Category: Lent

Psalm 119:117-120

¹¹⁷ Hold me up, that I may be safe
    and have regard for your statutes* continually!
¹¹⁸ You spurn all who go astray from your statutes,
    for their cunning is in vain.
¹¹⁹ All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross,
    therefore I love your testimonies.
¹²⁰ My flesh trembles for fear of you,
    and I am afraid of your judgments.

* Through these reflections, those phrases that identify God’s word, revelation, or law will be highlighted in the text in the hopes of accentuating the many and varied ways we can visualize what God has given to us for our good.

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Reflection

As the world continues to deal with and address the ramifications of a global pandemic, the words of Psalm 119 seem particularly useful. The uncertainty of the innumerable variables can cause us to feel unsteady in the world.

When we find ourselves being buffeted by the waves of life, we need to find a fixed point that can guide us home, to safety. That north star is God’s word for those of us who claim the name of Jesus. God’s word is the guiding light in the darkness and uncertainty of world trying to make sense what is happening.

The Christian faith points to an eternal reality beyond the shores of life on this world. This perspective can and should give us comfort. It is the constant reminder that we are passing through. We do not need to take a morbid posture to the uncertainties of life. We should take the attitude that what happens here and now does not have the power to rob us of what is to come.

This is the part of the eschatological hope of the Christian faith. We live today, enjoy today, and embrace today while we seek others to join us on this journey. Through it all we do everything we can to keep our eyes pointed to Jesus. In him we have hope. Not in the things of this world. At least that is the way it should be.

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Commentary

Verse 117: Once we have experienced the grace of God, it is difficult to live without it. The beauty of God’s love is that we are not cast away when we falter and fail. God’s goodness draws us back when we are sincere in our remorse. There are some who would say that this is taking advantage of God’s grace. That might be true, if the person’s heart was to do as they wished. However, knowing that we will sin and wanting to continue doing it are not the same. This difference matters and it matters to God. He is the one who knows the heart of the one who comes to him seeking to be restored and reconciled.

Verse 118: To adhere to God’s statutes is to declare a trust in God’s wisdom. To reject God’s commands is to expose a lack of trust in God’s care. As a result, when those who obey God’s word experience blessings in can make those who do not to feel as if they have been rejected by God. This is not necessarily an intentional act by God, but the natural consequence of going one’s own way, apart from God.

Verse 119: One of the characteristics of many of the psalms is the personal and intimate tone they take. We see expressions of anger and desires for revenge in those places where the writer feels under attack. These emotions should be interpreted in ways that diminish the human experience. However, they should not be understood as endorsements by God about what the author should expect. One of the simpler ways of understanding this kind of language is as an awareness by God of the difficulties that emerge in the human experience. In this light, the speaker in the psalm can describe when they perceive is happening, or even hope would happen, without imposing upon God some obligation foreign to his character.

Verse 120: When we find the word “fear” in the scriptures, it has become common to speak of a reverence and honoring of God. While in many cases the context would justify this understanding of the word, this is not one of those cases. There is a real sense in which the reality of God’s “judgments” must be understood a terror inducing. The reason for this is an acknowledgement of the power and authority which God has to adjudicate sin. While it is proper to say that God desires to dispense grace and mercy, God must also uphold his righteousness in the face of sin. Therefore, to fear God, in this context, is to recognize how bad it could be for us, if it were not for God’s grace.

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Psalm 119:113-116

¹¹³ I hate the double-minded,
    but I love your law*.
¹¹⁴ You are my hiding place and my shield;
    I hope in your word.
¹¹⁵ Depart from me, you evildoers,
    that I may keep the commandments of my God.
¹¹⁶ Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live,
    and let me not be put to shame in my hope!

* Through these reflections, those phrases that identify God’s word, revelation, or law will be highlighted in the text in the hopes of accentuating the many and varied ways we can visualize what God has given to us for our good.

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Reflection

There will never be a time when we have “all the information” we desire. All of the pieces of information, even if they were available, would be difficult to process. This challenge is what makes living without God even more difficult.

God has promised that “all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). What this means is that in spite of our deficits, God is able to take all that we miss into account. Therefore, even when we miss things, and we will, God does not.

The question I ask myself is this: how do I enjoy the benefits of this promise? The Psalmist reminds us that it is God’s words, and our daily consumption of it, that reminds us of what we have and what we do not have to worry about any longer.

We can find comfort in all manner of difficult situations and circumstances because we can trust God to see us through.

