Psalm 121

Psalm 121

Everyone, even the strongest saint, needs to hear words of encouragement. Not so much “you are great” but rather “our God is great.” Some scholars believe this psalm was originally a spoken and reply psalm. Verses 1-2 were recited by one person. Verse 3 would be from a priest or leader, and verse 4 would be said in reply. Note in verse 4 the care of the Lord is large and general. But verses 5-8, spoken by the leader, show His care is personal and more individual. It is almost as if the speaker says, “I know God will take care of the big picture,” and the leader replies, “Yes, but He will take care of you as well.”

Many times we can feel great confidence in God's control over the big picture stuff. He will keep the universe and the galaxies on course. He will work out the events of world history and national politics. But are we sometimes a little shaky about our lives and homes? We are strong in verse 4, the big picture stuff, but God is also caring about the little stuff in our lives. Count the times “you” or “your” is used in this poem.

“Lord, give me confidence in Your care for me personally. AMEN.”

Lessons my pigs taught me about sin

As you may know, I have a hobby of growing and selling pigs. It is a great source of protein, good exercise, often humorous, occasionally frustrating, and can be an insight into spiritual matters. 

A few weeks ago we had a hot and dry spell. Temps were normal for late summer but very hot for spring. Every day I would make sure my pigs had fresh, clean water. I went to significant trouble and expense to make sure that their watering supply would be sufficient and available.

Hogs are reported to be among the most intelligent animals on or off the farm. It is true that they have a high degree of intelligence for short-term problems, but they are painfully short-sighted. Frequently I would come in at the end of the day to discover that my hogs had turned their water supply over so they could have a mud hole in which to wallow. I’m not sure how they did it. I would make sure the barrel was on solid ground and would ratchet strap it to a tree. At the end of the day the ratchet strap would be off, and the water would be poured out; the barrel would be down the hill, and they would be desperately thirsty. Smart enough to know how to get short-term satisfaction but not smart enough to be able or willing to examine the long-term cost.

That is the way sin works in our lives. We figure out how to find short-term satisfaction but fail to count the cost of our willful moment. That is the nature of sin. The short-term satisfaction, thrill, or pleasure is all we seem to be able to think about. We fail to consider all that the short-term delight will cost us. By the way, lecturing the pigs on how foolish they are and how troublesome they can be and how if they would make better choices, we would all be better off didn't work. Doesn’t work on people either.

So what to do? In both cases, working with pigs and people (and myself), being kind, graceful, and gentle are the best solutions. In some cases it actually helps, but even if it doesn’t produce ideal results, it helps bring a little peace to our own souls.

Psalm 120

Psalm 120

This Psalm and those that follow are called the Songs of Ascent. While not sure what ‘ascent’ we are talking about, the best guess is that they were sung as pilgrims made their final approach to Jerusalem.

Rather than the privilege of living in Jerusalem, the ‘city of peace,’ this person is living in “Meshech.” Meshech refers to a region populated by semi-nomadic bandits. These were a people who, unlike most nomads, who follow flocks, were always uprooting their lives and tents to go plunder and pillage. We may be more familiar with the ravages of the Huns, drug cartels, or street gangs. We might get a sense of this poem with this: “I want to live in a safe town, sink roots, have a family, do honest work, and live in God’s peace. But I, unfortunately, live in the friction zone of a gang turf war. I want to live in God’s shalom, but everyone around me is bent on conflict. " There is a desire for justice for these people (vs. 2-9). In our world these people are still here. The best way to not become like them is to pursue peace.

“Lord, in a world of conflict, help me be an agent of Your peace. AMEN.”

Psalm 119:169-176

Psalm 119:169-176

Tav 

The poet/disciple pleads that God would seek him, the isolated and endangered sheep! 

The poet/disciple is not resting on his laurels or past adherence to the Lord and His word.  For 168 verses, he has declared his love for and commitment to the Word of God.  We might expect in the last refrain that he might lessen the intensity of his pleading.  The opposite is true.  In these last lines it is as if the poet/disciple is giving one final effort to appeal to God.  It is not uncommon that the person who is closest to the Lord is most profoundly aware of their need for His grace.  The person who believes himself to be a “pretty good Joe” is most profoundly distant from God.  

