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Psalm 119:131

Psalm 119:131 Panting for the Word In the previous verse the author was “unfolding”, it must have been an energetic task because now he is panting! It certainly seems that his pursuit of God’s laws has been a demanding endeavour, but the words here suggest that it is not so much physical exercise that is causing him to pant, but thirst! A longing for more, a desire to drink and drink deeply, an all-consuming craving for satisfaction. What a spiritual man he is, that the commands of the Lord God should cause such a passionate yearning. Most of us will find this hard to understand. Let’s put ourselves in the shoes of the writer, there are no public libraries, no local bookshops, no internet, no media inputs into his life. Access to documents and readable literature is confined almost wholly to the Scriptures and these were often the only source of information and education to all generations at that time. What is more, the psalmist believes these words to come directly from God and that ...
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Psalm 119:130

Psalm 119:130 The unfolding of the Word What a beautiful statement! This unfolding of the words of the Lord creates images of clothes being unpacked or a tablecloth being taken out of a drawer and opened up ready to be laid. In other words, the psalmist is describing a process, the Word doesn’t just happen in our lives, we can learn it as children and read it as adults but its deeper treasures, the revelations of the heart of God, have to be unfolded and this takes time and effort. So, what are the processes involved? Firstly we do, of course, need to read and meditate on the Word. There is very little “unfolding” taking place when we grab a Bible as we’re spooning the last few remains of breakfast into our mouths, 5 minutes before we head off to work! Unfolding takes time. Some may be able to just sit quiet and meditate, for many of us there are innumerable distractions all around so it’s best to make notes and provide an outlet for our thoughts.  The key to the Scriptures is inte...
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Psalm 119:129

Psalm 119:129 Wonderful statutes! And so to letter 17 of the Hebrew alphabet, and it is “Pe”, pronounced “pay”. The 16 th  letter is “Ayin” which refers to the eyes and “Pe” refers to the mouth. Pe is used in the context of the spoken word and of verbal expression, speech and breath. So, we may see with our eyes, but it is the mouth that gives expression to those insights. It is the power of speech that distinguishes us from other animals that God created, so “Pe” is related of course to memory. You can imagine the fun and games that Jewish sages and mystics have had with the interpretation of this letter over the centuries! To describe God’s statutes, His covenant rules and regulations, as wonderful is unusual, many people have found them restrictive and burdensome. The word wonderful here is normally used to describe the saving acts of God, such as the miracle of the Red Sea crossing or the provision of manna in the desert. However, for the author of this Psalm, similar wonders c...
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Psalm 119:128

Psalm 119:128 Right v Wrong This is a difficult verse. In a way, it describes a kind of spiritual set of Balance Scales. On the one hand are the precepts of the Lord that are right. On the other hand, are the wrong paths that we take in our lives. On the one hand are things that the author loves, and on the other hand are the things that he hates. It follows that it is almost impossible to keep these opposites in balance, one side or the other is going to be dominant. The more we love the precepts of the Lord, the more we will hate going astray from Him. The more we go astray, the more we will despise His laws. As we saw in verse 126, the Apostle Paul clearly describes this process in Romans 1:18-32, where society or a nation despises the Lord and His commands and the more it does so, the further into sin it falls.  So, how are the scales of right and wrong working out for us right now? Can we say that we consider that every precept of the Lord is right? Are we prepared to humbly a...
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Psalm 119:127

Psalm 119:127 Better than gold! Come on! Let’s be honest. Who would not like a nugget of pure gold? That’s what has cost many men their lives – the ones who have gone prospecting at different sites across the world over the years – and still do! The author went further in verse 72,  “The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.”  In other places he also talks about the commands and laws of the Lord being his portion and his heritage.  In other words, everything about the Word of the Lord God is of more value to him than any of the riches and wealth of this world.  We all know the instructions of Jesus about not laying up treasures on earth but building up a treasure bank in heaven where our investments never spoil or devalue. (Matthew 6:19-21) Sadly, churches have not grasped this simple command, and our villages, towns and cities are scattered with elaborate buildings that were costly to build and to maintain. The ...
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Psalm 119:126

Psalm 119:126 Time for the Lord to act? Phew! Have we ever prayed these words to the Lord? The writer of this verse could have been thinking about his own situation which, as we have seen, was pretty dire. He might also have been surveying the state of the nation or even the world and his words here are a cry from the heart, “Lord, look at the mess things are in. Look at the way the world is treating you. Look at the rebellion and disobedience all around me. Lord, it is time for you to act, I cannot resolve this alone, Your Law is being broken on every hand. Please, Lord, do something!” There are, undoubtedly, many Christians whose heads are in the sand and who are content for things to just jog along as they have always done. Many tell me that they do not watch the News or read a newspaper or listen to what is going on because they find it all too depressing. This is neither the time nor place to start listing all the problems that are facing our world or even our local communities. W...
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Psalm 119:125

Psalm 119:125 I am Your servant Before we can go any further, we need to understand what it means to be a servant of the Lord for we may be guilty of thinking that this a demeaning position. In Biblical terms, servants were loyal, dependable and always seeking new ways to please their master. It is a position that requires humility, a readiness to act as God commands and it carries no wages or financial reward. Those who were God’s servants in Old Testament times were those who worshipped Him and carried out His Will, often in important leadership roles. Does true servanthood go unnoticed? Not according to Isaiah 42 which begins with these words,  “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights.”  So, genuine servants of the Lord are chosen, supported and bring delight to their Master and that CV applied most of all, of course, to Yeshua. Hallelujah! Having been appointed and taken up the post it follows that any diligent servant will want to do his / he...
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