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Commentary

Verse 113: As a thought experiment, what would be the opposite of being “double-minded”? In the implication of the phrase is that the person being labeled in this way in unreliable. They are not able to pick a path and stick with it. So, the opposite of being double-minded is being single-minded; being a person of resolve and conviction. The mistake we should avoid here is this, as followers of Christ the mind we seek to be resolved in is not our own. Rather, we should be single-minded in our resolve to do as God has commanded in his word. For it is there that God has revealed his mind to us.

Verse 114: One of the many benefits of studying and meditating on God’s word is the peace it brings. Knowing who God is and how he has promised to work in our lives is a true blessing. We have to normalize the idea that the greatest miracle is not what we can get from God, but that God has given us access to himself. He is our “hiding place and [our] shield.”

Verse 115: As we journey through this life, we must be vigilant of those who would encourage us to deviate from God’s purposes. In the simplest sense, these individuals are “evildoers.” They would ask us to substitute what we have learned about God for what they claim to know about God. This should never be. As we keep God’s commandments, we must grow in our resolve to dismiss those who would cause us to detour from where God is leading.

Verse 116: “Let me not be put to shame in my hope!” This is the call of a sincere heart. The mind of God is so much higher than ours. Because of this, we will not always understand everything God has asked us to do. In times like these we are to place our trust in God’s faithfulness and goodness. We are living with the hope that God will “uphold [us] according to [his] promise.” This is what living by faith means. We obey and leave the outcomes to God.

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Psalm 119:109-112

¹⁰⁹ I hold my life in my hand continually,
    but I do not forget your law*.
¹¹⁰ The wicked have laid a snare for me,
    but I do not stray from your precepts.
¹¹¹ Your testimonies are my heritage forever,
    for they are the joy of my heart.
¹¹² I incline my heart to perform your statutes
    forever, to the end.

* Through these reflections, those phrases that identify God’s word, revelation, or law will be highlighted in the text in the hopes of accentuating the many and varied ways we can visualize what God has given to us for our good.

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Reflection

What do we do when we can’t seem to find the answer we need in God’s word? We can get frustrated or discouraged.

Over the course of the last twenty years I have learned that an important part of my anxiety over God’s silence is me. I come to God believing that God is obligated to bend to my every whim. This is not only wrong, it exposes an assumption that hinders our relationship with God. When we demand God act, we have usurped an authority that does not belong to us.

The Psalmist throughout this psalm provides us with a multitude of reasons why we should never demand of God what God has not obligated himself to do in his word. The Word of God is a binding document, both to God and to us. In it we find everything we need to know about how God operates in the world and how we are to approach him.

God will not do anything contrary to what he has revealed. And if we approach God understanding who he is and how he works, we reduce (and maybe even eliminate) the reasons for our frustration.

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Commentary

Verse 109: Every day we make important decisions that will affect the course of our lives. These decisions do not always feel as being significant, but which ones will or will not be cannot be predicted. To live with our eyes set on eternity is the best way of honoring the gift of life we have. So, it is vital that one of those decision we make is to remember God’s law. To acknowledge that what God has commanded also requires our attention every day.

Verse 110: This theme of the plans of those who are against us has been repeated several times. And each time the general direction is that of distraction. When there are people working to harm us, it can draw our attention from what we should be doing. Whether that is an objective or one of God’s “precepts.” The Psalmist admits the reality of this opposition and at the same time encourages us to recognize that a commitment to what God has said is far better.

Verse 111: As children of God, God’s word is an inheritance to us. The beauty of this inheritance is that we do not have to wait to enjoy it. We have access to it right now. All we have to do is make ourselves available to it. When we love the giver, we will treasure the gift even more. This is why we must read and meditate and study the Bible. It is ours by right. To not enjoy it is to diminish the one who provided it for us.

Verse 112: There comes a moment when we understand what is required of us. When that moment comes we must make a choice. There is no way of not making a choice. We will either chose to obey or to disobey. This same moment will occur when we understand what the word of God is to us. At that moment we will have to make a choice. Will we do all God has commanded? Or will we make a different choice?

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Psalm 119:105-108

¹⁰⁵ Your word* is a lamp to my feet
    and a light to my path.
¹⁰⁶ I have sworn an oath and confirmed it,
    to keep your righteous rules.
¹⁰⁷ I am severely afflicted;
    give me life, O Lord, according to your word!
¹⁰⁸ Accept my freewill offerings of praise, O Lord,
    and teach me your rules.

