“A Song of Ascents. Of David.” [1]
“If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, let Israel now say—If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us alive, when their wrath was kindled against us. Then the waters would have overwhelmed us. The stream would have gone over our soul. Then the swollen waters would have gone over our soul.” Psalm 124:1-5
The Lord encourages us to look back on how He rescued us in the past both to remind us that He loves us and to assure us that He is able to rescue us today and in the days to come. [2]
We should remember the trials of the past, and praise God that those woes are in our past.
So often, the people of Israel have been one step away from being destroyed, but the Lord intervened for them with perfect timing to rescue them with grace, love and power. [3]
The psalmist wrote, “When rose up against us.” Their enemies bled red like themselves, yet they were determined to destroy them. Satan’s goal is to turn people against one another, and to get us hurt one another. God’s goal is to get us to love one another and heal with one another.
David’s own son, Absalom, turned against him. This was an exceedingly painful experience for him. He wept when he received the news that his son had been killed in a battle.
What caused their enemies to act this way? Their anger and hatred were stirred up against God's people. They allowed their anger to become destructive. [4]
“Their wrath was kindled against us.” Anger is cruel. Uncontrolled rage can lead people to do terrible things. [5] When one group of people becomes convinced that another group of people must die, genocide often happens.
The top ten modern genocides are: I. 6,000,000 Jews (1939-1945); II. 10,000,000 Ukrainians (1932–1933); III. 1,700,000 Cambodians (1975–1979); IV. 1,500,000 Armenians (1915–1923); V. 1,000,000 Rwandans (1994); VI. 1,000,000 Indonesians – mostly ethnic Chinese (1965–1966); VII. 3,000,000 Bengalis (1971); VIII. 110,000 Namibians (1904–1907); IX. 400,000 Sudanese (2003-2018); X. 80,000 Guatemalans (1981–1983). [6]
In Romans 3:10, we read, “There is none righteous, no not one.” In Romans 3:23, it is written, “There is no difference, we all have sinned...” The penalty for sin is death. In Genesis 3:19, after Adam and Eve sinned, God said to them, “Dust you are, and to dust you shall return.” We all deserve to die, and except for divine intervention, we will die. Only Enoch and Elijah were taken by the Lord directly to heaven (See Genesis 5:24, 2 Kings 2:11, Hebrews 11:5).
The good news is that God sent His Son Jesus Christ into the world to die on the cross for our sins. He never sinned, yet He was severely beaten, scourged, mocked and crucified. Three days later, He resurrected from the dead, and He appeared to over 500 witnesses during 40 days. He ate with people and let them touch His wounds from His crucifixion to verify that it was really Him alive from the dead. Jesus testified in John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.”
In Psalm 124, the flood “waters” represent the powerful and arrogant attacks of hostile people.
Israel would have been like a helpless lamb attacked by a lion, if it were not for the Lord who was on their side. They would have been swept away like land flooded by a powerful river or like sand covered by a rising tide, but they cried out to the Lord and He intervened for them. The emphasis is on God. “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side...” [7]
“Blessed be the Lord, who has not given us as prey to their teeth. Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers. The snare is broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the Name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 124:6-8
God’s deliverance fills our hearts with a desire to bless His Name. He deserves all the glory. We fail to give God what He deserves when we receive His blessings but do not thank Him. [8]
The psalmist wrote, “The Lord has not given us as a prey to their teeth.” He compares their escape to a bird being set free from a hunter’s trap. Our enemy, the devil, sets traps to destroy us. When we call upon the Name of the Lord, He rescues us from being consumed.
The greatest trap to be rescued from is hell. Some people behave as though hell does not exist. They do not take God or the Bible seriously. Then, in a moment, the trap is sprung, and it is too late to believe in Jesus Christ and profess Him. They die without a personal relationship with God and hear Him say, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.” They who previously trashed God’s Son Jesus, are trashed into a place of ceaseless pain and torment.
Each soul’s need for salvation is why the Bible says in Hebrews 3:15, “Today, if you will hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.” Proverbs 29:1 – “He who is often rebuked, and hardens his neck, will suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” 2 Corinthians 6:2 – “Behold, now is the accepted time. Behold, now is the day of salvation.” Listen to God’s Spirit!
The psalmist concludes: “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” In Psalm 121:1, David wrote, “My help comes from the Lord.” Now. he applies the same truth to the needs of God’s people as a whole: “Our help is in the Name of the Lord.”
The God who created heaven and earth is ready to help us. In Matthew 7:7, Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you.”
“Heavenly Father, please deliver us and our neighbors (the human race) from evil. Please rebuke the devil for us. Replace his darkness with Your light. Please fill us afresh with Your Spirit of peace, power and love. In the Name of Jesus Christ Your Son, I pray. Amen.”
[1] “The Song of Ascents refers to a specific group of fifteen biblical psalms (Psalms 120 through 134), also known as Pilgrim Songs. They are traditionally understood as songs of journey, temple steps, and returning hope.” – GotQuestions.org
[2-5] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[6] https://www.woventeaching.org/timeline-of-modern-genocide
[7-8] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
Free resources for prophetic servants of Jesus Christ
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
Tuesday, August 4, 2026
Moving Forward With God’s Mercy – Psalm 123
A Song of Ascents. [1]
“Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens.” Psalm 123:1
God’s people express their faith and hope in Him. He dwells in heaven. [2] He sees the big picture. He is the Alpha and Omega; the first and last; the beginning and the end; the original source and the final destination.
Who better should we lift up our eyes to see?
Jesus taught us in “The Lord’s Prayer” to look to God as our Father in heaven. This does not mean God is limited to one place, but that heaven is where He especially reveals His glory, like a king sitting upon his throne. [3]
God sees from heaven the troubles of His people and He has the power and desire to save us. [4]
Sometimes it may seem that God has forgotten the earth, and unbelievers may ask, “Where is your God?” But we as God's people can confidently say in the words of Psalm 115:3, “Our God is in heaven.” [5]
God is the righteous Judge. His throne is established in heaven. Those who suffer injustice can appeal to Him. [6]
“Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us.” Psalm 123:2
Our eyes wait on God for His mercy. David compares his relationship with God to that of a servant looking to his master. God is overseeing the sustenance and management of the entire universe. Does He have time to stop and consider my concern? Who am I compared with Him?
In Acts 9:6, after Saul of Tarsus met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what would You have me to do?” In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus instructed His disciples not to worry about their provisions. He promised that God knows what we need. He told them to focus on serving God’s kingdom and His righteousness.
Think about it! God set up the whole universe and made it livable for us. There’s the right mix of oxygen in the atmosphere for us to breathe. There’s the correct weight of gravity to hold us to the ground but not crush us. There’s a wide variety of edible foods on the earth to supply all the nutrients our body needs to be healthy. He gave us bodies that are fearfully and wonderfully made. Why do we ever doubt His ability and His desire to provide good things for us?
A servant cannot properly serve God without first listening to God’s clear instructions. So, he looks to his master for instruction and also for the tools that he needs to get the job done.
“Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt.” Psalm 123:3
A servant looks to his master for reinforcements when an enemy is overwhelming him. He prays, “Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us.” He is happy to serve the Lord, but does not enjoy the way proud people mistreat him for doing so. Thus, he appeals to God, asking God to intervene and thwart the efforts of his enemy to make his service unto God miserable.
“Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorn of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.” Psalm 123:4
Those who mock God’s servants have a pride problem. They live to please their fleshly desires and the devil is happy to keep them there. He gives to them the kingdoms of the world. The problem for them is that the devil has an expiration date. In Revelation 20:10, it is written, “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Those who join with the devil will suffer the same eternity. In Revelation 20:15, it is written, “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”
In 1 Peter 4:12-13, Peter wrote, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you, but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”
In 2 Corinthians 4:17, Paul wrote, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”
On the one hand, when people attack our reputation and treat us unfairly, we can pray: “Hear, O our God, for we are despised.” On the other hand, we can rejoice as Jesus said to do in Matthew 5:11-12, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
When we stand for the Lord, those who oppose Him oppose us. When we do what is right, those who scam and abuse will hate us for exposing evil. It is better, however, to stand with the Lord than to fall with the wicked. Our suffering is temporary. Theirs is eternal.
The desire of God and His servants is as Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:4 that all people will “be saved an come to the knowledge of the truth.” Amen!
[1] “The Song of Ascents refers to a specific group of fifteen biblical psalms (Psalms 120 through 134), also known as Pilgrim Songs. They are traditionally understood as songs of journey, temple steps, and returning hope.” – GotQuestions.org
[2-6] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
“Unto You I lift up my eyes, O You who dwell in the heavens.” Psalm 123:1
God’s people express their faith and hope in Him. He dwells in heaven. [2] He sees the big picture. He is the Alpha and Omega; the first and last; the beginning and the end; the original source and the final destination.
Who better should we lift up our eyes to see?
Jesus taught us in “The Lord’s Prayer” to look to God as our Father in heaven. This does not mean God is limited to one place, but that heaven is where He especially reveals His glory, like a king sitting upon his throne. [3]
God sees from heaven the troubles of His people and He has the power and desire to save us. [4]
Sometimes it may seem that God has forgotten the earth, and unbelievers may ask, “Where is your God?” But we as God's people can confidently say in the words of Psalm 115:3, “Our God is in heaven.” [5]
God is the righteous Judge. His throne is established in heaven. Those who suffer injustice can appeal to Him. [6]
“Behold, as the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, as the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He has mercy on us.” Psalm 123:2
Our eyes wait on God for His mercy. David compares his relationship with God to that of a servant looking to his master. God is overseeing the sustenance and management of the entire universe. Does He have time to stop and consider my concern? Who am I compared with Him?
In Acts 9:6, after Saul of Tarsus met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he asked Jesus, “Lord, what would You have me to do?” In Matthew 6:25-34, Jesus instructed His disciples not to worry about their provisions. He promised that God knows what we need. He told them to focus on serving God’s kingdom and His righteousness.
Think about it! God set up the whole universe and made it livable for us. There’s the right mix of oxygen in the atmosphere for us to breathe. There’s the correct weight of gravity to hold us to the ground but not crush us. There’s a wide variety of edible foods on the earth to supply all the nutrients our body needs to be healthy. He gave us bodies that are fearfully and wonderfully made. Why do we ever doubt His ability and His desire to provide good things for us?
A servant cannot properly serve God without first listening to God’s clear instructions. So, he looks to his master for instruction and also for the tools that he needs to get the job done.
“Have mercy on us, O Lord, have mercy on us! For we are exceedingly filled with contempt.” Psalm 123:3
A servant looks to his master for reinforcements when an enemy is overwhelming him. He prays, “Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy upon us.” He is happy to serve the Lord, but does not enjoy the way proud people mistreat him for doing so. Thus, he appeals to God, asking God to intervene and thwart the efforts of his enemy to make his service unto God miserable.
“Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorn of those who are at ease, with the contempt of the proud.” Psalm 123:4
Those who mock God’s servants have a pride problem. They live to please their fleshly desires and the devil is happy to keep them there. He gives to them the kingdoms of the world. The problem for them is that the devil has an expiration date. In Revelation 20:10, it is written, “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” Those who join with the devil will suffer the same eternity. In Revelation 20:15, it is written, “And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”
In 1 Peter 4:12-13, Peter wrote, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you, but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.”
In 2 Corinthians 4:17, Paul wrote, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”
On the one hand, when people attack our reputation and treat us unfairly, we can pray: “Hear, O our God, for we are despised.” On the other hand, we can rejoice as Jesus said to do in Matthew 5:11-12, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
When we stand for the Lord, those who oppose Him oppose us. When we do what is right, those who scam and abuse will hate us for exposing evil. It is better, however, to stand with the Lord than to fall with the wicked. Our suffering is temporary. Theirs is eternal.
The desire of God and His servants is as Paul wrote in 1 Timothy 2:4 that all people will “be saved an come to the knowledge of the truth.” Amen!
