Tag: Lent 2021

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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Psalm 119:77-80

⁷⁷ Let your mercy come to me, that I may live;
    for your law* is my delight.
⁷⁸ Let the insolent be put to shame,
    because they have wronged me with falsehood;
    as for me, I will meditate on your precepts.
⁷⁹ Let those who fear you turn to me,
    that they may know your testimonies.
⁸⁰ May my heart be blameless in your statutes,
    that I may not be put to shame!

* 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

It is quite remarkable how little we understand regarding the word of God and the acts of men.

It is my theory the reasons we know so little is because we have not stopped looking through the lenses of our denominations, our hero’s in the faith, our favorite authors, etc., but when we look to these things we are not also looking at Jesus.

Anything that moves us away from God, no matter how flattering the presentation cannot be trusted without some verification. And when we are thinking and talking with our neighbors we must keep in mind that not everything said or heard needs to be repeated. But when it comes to God, God does not need to impress anyone. He is impressiveness personified. And because of this we have to learn to see who God is in His person. Not just looking forward to what he can do for us. But to focus on who he is, and be satisfied with that.

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Commentary

Verse 77: When the word of God is our delight, we find it easier to see God’s mercy. This may be one of the primary reasons we struggle see and know God’s mercy. God’s word is what points to and describes what it means to experience God’s mercy. With the world the idea of mercy is often superficial and fluid. But when God speaks of mercy, we can trust it will mean the same thing to all who find need of it.

Verse 78: When those who oppose God’s will and ways cross our path, we may be surprised at their distaste for followers of God. We may not want to think like this. Or even to consider that this state is possible. But Jesus said that since the world had no need of him, it would have no need for us. But regardless of what the world does, we have to meditate and deeply consider what God’s word points to.

Verse 79: This verse almost has an evangelistic implication. The idea of having those who seek after God to turn to the Psalmist is odd. But the reason for requesting this kind of relationship is so that the writer can tell of what God has done. It can often be overlooked, and even dismissed, but one of the best things any congregant can hear every week is God’s word. Without it we are lost and without it we have no reason to share the gospel with those around us.

Verse 80: Throughout the psalm, we catch glimpses of the author’s struggles. The struggle to live in accord with God’s expectation can be daunting. But if we stick to what God has revealed, we may discover how much easier it is to live before God. Holiness is a difficult topic, and yet we are called to cultivate a life in keeping with this ideal. Being blameless is not that you never make a mistake. It’s a commitment you will continue to grow toward God, in spite of the inadequacies you see in the mirror.

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Psalm 119:73-76

⁷³ Your hands have made and fashioned me;
    give me understanding that I may learn your commandments*.
⁷⁴ Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice,
    because I have hoped in your word.
⁷⁵ I know, O Lord, that your rules are righteous,
    and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.
⁷⁶ Let your steadfast love comfort me
    according to your promise to your servant.

* 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

How doe we know that God is at work in us? This is one of the most difficult questions to answer. Not because we can’t know, but because God works at a pace we don’t always recognize.

There are times when God can, has, and does act with immediate effect. But the reality of God’s activity in our lives is more often slow and steady. It is a process that may even be described as unnoticeable. The reasons for this are two-fold. First, God is good and gracious. God knows what we can handle. So, he works in such a way that we are moving in a heavenward direction, but not so fast as to cause us to become discouraged.

The second reason for God’s pacing is he knows that if we see too much change too fast we will become dependent on his provision rather than find comfort in his presence. The abiding presence of God is the true inheritance of his children. Everything else is an added bonus to this.

The word of God provides us the information we need for transformation. But that information takes time to work because struggle to live in obedience to what it requires. And it is this obedience, the its absence, that helps us gauge how much fruit God has borne in us.

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Commentary

Verse 73: We have been fashioned in the image of God. While the natural means of conception appear to keep us distant from God’s personal act of creation, the reality is greater than we may understand. Every person conceived has imprinted within them that aspect of God’s person that makes us unique and special. We are living monuments to God’s glorious beauty. And when we recognize how his image becomes our visage we will recognize why conforming our lives to his commands is so vital. When we live according to what God has said, we reflect him most clearly.

Verse 74: When we live in faithful submission to God’s word, our hope becomes the joy of others who claim to belong to God as well. The bonds of confraternity that exists among those who share a common trust in God’s word are powerful. But only when we embrace them as being so. To be known by those who know God’s word is a great hope when times of difficulty arise.

Verse 75: A key realization for those who trust in God is to see his rules as good and helpful to us. They are not merely the restrictive impositions of a hard-hearted God. That is why when we are confronted with trials we can stand. We trust God to bring us through what comes our way. We may prefer to avoid the tribulations of life, but God most often delivers through and not just from what we find ourselves enduring in life.

Verse 76: What God has promised, God will fulfill. He has said that we will never be left alone nor forsaken. This is a power reminder of what we have when we are in fellowship with God. In a way, the Psalmist is demonstrating that we have to allow ourselves to be loved by God. God already loves us, But, we can behavior is such a way that we do not feel it, even when it is present.

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Psalm 119:69-72

⁶⁹ The insolent smear me with lies,
    but with my whole heart I keep your precepts*;
⁷⁰ their heart is unfeeling like fat,
    but I delight in your law.
⁷¹ It is good for me that I was afflicted,
    that I might learn your statutes.
⁷² The law of your mouth is better to me
    than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

* 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 years have passed, the more wonderful and precious God’s word becomes.

There may have been a time when I thought I could live without the Scripture’s influence in my life. I had treated the word as helpful advice, ancient wisdom, or just practical ideas for living. However, this is not what God’s word is.

God’s laws, commandments, precepts, and statutes, all of these ways of seeing God’s revelation, are God’s self-expression. God speaks into the world and we should take that effort more seriously than we do. We should give his utterances the proper weight they deserve, for they are the verbalization of God’s mind.

So, when we read and meditate on God’s word, we are interacting with the very mind of God. Let’s therefore approach this priceless treasure with the dignity and care it merits.

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Commentary

Verse 69: It does not matter what those who oppose us say or do, we must remain faithful to God’s precepts. An important caveat here is this: we must not be guilty of what those who speak against us are saying. If we are being falsely maligned, we must not succumb to responding in kind. We must become more committed to living in accord with God’s character. If we do not keep God precepts “with my whole heart,” we give opportunities for our enemies, whether spiritual or physical, to find an entry point. We must work to fortify our defenses when under attack.

Verse 70: As a continuation of the previous verse, the idea of “their heart” being incapable of feeling is quite interesting. It seems the reason for the smears is due to our attackers lack of “delight” in God’s law. When we know God’s law, and are being shaped by it, we refrain from doing to others what we do not want done to us. We are able to make links between actions and consequences. The law of God is the forge in which our conscience is molded. Without God’s law, we become untethered to what is true and righteous.

Verse 71: When given the choice between comfort and tribulation, it would be safe to say, most people would choose comfort. So, the idea here is not an invitation to tribulation, but a reframing of it. To be able to look at the difficult circumstances of life and to then see how God’s word becomes real to us is an important component of a mature faith. The greater our focus on God’s statutes, the better our ability to endure, even in the most difficult of times.

Verse 72: There is nothing that compares to the value of God’s law. Not even gold and silver can be traded or exchanged for it. This view of the worth of God’s law is one many overlook. In order to better understand what treasure we possess, we have to reconnect the object with the giver. When we see that God has given us this precious gift, we can better appreciate the importance of what we have been granted access to in the Scriptures.

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