In His Grip

"Zayin. Remember the word to Your servant, In which You have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, That Your word has revived me. The arrogant utterly deride me, Yet I do not turn aside from Your law. I have remembered Your ordinances from of old, O LORD, And comfort myself. Burning indignation has seized me because of the wicked, Who forsake Your law. Your statutes are my songs In the house of my pilgrimage. O LORD, I remember Your name in the night, And keep Your law. This has become mine, That I observe Your precepts."   (Psalm 119:49-56 NASB95)     Lord, we challenge not the strength of Your memory, but recall the strength of Your promises as we set our hope on You.   Through current affliction (v.50), derision (v. 51), wickedness (v. 53),   wandering (v. 54), and darkness (v. 55) the Psalmist remembers Your faithfulness in the past (v. 52), Your name in the night (v. 53), to the point of ...

"Vav. May Your lovingkindnesses also come to me, O LORD, Your salvation according to Your word; So I will have an answer for him who reproaches me, For I trust in Your word. And do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, For I wait for Your ordinances. So I will keep Your law continually, Forever and ever. And I will walk at liberty, For I seek Your precepts. I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings And shall not be ashamed. I shall delight in Your commandments, Which I love. And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments, Which I love; And I will meditate on Your statutes."   (Psalm 119:41-48 NAS95)       When Your lovingkindnesses come to me, I am free to drink from abundance (Psalm 36:8) that is infinite (Psalm 103:11).   I will have a ready answer (v. 42), hope for new answers (v.43), resolve (v.44), utter freedom (v.45), confidence before all men (v.46), inner delight (v. ...

"He. Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes, And I shall observe it to the end. Give me understanding, that I may observe Your law And keep it with all my heart. Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it. Incline my heart to Your testimonies And not to dishonest gain. Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, And revive me in Your ways. Establish Your word to Your servant, As that which produces reverence for You. Turn away my reproach which I dread, For Your ordinances are good. Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me through Your righteousness."   (Psalm 119:33-40 NASB)     How do the prayers of the Psalmist here compare to mine?   What am I asking God FOR?    Notice the Psalmist does not pray things like, ‘Lord enable me to…’, or ‘give the doctors or whoever wisdom to…’, or anything like that.   Those may not be bad things, but I am challenged to find prayers l...

"Daleth. My soul cleaves to the dust; Revive me according to Your word. I have told of my ways, and You have answered me; Teach me Your statutes. Make me understand the way of Your precepts, So I will meditate on Your wonders. My soul weeps because of grief; Strengthen me according to Your word. Remove the false way from me, And graciously grant me Your law. I have chosen the faithful way; I have placed Your ordinances before me. I cling to Your testimonies; O LORD, do not put me to shame! I shall run the way of Your commandments, For You will enlarge my heart."   (Psalm 119:25-32)     Here in Daleth, You carry the Psalmist from cleaving to the dust to running the way of Your commandments.   He sees himself as earthbound and in despair, so he pours out his heart to You (v.26, see Psalm 62:8), he cries for understanding (v.27), weeps in weakness for strength (v.28), repents from his own false way (vv. 29-30), cl...

"Gimel. Deal bountifully with Your servant, That I may live and keep Your word. Open my eyes, that I may behold Wonderful things from Your law. I am a stranger in the earth; Do not hide Your commandments from me. My soul is crushed with longing After Your ordinances at all times. You rebuke the arrogant, the cursed, Who wander from Your commandments. Take away reproach and contempt from me, For I observe Your testimonies. Even though princes sit and talk against me, Your servant meditates on Your statutes. Your testimonies also are my delight; They are my counselors."   (Psalm 119:17-24)   While the Psalmist finds life, fellowship, and illumination in You (vv. 17-18), he finds death, alienation, and despair on earth (vv.19-23, also Psalm 119:87 ).   Seeking to be redeemed from the oppression of man (Psalm 119:134) by the arrogant and powerful who bring reproach and contempt, the Psalmist seeks continual illumination ...