* Through these reflections, those phrases that identify God’s word, revelation, or law will be highlighted in the text in the hopes of accentuating the many and varied ways we can visualize what God has given to us for our good.

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Reflection

There are many different kinds of challenges on this journey of faith. The variety stems from the uniqueness of each person. No two people, even if they experienced the identical events, would be affected in the same way. Each person is as different as the proverbial snowflakes.

Understanding how wide the possible responses could be helps us to better appreciate the beauty of God’s word. As we approach the Scriptures, each and every person who embraces them will be ministered to in the just the ways they need. This characteristic of the Bible can only be described as miraculous.

How does knowing this help us? I believe it gives us a confidence in God’s ability to lead us we may not feel otherwise. If we know that when we read and meditate and internalize God’s wisdom he is present with us, that increases our desire to drink of that well over and over again.

To trust the Bible is not merely a blind assent. It is a tested decision. But if we have not actually conformed our thoughts to the patterns it teaches we may never actually know. To often in my own life I have claimed my own wisdom and understanding for God’s. This is always a mistake. And it is always a fools errand. It is not until we truly submit to God’s word that we will see the harvest of God’s word bear fruit in our lives.

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Commentary

Verse 105: This may possible be one of the best know verse of Psalm 119. The two-fold blessing of God’s word is that it helps us to see where we are AND where we are going. Being able to have a stable footing is vitally important to living confidently before God. Also, knowing we are headed in the correct direction builds our trust in God’s goodness. We see here that God accomplishes all this through his word.

Verse 106: It takes a conscious decision to keeps God’s rules. It is not something we just fall into doing. The principal reason is we really don’t want to. The Psalmists says they have confirmed their oath. One has to wonder how this confirmation has taken place. The simplest way of thinking about it is to remember the context of the psalm up to this point. The context is a trust in God’s word to provide all that has been described. This steady trust is a perpetual confirmation. Both to God, but also to us. As we do what we have promised, God does what he has promised. And with each step, faith is built up in us.

Verse 107: At first glance it would be easy describe the Psalmist’s plea as a request for protect. This would not be an incorrect reading. However, there is another, more subtle implication of the text. Namely, that the word of God described a particular understanding of what life is. The life of faith cannot be quantified in the same terms as that of life without God. This would be to impose upon God that which he is under no obligation to provide.

Verse 108: Thankfulness and worship are always appropriate responses to God’s goodness. Especially when we offer them for no other reason than to let God know we are thankful. As we appreciate God’s grace and mercy we ought to make it a habit to honor God without needing to be prompted. As we give thanks to God, we are also preparing ourselves to receive instruction from him.

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Psalm 119:101-104

¹⁰¹ I hold back my feet from every evil way,
    in order to keep your word*.
¹⁰² I do not turn aside from your rules,
    for you have taught me.
¹⁰³ How sweet are your words to my taste,
    sweeter than honey to my mouth!
¹⁰⁴ Through your precepts I get understanding;
    therefore I hate every false way.

* Through these reflections, those phrases that identify God’s word, revelation, or law will be highlighted in the text in the hopes of accentuating the many and varied ways we can visualize what God has given to us for our good.

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Worship

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Reflection

The longer we spend time with God’s word, the easier it becomes to tell the difference between right and wrong. The reason is quite simple. Simpler than we be ready to admit. It becomes easier because we now have access to how God sees the world, including how he see us.

When our thoughts are transformed by the word of God and our lives are conformed to the example of Christ, we begin to understand what would please God. In the same way that familiarity can make us more keenly aware of the preferences of our loved ones, when we know what God commands and what God desires we develop an awareness to what in congruent with God’s character.

Pleasing God is not complicated. But it does take a commitment to living in the light of his word. Pleasing God requires us to set aside trying to please those around us. As we learn what the Scriptures teach, and as we grow in our ability to recognize those things that are in line with it, we can actually respond more consistently to the variety of circumstances we may encounter.

The easiest way I have come to explain what this means is this: We have make decisions based on what God says, not what we feel. Our feelings will try and convince us that what is now before us matters more than the eternal truth of God. The proximity of the issue will confuse us if we are not grounded in who God is. God does not change. Therefore, whatever we do must not make it appear that God has changed.

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Commentary

Verse 101: There is a link between our obedience to God word and the choices we make in life. It will be very rare the number of times where we will know what the consequences of our decisions will be. There are so many variables in life. This is why it is both wise and prudent to make choices that lead us toward greater submission to God. What this means is that as we learn what God has commanded, we do those things to the best of our ability. The greater our consistency, the lower the likelihood that we will chose paths that are evil or lead to evil.