In the first four verses of this section, the poet/disciple expresses his desire to honor God with four vocal expressions.  In those four verses we see the word translated “cry” (v. 169) is more completely translated “song of joyful praise” and was used to describe a sort of victory cry that would sweep through an army. The word “supplication” (v 170) is descriptive of a pleading for mercy, favor, or help.  In the next verse (v. 171), the poet/disciple sings the praise or glory of God.  Then he talks about “singing” (v 172). Interestingly, this word is more accurately translated as “respond,” but its root word means “to dwell.” To us, a modern metaphor would be the poet/disciples say his default setting is to respond to life with praise for God.

The poet/disciple asked for the Lord’s hand to be his ever-ready help because the Lord’s salvation is his great desire.  He connects this to delight in the law and the precepts of God.  Many people will talk about wanting the blessing of God, and much is said and written about how to obtain the blessing of God.  But the Holy Spirit inspired the poet/disciple to say the means by which the hand of the Lord will work is the Word of the Lord.  The work of the Lord’s hand is not so that the poet/disciple can have all the things he wants.  Rather, the objective the poet/disciple seeks is the opportunity to offer praise to the Lord.  

The last verse of this lengthy Psalm is powerful and profound.  Having read this Psalm, we might expect that this is a man of great piety, and he clearly is, but his self-understanding is that he is a lost sheep.  The holier a person, the more profoundly aware they, in absolute terms, are unholy.  Those closest to God are the ones aware of how far and above all God is.  This is not the lost sheep of apostasy but the one who, in moments wanders off, but is aware of that wandering.  They are aware because they, consistent with the whole theme of this Psalm, “do not forget Thy commandments.”

“Lord help me to always return to You. AMEN

Psalm 119:161-168

Psalm 119:161-168

Shin 

The poet/disciple being persecuted by princes clings fast to God. 

There are two things that the politically powerful desire above all else.  They want to be loved and adored by their people, and they want to be the most feared by their enemies.  The poet/disciple is a disappointment to his princes.  While they persecute him without just reason, he reserves his awe/fear and his love for the Lord.  At best a ruler might make and enforce good laws, but it is for the Word of God that the poet/disciple rejoices as if he found a great spoil. The prince is never more than a steward of power, but God is the holder, creator, and source of all power. 

The poet/disciple is so moved that seven times a day he praises the Lord.  There are two ways of addressing this phrase, and both are excellent spiritual disciplines.  The poet/disciple may have used ‘seven’ as the symbolic number of completion.  The number seven is often a figure for the completion of anything, e.g., creation.   If this is the case, the poet is saying for the whole day, “I praise Thee.”  The other possibility is that seven refers to seven specific times of prayer for the disciple.  This practice is seen in a 10th-century sermon that called for religious observations at breakfast, 9:00 AM, noon, 3:00 PM, 6:00 PM, bedtime, and midnight.  Either pattern, if faithfully carried out, is appropriate.

The promise of verse 165 is one of the great promises of Scripture.  “Those who love Thy law have great peace” is the first part of the promise.  Peace here is the greatest of all the Hebrew words, “shalom.”  It is more than an absence of stress or struggle; it is the wholeness and completeness of life.  It is an overflowing abundance of well-being in the confidence that God loves and cares for us (His character) and that He is able to bless our lives with His very best (His power).  The love of God’s law opens us up to the blessings of a relationship with God where ultimately all is well.  The second line says basically the same thing, except from a negative perspective.  The one who loves God’s Word is protected from the stumbling block.  This carries with it the ideal that the one who loves God’s Word is, by knowing the Word, able to see danger in advance.  It is like the advantage of having a light to shine on a dark path. (Vs. 105) The poet/disciple finds that the great spiritual blessings of the Word have begun to trickle down into the level of daily living.

The poet/disciple is still under persecution; he is still suffering for his faith. Nevertheless, he speaks with a great positive voice about the benefits of God’s Word.  The Word of God is neither a magic talisman nor a collection of spells and incantations.  It is the introduction to the One who gives hope and joy.  This life of confident joy is lived out because the poet/disciple constantly keeps the love of God’s Word a priority.  It is a reciprocal relationship, as he loves the Word, it empowers him, and as it empowers him, he grows to love the Word.  

“Lord, help me to have a constant growing commitment to Your Word. AMEN

Psalm 119:153-160

Psalm 119:153-160

Resh 

Because God cannot suffer those who are faithful to His word to succumb, the poet/disciple begs for helpful pity. 

