers in the poet’s life had left the truth and had begun to stray away from the Word of God. Teachers that are misguided end up misleading their pupils. By faithful study of the word, the poet is secured from the danger of being misled.  The word translated “aged” (NASB) is a rare word in the O.T., being used only twice.  It would more literally be translated “the ancients.”  The wisdom of all the great thinkers of history is inferior to the broad base of knowledge provided by the Word of God.

The practical help of the Word of God when facing the active hostility of the enemy, the misguiding influence of the teachers, and the too-general-to-be-helpful guidance of the ancients helps the poet to be restrained from the evil way and not turn aside from the ordinances of God.  The Word of God is self-reinforcing in the right path for our lives.  It shows us the right way, and when we follow the right path, it shows us how it has benefited us and what next steps ought to be taken.  We might call it an upward spiral of wisdom, advantage, and blessing.  And as a result, the poet describes the word as sweeter than honey.  In ancient Israel they did not have the intense or commonly used sweeteners of today.  The intensity of honey was the most powerful sweetness that most people ever experienced.  That was a taste they would never forget.  The Word of God is even more memorable, and as a result the poet gains wisdom, insight, and understanding, which results in a hatred for every false option presented to him.

“Lord, help me to crave Your word. AMEN”

Psalm 119:89-96

Psalm 119:89-96 

Lamed

Without the eternal, sure, mighty Word of God, the poet would despair.

The poet is able to endure the hardships because of his confidence in the Law of God.  In this section, he takes a step back and looks at the big picture for just a moment.  He looks at the universe and, in seeing the physical sciences, develops what was once called natural law.  How is it that the whole of creation exists and continues to exist so reliably?  It does so at the Word or Law of God.  Our understanding of the universe is very different from that of the poet, but the principle remains the same.  If God can create and make such a massive and complex universe by His word, then His word is more than able to guide us in the difficulties of life.  In these first three verses of this passage, the poet is finding strength in the evidence of God’s power, and then that power revives or renews him.  In fact, had he not been able to get a little better picture, he might have collapsed under the attacks of his enemies.  His enemies can no more destroy the ordinances of God than they can pull the universe apart.  

Since it is God’s ordinances that make and rule the universe and form the foundation for the poet’s life, the poet, as long as he is shaping his life by God’s ordinances, is as solid and secure as the universe itself.  The poet offers a couple of contrasts and then a marvelous conclusion.  The contrast is the dual circumstances of life: he belongs to God because of his commitment to God’s precepts and testimonies, but at the same time the wicked are trying to destroy him.  Then comes a marvelous statement: “I have seen a limit to all perfection; Your commandment is exceedingly broad.”  The poet understands that the expanse of creation has a limit; that there is a limit to the physical universe.  We understand that limit is further away than the poet might have expected.  The creation will of necessity be less than the Creator.  But the character, power, beauty, and holiness of God expressed in His laws, word, or command is without any such limits. 

“Lord, as I view Your great power in the universe encourage me to be strong in You. AMEN.

Psalm 119:81-88

Psalm 119:81-88 

Kaph 

In his trouble the disciple sighs, "How long!" 

With eternity in his heart, the disciple is nevertheless faced with the struggles of the temporal.  The first four verses of this section all begin with a question or a statement about the duration of his suffering.  We must never lose sight of the fact that God not only has control of the nature of our hardships but also their depth and duration. As poet is asking about that duration; he feels that he is nearing the end of his strength.

In the first four verses there is a line that is out of our experience. In verse 83, he writes, “…I have become like a wineskin in the smoke…” The ancient practice of using leather skins as bottles is what is suggested here.  When out of use, the skin would be hung from some high point in the tent or house.  With no chimney, the rising smoke would blacken, dry, and shrivel the bottle. The wineskin that hung in the smoke was out of use and irrelevant, and if left long enough, it would begin to crack and become useless.  Those who persecute the poet would like to set him aside to become an irrelevance to society and community.  The very existence of a disciple, then and now, is apt to be a bother to those who oppose God’s law.  He upsets their conscience and in one way or another makes them uncomfortable.  They would rather the disciple be set aside, forgotten, and made useless. 

It is worth noting a connection in verse 86 that at first may seem to be a departure or a disconnect but is consistent throughout history.  How does the faithfulness of God’s commands have anything to do with a persecution with a lie?  Because God’s commands are faithful, consistent, forever trustworthy, and true, there is no doubt that those opposed to them will always resort to falsehood.  The faithfulness of God’s Word and the faithful adherence of the disciple to that Word will always cause those who are opposed to God’s Word to oppose the faithful disciple.  Sometimes those who follow God act surprised that they experience oppression.  Rather than reacting with surprise, we ought to follow the pattern of the poet.  