Verse 102: In a variety of instances we have seen the Psalmist thank God for his instruction. This is the clearest instance of that sentiment. When we know who the teacher is, our confidence grow in what we are taught grows. So what are we to think when our teacher is God? We should disregard what God says less and less.

Verse 103: The image of eating God’s word and of the sweet taste it has is a vivid word picture. The Psalmist is adamant in their conviction that God’s words are the best things in the world. There is nothing better that having and consuming and savoring the wisdom of God in the Scriptures. In order to understand this, we have to take the full weight of what we have seen up to this point in the psalm into account. The blessings and benefits of obedience to God’s word cannot be calculated, but they can be experienced.

Verse 104: This verse recalls what was said in v. 101. While there might be some relative difference between the “evil” path and the “wrong” path, the difference in effect may not be as different at all. To choose or go down any path that leads away from God’s purposes will invariably reveal a failure to obey God’s word.

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Psalm 119:97-100

⁹⁷ Oh how I love your law*!
    It is my meditation all the day.
⁹⁸ Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,
    for it is ever with me.
⁹⁹ I have more understanding than all my teachers,
    for your testimonies are my meditation.
¹⁰⁰ I understand more than the aged,
    for I keep your precepts.

* Through these reflections, those phrases that identify God’s word, revelation, or law will be highlighted in the text in the hopes of accentuating the many and varied ways we can visualize what God has given to us for our good.

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Reflection

There is one thing in life that we should all be diligent in cultivating. That “thing” is wisdom. Wisdom is the greatest weapon against living a life of confusion and wandering. When we are wise, even when we cannot avoid hard situations, we can have a perspective that leads us through the hardships.

As a follower of Christ, we have been given access to the greatest treasure trove of wisdom imaginable. It is called the Bible. The richness of this treasure is in the fact that it is not the wisdom of other human beings. It is the wisdom of God.

God has revealed himself in and through the normal, everyday events of the human experience. This means that the Bible contains two important attributes. First, the word of God has a plethora of points of contact that makes sense to us because they are, often times, typical human events. We can learn to see ourselves in the moments that are captured within the texts.

Second, and this one is very exciting to me, the wisdom of God is knowable because God wanted us to learn how to live. When we see God working through the foibles and weaknesses of other human beings, we can be confident that the lessons can be transferred to those who would listen. But, we have to be listening. We have to take notice of how we can get caught up in the same kinds of circumstances. This ability to connect the dots is vital to our growing in wisdom.

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Commentary

Verse 97: Given the fact that the longest Psalm in the Bible is about the Word of God, it should be no surprise that the Psalmist speaks glowingly of God’s law. “Oh how I love your law!” This ought to the attitude of those who have spent time with what God has said. This is the way those who have been impacted and changed by what God has declared should feel. However, we cannot love what we do not understand. We will not meditate on it “all the day” when we have an indifferent or even a negative view of God’s word.

Verse 98: The search for wisdom is a perpetual one. What we must recognize is that the finding of wisdom requires humility. There is a need for acceptance of what we have and what we are missing. There is not sense in which we can claim “we have arrived.” What is interesting here is that when we embrace God’s commandments we become wiser than our enemies. What this means is that we do not have to worry about what they are doing. Their efforts will come to nothing. Our continual trust in God’s commandments gives us comfort and strength when confronted by those who seek to do us harm.

Verse 99: In this verse, the Psalmist continues this theme of wisdom. Here it is called “understanding.” There is a trap we all are susceptible to if we are not careful. It is called “appealing to authority.” This is the view point that we should defer to those in positions of authority. They may be in those positions because they know something we don’t. And while experience and training are definitely considerations when evaluating someone’s credibility, there is one significant problem. No one, no matter who they are or what they claim to know, can claim to be the ultimate authority on a topic. No one, except God. And to know God is to know the one who knows all. That is why knowing what God knows is better than knowing what human experts claim to know. Even if what they know is true.

Verse 100: In this verse we see the movement from having more wisdom than enemies, then to more than teachers, and now more than “the aged.” Living a long life has a way of teaching us many lessons. But even a lifetime of experience cannot be compared to the wisdom that comes from obedience to God’s precepts. There is a mystery in the Psalmist’s structure here. In order to understand it, we have to accept the key being offered to us. The key to the kind of wisdom being described is a sincere trust and commitment to God’s word. It is as easy and as hard as that.