As we look at this passage, one question might come to mind.  In 154, the poet/disciple said, “Plead my cause…” We might ask, “With whom would God plead a case?”  God doesn’t need to plead with anyone; He commands.  This question misses the nature of the word "plead."  The emphasis of this word is not on the asking but on the volume or decibel level of the communication.  The word here is not about a persuasive argument set forth by a lawyer or philosopher. This word here is a loud, noisy, clamorous, contentious argument.  This is more of a shouting match than a discussion.  What the poet/disciple is asking for is that God’s redemption will be obvious and bombastic. The conflict has been building to a head, and the poet wants to see God’s explosive words coming to his defense. 

Because they have rejected God’s Word, God’s rescue is not available for the wicked, nor are the wicked capable of providing rescue.  But for the poet/disciples, God’s Word is a source of mercy, which expresses itself in revival or renewal.  The poet/disciple is determined to remain loyal to God even when he senses that he is alone and surrounded by the wicked.  Earlier the poet/disciple speaks of streams of tears that he has because the wicked “do not keep the law” (v. 136).  Now there is a different expression; now we see the poet/disciple loathes the treacherous.  What has happened?  There comes a point at which the villainy that comes from disregard of God’s law causes the poet/disciple to reach a breaking point.  The word translated “loath” comes from the root word that means “to break, snap, or be cut off.”  There comes a point that even this most patient of God’s loyal people have had enough.  It is important to note why this breaking has come about.  It was not an offense to the poet/disciple or even his persecution.  Rather, it was the rejection of God’s way, with some special attention to the betrayal of what is right.  It is the same behavior that caused such great sorrow in verse 136, “They do not keep Thy law/word.”  It is possible for those who are fully committed to God to find great sorrow and great revulsion in the same behavior of the wicked.  We need to beware when we notice that we have only one or the other of these responses.  

The poet/disciple concludes this passage with a reaffirmation of his affection for the Word of God; this is set in contrast to his disdain for the wicked. He hopes that according to the mercies of the Lord he will be renewed.  The Word can bring this renewal because it is truth in total.  The word translated “sum” in the NASB is literally “head.”  Imagine a column of numbers added together, but rather than the total being on the bottom, it is at the top of the column; it would be the head or sum.  In the next phrase there is an emphasis on the singularity.  Literally, this line says, “And forever every one of Your righteous judgments.”  The point the poet/disciple is making is if you look at the individual commands of God or the totality of them, you find the same beautiful righteousness.  

“Lord, speak boldly in support of Your saints and Your Word. AMEN”

Psalm 119:145-152

Psalm 119:145-152 

Qoph

“Oh, that God would hear his crying by day and by night. “ 

The poet/disciple pleads with God with his whole heart for the Lord’s help for the purpose of living according to the laws of God.  How often our pleas with God are so that He will give us what we want.  This poet/disciple pleads for help to live faithfully.  The poet/disciple describes in this section his predawn and after-dark devotions.  Before the sun is up, he is waiting on the promises of God, and with eager anticipation, he looks forward to the nighttime to meditate on God’s word.  We have lost the meaning of meditation in Western culture.  We have mistakenly associated meditation with Eastern mysticism, in which the goal is to empty the mind. (This, by the way, is an extremely unwise idea.  In emptying the mind, it is more susceptible to the power of the demonic.  The meditation the poet/disciple is speaking of is an active engagement of the mind. In fact, the Hebrew word is most often translated “complain.” The poet/disciple is not advocating complaining against God but rather contrasting the word and will of God with the daily reality that we live and face.  To meditate is neither to have an empty mind, nor is it a mere academic exercise.  It is to look at the reality of our life and see how it conforms with or rebels against the Law of God.  Both externally and internally we face conflict between what is and what ought to be.  Meditation is the act of arguing about how these realities battle and how we move toward what God wants.  

In verses 149-150 the poet/disciple expresses two realities that his meditation has brought to mind.  First is the reality that he needs God’s mercy to revive him.  As he has wrestled with the reality of his life, he has come to the conclusion that he is still in need of mercy and that merciful revival and renewal will come through God’s ordinances.  Second, those who are following the way of wickedness are drawing near.  Perhaps the poet/disciple uses the hours of night to study God’s word to avoid the persecution of his enemies.  Perhaps the enemies are getting close to him, and his danger is growing.  The poet/disciple is aware that his persecutors are closer to him than they are to God.  He is comforted with the awareness that God is closer still.  There are two truths that the poet/disciple lays hold of as he closes this section.  God is near, and His word is still true.  The poet/disciple recalls that these words have always been a part of his life and that they predate him and secured them for all ages to come.  No matter the pressure of persecution, the poet/disciple has the eternal Word of God.