[1] “The Song of Ascents refers to a specific group of fifteen biblical psalms (Psalms 120 through 134), also known as Pilgrim Songs. They are traditionally understood as songs of journey, temple steps, and returning hope.” – GotQuestions.org
[2-6] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
Monday, August 3, 2026
You Must Be Born Again – Psalm 122
“A Song of Ascents. Of David.” [1]
“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’” Psalm 122:1
David was glad when he was invited to go to the house of the Lord. Such a feeling about being in the house of the Lord is evidence of God’s saving grace in his life.
In Psalm 51:5, it is written, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” When we are born into this world, we have a sin nature, not Christlikeness. To gain Christlikeness, we must be born again. In John 3:5-7, Jesus told a highly educated religious leader of Israel, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”
In Ephesians 2:1, it is written, “You He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” A dead person cannot revive himself. He needs God to do that. Thus, every conversion to faith in and profession of Christ is a miracle of God. It is a spiritual rebirth in one’s soul.
In 1 Corinthians 2:14, it is written, “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” The natural man must receive the Holy Spirit. He or she must be born of the Spirit of God. God naturalizes sinners for His kingdom by applying the blood of Christ to their sin and thus blotting out their sins, and then, He fills us with His Holy Spirit, giving us new life.
Scammers want kingdoms without borders, but their outrage and protests will not remove the borders that God has set around His kingdom. A person must be born of water and the Spirit to enter the kingdom of God. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Some interpret “water” in John 3:5 as a reference to baptism. I believe it symbolizes the Word of God. In Ephesians 5:26, God sanctifies and cleanses His people “with the washing of water by the Word.” In John 1:1, 14 and Revelation 19:13, Jesus is called the Word of God. It is through the preaching of the Word and the convictions of the Holy Spirit that souls are converted.
Outward water baptism symbolizes the work of God’s Word and His Spirit in one’s life. To God belongs the glory! In the Books of Acts, the people who were convicted of their sins and turned to Christ for salvation wanted to be baptized.
Thus, when believers willingly and joyfully gather for public worship, it is because God has done a work of grace in their lives and they are glad because of it.
“Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!” Psalm 122:2
For those who love the Lord, being in Jerusalem is a wonderful event. In Psalm 84:10, David considered even being a doorkeeper in God’s house a privilege. [2] Thanks be to God for volunteers who stand at the doors of God’s house and who welcome worshippers to enter!
“Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together, where the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, to the Testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the Name of the Lord.” Psalm 122:3-4
Jerusalem was beautiful not only because of its location but also because of its design. Its houses were built closely together rather than scattered. Its streets were orderly, and the city was well planned and united. [3]
Jerusalem was where all the tribes of Israel gathered as one family under God. They were united as they joined their voices together in harmony to worship God our Creator and Savior. They thanked the Lord. One of the main purposes of public worship is to give thanks to God. [4]
“For thrones are set there for judgment, the thrones of the house of David.” Psalm 122:5
Jerusalem is where much of the Word of God was proclaimed and documented. It is where Messiah atoned for our sins. It is where the Holy Spirit was poured out on believers in Jesus on the Day of Pentecost. True justice and good Law comes from the Word of God and Spirit of God.
In David’s day, the people of God loved Jerusalem not only because it was the center of worship but also because faithful rulers governed there. Under David, a man after God’s own heart, justice was upheld. The people’s civil well-being was protected along with their spiritual life. [5]
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces. For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, ‘Peace be within you.’ Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good.” Psalm 122:6-9
Ther Lord urges us to pray for the peace and well-being of Jerusalem. Throughout Scripture Jerusalem comes under attack both spiritually from false prophets and physically from evil kings who want to defraud and oppress the people under them. Wherever God is at work, the devil is also at work trying to sabotage and destroy the good that God is doing.
Even those who cannot do anything else to help Jerusalem can still pray for it. Prayer is not a small thing. Prayer is God's appointed way of bringing His blessings. [6] Hans Van Staden said of prayer, “When man works, man works. When man prays, God works.”
Peace is a gift of God. In John 14:27, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” In James 3:18, it is written, “The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
The peace and prosperity of God’s work on earth should be in the prayers for every believer. [7]
“They shall prosper that love you.” God blesses those who love His people and His work.
David gives us words to pray: “Peace be within your walls.” We should pray for peace among all who live in Jerusalem. We should pray that the walls and defenses of the city would protect the people and that enemies would not overcome them. We should pray for those who govern and make decisions for the people. When leaders act wisely and prosper in their responsibilities, the whole community benefits. [8]
Jerusalem also represents the heart of the Kingdom of God. So, in a sense, when we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, we are praying for the whole people of God worldwide who love and serve Him. David cared for people more than brick and mortar. He cared for the faithful people of God. He considered them his family and very much enjoyed worshipping God with them.
[1] “The Song of Ascents refers to a specific group of fifteen biblical psalms (Psalms 120 through 134), also known as Pilgrim Songs. They are traditionally understood as songs of journey, temple steps, and returning hope.” – GotQuestions.org
[2-8] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
“I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’” Psalm 122:1
David was glad when he was invited to go to the house of the Lord. Such a feeling about being in the house of the Lord is evidence of God’s saving grace in his life.
In Psalm 51:5, it is written, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me.” When we are born into this world, we have a sin nature, not Christlikeness. To gain Christlikeness, we must be born again. In John 3:5-7, Jesus told a highly educated religious leader of Israel, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’”
In Ephesians 2:1, it is written, “You He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” A dead person cannot revive himself. He needs God to do that. Thus, every conversion to faith in and profession of Christ is a miracle of God. It is a spiritual rebirth in one’s soul.
In 1 Corinthians 2:14, it is written, “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” The natural man must receive the Holy Spirit. He or she must be born of the Spirit of God. God naturalizes sinners for His kingdom by applying the blood of Christ to their sin and thus blotting out their sins, and then, He fills us with His Holy Spirit, giving us new life.
Scammers want kingdoms without borders, but their outrage and protests will not remove the borders that God has set around His kingdom. A person must be born of water and the Spirit to enter the kingdom of God. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”
Some interpret “water” in John 3:5 as a reference to baptism. I believe it symbolizes the Word of God. In Ephesians 5:26, God sanctifies and cleanses His people “with the washing of water by the Word.” In John 1:1, 14 and Revelation 19:13, Jesus is called the Word of God. It is through the preaching of the Word and the convictions of the Holy Spirit that souls are converted.
Outward water baptism symbolizes the work of God’s Word and His Spirit in one’s life. To God belongs the glory! In the Books of Acts, the people who were convicted of their sins and turned to Christ for salvation wanted to be baptized.
Thus, when believers willingly and joyfully gather for public worship, it is because God has done a work of grace in their lives and they are glad because of it.
“Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!” Psalm 122:2
For those who love the Lord, being in Jerusalem is a wonderful event. In Psalm 84:10, David considered even being a doorkeeper in God’s house a privilege. [2] Thanks be to God for volunteers who stand at the doors of God’s house and who welcome worshippers to enter!
“Jerusalem is built as a city that is compact together, where the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, to the Testimony of Israel, to give thanks to the Name of the Lord.” Psalm 122:3-4
Jerusalem was beautiful not only because of its location but also because of its design. Its houses were built closely together rather than scattered. Its streets were orderly, and the city was well planned and united. [3]
Jerusalem was where all the tribes of Israel gathered as one family under God. They were united as they joined their voices together in harmony to worship God our Creator and Savior. They thanked the Lord. One of the main purposes of public worship is to give thanks to God. [4]
“For thrones are set there for judgment, the thrones of the house of David.” Psalm 122:5
Jerusalem is where much of the Word of God was proclaimed and documented. It is where Messiah atoned for our sins. It is where the Holy Spirit was poured out on believers in Jesus on the Day of Pentecost. True justice and good Law comes from the Word of God and Spirit of God.
In David’s day, the people of God loved Jerusalem not only because it was the center of worship but also because faithful rulers governed there. Under David, a man after God’s own heart, justice was upheld. The people’s civil well-being was protected along with their spiritual life. [5]
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces. For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, ‘Peace be within you.’ Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good.” Psalm 122:6-9
Ther Lord urges us to pray for the peace and well-being of Jerusalem. Throughout Scripture Jerusalem comes under attack both spiritually from false prophets and physically from evil kings who want to defraud and oppress the people under them. Wherever God is at work, the devil is also at work trying to sabotage and destroy the good that God is doing.
Even those who cannot do anything else to help Jerusalem can still pray for it. Prayer is not a small thing. Prayer is God's appointed way of bringing His blessings. [6] Hans Van Staden said of prayer, “When man works, man works. When man prays, God works.”
Peace is a gift of God. In John 14:27, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” In James 3:18, it is written, “The fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.”
The peace and prosperity of God’s work on earth should be in the prayers for every believer. [7]
“They shall prosper that love you.” God blesses those who love His people and His work.
David gives us words to pray: “Peace be within your walls.” We should pray for peace among all who live in Jerusalem. We should pray that the walls and defenses of the city would protect the people and that enemies would not overcome them. We should pray for those who govern and make decisions for the people. When leaders act wisely and prosper in their responsibilities, the whole community benefits. [8]
Jerusalem also represents the heart of the Kingdom of God. So, in a sense, when we pray for the peace of Jerusalem, we are praying for the whole people of God worldwide who love and serve Him. David cared for people more than brick and mortar. He cared for the faithful people of God. He considered them his family and very much enjoyed worshipping God with them.
[1] “The Song of Ascents refers to a specific group of fifteen biblical psalms (Psalms 120 through 134), also known as Pilgrim Songs. They are traditionally understood as songs of journey, temple steps, and returning hope.” – GotQuestions.org
[2-8] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
Sunday, August 2, 2026
Where Does My Help Come From – Psalm 121
A Song of Ascents. [1]
“I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help?” Psalm 121:1
Some translate David’s words as, “Shall I lift up my eyes to the hills?” In other words, “Should I expect my help to come from earthly powers, influential people, or mighty rulers who seem strong like mountains?” The answer is no. Jeremiah 3:23 reminds us, “In vain is salvation hoped for from hills and mountains.” Our confidence must be in God alone. [2]
Others translate the verse, “I will lift up my eyes above the hills.” This reminds us to look beyond human instruments to God, who alone gives them the ability to help. [3]
In James 1:17, it is written, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
David declared, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills,” probably referring to the hills on which the temple stood. The temple in Jerusalem is where atonement for sin was accomplished. [4]
Once our sin is removed, we can enjoy fellowship with God. In Isaiah 59:2, it is written, “Your iniquities have separated you from your God. Your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.” In Ephesians 2:13, it is written, “Now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” Christ was crucified, died, entombed, and resurrected in Jerusalem. We lift up our eyes to Jesus. He is our Savior and Redeemer.
“My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:2
Our confidence grows as we remember that God created heaven and earth. He created the universe by His Word. He started the entire human race after creating one man. He certainly has the power to help us. [5]
“He will not allow your foot to be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber.” Psalm 121:3
According to Psalm 91:11, God gives His angels charge over us, to keep us in all our ways. His angels have kept me from death by cars, motorcycles, planes, trains, ships, and by gun violence. Have you ever been rescued miraculously from a near death experience?
“Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper. The Lord is your shade at your right hand.” Psalm 121:4-5
The One who “keeps Israel” is also “your keeper.” The Good Shepherd watches over the whole flock and also cares for each sheep individually. Not even the weakest believer is forgotten. He does not grow tired or become disillusioned with His ministry to us. [6]
The Lord is described as our shade. Just as a shadow stays close to a person and protects him from the burning sun, God stays close to His people to comfort and protect them. Since the right hand is the working hand, God is always ready to help us while we work for Him. [7]
“The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.” Psalm 121:6
The sun and moon are blessings from God, yet because sin has affected creation, they can also bring harm. God protected Israel in the wilderness with the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. In Genesis 31:40, Jacob remembered suffering from heat during the day and frost at night, but God preserved his life. [8]
According to Revelation 6:12, a sign of the last days is the sun being darkened and the moon becoming like blood (red). In Revelation 8:12, the sun and moon are also darkened temporarily. In Revelation 9:2, the sun is darkened due to smoke. In Revelation 16:8, the heat of the sun is intensified on earth so that it scorches people. In Revelation 7:16, the saints who were saved by the blood of the Lamb out of the great tribulation no longer experience the sun’s scorching. In Revelation 21:23, the New Jerusalem has “no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.”
Matthew Henry suggests that the burning sun may symbolize persecution. “While the dangers of the night represent hidden plots and secret betrayals. God protects His people from both.”
“The Lord shall preserve you from all evil. He shall preserve your soul.” Psalm 121:7
God preserves our soul from all evil. Our soul is eternal. It is the part of us that never dies. In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus told the tale of two men. One died and his soul rested with Abraham in heaven, while the other died, and his soul ended up in the torments of Hades.
The greatest disaster that anyone can be rescued from is eternity in hell. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, came down from heaven and took on human flesh. He lived a sinless life among us. He died and resurrected for us (the perfect sacrifice for our sins), to save us from hell. The greatest rescue!
“The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.” Psalm 121:8
God also rescues us many times throughout our earthly lives from harm. And when we do experience harm, He turns it around for our good. [9] In Romans 8:28, it is written, “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” In Genesis 50:20, Joseph told those who had sought to harm him, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.”
In 2 Corinthians 13:7, Paul prayed for his fellow Christians not to do evil: “Now I pray to God that you do no evil... that you should do what is honorable.” In Galatians 5:22-24, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” God’s indwelling Holy Spirit helps us to behave not as a reckless sinner does but as a Christ-like saint.
“From this time forth, and even for evermore.” God’s protection is lifelong and eternal. He guides His people throughout life, remains with them in death, and safely brings them into His heavenly kingdom. He will continue to protect His church and His people until the end of the world. The Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Preserver, will remain with us forever. [10]
[1] “The Song of Ascents refers to a specific group of fifteen biblical psalms (Psalms 120 through 134), also known as Pilgrim Songs. They are traditionally understood as songs of journey, temple steps, and returning hope.” – GotQuestions.org
[2-10] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
“I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help?” Psalm 121:1
Some translate David’s words as, “Shall I lift up my eyes to the hills?” In other words, “Should I expect my help to come from earthly powers, influential people, or mighty rulers who seem strong like mountains?” The answer is no. Jeremiah 3:23 reminds us, “In vain is salvation hoped for from hills and mountains.” Our confidence must be in God alone. [2]
Others translate the verse, “I will lift up my eyes above the hills.” This reminds us to look beyond human instruments to God, who alone gives them the ability to help. [3]
In James 1:17, it is written, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
David declared, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills,” probably referring to the hills on which the temple stood. The temple in Jerusalem is where atonement for sin was accomplished. [4]
Once our sin is removed, we can enjoy fellowship with God. In Isaiah 59:2, it is written, “Your iniquities have separated you from your God. Your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.” In Ephesians 2:13, it is written, “Now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” Christ was crucified, died, entombed, and resurrected in Jerusalem. We lift up our eyes to Jesus. He is our Savior and Redeemer.
“My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:2
Our confidence grows as we remember that God created heaven and earth. He created the universe by His Word. He started the entire human race after creating one man. He certainly has the power to help us. [5]
“He will not allow your foot to be moved. He who keeps you will not slumber.” Psalm 121:3
According to Psalm 91:11, God gives His angels charge over us, to keep us in all our ways. His angels have kept me from death by cars, motorcycles, planes, trains, ships, and by gun violence. Have you ever been rescued miraculously from a near death experience?
“Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper. The Lord is your shade at your right hand.” Psalm 121:4-5
The One who “keeps Israel” is also “your keeper.” The Good Shepherd watches over the whole flock and also cares for each sheep individually. Not even the weakest believer is forgotten. He does not grow tired or become disillusioned with His ministry to us. [6]
The Lord is described as our shade. Just as a shadow stays close to a person and protects him from the burning sun, God stays close to His people to comfort and protect them. Since the right hand is the working hand, God is always ready to help us while we work for Him. [7]
“The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.” Psalm 121:6
The sun and moon are blessings from God, yet because sin has affected creation, they can also bring harm. God protected Israel in the wilderness with the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. In Genesis 31:40, Jacob remembered suffering from heat during the day and frost at night, but God preserved his life. [8]
According to Revelation 6:12, a sign of the last days is the sun being darkened and the moon becoming like blood (red). In Revelation 8:12, the sun and moon are also darkened temporarily. In Revelation 9:2, the sun is darkened due to smoke. In Revelation 16:8, the heat of the sun is intensified on earth so that it scorches people. In Revelation 7:16, the saints who were saved by the blood of the Lamb out of the great tribulation no longer experience the sun’s scorching. In Revelation 21:23, the New Jerusalem has “no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.”
Matthew Henry suggests that the burning sun may symbolize persecution. “While the dangers of the night represent hidden plots and secret betrayals. God protects His people from both.”
“The Lord shall preserve you from all evil. He shall preserve your soul.” Psalm 121:7
God preserves our soul from all evil. Our soul is eternal. It is the part of us that never dies. In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus told the tale of two men. One died and his soul rested with Abraham in heaven, while the other died, and his soul ended up in the torments of Hades.
The greatest disaster that anyone can be rescued from is eternity in hell. Jesus Christ, God’s Son, came down from heaven and took on human flesh. He lived a sinless life among us. He died and resurrected for us (the perfect sacrifice for our sins), to save us from hell. The greatest rescue!
“The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.” Psalm 121:8
God also rescues us many times throughout our earthly lives from harm. And when we do experience harm, He turns it around for our good. [9] In Romans 8:28, it is written, “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” In Genesis 50:20, Joseph told those who had sought to harm him, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.”
In 2 Corinthians 13:7, Paul prayed for his fellow Christians not to do evil: “Now I pray to God that you do no evil... that you should do what is honorable.” In Galatians 5:22-24, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” God’s indwelling Holy Spirit helps us to behave not as a reckless sinner does but as a Christ-like saint.
“From this time forth, and even for evermore.” God’s protection is lifelong and eternal. He guides His people throughout life, remains with them in death, and safely brings them into His heavenly kingdom. He will continue to protect His church and His people until the end of the world. The Holy Spirit, our Comforter and Preserver, will remain with us forever. [10]
[1] “The Song of Ascents refers to a specific group of fifteen biblical psalms (Psalms 120 through 134), also known as Pilgrim Songs. They are traditionally understood as songs of journey, temple steps, and returning hope.” – GotQuestions.org
[2-10] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
Saturday, August 1, 2026
Truth is Better than Lies - Psalm 120
“In my distress I cried to the Lord, and He heard me. Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips and from a deceitful tongue. What shall be given to you, or what shall be done to you, you false tongue? Sharp arrows of the warrior, with coals of the broom tree!” Psalm 120:1-4
God answered David’s prayer by rescuing him from liars and deceivers. [1]Some liars pretend to be friends. They promise free gifts and reliability to gain trust. Some of the most dangerous enemies are those who hide their hatred behind a mask of friendship. [2]
Some liars make false accusations. They blame an innocent person for the mistakes or crimes of others. One of God’s Ten Commandments condemns bearing false witness against others. It is the ninth commandment. It is recorded in Exodus 20:16.
Lies damage reputations. Lies instigate hatred against individuals and groups of people. Then, what happens? Innocent people get hurt and killed!
The deeds of deceivers distressed David. He turned to God for help. He prayed, “Deliver my soul, O Lord, from lying lips.” In “The Lord’s Prayer,” Jesus taught us to pray, “Deliver us from evil.” In John 8:44, Jesus said of the devil, “There is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
Is getting caught in a lie funny? In a popular rerun show on TV the main character is a liar and deceiver. Her husband and neighbors continue to love her despite the fact that she has broken their trust so many times. Lying is no laughing matter. It is of the devil. There’s a spirit behind it, and it is not the Holy Spirit.
Lying for laughs is foolishness. In the book of wisdom, Proverbs, God is against lying. In Proverbs 6:16-17, the Lord hates a lying tongue. Proverbs 19:5: “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies will not escape.” Proverbs 19:9: “A false witness will not go unpunished, and he who speaks lies shall perish.” Proverbs 20:6: “Getting treasures by a lying tongue is the fleeting fantasy of those who seek death.”
In Colossians 3:9, the Lord says, “Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds.” In Ephesians 4:25, the Lord says, “Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.”
“What will be given to you?” What does the righteous Judge do with liars? In Revelation 21:8, He says, “All liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.” Talk about being pierced by a sharp arrow or burnt by a hot coal! How devastating it would be to hear God say the words of Matthew 25:41 to you, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels.”
God’s arrows strike quickly and unexpectedly. They reach sinners before they realize what has happened. This same warning appears in Psalms 64:7, “God shall shoot at them with an arrow. Suddenly, they shall be wounded.” [3]
Unlike thorns that flare up quickly and burn out, juniper coals burn with intense heat for a long time, even after they appear to have gone out. [4]
“Woe is me, that I dwell in Meshech, that I dwell among the tents of Kedar! My soul has dwelt too long with one who hates peace. I am for peace, but when I speak, they are for war.” Psalm 120:5-7
What does a person gain by living among malicious and deceitful people? Nothing but the pain caused by their lies and hurtful words, described as sharp arrows and burning coals. [5]
David compared the people around him to the rude and hostile inhabitants of Meshech and Kedar. It is similar to saying today, “I live among people who act like pagans.” David longed to be worshippers of the one and only true God. [6]
In 2 Peter 2:1-6, Peter reminds us that God does condemn sin. “God did not spare the angels who sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness.” God “did not spare the ancient world, but saved Noah, one of eight people, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood on the world of the ungodly.” God turned Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, “condemned them to destruction, making them an example to those who afterward would live ungodly.”
Why was Lot reluctant to leave Sodom after the Lord warned him to flee from there? 2 Peter 2:7-8, Peter states that righteous Lot “was oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked.” “His righteous soul was tormented from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deed.”
In 2 Corinthians 6:15, Paul wrote, “What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?” In 2 Corinthians 6:17-18, he added, “Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
The people around David not only hated him, but they also hated peace itself. They chose conflict instead of reconciliation. Rather than seeking peace, they cherished conflict. [7]
Though David was a warrior, he wanted peace. He desired to live peacefully with everyone. In the original language, he simply said, “I peace.” Peace was his nature and his goal. He loved peace, prayed for peace, and worked for peace. He was willing to sacrifice, submit, and give up personal rights whenever it was reasonable in order to preserve peace. [8]
In James 3:17, the Lord says that “the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.”
David’s enemies looked for reasons to fight even with someone who wanted peace. David spoke respectfully and kindly. He offered reasonable solutions and words of love, but they refused to listen. They were determined to do evil. [9]
The enemies of Christ acted the same way. In return for His love, they became His enemies. In John 8:59, “They took up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.” [10]
If we face people like this, we should not think it is unusual. Neither should we stop loving peace simply because our efforts seem unsuccessful. In Romans 12:18, the Lord says, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” In Romans 12:21, the Lord says, “Do not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” [11]
In Matthew 10:12-14, Jesus coached His evangelists with the following advice, “When you go into a household, greet it. If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whoever will not receive you nor hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet.”
Isn’t it good to know that though we, like Jesus, long to see all people saved, He has advised us not to enter the homes of hostile people. One of my son-in-law’s reminds me from time to time, saying, “Look for good soil. Sow on good soil.”
