Tag: Lent 2021

Psalm 119:25-28

²⁵ My soul clings to the dust;
    give me life according to your word*!
²⁶ When I told of my ways, you answered me;
    teach me your statutes!
²⁷ Make me understand the way of your precepts,
    and I will meditate on your wondrous works.
²⁸ My soul melts away for sorrow;
    strengthen me according to your word!

* 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.

Reflection

It would be tempting to think we can endure the journey of life with less of God’s word. The terrible irony is this: without God’s word we are wandering an endless desert with no source of water within reach. The word of God is the portable oasis we need. And has been given to us as a heavenly gift.

When we tap into the totality of God’s commands we receive the fullness of its provision. This does not mean we are actualizing all that God has provided. It is better to say we have access to it all, and as we mature and grow in wisdom, we enjoy the benefits more intentionally.

God’s word can be what leads us to safety, or it can feel like a millstone around our next. How we experience it will depend on why we engage with it. If we approach God’s word as a gift, we find security and counsel. If we approach God’s word as a burden, we will feel the weight of all we have been forgiven by Christ’s redemptive work on the Cross.

It took me a long time to see this difference. And now that I know it, I can never go back to how things used to be. Knowing and living in God’s good pleasure is not worth surrendering, for any reason. Under any circumstances.

Commentary

Verse 25: How did God create all things? In the opening chapter of the Bible, we are told that he spoke them into existence. By the power of his word what never existed came into being. While not to the same degree, the word of God as contained in the Scriptures continue to infuse life in all who embrace God’s word. Why? Because the word of God written come from the same source as the words of God spoken. When we read God’s commandments, their power are not resident on the pages, but in the author. The author is the one who validates and enacts what the words on the page convey.

Verse 26: The God who has spoken (and continues to speak) desires for us to be vocal as well. The apostle Paul captured this idea when he asked, “And how are they to hear without someone preaching?” (Romans 10:14 ESV). The preacher is the mouthpiece of God, carrying the words of God, to those who need to hear from God. We reflect our heavenly Father best when we imitate him in being verbal communicators. We don’t have to speak to thousands to do this. Something our audience need only be one person. And, in order to speak, the Psalmist asks God to teach them.

Verse 27: The Psalmist makes a link between our understanding of God’s precepts and our desire to consider the “wondrous works” of God. We do not always understand how studying God’s word, how reflecting on what God has revealed helps us to appreciate his labors in the world. The Psalmist in another place tells us that the heavens declare the glory of God (Psalm 19:1 ESV). How? By reminding us that all beautiful things come into being by the hand of an artist.

Verse 28: The struggles of life can fell overwhelming. We are reminded of this. The imagery is that of the soul melting away. Our endurance will be taxed in this world. Adversity will be a companion to everyone at some point in their lives. The question is how to we find the strength to persevere? We are told that it is found in God’s word. There is a property in God’s word that can invigorate us even in the midst of strife. Into this reality we must entrust ourselves. For when we do, we will experience a renewal of courage.

Psalm 119:21-24

²¹ You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones,
    who wander from your commandments*.
²² Take away from me scorn and contempt,
    for I have kept your testimonies.
²³ Even though princes sit plotting against me,
    your servant will meditate on your statutes.
²⁴ Your testimonies are my delight;
    they are my counselors.

* 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.

Reflection

It only takes one day of living to know that not all is well in the world. The brokenness of the human experience is manifested in a myriad of ways. They don’t all have to be named, to be known. They hover over our minds like a fog that never lifts. This is the dark side of life.

In the verses that serve as our focus today, we see the the heaviness of the fall. We see it in the struggle of living apart from God’s word. We see the barrage that we must endure even when we have been faithful to what God has instructed. The injustices we may be forced to endure when we have no access to the means of relief. These and so many more could rob us of our ability to rejoice in God. If we would let them.

But the Psalmist calls us to a deeper wisdom. One grounded in the testimonies of God where delight springs with an unquenchable constancy. There is a wisdom that the world offers to us, but it will fail. And the reason it will do so is it cannot replenish itself. It will always be short-sighted because it comes from those whose vision is marred.