“Lord, when the hard times come help me to cling to Your Word. AMEN”

Psalm 119:137-144

 Psalm 119:137-144 

Tsade 

God rules righteously and faithfully according to His word, for which the poet is zealous. 

It is a concept difficult for us to understand being fallen creatures, but every action, command, ruling, and motive of the God of all power, might, and the whole universe is always and in every way holy, perfect, and righteous.  We who can go only a moment, at best, without being selfish, foolish, and sinful even in our little sphere can’t comprehend such total cosmic and absolute holiness.  But as we try, we become like the poet/disciple, as he expresses in verses 137-138.  As a result, he (and us if we join him) will find that zeal or passion will become our end.  The word “zeal” is most often translated as “jealousy, a complete unwillingness to share or to have divided loyalties.” We often associate this ideal with something negative, but it all depends on the context.  A jealous husband or wife will not share the love of their spouse with another.  God Himself is a jealous God and will not tolerate the worship of His people to be directed to another god. The word is not a moody or pouting attitude but is active and dynamic.  It is described as fire and smoke, of anger and something consuming, and even of God in battle for His people.  This passion for the righteousness of God has consumed the disciple/poet. Again, this word might surprise us.  It is most often translated “destroyed” but can also be translated “annihilate,” “cut off,” or “silenced.”  This is no warm inner glow that happens when one reads the Word.  In the Word of God the poet/disciple comes to an end of himself. He realizes, as he sees in his opponents a disregard for the law, that there is no middle ground.  He has disavowed or denied himself for the law.

The word is pure or refined; it has withstood every test and is not harmed.  Nothing else in the poet/disciple’s life or world can be so trusted, and so he admits his love for the word.  It doesn’t change his circumstances; he is still oppressed and small but will cling obstinately to the Word.  We must not think that faithfulness to the Word is some sort of magic formula that will allow us to avoid struggles and hardships.  Rather, our loyalty to the word is in all circumstances.  Two words used to describe the poet/disciples’ life are "trouble" and "anguish."  These words are both descriptions of deep personal conflict.  ‘Trouble’ comes from the root that means ‘tight,’ to be pressed in or squeezed, and can often be translated as ‘enemy.’  The word "anguish" can be translated as "siege," to be surrounded by enemies with no way out.  The one who is committed to the Word of God can hardly expect his best life now.  Regardless of the circumstances, he remains faithful because he knows that in understanding, which comes from the Word, is where he can find life.

“Lord, put an end to me so that I can be complete given to Your Word. AMEN”

Psalm 119:129-136

 Psalm 119:129-136

Pe

He pleads for protection from the ungodly while shedding floods of tears for them.

This section of the Psalm has some of the most profound thoughts in all of Scripture.  The poet begins with “Thy testimonies are wonderful.”  That phrase itself is profound.  The Word of God becomes more beautiful and profound the more it is contemplated.  It is marvelous, but there is a strangeness about it; it is pleasing at a glance but draws us into deeper contemplation that is more than casual observation.  It is compelling in its allure to us.  The more we consider the Word, the more we want to know and keep it.  For many, the stagnation of our discipleship is that we have too casually glanced at the Word and not allowed ourselves to be drawn into it.  The poet/disciple finds that his soul, a powerful descriptive word of the passion of the living being, observes the Word of God.  This “observation” is more than watching but carries the implication of “keeping” or “guarding”; it is as if the Word has become the apple or center of his eye or gaze.

This reaction is understandable when we consider that the Word is able to give light and simple understanding.  The more he has of the Word, the more he desires the Word.  It is working on him like an addiction except for his benefit. In each of the verses 132-134, the poet/disciple expresses his great desire and then confidently speaks of what he expects God to do.  This is no name and claim, personal, financial, or temporal blessings; rather, it is the desire to move more deeply into the will of God, to become what God wants him to be.  Each verse is a duality, with the first line expressing a plea and the second line showing what God can do.  This is an expression of positive prayers being answered.  Those who love God and want more of Him will receive more of God.  Those who desire holy living according to God’s Word will not be dominated by iniquity.  Those who wish to keep God’s Word will be freed from oppression by which man would attempt to prevent that.  A note here is wise.  Verse 134 is not necessarily a formula for political liberty. It may be that the disciple is redeemed for rescue not into political liberty, but into the liberty of not caring about public opinion or not caring about the things lost because of loyalty to God.  Verse 134 may have more to do with the work God does in us than the work He does around us.  Verse 135 refers back to the Aaronic blessing and the ideal of God’s smile on us.  Sometimes our presence or arrival brightens the face or eyes of a loved one.  We can tell by their expression that they love us and are delighted to see us and be with us.  The poet/disciple wants that experience, but it immediately turns to learning the statutes of God.  As God delights in us, we want to know Him and His ways better.  Apathy or disinterest in the Word of God is a symptom of a deeper relational problem we have with Him.  