While in college, I learned of the Battle for Verdun. It happened in 1916. It was the longest battle of the First World War. The Germans did not initially plan to win the French city of Verdun. Their goal was to turn it into a meat grinder. French pride would keep defending it while German cannons kept killing them. However, as the battle dragged on, the original concept of a purely mathematical slaughter morphed into a desperate, prestige-driven fight to capture the ground, sucking the German army into the same high-casualty trap they set for the French. [12]
“Dear Lord Jesus, You who taught fishermen how to be fishers of men, please lead us, Your people, to the best place to cast our Gospel nets so that the greatest number of souls are saved with the least amount of avoidable losses. I pray this in Your Name, Jesus, Amen.”
[1-11] Material sometimes quoted, but most often developed, edited, amended from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[12] Google sources
Friday, July 31, 2026
My Soul Glorifies The Lord – Psalm 119:169-176
ת TAU [1]
“Let my cry come before You, O Lord. Give me understanding according to Your Word. Let my supplication come before You. Deliver me according to Your Word.” Psalm 119:169-170
David wanted God’s attention and help. His request was emphatic: “Let my cry” and “Let my supplication come before You!” His prayer was a cry. His need was urgent. His voice was full of emotion. He was humble. He approached God as a poor man coming to a great man’s door to plea for help. He checked all his options. His only hope for rescue was God’s mercy.
David desired that nothing would stand between him and the Lord—that no guilt, sin, or spiritual weakness would prevent his prayers from being accepted. He based his hope for resolution of his problems on the promises of God. [2]
David asked for wisdom. “Give me understanding.” He asked God for deliverance from his troubles. “Deliver me.” [3] He was certain that God would provide a way forward where there seemed to be no way. His confidence was based on God’s Word.
David knew that his prayer agreed with God’s Word. God would answer him. His confidence was based on God’s character. God is generous and always keeps His promises. [4]
“My lips shall utter praise, for You teach me Your statutes.” Psalm 119:171
David praised God for taking him under His wing and teaching him His statutes. To have God as your mentor and instructor is a great privilege. [5] When God opens our understanding, changes our hearts, and instructs us how to emulate Him, we should praise Him. If we are not praising God, then, something is amiss. We should always thank and praise God for His revelations to us.
“My tongue shall speak of Your Word, for all Your commandments are righteousness.” Psalm 119:172
God’s Word is the perfect standard and measure of what is right and good. [6] It reveals to us the right way to live. David shared God’s righteous commandments with others.
“My tongue shall speak of Your Word.” David glorified God. He praised God privately, and spoke for God publicly. [7] He wanted truth to have a voice and a face in his generation. He wanted others to experience the joy of glorifying the Lord.
“Let Your hand become my help, for I have chosen Your precepts. I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your Law is my delight.” Psalm 119:173-174
“Let Your hand help me.” David recognized that his strength was insufficient to put into practice God’s mandates and Law. Though he chose God’s mandates and delighted in His Law, he needed God’s Spirit to empower him to obey God. [8]
In Romans 7:15-8:11, Paul wrote of how he knew what was right to do, but his flesh did not want to do it. The solution to overcoming his flesh was to have the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead to live in and live through him.
David longed for the Lord’s salvation. Although God made him a king, he did not allow kingly glory to become his first love. He looked beyond his kingship to the everlasting King of kings.
David experienced joy while obeying God’s Law. He wrote, “Your Law is my delight.” He did not reluctantly obey God’s law—he loved it and found it perfectly satisfying. [9]
“Let my soul live, and it shall praise You. And let Your judgments help me.” Psalm 119:175
David’s greatest desire was not to serve his own interests, or accomplish his own plans. He asked God to preserve his soul so that he could keep on praising Him. [10] Praising God forevermore is what we will want to do once our soul enters God’s eternal kingdom.
When David prayed, “Let my soul live,” he wanted God to continue sanctifying, strengthening, and comforting his soul. True life is found in a heart that is made holy and filled with God’s peace. Our souls were created to praise God, and we should ask Him to give us the will and pleasure to do so. [11]
David prayed, “Let Your judgments help me.” In Revelation 6:9-10, those who had been slain for the Word of God, cried to God, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” God’s judgments are aimed at those who mistreat people. He judges the world in righteousness.
In Isaiah 57:1, it is written, “The righteous perishes, and no man lays it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.”
“I have gone astray like a lost sheep. Seek Your servant, for I do not forget Your commandments.” Psalm 119:176
Although David went astray, he did not forget God’s commandments. His failure was not a rejection of God’s ways. His heart still loved God’s truth. He desired to return to obedience. Thus, he humbly confessed his failures and appealed to God for mercy. [12]
When we stray from God, we lose the joy and peace that come from knowing that He is near to us. We also expose ourselves to danger. Thus, David prayed, “Seek Your servant.” David’s final words remind us that our hope is not in our own perfection, but in the faithfulness and mercy of the Shepherd who seeks us His wandering sheep. [13]
[1] From Googles sources and Bible Gateway: “Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem. It contains 176 verses divided into 22 sections, with each section named after one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Instead of just one line per letter, all eight verses in a given section begin with that specific letter. For example, verses 169–176 start with the ת TAU, and this exact pattern continues sequentially all the way through from the first letter to the final letter, Tau (ת).
תִּקְרַ֤ב רִנָּתִ֣י לְפָנֶ֣יךָ יְהוָ֑ה כִּדְבָרְךָ֥ הֲבִינֵֽנִי׃
תָּב֣וֹא תְּחִנָּתִ֣י לְפָנֶ֑יךָ כְּ֝אִמְרָתְךָ֗ הַצִּילֵֽנִי׃
תַּבַּ֣עְנָה שְׂפָתַ֣י תְּהִלָּ֑ה כִּ֖י תְלַמְּדֵ֣נִי חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃
תַּ֣עַן לְ֭שׁוֹנִי אִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ כִּ֖י כָל־מִצְוֺתֶ֣יךָ צֶּֽדֶק׃
תְּהִֽי־יָדְךָ֥ לְעָזְרֵ֑נִי כִּ֖י פִקּוּדֶ֣יךָ בָחָֽרְתִּי׃
תָּאַ֣בְתִּי לִֽישׁוּעָתְךָ֣ יְהוָ֑ה וְ֝תֽוֹרָתְךָ֗ שַׁעֲשֻׁעָֽי׃
תְּֽחִי־נַ֭פְשִׁי וּֽתְהַֽלְלֶ֑ךָּ וּֽמִשְׁפָּטֶ֥ךָ יַעֲזְרֻֽנִי׃
תָּעִ֗יתִי כְּשֶׂ֣ה אֹ֭בֵד בַּקֵּ֣שׁ עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֥י מִ֝צְוֺתֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃
Historically, each letter name corresponds to a concrete object. Over time, these pictures evolved into the letters used today. For example, ת TAU was originally the symbol for good.
[2-13] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
“Let my cry come before You, O Lord. Give me understanding according to Your Word. Let my supplication come before You. Deliver me according to Your Word.” Psalm 119:169-170
David wanted God’s attention and help. His request was emphatic: “Let my cry” and “Let my supplication come before You!” His prayer was a cry. His need was urgent. His voice was full of emotion. He was humble. He approached God as a poor man coming to a great man’s door to plea for help. He checked all his options. His only hope for rescue was God’s mercy.
David desired that nothing would stand between him and the Lord—that no guilt, sin, or spiritual weakness would prevent his prayers from being accepted. He based his hope for resolution of his problems on the promises of God. [2]
David asked for wisdom. “Give me understanding.” He asked God for deliverance from his troubles. “Deliver me.” [3] He was certain that God would provide a way forward where there seemed to be no way. His confidence was based on God’s Word.
David knew that his prayer agreed with God’s Word. God would answer him. His confidence was based on God’s character. God is generous and always keeps His promises. [4]
“My lips shall utter praise, for You teach me Your statutes.” Psalm 119:171
David praised God for taking him under His wing and teaching him His statutes. To have God as your mentor and instructor is a great privilege. [5] When God opens our understanding, changes our hearts, and instructs us how to emulate Him, we should praise Him. If we are not praising God, then, something is amiss. We should always thank and praise God for His revelations to us.
“My tongue shall speak of Your Word, for all Your commandments are righteousness.” Psalm 119:172
God’s Word is the perfect standard and measure of what is right and good. [6] It reveals to us the right way to live. David shared God’s righteous commandments with others.
“My tongue shall speak of Your Word.” David glorified God. He praised God privately, and spoke for God publicly. [7] He wanted truth to have a voice and a face in his generation. He wanted others to experience the joy of glorifying the Lord.
“Let Your hand become my help, for I have chosen Your precepts. I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your Law is my delight.” Psalm 119:173-174
“Let Your hand help me.” David recognized that his strength was insufficient to put into practice God’s mandates and Law. Though he chose God’s mandates and delighted in His Law, he needed God’s Spirit to empower him to obey God. [8]
In Romans 7:15-8:11, Paul wrote of how he knew what was right to do, but his flesh did not want to do it. The solution to overcoming his flesh was to have the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead to live in and live through him.
David longed for the Lord’s salvation. Although God made him a king, he did not allow kingly glory to become his first love. He looked beyond his kingship to the everlasting King of kings.
David experienced joy while obeying God’s Law. He wrote, “Your Law is my delight.” He did not reluctantly obey God’s law—he loved it and found it perfectly satisfying. [9]
“Let my soul live, and it shall praise You. And let Your judgments help me.” Psalm 119:175
David’s greatest desire was not to serve his own interests, or accomplish his own plans. He asked God to preserve his soul so that he could keep on praising Him. [10] Praising God forevermore is what we will want to do once our soul enters God’s eternal kingdom.
When David prayed, “Let my soul live,” he wanted God to continue sanctifying, strengthening, and comforting his soul. True life is found in a heart that is made holy and filled with God’s peace. Our souls were created to praise God, and we should ask Him to give us the will and pleasure to do so. [11]
David prayed, “Let Your judgments help me.” In Revelation 6:9-10, those who had been slain for the Word of God, cried to God, saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” God’s judgments are aimed at those who mistreat people. He judges the world in righteousness.
In Isaiah 57:1, it is written, “The righteous perishes, and no man lays it to heart; and merciful men are taken away, none considering that the righteous is taken away from the evil to come.”
“I have gone astray like a lost sheep. Seek Your servant, for I do not forget Your commandments.” Psalm 119:176
Although David went astray, he did not forget God’s commandments. His failure was not a rejection of God’s ways. His heart still loved God’s truth. He desired to return to obedience. Thus, he humbly confessed his failures and appealed to God for mercy. [12]
When we stray from God, we lose the joy and peace that come from knowing that He is near to us. We also expose ourselves to danger. Thus, David prayed, “Seek Your servant.” David’s final words remind us that our hope is not in our own perfection, but in the faithfulness and mercy of the Shepherd who seeks us His wandering sheep. [13]
[1] From Googles sources and Bible Gateway: “Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem. It contains 176 verses divided into 22 sections, with each section named after one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Instead of just one line per letter, all eight verses in a given section begin with that specific letter. For example, verses 169–176 start with the ת TAU, and this exact pattern continues sequentially all the way through from the first letter to the final letter, Tau (ת).