The wisdom of God can penetrate the darkness of the world. No shadow can restrain its brilliance. No corner can hide from its influence. There is nothing that can dampen the power of God’s wisdom. That is why we can rest in it. And why our confidence will never be misplaced.

Commentary

Verse 21: To “wander from [God’s] commandments” is the surest way of incurring the discipline of God. Not because God will actively bring his rebuke. The reality is any move away from what God has given for us to do will invariably result in discipline. In our obedience we receive the blessing of God’s protection. But in our disobedience we say to God we do not need his loving care. This is why our wandering can be so dangerous. God does not desire or enjoy the discipline of his children. But God has already given us the way of escape. We are the ones who must take it.

Verse 22: One of the difficulties most often associated with obedience will be the disdain of those who are not in relationship with God. Our desire to submit to God and live in accord with his testimonies identify us to the world. We must not be surprised by this. In fact, we should expect it. However, we don’t have to enjoy this kind of suffering. We can call upon the Lord to provide a reprieve. We can look to our God and inquire for relief from these burdens. But, even if they are not removed, we should not allow those discomforts and frustrations to keep us from keeping God’s word.

Verse 23: It does not matter who may find reason to come against us, their station in life should not become a distraction to how we live our faith before God. If there is one thing that is certain on our journey of faith it is that we will encounter opposition. It may not be another person necessarily. But whatever it may be, we must do all we can to not be distracted or deterred. When we meditate on God’s statutes, we are striving to focus our attention. This cannot happen when our minds are drawn away from what we are trying to contemplate.

Verse 24: We again encounter the Psalmist speaking of delighting in God’s words. This reminder is vital if we are going to understand how we should feel about God’s commands. They should not feel like burdens to us (1 John 5:3). They are to be for our minds and souls a refreshing ointment and a healing balm. To approach God’s word as an inconvenience is to not fully appreciate their role in our lives. This way of understanding God’s words takes time to understand, and even longer to cultivate. But this should be the charge we take up each and every day.

Psalm 119:17-20

¹⁷ Deal bountifully with your servant,
    that I may live and keep your word*.
¹⁸ Open my eyes, that I may behold
    wondrous things out of your law.
¹⁹ I am a sojourner on the earth;
    hide not your commandments from me!
²⁰ My soul is consumed with longing
    for your rules at all times.

* 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.

Worship

Reflection

The power of the word to transform and set free cannot be easily described. But once it has been experienced, it can never be denied. We can become discouraged when we don’t see the kind of transformation we desire. It can create doubt and even fear that we will be consigned to the uncertainty of not knowing if God is pleased with us.

We do not have to live with this cloud of anxiety. There is a promise we can hold on to.

God desires for us to live with him according to the truth. That is why he gave us his word. That we might learn it and be transformed by it. When we interact with God’s word we are awakened to more than we could every imagined.

The promise we have is that if we desire to see, God can give us the ability. But, we have to actually want to see. We have to accept the implications and ramifications of what that means.

In our search from God, we will discover more than we may have ever wanted to admit about ourselves. This is the price we pay to have an honest and true relationship with God.

Commentary

Verse 17: The desire of the Psalmist is to live in such a way that they might live out God’s word. In order to accomplish this, the writer asks God to bless them. To bestow upon them an abundance of blessing so that they may live out what God has spoken. Now, it would be easy to think this is a request for material increase. However, that would not fit the context. What the Psalmist needs and what God can provide in infinite quantities is the spiritual fervor to obey his commands. This perspective would be a more accurate point of view of the request.

Verse 18: A second request in this section is for the Lord to give the Psalmist the ability to see. This kind of sight is what we all should desire. It is the ability we need to perceive the world as God made it and wants it to be. Without this divine sight, we will experience severe difficulty on our journey of faith. What makes this second request particularly interesting is the Psalmist’s reason for asking. That they might see “the wondrous things out of your law.” The inference here is there are wondrous things that we should see in God’s law that we often timed do not see. When we are unable to see those things, there is a gap in our understanding of what God has revealed.