This marvelous passage concludes with the poet/disciples in tears.  As he experiences the joy of God, his heart breaks for the ungodly.  He has a never-ending stream of tears because men do not keep the Word of God.  His sorrow is not that they live in ways offensive to him, but that they are missing the joy of their Creator.  How unlike so many disciples today who are more concerned about winning the culture war or getting “bad” people to behave in given ways.  The poet/disciples are deeply sorrowful that their opponents are missing the joy of God’s Word and the life He has for them.  

“Call me Lord, to care deeply about those who do not know Your word. AMEN”

Psalm 119:121-128

 Psalm 119:121-128 

Ajin 

He is oppressed, but God will not allow him to be crushed. 

Like many of Jesus’ parables, the poet in this section uses the metaphor of wealth to teach commitment to the God he serves.  However, there is the possibility that in this section of the poem he moves beyond metaphor to concrete.  In verse 122, the poet asked that God Himself be his “surety,” or, we might say, mortgage.  The promise of repayment for a life faithfully lived is to come from God because the disciple has sought God and God’s will faithfully.  The disciple remains in a persecuted state but doesn’t stop seeking a higher level and more faithful commitment to God.  This is no casual curiosity, but it is rather a passionate effort so focused that his eyes fail because he has been looking so long and so hard for the Lord.  But rather than complain, the disciple sees this life of learning the Lord’s statutes as an expression of God’s loving kindness or mercy.

Verse 126 is a pretty bold statement.  The disciple makes a declaration that it is time for the Lord to act.  He has moved from a request to a declaration.  In keeping with seeing God as his mortgage pledge, he is now asking God to “act.”  This is one of the words used in the account of God’s creation of the universe.  This is the word used when the creation account says, “God made…” It has the implication to make something out of what already exists or to fashion one thing from another.  (As opposed to creating out of nothing.) This new or remade reality, which the disciple is asking for, motivates him to love the Lord’s commands.  He loves the commands more than the apex of godless greed, gold, or fine gold.  Perhaps this is more than a mere metaphor.  It is entirely possible that for this poet/disciple this is a real choice.  He could have chosen the low road and become a wealthy individual, but he has elected the way of the Word of God.  He has enjoyed a different kind of wealth, a wealth of soul that allows him to understand in ever-growing ways the Lord’s will.  He says he “esteems right all Thy precepts.” This is not a claim of perfect knowledge of all that God has said.  This word is used to describe the way a man looks at a woman and is able to identify her as beautiful.  The poet/disciple here looks at the way of God’s precepts and laws and is able to recognize that they are indeed beautiful and right and fitting.  Because of seeing how wonderfully they fit, he is able to have a hate of the ways that would lead him away.  

“Lord, grant me the grace of seeing and loving Your Word. AMEN”

Psalm 119:113-120

Psalm 119:113-120 

Samech  

The poet abhors and despises those who turn from God.

There will be a necessary segregation in the life of the disciple.  The disciple rejects those who are not loyal to God and His word with a faithful heart.  The double-minded person is attempting to both adhere to the Word of God and live as if the Lord’s command did not apply to him.  This double-minded individual is attempting to find safety in being on both sides; in contrast, the disciple has made the Lord his protection, his hiding place, and his shield.  

The disciple banishes the evildoers.  Notice that the double-minded man is not, in fact, a neutral. The double-minded man is actively practicing evil; there is no neutral position, and trying to be neutral is in fact an act of evil.  The poet expels these kinds of people from his company.  The word “Depart” in verse 115 is more than a simple command to go away.  This word is passionate to the point that it can carry an aggressive or violent overtone.  It was on one occasion translated “beheaded.”  The absence of these double-minded evildoers is necessary for the disciple to faithfully observe the Lord’s commands.  If any disciple allows double-minded hypocrites and evildoers to be his influencers or guides, it will be impossible for him to remain faithful to God. Our best hope is to see to it that the Word and those who are submissive to it are the stimulus for our lives.