תִּקְרַ֤ב רִנָּתִ֣י לְפָנֶ֣יךָ יְהוָ֑ה כִּדְבָרְךָ֥ הֲבִינֵֽנִי׃
תָּב֣וֹא תְּחִנָּתִ֣י לְפָנֶ֑יךָ כְּ֝אִמְרָתְךָ֗ הַצִּילֵֽנִי׃
תַּבַּ֣עְנָה שְׂפָתַ֣י תְּהִלָּ֑ה כִּ֖י תְלַמְּדֵ֣נִי חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃
תַּ֣עַן לְ֭שׁוֹנִי אִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ כִּ֖י כָל־מִצְוֺתֶ֣יךָ צֶּֽדֶק׃
תְּהִֽי־יָדְךָ֥ לְעָזְרֵ֑נִי כִּ֖י פִקּוּדֶ֣יךָ בָחָֽרְתִּי׃
תָּאַ֣בְתִּי לִֽישׁוּעָתְךָ֣ יְהוָ֑ה וְ֝תֽוֹרָתְךָ֗ שַׁעֲשֻׁעָֽי׃
תְּֽחִי־נַ֭פְשִׁי וּֽתְהַֽלְלֶ֑ךָּ וּֽמִשְׁפָּטֶ֥ךָ יַעֲזְרֻֽנִי׃
תָּעִ֗יתִי כְּשֶׂ֣ה אֹ֭בֵד בַּקֵּ֣שׁ עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ כִּ֥י מִ֝צְוֺתֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃
Historically, each letter name corresponds to a concrete object. Over time, these pictures evolved into the letters used today. For example, ת TAU was originally the symbol for good.
[2-13] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
Thursday, July 30, 2026
I Love Truth – Psalm 119:161-168
ש SHIN [1]
“Princes persecute me without a cause, but my heart stands in awe of Your Word.” Psalm 119:161
These princes must have perceived David as a threat. In 1 Samuel 26:19, David said to his king, “Let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the Lord has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, may they be cursed before the Lord, for they have driven me out this day from sharing in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’” [2]
Persecution is especially difficult when those in authority are the persecutors. I faced a similar dilemma in a communist country when I needed law enforcers to defend me. I did not ask for their help because they hated Christians. Politicians and law enforcers should use their God given authority to honor God and protect His people. Oh, if only the hearts of all world leaders would stand in awe of God’s Word! Oh, that’s right, one day they will.
These rulers persecuted David without a just cause. He had not done anything to deserve their hatred or punishment. Although they wanted him to fear them and obey their demands, David declared to God, “My heart stands in awe of Your Word.” His greatest concern was not pleasing powerful people but remaining faithful to God. [3]
Disciples of Jesus, take His Word seriously. In Luke 12:4-5, Jesus says to us, “My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell. Yes, I say to you, fear Him!” The one to fear above all others is God.
“I rejoice at Your Word as one who finds great treasure.” Psalm 119:162
David was thankful that Israel had been blessed with light from above. The nations around Israel were spiritually dark places to live. David rejoiced that God had allowed him to understand His Word and experience its power working in his life.
David compared his joy in God’s Word to the joy of a treasure finder. Jesus described the kingdom of heaven with similar words to David’s in Matthew 13:44-46, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
Joy often comes after overcoming struggles and opposition to God’s Word. [4] The joy of the Lord is a great treasure. According Nehemiah 8:10, the joy of the Lord is our strength.
“I hate and abhor lying, but I love Your Law.” Psalm 119:163
What did David hate and what did he love?
Lying includes any form of deception, such as hypocrisy, false teaching, broken promises, dishonesty in business, and untruthfulness in our conversations. A person who loves God abstains from lying, because among the six things that He hates in Proverbs 6:16-19, “a lying tongue” and “a false witness that speaks lies” are two of the six things that God hates.
David’s love for God’s Law motivated him to loathe lying. Lies are completely contrary to God’s nature and His will. A heart that loves truth rejects lies. [4]
In John 8:44, Jesus described the devil as being a murderer, void of truth, a liar and the father of lies. In 1 John 2:22, the apostle John described the antichrist as a liar. He wrote, “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.”
When leaders tell lies, when the press supports lies, and when people believe lies, we should fall to our knees and cry out to God to save our nation from being taken over by the devil.
“Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous judgments.” Psalm 119:164
David praised God seven times per day because God judged him with righteous judgment. God was not like the princes who persecuted David. God was gracious and kind to him. [5] The princes were proud bullies. They persecuted the poor and lowly, especially those who stood up for God. They were up to no good. That’s why they didn’t like David and wanted him silenced.
“Great peace have those who love Your Law, and nothing causes them to stumble.” Psalm 119:165
Why do the lovers of God’s Law not stumble? Because God’s Law helps them to see stumbling blocks and avoid them. In Luke 11:34, Jesus said, “The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.” Good eyes, eyes full of God’s light, can see clearly what is before them.
In Isaiah 32:17, the Lord says, “The work of righteousness shall be peace.” Walking in harmony with God’s Law yields peace because God’s Spirit bears witness with your spirit that you are obeying God. According to Romans 8:28, God makes all things work out for the good of those who love God, and are called according to His purpose. [6]
“Lord, I hope for Your salvation, and I do Your commandments.” Psalm 119:166
David addressed God as Lord. A servant obeys his Lord. David’s hope in God compelled him to obey God’s commandments. He sincerely sought to align his life with God’s will in every area. In Revelation 22:14, it is written, “Blessed are they that do His commandments that they may have right to the tree of life.”
“My soul keeps Your testimonies, and I love them exceedingly. I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You.” Psalm 119:167-168
David’s conscience confirmed that his motivations and actions were right before God. God sees both the rights and wrongs that we do. In Genesis 17:1, God told Abraham, “Walk before me, and be perfect.” When we are cognizant that God’s eyes are upon us, we tend to be more careful to honor Him. [7] When we sin, we ask God to forgive us, and to expunge our breaking of His Law from His record book. In Acts 3:19, Peter told sinners, “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.”
David loved God’s testimonies “exceedingly.” Our love for God and His testimonies should exceed our love for every other type of testimony or creature. When we love God supremely, it is a sign that our priorities are well set.
[1] From Googles sources and Bible Gateway: “Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem. It contains 176 verses divided into 22 sections, with each section named after one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Instead of just one line per letter, all eight verses in a given section begin with that specific letter. For example, verses 161–168 start with the ש SHIN, and this exact pattern continues sequentially all the way through the final letter, Tau (ת).
שָׂ֭רִים רְדָפ֣וּנִי חִיָּ֑ם ׳וּמִדְּבָרֶיךָ׳ ״וּ֝מִדְּבָרְךָ֗״ פָּחַ֥ד לִבִּֽי׃
שָׂ֣שׂ אָ֭נָכַלִֽי עַל־אִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ כְּ֝מוֹצֵ֗א שָׁלָ֥ל רָֽב׃
שֶׁ֣קֶר שָׂ֭אתִי וַאֲתַעֵ֑בָה תּוֹרָתְךָ֥ אָהָֽבְתִּי׃
שֶׁ֣בַל בַּ֭יּוֹם הִלַּלְתִּ֑יךָ עַ֝֗ל מִשְׁפְּטֵ֥י צִדְקֶֽךָ׃
שָׁל֣ו רָ֭ב לְאֹהֲבֵ֣י תוֹרָתֶ֑ךָ וְאֵֽילָ֥מוֹ מִכְשֽׁוֹל׃
שִׂבַּ֣רְתִּי לִֽישׁוּעָתָ֣ יְהוָ֑ה וּֽמִצְוֺתֶ֥יךָ עָשִֽׂיתִי׃
שָֽׁמְרָ֣ה נַ֭פְשִׁי עֵדֹתֶ֑יךָ וָאֹהֲבֵ֥ם מְאֹֽד׃
שָׁמַ֣רְתִּי פִ֭קּוּדֶיךָ וְעֵדֹתֶ֑יךָ כִּ֖י כָל־דְּרָכַ֣י נֶגְדֶּֽךָ׃
Historically, each letter name corresponds to a concrete object. Over time, these pictures evolved into the letters used today. For example, ש SHIN was originally the symbol for tooth.
[2-7] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
“Princes persecute me without a cause, but my heart stands in awe of Your Word.” Psalm 119:161
These princes must have perceived David as a threat. In 1 Samuel 26:19, David said to his king, “Let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the Lord has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. But if it is the children of men, may they be cursed before the Lord, for they have driven me out this day from sharing in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’” [2]
Persecution is especially difficult when those in authority are the persecutors. I faced a similar dilemma in a communist country when I needed law enforcers to defend me. I did not ask for their help because they hated Christians. Politicians and law enforcers should use their God given authority to honor God and protect His people. Oh, if only the hearts of all world leaders would stand in awe of God’s Word! Oh, that’s right, one day they will.
These rulers persecuted David without a just cause. He had not done anything to deserve their hatred or punishment. Although they wanted him to fear them and obey their demands, David declared to God, “My heart stands in awe of Your Word.” His greatest concern was not pleasing powerful people but remaining faithful to God. [3]
Disciples of Jesus, take His Word seriously. In Luke 12:4-5, Jesus says to us, “My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell. Yes, I say to you, fear Him!” The one to fear above all others is God.
“I rejoice at Your Word as one who finds great treasure.” Psalm 119:162
David was thankful that Israel had been blessed with light from above. The nations around Israel were spiritually dark places to live. David rejoiced that God had allowed him to understand His Word and experience its power working in his life.
David compared his joy in God’s Word to the joy of a treasure finder. Jesus described the kingdom of heaven with similar words to David’s in Matthew 13:44-46, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
Joy often comes after overcoming struggles and opposition to God’s Word. [4] The joy of the Lord is a great treasure. According Nehemiah 8:10, the joy of the Lord is our strength.
“I hate and abhor lying, but I love Your Law.” Psalm 119:163
What did David hate and what did he love?
Lying includes any form of deception, such as hypocrisy, false teaching, broken promises, dishonesty in business, and untruthfulness in our conversations. A person who loves God abstains from lying, because among the six things that He hates in Proverbs 6:16-19, “a lying tongue” and “a false witness that speaks lies” are two of the six things that God hates.
David’s love for God’s Law motivated him to loathe lying. Lies are completely contrary to God’s nature and His will. A heart that loves truth rejects lies. [4]
In John 8:44, Jesus described the devil as being a murderer, void of truth, a liar and the father of lies. In 1 John 2:22, the apostle John described the antichrist as a liar. He wrote, “Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son.”
When leaders tell lies, when the press supports lies, and when people believe lies, we should fall to our knees and cry out to God to save our nation from being taken over by the devil.
“Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous judgments.” Psalm 119:164
David praised God seven times per day because God judged him with righteous judgment. God was not like the princes who persecuted David. God was gracious and kind to him. [5] The princes were proud bullies. They persecuted the poor and lowly, especially those who stood up for God. They were up to no good. That’s why they didn’t like David and wanted him silenced.
“Great peace have those who love Your Law, and nothing causes them to stumble.” Psalm 119:165
Why do the lovers of God’s Law not stumble? Because God’s Law helps them to see stumbling blocks and avoid them. In Luke 11:34, Jesus said, “The lamp of the body is the eye. Therefore, when your eye is good, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is bad, your body also is full of darkness.” Good eyes, eyes full of God’s light, can see clearly what is before them.
In Isaiah 32:17, the Lord says, “The work of righteousness shall be peace.” Walking in harmony with God’s Law yields peace because God’s Spirit bears witness with your spirit that you are obeying God. According to Romans 8:28, God makes all things work out for the good of those who love God, and are called according to His purpose. [6]
“Lord, I hope for Your salvation, and I do Your commandments.” Psalm 119:166
David addressed God as Lord. A servant obeys his Lord. David’s hope in God compelled him to obey God’s commandments. He sincerely sought to align his life with God’s will in every area. In Revelation 22:14, it is written, “Blessed are they that do His commandments that they may have right to the tree of life.”
“My soul keeps Your testimonies, and I love them exceedingly. I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You.” Psalm 119:167-168
David’s conscience confirmed that his motivations and actions were right before God. God sees both the rights and wrongs that we do. In Genesis 17:1, God told Abraham, “Walk before me, and be perfect.” When we are cognizant that God’s eyes are upon us, we tend to be more careful to honor Him. [7] When we sin, we ask God to forgive us, and to expunge our breaking of His Law from His record book. In Acts 3:19, Peter told sinners, “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.”