Verse 19: The journey of life is transient. Those who live for any length of time will see the effects and impact of death. Seeing our time on earth as a period where we are “passing through” can be helpful. It can force us to consider how we expend our energy and what consumes our time. We are journeying through. We will not be here forever. In light of this transient reality, the Psalmist asks God to provide access to his commandments. To not hide them for us. In our knowledge of God’s commands there is information that makes this journey easier to navigate.

Verse 20: What we value is what we dedicate our time and efforts to. The writer here explicitly states that their soul is “consumed with longing for [God’s] rules.” Let us take this declaration at face value. The intensity of this conviction exposes the singular focus all followers of Christ should desire. Faith is not, or ought not to be, something we turn off and on. Who we are in God because of the work of Christ should be the defining reality of our lives.

Psalm 119:13-16

¹³ With my lips I declare
    all the rules of your mouth*.
¹⁴ In the way of your testimonies I delight
    as much as in all riches.
¹⁵ I will meditate on your precepts
    and fix my eyes on your ways.
¹⁶ I will delight in your statutes;
    I will not forget your word.

* 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.

Reflection

There is a famous phrase attributed to the great St. Francis of Assisi.

“Preach the Gospel at all times. When necessary, use words.”

St. Francis of Assisi (attributed)

The problem is, there is no evidence that he actually said this. Well, maybe calling it a problem is a bit much. It would be better to say that this refrain may actually be a summary of his actual thoughts. It is possible that this pithier version was distilled from what St. Francis actually said, namely: “It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching.”

As we learn more of God’s word, we begin to have our thoughts shaped and reshaped by God’s thoughts.

As we spend time with God, we are influenced and directed in ways that actually bring us closer to where God is drawing us.

Whether we know it or not, the manner in which we live our lives does have an impact in how others receive what we say to them. There needs to be a congruency between word and action. However, and this is just as important, we can’t avoid speaking what we know to be true just because are still figuring our how to live in greater consistency!

I find that too often, I don’t speak because of some fear of being seen as a hypocrite. But this happens when what we say is coming from us. When we are the source. But if we are speaking the words of God, it doesn’t matter that I’m saying it or some donkey on the road. The words of God are true even when a notorious liar speaks them. They may be the only true things that person ever says. But that doesn’t make the words any less true.

As we invest time in God’s word, and as we inwardly digest that word in our lives, the greater our assurance of faith with God. And as our we grow in grace we must share what we have learned, even when we haven’t fully implemented what God has said.

Commentary

Verse 13: There is a sense in which we will never fulfill the charge of this verse. But, that is not its intent. By making this declaration, the Psalmist is displaying the nature of what our commitment should be. There is an intentionality to the work of proclaiming the rules of God. But the breadth of this commitment is to declare “all the rules.” We cannot select which rules we like and then discard the rest. If we take up the mantle of heralding the rules of God, we must faithfully declare them all. From the most glorious to the most convicting. To speak one is to become responsible for speaking them all.

Verse 14: The comparison described here is shocking. The gladness that comes from having the security of riches, of having the stability that material wealth can afford is compared to the delighting in God’s testimonies. What God says can comfort and heal and encourage and instruct. To have God’s testimonies is to be protected. We do not have to shun material blessings. But we must not diminish the purpose and power of what God has spoken in the Scriptures.

Verse 15: We have been reminded several times to develop a focused attention on God’s ways. In this verse we are encouraged to meditate. This is another way of describing the spending of time considering what God has given to us. It is the mulling over of the precept we are considering. To use a culinary idea, to meditate is to marinate in the precept we are contemplating. To allow the truth we are engaging to get inside of us, flavoring us with its attributes. As we meditate we are also to once again look upon God’s example. God’s ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8), but we must strive to conform out lives to them anyway.