He responds by pleading for help, revival or renewal, and mercy.  He does this for the reason that he can keep the testimony of Thy mouth.  It is one thing to suffer; it is another thing to ask for strength to endure so that we can, at some point in the future, be comforted by the Word.  But here the poet asked for help so that he can be faithful to God’s Word.  It is not self-interest that motivates him, but rather, the love for the Word of God.

“Lord, help me to hang on. AMEN”

Psalm 119:73-80

Psalm 119:73-80 

Jod

In suffering, the poet is in need of comfort. 

The poet wants to be an encouragement to those who fear God.  The poet’s well-being is going to be a point of confusion for those who oppose him.  The poet is confident that God will never forsake His creatures nor withhold from them what will make them truly happy, namely an understanding of His Word. To this purpose the poet prays for understanding and that all who fear God will see him as an example of what happens in the lives of those who trust in God’s Word.

There is no doubt that God’s judgments are pure and righteous, but they are nevertheless an affliction.  It is because God is faithful to His holiness and to our well-being that He, at times, afflicts us.  It is important to note that when we are under the affliction of God, we are still under His care.  That doesn’t mean that it isn’t painful.  That is why the poet, at the same time as being under God’s affliction, asked for the comfort of the Lord’s loving kindness or mercy.

The term "ashamed" comes up a couple of times.  It is a pretty typical term for shame, embarrassment, or disgrace, but it can have a temporal element to it.  Part of the shame is that the hope for a result is delayed.  It is like a sports fan that is always saying, “Wait till next year,” but is always suffering through endless losing seasons.  The shame is not only that it doesn’t happen; there is a sense that it never will.  The poet asked that the one who would lead him astray be ashamed.  The demise of the faithful is the greatest heart’s desire of the wicked.  The poet asked that this desire of the wicked will never be satisfied and they will always be disappointed.

Meanwhile, the poet remains faithful to the Word of God and concludes this with two thoughts.  First, he wants to be an encouragement for others.  He wants his life and faithfulness to be something other faithful people will see. The desire to live as an example is rare.  The second thing he asked is essential to fulfilling the first.  He wants to have a blameless heart. The idea of blameless is more about honesty and consistency than about perfection.  He wants to be the real thing rather than a fake.  In this he hopes that he will not suffer the shame.

“Lord, let my life be an example to those who need a moment of hope. AMEN”

Psalm 119:65-72

Psalm 119:65-72 

Ṭeth  

The poet recognizes the beneficial element of his suffering. 

God’s dealing with us is always good and for our benefit, but it may not always feel that way.  In this section the poet reflects on his own life and how God’s goodness worked for him in difficult times.  In the midst of suffering we rarely say, “This is really good for me.”  But it is not too uncommon that after the suffering is past we can say, “That was good for me.”  The more quickly we are able to learn the lessons of suffering, the wiser we are.

The Lord has been good to the poet according to His own word, and the poet is able to recognize that with the aid of 20/20 hindsight.  The poet asked to be taught good discernment and knowledge, which is to learn both the ethical behaviors and the happy results that such behaviors bring.  He wants to learn not only what the right thing to do is but also see the positive benefit of that behavior.  Note the contrast between vs. 66 and 67.  The poet learned the misery of going astray in his affliction, and now he wants to learn the pleasantness of right living.  We often think of right living as a means to an end, that if we do right, which may include incidental suffering, we will someday be rewarded.  That is an inadequate understanding.  The poet/disciple is here indicating that living the life of righteousness is the greatest good and that this life is itself inherently worth it. 

God’s nature is good, and His actions are always for our benefit.  The order of His universe is that the short-term pleasures of evil never outweigh the benefit of living according to His law. The poet again is asking to learn the Lord’s statutes.  This time he asked in the context of the arrogant having attempted to cover him over with falsehoods.  The word used is “plastered over” or “whitewashed.” They want to make him disappear the way a concrete block wall disappears when covered with stucco. The comment “their heart is covered with fat” is indicative of being insensitive.  Our medical and modern scientific view might shape our understanding of this metaphor.  In ancient times fat was good because it indicated wealth as evidenced by being well fed.  But in this case the fat (wealth and ease) caused their heart, or seat of the will and emotion, to become dull and insensitive to the call of the Law of God.

The poet again repeats that his affliction was beneficial.  This is a good point to make note of—the word "affliction."  Literally, it means to “make low or put down.” But it is practically much more intense than it might first sound.  The word was used of the abuse Sarah heaped on Hagar that was so intense that Hagar wanted to run away.  It was the word that described the Egyptians forcing the Israelites into slavery.  It was on different occasions used to describe the rape of a woman.  This affliction is not a little inconvenience but rather a life-altering experience of powerful misery.  But God never wastes a hurt.  It doesn’t matter if our affliction is the result of self-induced suffering or we were the innocent victims of the evils of others; God can use that horror to our benefit.  In fact, the poet feels that the Law of the Lord, to which his suffering led him, is better than fantastic riches.