David loved God’s testimonies “exceedingly.” Our love for God and His testimonies should exceed our love for every other type of testimony or creature. When we love God supremely, it is a sign that our priorities are well set.
[1] From Googles sources and Bible Gateway: “Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem. It contains 176 verses divided into 22 sections, with each section named after one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Instead of just one line per letter, all eight verses in a given section begin with that specific letter. For example, verses 161–168 start with the ש SHIN, and this exact pattern continues sequentially all the way through the final letter, Tau (ת).
שָׂ֭רִים רְדָפ֣וּנִי חִיָּ֑ם ׳וּמִדְּבָרֶיךָ׳ ״וּ֝מִדְּבָרְךָ֗״ פָּחַ֥ד לִבִּֽי׃
שָׂ֣שׂ אָ֭נָכַלִֽי עַל־אִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ כְּ֝מוֹצֵ֗א שָׁלָ֥ל רָֽב׃
שֶׁ֣קֶר שָׂ֭אתִי וַאֲתַעֵ֑בָה תּוֹרָתְךָ֥ אָהָֽבְתִּי׃
שֶׁ֣בַל בַּ֭יּוֹם הִלַּלְתִּ֑יךָ עַ֝֗ל מִשְׁפְּטֵ֥י צִדְקֶֽךָ׃
שָׁל֣ו רָ֭ב לְאֹהֲבֵ֣י תוֹרָתֶ֑ךָ וְאֵֽילָ֥מוֹ מִכְשֽׁוֹל׃
שִׂבַּ֣רְתִּי לִֽישׁוּעָתָ֣ יְהוָ֑ה וּֽמִצְוֺתֶ֥יךָ עָשִֽׂיתִי׃
שָֽׁמְרָ֣ה נַ֭פְשִׁי עֵדֹתֶ֑יךָ וָאֹהֲבֵ֥ם מְאֹֽד׃
שָׁמַ֣רְתִּי פִ֭קּוּדֶיךָ וְעֵדֹתֶ֑יךָ כִּ֖י כָל־דְּרָכַ֣י נֶגְדֶּֽךָ׃
Historically, each letter name corresponds to a concrete object. Over time, these pictures evolved into the letters used today. For example, ש SHIN was originally the symbol for tooth.
[2-7] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Revive Me – Psalm 119:153-160
ר RESH [1]
“Consider my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget Your Law.” Psalm 119:153
What do you want God to do with your affliction? Consider it and deliver you from it. In Hebrews 4:15, we read, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Our High Priest is Jesus Christ. He was whipped, beaten, spit on, mocked and crucified. Isaiah 52:14 says of Jesus, “His visage was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men.” Amidst His sufferings, Jesus did not forget God’s Law. He remembered to forgive His enemies and to pray for them. In Luke 23:34, He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”
“Plead my cause and redeem me. Revive me according to Your Word.” Psalm 119:154
Psalm 119:154 is applicable to Jesus Christ. In Matthew 27:46, Jesus asked, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” He wanted His Father to plead His cause. But first, Jesus had to die for our sins. Three days later, He was revived according to God’s Word, or as Romans 6:4 says, “Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father.”
David also asked God to defend him as a legal advocate would do in a court of law. [2] His cause was right. His enemies suborned false witnesses to falsely accuse him. He asked God to bear witness to his innocence and “redeem” him from all charges levied against him.
David asked God to revive him with His Word. In John 6:63, Jesus said, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” In Hebrews 4:12, it is written, “The Word of God is living and powerful...”
“Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes.” Psalm 119:155
The Hebrew word for “wicked” in the above verse is rasha (רָשָׁע). Rasha carries the legal and forensic meaning of being guilty or condemned in a judgment setting. Rasha describes someone who is legally in the wrong—a “guilty one” who stands condemned before a judge. It is the legal opposite of the righteous person (tzaddik, צַדִּיק). Just as a tzaddik is someone who is vindicated or in the right, a rasha is someone who has been found guilty of a crime.
Wicked people cannot give what they do not have. Only the Savior saves. God’s statutes are God’s statutes. The wicked being void of God, cannot produce what God expects from them. The world may deem the wicked worth their weight in gold, but God condemns them. They will be shut out from heaven unless they repent. Faith in the shed blood of Christ for the remission of sin is the remedy. A personal relationship with God is necessary to enter His kingdom.
At the same time that salvation is far from the wicked, judgment is drawing near to them. In Hebrews 9:27, it is written, “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” In James 5:9, it is written, “Behold, the Judge is standing at the door.” [3]
“Great are Your tender mercies. O Lord, revive me according to Your judgments.” Psalm 119:156
God’s mercies are tender because He is compassionate. God is rich in mercy toward everyone who calls on His Name. [4] His grace is sufficient to save the wicked. In Romans 5:20, it is written, “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.” God has more grace than we have sin, but each of us needs to ask Him to forgive and save us.
“Many are my persecutors and my enemies, yet I do not turn from Your testimonies.” Psalm 119:157
In 1 Samuel 18:23, David said to others about himself, “Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king’s son-in-law, seeing I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?” After King Saul gave his daughter’s hand in marriage to David, he tried to kill him. King Saul used his nation’s army to pursue David. God’s Word helped David to trust God for victory over his evil father-in-law.
What was David’s strong point? He loved God’s testimonies. He failed God and others in some areas, but he constantly meditated on God’s Word. God loved this quality about David.
In John 15:21, Jesus said, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” In Mark 10:20, a man declared to Jesus that he had kept God’s commandments since he was a boy. In Mark 10:21, “Jesus looked at him and loved him.”
David’s life is a metaphor for Christ and His Church. Just as David had enemies, so do Christ and His followers. Nevertheless, we, the people of God, have many testimonies. [5]
I like the testimony of David Wilkerson. David told Nikki Cruz about Jesus. Nikki was the leader of a violent gang. Nikki spit at David, slapped him, and threatened to kill him. David told him, “Jesus loves you Nikki Cruz.” Nikki was full of bitterness and hatred, but Christ’s unconditional love via David Wilkerson got the best of Nikki Cruz. Nikki believed in Jesus Christ and became a world renowned evangelist afterwards.
“I see the treacherous, and am disgusted, because they do not keep Your Word.” Psalm 119:158
David was grieved that the wicked made every effort to turn people away from God. What did they offer them? Shameful works of darkness, and cruel examples of how to treat others!
“Consider how I love Your precepts. Revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness.” Psalm 119:159
In Psalm 119:154, David asked God to revive him according to His Word. In Psalm 119:156, David asked God to revive him according to His judgments. In Psalm 119:159, David asked God to revive him according to His lovingkindness. David wanted to live in accordance with God’s Word, His judgments and His lovingkindness. He repeatedly expressed this desire before God.
“The entirety of Your Word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.” Psalm 119:160
Ever since God first revealed Himself to humanity, everything He has said has been true. God is not like governments that propagate lies yet swear they are telling the truth. [6] In John 14:6, Jesus claimed to be the truth personified. In John 18:37, Jesus told Pontus Pilate. “For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
David declared that everyone of God’s righteous judgments endures forever. Psalm 96:13 says of the Lord, “He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with His truth.” Revelation 19:11 says of Christ, “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.”
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
[1] From Googles sources and Bible Gateway: “Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem. It contains 176 verses divided into 22 sections, with each section named after one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Instead of just one line per letter, all eight verses in a given section begin with that specific letter. For example, verses 153–160 start with the ר RESH, and this exact pattern continues sequentially all the way through the final letter, Tau (ת).
רְאֵֽה־עָנְיִ֥י וְחַלְּצֵ֑נִי כִּי־תֽ֝וֹרָתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃
רִיבָ֣ה רִ֭יבִי וּגְאָלֵ֑נִי לְאִמְרָתְךָ֥ חַיֵּֽנִי׃
רָח֣וֹק מֵרְשָׁעִ֣ים יְשׁוּעָ֑ה כִּֽי־חֻ֝קֶּיךָ לֹ֣א דָרָֽשׁוּ׃
רַחֲמֶ֖יךָ רַבִּ֥ים׀ יְהוָ֑ה כְּֽמִשְׁפָּטֶ֥יךָ חַיֵּֽנִי׃
רַ֭בִּים רֹדְפַ֣י וְצָרָ֑י מֵ֝עֵדְוֺתֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א נָטִֽיתִי׃
רָאִ֣יתִי בֹ֭גְדִים וָֽאֶתְקוֹטָ֑טָה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִ֝מְרָתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א שָׁמָֽרוּ׃
רְ֭אֵה כִּי־פִקּוּדֶ֣יךָ אָהָ֑בְתִּי יְ֝הוָ֗ה כְּֽחַסְדְּךָ֥ חַיֵּֽנִי׃
רֹאשׁ־דְּבָרְךָ֥ אֱמֶ֑ת וּ֝לְעוֹלָ֗ם כָּל־מִשְׁפַּ֥ט צִדְקֶֽךָ׃
Historically, each letter name corresponds to a concrete object. Over time, these pictures evolved into the letters used today. For example, ר RESH was originally the symbol for head.
[2-6] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
“Consider my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget Your Law.” Psalm 119:153
What do you want God to do with your affliction? Consider it and deliver you from it. In Hebrews 4:15, we read, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Our High Priest is Jesus Christ. He was whipped, beaten, spit on, mocked and crucified. Isaiah 52:14 says of Jesus, “His visage was marred more than any man, and His form more than the sons of men.” Amidst His sufferings, Jesus did not forget God’s Law. He remembered to forgive His enemies and to pray for them. In Luke 23:34, He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”
“Plead my cause and redeem me. Revive me according to Your Word.” Psalm 119:154
Psalm 119:154 is applicable to Jesus Christ. In Matthew 27:46, Jesus asked, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” He wanted His Father to plead His cause. But first, Jesus had to die for our sins. Three days later, He was revived according to God’s Word, or as Romans 6:4 says, “Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father.”
David also asked God to defend him as a legal advocate would do in a court of law. [2] His cause was right. His enemies suborned false witnesses to falsely accuse him. He asked God to bear witness to his innocence and “redeem” him from all charges levied against him.
David asked God to revive him with His Word. In John 6:63, Jesus said, “The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” In Hebrews 4:12, it is written, “The Word of God is living and powerful...”
“Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek Your statutes.” Psalm 119:155
The Hebrew word for “wicked” in the above verse is rasha (רָשָׁע). Rasha carries the legal and forensic meaning of being guilty or condemned in a judgment setting. Rasha describes someone who is legally in the wrong—a “guilty one” who stands condemned before a judge. It is the legal opposite of the righteous person (tzaddik, צַדִּיק). Just as a tzaddik is someone who is vindicated or in the right, a rasha is someone who has been found guilty of a crime.
Wicked people cannot give what they do not have. Only the Savior saves. God’s statutes are God’s statutes. The wicked being void of God, cannot produce what God expects from them. The world may deem the wicked worth their weight in gold, but God condemns them. They will be shut out from heaven unless they repent. Faith in the shed blood of Christ for the remission of sin is the remedy. A personal relationship with God is necessary to enter His kingdom.
At the same time that salvation is far from the wicked, judgment is drawing near to them. In Hebrews 9:27, it is written, “It is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” In James 5:9, it is written, “Behold, the Judge is standing at the door.” [3]
“Great are Your tender mercies. O Lord, revive me according to Your judgments.” Psalm 119:156
God’s mercies are tender because He is compassionate. God is rich in mercy toward everyone who calls on His Name. [4] His grace is sufficient to save the wicked. In Romans 5:20, it is written, “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.” God has more grace than we have sin, but each of us needs to ask Him to forgive and save us.
“Many are my persecutors and my enemies, yet I do not turn from Your testimonies.” Psalm 119:157
In 1 Samuel 18:23, David said to others about himself, “Does it seem to you a light thing to be a king’s son-in-law, seeing I am a poor and lightly esteemed man?” After King Saul gave his daughter’s hand in marriage to David, he tried to kill him. King Saul used his nation’s army to pursue David. God’s Word helped David to trust God for victory over his evil father-in-law.