In verse 118, the poet tells us that the deceitfulness of the wicked is useless.  That word "useless" is more potent than we first might expect.  The point the poet is making is that all the councils, plans, and machinations of the wicked are ultimately self-destructive.  Not only will these plans fail, but they will ultimately turn out to be the ruin of their conspirators.  Understanding the contrast between these wicked plans and the trustworthiness of God’s word, the poet is moved to greater affection for the Lord’s way.  He is in fear, both in that he holds the Lord with a reverent awe and is terrified of the idea of being on the wrong side and finding himself condemned by the Lord’s righteous judgment.  

“Lord, forbid it that I would have those who influence me be double minded. AMEN”

Psalm 119:105-112

Psalm 119:105-112 

Nun

He has sworn faithfulness to the word in the midst of his persecution. 

This portion of the Psalm has what is undoubtedly the most familiar phrase of this Psalm: “Thy word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”  Having spent our entire lives with almost unlimited access to electric lights and good roads, we cannot appreciate the importance of this phrase.  For the ancient who was traveling a difficult, unknown, and dangerous path in the dark, the presence of a torch was vital.  Pits, cliffs, caverns, and hairpin turns are just a few of the life-threatening obstacles a traveller might face.  It was only in the most desperate circumstances that one would travel in the dark.  The light was a matter of life and death.  The path of being a disciple is no easy walk; the way is narrow, difficult, and filled with danger.  The world, the flesh, and the powers of darkness are arrayed against us and would gladly ruin us.  We can’t see the dangers that are set in ambush without the brilliant light of God’s law. 

In this section the poet says, “I am exceedingly afflicted,” and later, “My life is continually in my hand.” The disciple who is not prepared to suffer and even die for the cause is not fit to be a follower and will eventually slip away.  The disciple who would stay loyal must have more than stubborn determination.  Stubborn determination will only take you so far. Added to this virtuous resolve must be the delight and joy of the Word of God.  The poet will not “forget Thy law” and has “not gone astray from Thy precepts” because he has, in addition to great determination, a delight in the Lord’s testimonies.  He says in verse 111, “For they are the joy of my heart.”  It is when the holy will of God transitions from rules, laws, and obligations to be metamorphosed into the love, delight, and joy of our hearts that we will find the strength to remain faithful even under extremely difficult circumstances. That love will power our obedience, “Forever, even to the end.” 

“Lord, help me to grow in my love for your word. AMEN”

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”

Psalm 119:41-48

Psalm 119:41-48

Vav 

The Word of God enables the psalmist to provide a suitable and joyful confession.

The psalmist begins by asking for more than simply head knowledge of the Word of God.  He is asking for God’s mercy to bring about salvation through the Word. (v. 41) The challenge of the unbeliever can’t be answered with a dry academic knowledge of God alone, nor solely an emotional response, but personal trust in God’s Word (v. 42).  Verse 43 poses an interesting question: “Why would God take His truth out of the mouth or conversation of the psalmist?” This reflects the reality that if a person’s life is in rebellion and willful error, their testimony is rendered invalid.  When we testify about the Lord, we do so not on our own, but in the power of the Spirit.  A godless man can say the words of a witness, but it is only dust in the wind or hot air.  The syllables may be in the mouth of a wicked witness, but it will lack power because God will remove His blessing from it.  The last part of verse 43 says the psalmist will “wait” or “hope” in God’s laws. Hope always has a future element to it, but it is never simply a vague, wishful dream.  The hope given us by God’s Word is future but also certain.  We wait because it is not yet, but this hope is as certain as the passing of time.  

Because of the Lord’s testimony and his love for it, the psalmist is a bold witness.  He keeps the Lord’s commands, loves the Lord’s commands, and gives testimony to the Lord’s commands.  He does so before kings with a sense of  freedom because the one on trial is not the psalmist but the Lord’s ordinances.  If called to account for himself and his own power, a disciple is really not much.  But the disciple’s love for God and His Word sets him up in liberty or freedom.  The word translated “liberty” or “freedom” literally means “wide” or “broad.”  It is often used to refer to land. The idea is that there is plenty of room and no one is going to hem you in or restrict you.  There is so much confidence that the word was even used of arrogance.  The disciple who walks in the power of God’s Word has so much going for him no one and nothing is going to put “the squeeze” on him.  The disciple experiences the power of God’s Word and grows to love it more and more.  

“Lord, thank You for the boldness I have because of Your word. AMEN”