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”