What was David’s strong point? He loved God’s testimonies. He failed God and others in some areas, but he constantly meditated on God’s Word. God loved this quality about David.
In John 15:21, Jesus said, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” In Mark 10:20, a man declared to Jesus that he had kept God’s commandments since he was a boy. In Mark 10:21, “Jesus looked at him and loved him.”
David’s life is a metaphor for Christ and His Church. Just as David had enemies, so do Christ and His followers. Nevertheless, we, the people of God, have many testimonies. [5]
I like the testimony of David Wilkerson. David told Nikki Cruz about Jesus. Nikki was the leader of a violent gang. Nikki spit at David, slapped him, and threatened to kill him. David told him, “Jesus loves you Nikki Cruz.” Nikki was full of bitterness and hatred, but Christ’s unconditional love via David Wilkerson got the best of Nikki Cruz. Nikki believed in Jesus Christ and became a world renowned evangelist afterwards.
“I see the treacherous, and am disgusted, because they do not keep Your Word.” Psalm 119:158
David was grieved that the wicked made every effort to turn people away from God. What did they offer them? Shameful works of darkness, and cruel examples of how to treat others!
“Consider how I love Your precepts. Revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness.” Psalm 119:159
In Psalm 119:154, David asked God to revive him according to His Word. In Psalm 119:156, David asked God to revive him according to His judgments. In Psalm 119:159, David asked God to revive him according to His lovingkindness. David wanted to live in accordance with God’s Word, His judgments and His lovingkindness. He repeatedly expressed this desire before God.
“The entirety of Your Word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.” Psalm 119:160
Ever since God first revealed Himself to humanity, everything He has said has been true. God is not like governments that propagate lies yet swear they are telling the truth. [6] In John 14:6, Jesus claimed to be the truth personified. In John 18:37, Jesus told Pontus Pilate. “For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
David declared that everyone of God’s righteous judgments endures forever. Psalm 96:13 says of the Lord, “He is coming, for He is coming to judge the earth. He shall judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with His truth.” Revelation 19:11 says of Christ, “Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.”
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
[1] From Googles sources and Bible Gateway: “Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem. It contains 176 verses divided into 22 sections, with each section named after one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Instead of just one line per letter, all eight verses in a given section begin with that specific letter. For example, verses 153–160 start with the ר RESH, and this exact pattern continues sequentially all the way through the final letter, Tau (ת).
רְאֵֽה־עָנְיִ֥י וְחַלְּצֵ֑נִי כִּי־תֽ֝וֹרָתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃
רִיבָ֣ה רִ֭יבִי וּגְאָלֵ֑נִי לְאִמְרָתְךָ֥ חַיֵּֽנִי׃
רָח֣וֹק מֵרְשָׁעִ֣ים יְשׁוּעָ֑ה כִּֽי־חֻ֝קֶּיךָ לֹ֣א דָרָֽשׁוּ׃
רַחֲמֶ֖יךָ רַבִּ֥ים׀ יְהוָ֑ה כְּֽמִשְׁפָּטֶ֥יךָ חַיֵּֽנִי׃
רַ֭בִּים רֹדְפַ֣י וְצָרָ֑י מֵ֝עֵדְוֺתֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א נָטִֽיתִי׃
רָאִ֣יתִי בֹ֭גְדִים וָֽאֶתְקוֹטָ֑טָה אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִ֝מְרָתְךָ֗ לֹ֣א שָׁמָֽרוּ׃
רְ֭אֵה כִּי־פִקּוּדֶ֣יךָ אָהָ֑בְתִּי יְ֝הוָ֗ה כְּֽחַסְדְּךָ֥ חַיֵּֽנִי׃
רֹאשׁ־דְּבָרְךָ֥ אֱמֶ֑ת וּ֝לְעוֹלָ֗ם כָּל־מִשְׁפַּ֥ט צִדְקֶֽךָ׃
Historically, each letter name corresponds to a concrete object. Over time, these pictures evolved into the letters used today. For example, ר RESH was originally the symbol for head.
[2-6] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Our Burden Lifting God – Psalm 119:145-152
ק QOPH [1]
“I cry out with my whole heart. Hear me, O Lord! I will keep Your statutes. I cry out to You. Save me, and I will keep Your testimonies.” Psalm 119:145-146
David cried out to the Lord with his whole heart. In James 5:17, we read that “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed EARNESTLY that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.” Then, in 1 Kings 18:42-45, Elijah prayed EARNESTLY for the rain to return. He “bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees.” After he prayed, he sent his servant to “look toward the sea” for a sign of rain. “It came to pass the seventh time, that he [his servant] said, ‘There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!’” After “that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain.” Elijah watched and prayed. When his first through sixth prayer yielded no tangible result, he prayed one more time, then, the little cloud appeared and he knew his prayer was answered.
David expected God to answer. He did not simply pray and walk away. He watched for God’s response. [2] In Mark 13:31 and in Luke 23:49, Jesus taught us to watch and pray.
David directed his prayers to God. Just as a child naturally turns to his father when he is in need, we should turn to our heavenly Father when we are in need. [3]
Amidst asking God for mercy, David promised to keep His statutes and testimonies. In essence, he prayed, “Save me from my sins, my corrupt desires, my temptations, and every obstacle that keeps me from obeying You, so that I may keep Your testimonies.” Proverbs 28:9 states, “One who turns away his ear from hearing the Law, even his prayer is an abomination.” [4] David, like us, needed God’s prevenient grace, His saving grace and His sanctifying grace to obey God.
“I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help. I hope in Your Word. My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your Word.” Psalm 119:147-148
The Bible and prayer were God’s pipeline to resource David with help, hope and health. His soul, like a thirsty infant, desired to feed on communion with God day and night. God’s Word teaches us what to pray for and how to pray according to His will.
Martin Luther often emphasized that heavy responsibilities required deeper reliance on prayer rather than less. He is quoted as saying, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”
When I served with Revival Christian Church in Hong Kong, Pastor Dennis Balcombe urged all church staff and associated missionaries to spend one hour per day in prayer. He had recently read the book by Dick Eastman entitled, “The Hour That Changes the World.” In this book, there are numerous testimonies of answered prayers. The Holy Spirit convicted and inspired me to adopt the one-hour-per-day prayer habit. The longer I lingered with the Lord, the more prayer concerns He gave to me. I did not run out of things to pray about. Nowadays, I break my hour into segments between morning, noon and night. At least one of my prayer times per day is a prayer walk where I walk 1-2 miles and pray as I walk. My wife often joins me on these walks.
Prayer is a burden lifter not a burden giver. In Psalm 55:22, David prayed, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”
Job’s faith in God was severely tested by Satan. The devil stole his belongings and attempted to assassinate his witness for God. How did Job outlast all the trials sent against him? In Job 23:12, he declared, “I have esteemed the words of His [God’s] mouth more than my necessary food.” His desire for fellowship with God was greater than his desire for comfort.
No matter how busy he was, David made time for God. Being king, he had many responsibilities, yet he did not neglect private prayer. If necessary, he gave up some sleep rather than neglect his time with God. This teaches us that communion with God is worth every sacrifice. [5]
There is also great comfort in knowing that we can pray at any hour. We never come to God at an inconvenient time. Unlike the false god Baal, who was imagined to sleep, the God of Israel never slumbers. His throne of grace is always open, and we may come to Him with confidence whenever we are in need. [6]
“Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness. O Lord, revive me according to Your justice.” Psalm 119:149
David knows he is speaking to God Almighty Creator of heaven and earth. He wants God to respond to request according to His love. He is like an empty cup asking God to fill him. Spiritual strength is not self-manufactured. Spiritual strength is received as a gift from God to us.
“They draw near who follow after wickedness. They are far from Your Law. You are near, O Lord, and all Your commandments are truth.” Psalm 199:150-151
David’s life was in danger. His enemies were closing in on him. In 1 Samuel 20:3, David said, “There is but a step between me and death.” [7] His enemies had no regard for God’s law of love. They were unreasonable. They enjoyed afflicting pain and death on God’s people.
All God’s commandments are truth. David’s enemies assumed they could sabotage his faith by lying to him and about him. They set stumbling blocks before him so that he would fall and his friends would forsake him. They did not play by the golden rule of doing unto others as you would have them to do unto you.
“Concerning Your testimonies, I have known of old that You have founded them forever.” Psalm 119:152
God Himself has established His testimonies to last forever. Even when heaven and earth pass away, every testimony of God will remain. David knew God’s testimonies are true because he had seen them work in his own life. [8]
Everyone who has sincerely walked with God and placed their trust in Him can testify to the truth that God is always faithful. His Word is trustworthy. [9]
[1] From Googles sources and Bible Gateway: “Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem. It contains 176 verses divided into 22 sections, with each section named after one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Instead of just one line per letter, all eight verses in a given section begin with that specific letter. For example, verses 145–152 start with the ק QOPH, and this exact pattern continues sequentially all the way through the final letter, Tau (ת).
קָרָ֣אתִי בְכָל־לֵ֭ב עֲנֵ֥נִי יְהוָ֗ה חֻקֶּ֥יךָ אֶצֹּֽרָה׃
קְרָאתִ֥יךָ הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי וְ֝אֶשְׁמְרָ֗ה עֵדֹתֶֽיךָ׃
קִדַּ֣מְתִּי בַ֭נֶּשֶׁף וָאֲשַׁוֵּ֑עָה ׳לִדְבָרֶיךָ׳ ״לִדְבָרְךָ֥״ יִחָֽלְתִּי׃
קִדְּמ֣וּ עֵ֭ינַי אַשְׁמֻר֑וֹת לָ֝שִׂ֗יחַ בְּאִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃
ק֭וֹלִי שִׁמְעָ֣ה כְחַסְדֶּ֑ךָ יְ֝הוָ֗ה כְּֽמִשְׁפָּטֶ֥ךָ חַיֵּֽנִי׃
קָ֭רְבוּ רֹדְפֵ֣י זִמָּ֑ה מִתּוֹרָתְךָ֥ רָחָֽקוּ׃
קָר֣וֹב אַתָּ֣ה יְהוָ֑ה וְֽכָל־מִצְוֺתֶ֥יךָ אֱמֶֽת׃
קֶ֣דֶם יָ֭דַעְתִּי מֵעֵדֹתֶ֑יךָ כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם יְסַדְתָּֽם׃
Historically, each letter name corresponds to a concrete object. Over time, these pictures evolved into the letters used today. For example, ק QOPH was originally the symbol for monkey.
[2-9] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
“I cry out with my whole heart. Hear me, O Lord! I will keep Your statutes. I cry out to You. Save me, and I will keep Your testimonies.” Psalm 119:145-146
David cried out to the Lord with his whole heart. In James 5:17, we read that “Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed EARNESTLY that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.” Then, in 1 Kings 18:42-45, Elijah prayed EARNESTLY for the rain to return. He “bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees.” After he prayed, he sent his servant to “look toward the sea” for a sign of rain. “It came to pass the seventh time, that he [his servant] said, ‘There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!’” After “that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain.” Elijah watched and prayed. When his first through sixth prayer yielded no tangible result, he prayed one more time, then, the little cloud appeared and he knew his prayer was answered.
David expected God to answer. He did not simply pray and walk away. He watched for God’s response. [2] In Mark 13:31 and in Luke 23:49, Jesus taught us to watch and pray.
David directed his prayers to God. Just as a child naturally turns to his father when he is in need, we should turn to our heavenly Father when we are in need. [3]
Amidst asking God for mercy, David promised to keep His statutes and testimonies. In essence, he prayed, “Save me from my sins, my corrupt desires, my temptations, and every obstacle that keeps me from obeying You, so that I may keep Your testimonies.” Proverbs 28:9 states, “One who turns away his ear from hearing the Law, even his prayer is an abomination.” [4] David, like us, needed God’s prevenient grace, His saving grace and His sanctifying grace to obey God.