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Psalm 119:93-96

⁹³ I will never forget your precepts*,
    for by them you have given me life.
⁹⁴ I am yours; save me,
    for I have sought your precepts.
⁹⁵ The wicked lie in wait to destroy me,
    but I consider your testimonies.
⁹⁶ I have seen a limit to all perfection,
    but your commandment is exceedingly broad.

* Through these reflections, those phrases that identify God’s word, revelation, or law will be highlighted in the text in the hopes of accentuating the many and varied ways we can visualize what God has given to us for our good.

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Reflection

When we become children of God, a transfer of “ownership” has taken place. It may be better to say that a transfer of responsibility has taken place.

The day I learned that I would become a father, I felt a weight settle on me. In that moment, there was a realization that I would become responsible for a new life. To say that I was was changed by that awakening would be an understatement. I was shaken by the changes I knew would become a part of my life.

In many ways, I knew that I would never be the same again. I understand that how I saw the world would be altered by the presence of this new life in my home.

While it would be a little foolish to try and describe what God feels for us as his children, I do think we can learn something from the Psalmist’s description in verse 94. We no longer belong to ourselves. When we have entered into relationship with God by faith in Jesus, we have surrendered our rights to our own lives.

There may be some who are bothered by this. I am not one of them. To know that God is responsible for my life, my soul, and my destiny is quite comforting. I don’t always appreciate it like I should. So, it would be wise to do what I can to not lose sight of this wonderful reality.

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Commentary

Verse 93: Here we see an explicit connection being made between God’s precepts and the life we have. The idea of “life” here can be understood in a variety of ways. It could be salvation. Or it could mean encouragement. However, the overall tone of the psalm leans in a practical direction. Therefore, with that in mind, it would make sense to see the word “life” here as referring to wisdom. As we learn and remember God’s word, we grow in wisdom. We are enlightened by the mind of God for how we should conduct ourselves in this world.

Verse 94: The pursuit of God’s precepts is an indication of what we value. The greater our commitment to God’s word, the more we understand all God has promised. The way we see our relationship with God also has a role to play here. The Psalmist describes themselves as belonging to God, “I am yours.” This is the posture of the person who sees all God offers and chooses that over anything else.

Verse 95: The fact of opposition should be a given. It will happen in the course of time. Not always because of something we did to instigate it. Sometimes we are faced with conflict because we are doing what God has commanded. In this verse the Psalmist implies that regardless of what may come against us, we should “consider your testimonies.” There should be a resolve to not lose sight of what God has revealed to us. This considering is a safeguard against losing heart in the midst of the schemes of the wicked.

Verse 96: The expanse of God’s commandments cannot be measured and it cannot be quantified. In the world, there are those who would try and convince us of their wisdom. But earthly wisdom has its limits. What’s more, earthly wisdom can never bring us into the presence of God. God’s commands, may at first appear restrictive, but they are far greater than we may fully understand in the moment. But as we dive deeper and investigate further and consider more intentionally what God has commanded, we will see the richness of God’s wisdom like never before.

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Psalm 119:89-92

⁸⁹ Forever, O Lord, your word*
    is firmly fixed in the heavens.
⁹⁰ Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
    you have established the earth, and it stands fast.
⁹¹ By your appointment they stand this day,
    for all things are your servants.
⁹² If your law had not been my delight,
    I would have perished in my affliction.

* Through these reflections, those phrases that identify God’s word, revelation, or law will be highlighted in the text in the hopes of accentuating the many and varied ways we can visualize what God has given to us for our good.

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Reflection

There is one aspect of God’s character that may be, at least to me, the most comforting. We see it here described as God’s faithfulness.

When I think about one of my great concerns in the Christian journey, it is wondering if God’s attitude toward me will ever change. Will my struggles and weakness become too much for God to tolerate? Will we fail one too many times? And what is more horrifying, will I even know if that moment comes?

But, when we see verses like this, I find great comfort. God is faithful, but his faithfulness is not limited my time or culture. God’s ability to remain true to his word and consistent to his character are realities that transcend one generation. What God offered and promised to Moses is still true for us. Not because we are wiser than Moses, but because God is just as good to us as he was to him.

God is faithful. And for that I am grateful.

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Commentary

Verse 89: God’s word is unchanging. The fixed nature of what God has spoken is a guarantee of God’s promises. God will never reject or countermand his word. This reality is what we build our faith on. There has never been a time when God has vacillated in keeping his word. This fortitude is what gives us confidence in believing today what God has said in the past. But it also fosters hope that we can expect in the future what God has promised to us.