“Lord, do not waste the hurt of my life, rather teach me. AMEN”

Psalm 119:57-64

Psalm 119:57-64  

Heth

Discovery of God’s favor on the way to his forever home

In the preceding psalm the poet describes himself as a pilgrim, stating that earth is not his permanent dwelling. He begins this section with a description of God as his “portion.”  When the Promised Land was divided among the tribes, each family was given a portion as their homeland forever.  So much so that at the year of Jubilee, if the land was sold, it was returned to the one who received that portion.  For the disciple the Lord is the homeland.  There is a direct connection between the disciple going to the homeland and his keeping the Word of God.  

There is in verse 58 a word that is hard to translate into our English Bibles.  The NASB translates it “entreated,” while the NIV translates it “sought.”  The Hebrew word is much more intense than any English translation.  The root word is “sick” or “weak.”  This word carries the idea of groveling and at times carries the implication of flattery.  We don’t translate it that way because the poet is clearly sincere, whereas a flatterer is not.  But that is the intensity of the word.  The disciple is willing to completely humiliate himself in the most extreme forms of begging for the Lord’s graciousness.  This is not coming to God as if we would negotiate the best deal possible.  This is a profound awareness that we have nothing to offer and are fully aware of our absolute dependence on His favor.  

The poet has, to this point, lived a life of immediate obedient response.  When he knows the commands of God, he keeps them immediately.  He does all that he knows to do; he is now asking to know more, to understand at a greater level what God wills.  He has done this even when the wicked have had him in bonds.  Their cords, either literally or figuratively, have not caused him to forget the Lord’s Law, and to know the Lord’s Law is to keep it immediately. This keeping of the Law even in the presence of opposition causes thanks to grow and results in praise.  When awakened from sleep in the middle of the night, it is not fear that comes to mind but thanks, not dread but a profound awareness of gratitude for God’s law.  It is so powerful, in fact, that the poet is compelled to respond with worship, to get up from bed and bow down to God.

Sometimes the life of a disciple can seem lonely; it feels that no one else is on God’s side.  But the poet discovers that he has companions; here he returns to the theme or motif of the traveller.  He is not making this journey alone.  It is noteworthy that in the context of this discovery of travelling companions, the poet looks at the world around him and sees that it is full of God’s mercy.  He begins this section by pleading for God’s favor, ends it by praising God for His loving kindness, and that praise is in the context of discovering fellow pilgrims heading to the same home. 

“Lord, keep me faithful in the journey. AMEN”

Psalm 119:49-56

Psalm 119:49-56 

Zayin

In life’s journey God's Word is all the poets thoughts and pursuit.

We are all on a trip, a long journey to the grave and beyond.  One should never expect this trip to be easy or fast or carefree.  In fact, the ancient nomads understood this much better than we.  In vs. 54 the poet refers to the house of his “pilgrimage.” We live in a culture that places a high value on a permanent place of residence.  To be a homeowner is a major or even the most important part of the “American Dream.” Pilgrims have no such concept.  For a pilgrim the destination is the objective, with lessons to be learned along the way.  It is unavoidable; we are on a pilgrimage, and the poet points out that on this journey God’s Word is a great help and comfort.  

Being a tourist is relatively easy.  If you have enough money, everything is catered for you.  Being a tourist is the ultimate consumer experience in which we are not changed but have our perceptions confirmed.  Being a pilgrim is hard.  It is not about being catered to but is about being challenged and changed.  It is about our own attitudes, convictions, and commitments confronted and reshaped by hardships, either our own or the lives of others.  Life is one long pilgrimage.  

That being said, and with the expectation that life will be hard, how do we cope?  Where do we find the strength to carry on the pilgrimage?  The poet tells us it is in the Word of God.  It gives him comfort when he is afflicted, and it revives him.  He is mocked and scorned by the arrogant—the word carries the connotation of frivolous persons, libertines, and freethinkers.  These people look at the self-imposed, hard life of a pilgrim and make fun, suggesting it is better to settle down and indulge in the good life of pleasure and self-satisfaction.  

The poet continues his life’s journey with the Word of God giving him strength as well as indignation for the life that forsakes the law.  Hatred for evil is both the right response and a preventative from dabbling in the evil.  That hatred is reinforced because the emotional support, the songs of the poet, is the Law of God.  Even in the dark hours of the night when it is easiest to become discouraged, the poet is turning to and being strengthened by God’s precepts.

“Lord, help me to never be a tourist but always a pilgrim. AMEN”