Psalm 119:33

(This is an entry from a devotional commentary I am working on from Psalm 119 entitled God and His Word.  The introduction can be found here, successive entries have covered the 22 sections of the Psalm, and following entries verse by verse.)

 

"He. Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes,

And I shall observe it to the end.”

 

In He (this section, Psalm 119:33-40), the Psalmist asks God to teach him the way (path) of Your commandments.  Yet he realized that he needs even more.  He needs understanding (Psalm 119:34), resolve (Psalm 119:35), motivation (Psalm 119:36). focus (Psalm 119:37), and assurance / fulfillment (Psalm 119:38), all from You.  The knowledge is just the beginning; to ‘observe it to the end’, to persevere with consistency, requires more than understanding or resolve, it requires Your intervention.  This word for ‘teach’ is an interesting one, the Hebrew ‘יָרָה, yārāh, יוֹרֶה, yôreh, מוֹרֶה, môreh, יָרַהּ, yārah: A verb meaning to shoot, to throw, to pour.  Clearly it is a word of action and accomplishment.  It is used only one other place in Psalm 119, Psalm 119:102, in the past tense, ‘You Yourself have taught me’.  Only God can teach in this way, in an equipping, accomplishing way.  This is distinct from the ‘teach’ of Psalm 119:12, the Hebrew לָמַד lāmaḏ which similarly is a word indicating ‘training’.  So the sense here is ‘shoot me in the right direction’!  It is a decision with no going back.  It is reflected in Psalm 86:11 in an undivided heart.  Like You, Father, may my children and those I disciple be trained and bear eternal fruit for Your kingdom.  Psalm 127:5, 2 Timothy 2:2.  Pour into me that I may pour into others.

 

‘What he desires to be taught, not the notions or language of God's statutes, but the way of them - “the way of applying them to myself and governing myself by them; teach me the way of my duty which thy statutes prescribe, and in every doubtful case let me know what thou wouldst have me to do, let me hear the word behind me, saying, This is the way, walk in it” Isa 30:21.’[1]

 

‘A sense of great slowness to learn drives us to seek a great teacher. What condescension it is on our great Jehovah's part that he deigns to teach those who seek him. The lesson which is desired is thoroughly practical; the holy man would not only learn the statutes, but the way of them, the daily use of them, their tenor, spirit, direction, habit, tendency…As Christ loves us to the end, so must we serve him to the end. The end of divine teaching is that we may persevere to the end.’[2]

[1] Henry, Matthew, Commentary on the Whole Bible, on Psalm 119:33, e-Sword edition

[2] Spurgeon, Charles Haddon, Treasury of David, on Psalm 119:33, e-Sword edition


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