Verse 90: God’s faithfulness is one of the great mysteries of the Christian journey. We all know that we are frail and inconsistent. We all, at some point in our lives, struggle to do what we know God expects of us. It is one of the great sources of discouragement. To know what we should do, and still be unable to perform it in our daily journey. But, God’s goodness and kindness toward us is most gloriously seen when God continues to give us what we do not deserve, his grace.

Verse 91: All that God has created persists because of God’s sustaining power. Nothing exists apart from God’s presence. He not only created, but he maintains the parameters of existence itself. Without God nothing can exist. But with God, even that which rejects him, cannot escape his influence. God may not impose, but nothing can prevent him from being where he chooses to be.

Verse 92: We find again another reference to delighting in God’s law. This is a theme for which we, in our modern times, have little point of reference. We struggle to see how the Law of God and the grace of God exist in harmonious relationship. Discovering this connection is key to experiencing what the Psalmist describes here. To delight in God’s law provides for us a ballast of hope and relief in times of great struggle. When these times of affliction come, if we have waited to delight in God’s law, we will have waited too long.

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Psalm 119:85-88

⁸⁵ The insolent have dug pitfalls for me;
    they do not live according to your law*.
⁸⁶ All your commandments are sure;
    they persecute me with falsehood; help me!
⁸⁷ They have almost made an end of me on earth,
    but I have not forsaken your precepts.
⁸⁸ In your steadfast love give me life,
    that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.

* Through these reflections, those phrases that identify God’s word, revelation, or law will be highlighted in the text in the hopes of accentuating the many and varied ways we can visualize what God has given to us for our good.

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Reflection

The Psalmist offers an interesting perspective about what should be most valued in life. In the final verse the selected section, the writer makes a request for continued life. That the life to be given is the consequence or result of God’s steadfast love.

What is interesting, and even verges on the peculiar, is the reason for the request for life. The Psalmist desires to live so that they may keep, or observe, the testimonies of God. What God had said was worthy of living so as to enjoy them longer.

It is an odd time to walk on the earth. There are so many who value the word of God so little. They crack open its pages when there is sufficient time, or when it is convenient. This is a sad and unhealthy way of interacting with God and his word.

Our keeping of God’s word is not the means of attracting God’s attention. Our observance and obedience to God’s word is the result of our having received God’s incalculable love.

Until we see this relationship clearly, we will interact with God in transactional ways, rather than spiritual and relationship ways.

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Commentary

Verse 85: When people chose to reject the law of God as a standard for living, they become susceptible to all manner of unethical acts. To live in conformity to God’s prescription is to create a spiritual and moral division between us and the world. Not with the intention of creating obstacles for others, but as a consequence of our faithfulness being a reminder of their lack of it. This is one of the many challenges of the Christian journey. We are to live in the light of God’s holiness, but that very activity cause those outside of that relationship to resent us for it. We are forced to choice the approval of God over that of men.

Verse 86: The surety, or the constancy, of God’s commandments are a comfort in times of persecution. To know that God will never go back on his word can be a boon in times of great difficulty. What is also important to note is the nature of the persecution. It comes because “falsehoods” had to be told to conjure up the negative pressure against the child of God. If those of the world are to make our lives difficult, let it be because they had to fabricate the reasons. It can be encouraging, in spite of the pain, that what they are saying about us are lies and doing to us is unjust.

Verse 87: Continuing on the theme of having those in the world coming against us, we see how important God’s word is to the Psalmist. The burden of the attacks were so severe, they had brought them to the point of death. The implication is that the writer was as close as they had ever been. And yet, in the midst of the upheaval, the thought of forsaking God’s precepts was dismissed. No level of discomfort and no degree of danger should dislodge our commitment to God’s precepts. It will take courage to live in this way.

Verse 88: The love of God is described as being steadfast. The immovable reality of God’s love is a key to our holding onto our faith. It means we can trust God. With this reality in view, the Psalmist calls upon God to give them life. After all that had come against them in the previous verses, it is no wonder we see this request. However, the reason for the continued sustaining of life was not just personal entertainment. The purpose of the Psalmist’s life was to be able to keep the testimonies of God. In linking continued life with the keeping of God’s testimonies, what we find one of the deepest and most important reasons we can endure the attacks in our lives. What God has said, God will do. And what God has promised, nothing can deter.

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