Verse 16: This is a second reference to delight. In this case, the delight is directed at the statutes of God themselves. The reality of how God’s words and commands can bring joy to our lives can be somewhat counterintuitive, but it is possible. In order to achieve it, we have to understand God’s commands as gift rather than a restriction; as a key rather than a lock. The Psalmist continues by offering a statement of conviction: “I will not forget your word.” In order to not forget, something must first be known.

Psalm 119:9-12

⁹ How can a young man keep his way pure?
    By guarding it according to your word*.
¹⁰ With my whole heart I seek you;
    let me not wander from your commandments!
¹¹ I have stored up your word in my heart,
    that I might not sin against you.
¹² Blessed are you, O Lord;
    teach me your statutes!

* 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.

Reflection

One of the great fears of the Christian journey is failing to live up to God’s standard of holiness. Well, allow me to comfort you my friends. No one can live up to that standard. There is not a single person who has ever lived who has matched God’s perfect standard; other than Jesus.

This is a wonderfully uncomfortable truth to accept. We are not perfect. And we will never be perfect as we travel on life’s road. What we can do, what we should strive to achieve is a steady progress in our understanding of God’s goodness.

When we live our lives with God and others in fear of failure, we actually rob ourselves of one of the essential comforts of our relationship with God. We are robbing ourselves of experiencing God’s grace. Whether we fully appreciate it or not, the reality is that our constant trying to impress God actually short-circuits our spiritual development.

The word of God, his commandments and statutes serve as the guiderails of life. They are what keep us from veering off into unhealthy directions. What’s more, when we realize this function of God’s word, we may very well stop trying to be God, and simply enjoy being his children. We can trust God’s direction and even God’s boundaries for our lives when we accept and surrender to his tender care. And this care is seen best when we obey his commands more.

Commentary

Verse 9: The second section of Psalm 119 begins with a simple question. This question reflects the often unspoken struggle of God’s people: how can we keep our way pure? In other words, how can we please God with our lives? The answer is simple and puzzling. It is simple in that we are given one task. We are to “guard” our way. This means that there will be assaults against our living in purity. There will be circumstances that would pull us away from where we should be and what we should do. But there is something puzzling about this task. The Psalmist implies that there is an attribute to God’s word that makes guarding our way possible. That characteristic is that God’s word is the codification of God’s wisdom. When God speaks, we should listen. When we listen, we can learn. And if we learn, we can live in a way that is pleasing to God.

Verse 10: We see here, the link between intentional devotion and a focused life. The Psalmist makes it clear that we ought to fill our hearts completely with the labor of seeking after God. To seek is to pursue. To commit ourselves to find what we are searching for. In the Christian journey we should avoid taking a passive posture toward God. While God’s presence is everywhere, his focus is drawn to our yearning for him. When we seek, he draws near. But our seeking is to be directed by his commandments. As we heed them and obey them we are kept on track. Our course through life is safeguarded by God’s word. Why? Because God’s word will always return to God and will never be empty. Look at what God said through the Prophet Isaiah, “…so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11 ESV).

Verse 11: Continuing with the theme of the heart, the Psalmist declares that the word of God can be “stored up.” We do not often think about the fact that the word is not a limited resource. It is bountiful and rich. We can return to it over and over and draw from it new strength. The reservoir of God’s word never runs dry. But why should we store up God’s word? These resources are what we use to fight against sin in our lives. When we have God’s word in our heart, we eliminate the room for sin to get in. This is not a formula. It is a process. The more of God’s word that is in us, the less room exists for anything else.

Verse 12: The Psalmist take a moment to worship and honor God. We must bless the Lord. Not with some physical gift. God has not need for anything material. When we bless God we are acting and living with the correct knowledge of who and what God is. To do anything less is to not bless the Lord. Interestingly, it is in the context of worship that the Psalmist petitions the Lord to instruct them in God’s statutes. Our desire to learn should not be seen as separated from our worship of God. The greater our worship, the more our capacity to be taught increases. It may seem paradoxical, but that does not negate the implication of this relationship between worship and instruction.