“I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help. I hope in Your Word. My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your Word.” Psalm 119:147-148
The Bible and prayer were God’s pipeline to resource David with help, hope and health. His soul, like a thirsty infant, desired to feed on communion with God day and night. God’s Word teaches us what to pray for and how to pray according to His will.
Martin Luther often emphasized that heavy responsibilities required deeper reliance on prayer rather than less. He is quoted as saying, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”
When I served with Revival Christian Church in Hong Kong, Pastor Dennis Balcombe urged all church staff and associated missionaries to spend one hour per day in prayer. He had recently read the book by Dick Eastman entitled, “The Hour That Changes the World.” In this book, there are numerous testimonies of answered prayers. The Holy Spirit convicted and inspired me to adopt the one-hour-per-day prayer habit. The longer I lingered with the Lord, the more prayer concerns He gave to me. I did not run out of things to pray about. Nowadays, I break my hour into segments between morning, noon and night. At least one of my prayer times per day is a prayer walk where I walk 1-2 miles and pray as I walk. My wife often joins me on these walks.
Prayer is a burden lifter not a burden giver. In Psalm 55:22, David prayed, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you. He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”
Job’s faith in God was severely tested by Satan. The devil stole his belongings and attempted to assassinate his witness for God. How did Job outlast all the trials sent against him? In Job 23:12, he declared, “I have esteemed the words of His [God’s] mouth more than my necessary food.” His desire for fellowship with God was greater than his desire for comfort.
No matter how busy he was, David made time for God. Being king, he had many responsibilities, yet he did not neglect private prayer. If necessary, he gave up some sleep rather than neglect his time with God. This teaches us that communion with God is worth every sacrifice. [5]
There is also great comfort in knowing that we can pray at any hour. We never come to God at an inconvenient time. Unlike the false god Baal, who was imagined to sleep, the God of Israel never slumbers. His throne of grace is always open, and we may come to Him with confidence whenever we are in need. [6]
“Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness. O Lord, revive me according to Your justice.” Psalm 119:149
David knows he is speaking to God Almighty Creator of heaven and earth. He wants God to respond to request according to His love. He is like an empty cup asking God to fill him. Spiritual strength is not self-manufactured. Spiritual strength is received as a gift from God to us.
“They draw near who follow after wickedness. They are far from Your Law. You are near, O Lord, and all Your commandments are truth.” Psalm 199:150-151
David’s life was in danger. His enemies were closing in on him. In 1 Samuel 20:3, David said, “There is but a step between me and death.” [7] His enemies had no regard for God’s law of love. They were unreasonable. They enjoyed afflicting pain and death on God’s people.
All God’s commandments are truth. David’s enemies assumed they could sabotage his faith by lying to him and about him. They set stumbling blocks before him so that he would fall and his friends would forsake him. They did not play by the golden rule of doing unto others as you would have them to do unto you.
“Concerning Your testimonies, I have known of old that You have founded them forever.” Psalm 119:152
God Himself has established His testimonies to last forever. Even when heaven and earth pass away, every testimony of God will remain. David knew God’s testimonies are true because he had seen them work in his own life. [8]
Everyone who has sincerely walked with God and placed their trust in Him can testify to the truth that God is always faithful. His Word is trustworthy. [9]
[1] From Googles sources and Bible Gateway: “Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem. It contains 176 verses divided into 22 sections, with each section named after one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Instead of just one line per letter, all eight verses in a given section begin with that specific letter. For example, verses 145–152 start with the ק QOPH, and this exact pattern continues sequentially all the way through the final letter, Tau (ת).
קָרָ֣אתִי בְכָל־לֵ֭ב עֲנֵ֥נִי יְהוָ֗ה חֻקֶּ֥יךָ אֶצֹּֽרָה׃
קְרָאתִ֥יךָ הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי וְ֝אֶשְׁמְרָ֗ה עֵדֹתֶֽיךָ׃
קִדַּ֣מְתִּי בַ֭נֶּשֶׁף וָאֲשַׁוֵּ֑עָה ׳לִדְבָרֶיךָ׳ ״לִדְבָרְךָ֥״ יִחָֽלְתִּי׃
קִדְּמ֣וּ עֵ֭ינַי אַשְׁמֻר֑וֹת לָ֝שִׂ֗יחַ בְּאִמְרָתֶֽךָ׃
ק֭וֹלִי שִׁמְעָ֣ה כְחַסְדֶּ֑ךָ יְ֝הוָ֗ה כְּֽמִשְׁפָּטֶ֥ךָ חַיֵּֽנִי׃
קָ֭רְבוּ רֹדְפֵ֣י זִמָּ֑ה מִתּוֹרָתְךָ֥ רָחָֽקוּ׃
קָר֣וֹב אַתָּ֣ה יְהוָ֑ה וְֽכָל־מִצְוֺתֶ֥יךָ אֱמֶֽת׃
קֶ֣דֶם יָ֭דַעְתִּי מֵעֵדֹתֶ֑יךָ כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם יְסַדְתָּֽם׃
Historically, each letter name corresponds to a concrete object. Over time, these pictures evolved into the letters used today. For example, ק QOPH was originally the symbol for monkey.
[2-9] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
Monday, July 27, 2026
Transformed By Knowing God – Psalm 119:137-144
צ TSADDE [1]
“Righteous are You, O Lord, and upright are Your judgments. Your testimonies, which You have commanded, are righteous and very faithful.” Psalm 119:137-138
God is righteous by nature. He is exactly what He ought to be. Everything He does is consistent with His perfect goodness. There is nothing lacking or wrong in Him. He is the eternal standard of what is right. [2] In Deuteronomy 32:4, Moses wrote, “He is the Rock, His work is perfect. For all His ways are justice. A God of truth and without injustice! Righteous and upright is He.”
God’s testimonies “are righteous and very faithful.” He does not lie. His promises, warnings, and actions are fair and reliable. [3] What is there not to trust about God? He always tells the truth.
“My zeal has consumed me, because my enemies have forgotten Your Words.” Psalm 119:139
Henry Kissinger once wrote, “The weak are strengthened by the frontier. The strong grow weak by inhibition!” Prior to David becoming king, many in Israel lived in fear due to their lack of faith in God. For example, in 1 Samuel 17:4-10, when the giant Goliath challenged Israel to find one among them to fight him, those who were famous for being strong, turned inward and were greatly afraid. David, on the other hand, though considered weak by others, looked upward to God, and as a result, zeal to silence the giant consumed him.
When David saw that his fellow Israelites lacked faith in God to arise for the occasion, he picked up five smooth stones, his slingshot, and ran at the giant.
Before he struck the giant dead, in 1 Samuel 17:45-46, he prophesied, saying, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the Name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”
In the Book of Judges, we learn that for many years, Israel was weak due to their inhibition to completely destroy pagans from their land. Frequently, pagans conquered and subdued them. Then, they would cry out to God for help and He would raise up a “Judge” to rescue them. Though David was weak, His faith in God was strong. By faith in God, he expelled invaders from Israel. He set up a massive orchestra and choir to lead Israel in worship. During His days, the Word of God was held in high honor. David’s zeal for God inspired others to do great exploits.
“Your Word is very pure. Therefore, Your servant loves it.” Psalm 119:140
David deeply loved God’s Word. Lovers love God’s Word because it is our connection with Him. The Scripture is like a two-way bridge between God and people. He comes to us and we go to Him in it. Love for Scripture is a sign of one’s love for God.
David loved God’s Word because it is pure. In John 15:3, Jesus said to His disciples, “You are already clean because of the Word which I have spoken to you.” In Ephesians 5:26, Paul wrote of Christ cleansing His bride the Church “with the washing of water by the Word.” God’s Word has the power to cleanse and transform those who receive it. Just as gold is refined by removing what is worthless from it, God’s Word refines our hearts by helping us to identify and remove the impurities that are within us. [4]
“I am small and despised, yet I do not forget Your precepts.” Psalm 119:141
David honored God’s precepts above himself. God’s Word transformed him. In 1 Corinthians 1:27, Paul wrote, “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.”
In Deuteronomy 7:7-8, God explains that He didn’t choose Israel because it was a large nation with lots of people. Even today, Israel is a tiny nation about the size of the state of New Jersey.
In Deuteronomy 9:4-6, God explains that He didn’t choose Israel because Israel was more righteous than other nations. The Israelites often disobeyed God and made Him angry.
God chose Israel because He knew that their weaknesses would magnify His strength. The outstanding people in the Bible stand out because they acknowledged their inadequacies and embraced God’s grace. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:10, “By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
“Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your Law is truth.” Psalm 119:142
God’s righteousness will never run dry or change in nature after so many years.
God’s Law is truth. Truth is the best guide. To reject truth is to act foolishly.
In John 8:32, Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” In John 18:37, Jesus said to Pilate, “For this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
“Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, yet Your commandments are my delights. The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting. Give me understanding, and I shall live. Psalm 119:143-144
These two verses repeat the message of the two verses before them, but they add greater emphasis. Earlier David said, “I am small and despised.” Now, he states, “Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me.” Earlier David said, “I do not forget Your precepts.” Now, he expresses a stronger love for God’s Word, “Your commandments are my delights.” [5] Neither lingering inadequacies within him nor trials from without him lessened David’s love for God’s Word.
God’s testimonies will always be right. We don’t have to worry about them changing or coming to an end. In John 4:14, Jesus said, “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” [6]
David prayed for greater understanding: “Give me understanding.” There is always more to understand about God. David wanted to know God better each day than the day before.
David knew that his eternal salvation depended on understanding God rightly. He said to the Lord, “Give me understanding, and I shall live." In John 17:3, Jesus said, “This is life eternal, that they might know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.”
[1] From Googles sources and Bible Gateway: “Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem. It contains 176 verses divided into 22 sections, with each section named after one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Instead of just one line per letter, all eight verses in a given section begin with that specific letter. For example, verses 137–144 start with the צ TSADDE, and this exact pattern continues sequentially all the way through the final letter, Tau (ת).
צַדִּ֣יק אַתָּ֣ה יְהוָ֑ה וְ֝יָשָׁ֗ר מִשְׁפָּטֶֽיךָ׃
צִ֭וִּיתָ צֶ֣דֶק עֵדֹתֶ֑יךָ וֶֽאֱמוּנָ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃
צִמְּתַ֥תְנִי קִנְאָתִ֑י כִּֽי־שָׁכְח֖וּ דְבָרֶ֣יךָ צָרָֽי׃
צְרוּפָ֖ה אִמְרָתְךָ֥ מְאֹ֗ד וְֽעַבְדְּךָ֥ אֲהֵבָֽהּ׃
צָעִ֣יר אָנֹכִ֣י וְנִבְזֶ֑ה פִּ֝קֻּדֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃
צִדְקָתְךָ֣ צֶ֣דֶק לְעוֹלָ֑ם וְֽתוֹרָתְךָ֥ אֱמֶֽת׃
צַר־וּמָצ֥וֹק מְצָא֑וּנִי מִ֝צְוֺתֶ֗יךָ שַׁעֲשֻׁעָֽי׃
צֶ֖דֶק עֵדְוֺתֶ֥יךָ לְעוֹלָ֗ם הֲבִינֵ֥נִי וְאֶחְיֶֽה׃
Historically, each letter name corresponds to a concrete object. Over time, these pictures evolved into the letters used today. For example, צ TSADDE was originally the symbol for righteous.
[2-6] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
“Righteous are You, O Lord, and upright are Your judgments. Your testimonies, which You have commanded, are righteous and very faithful.” Psalm 119:137-138
God is righteous by nature. He is exactly what He ought to be. Everything He does is consistent with His perfect goodness. There is nothing lacking or wrong in Him. He is the eternal standard of what is right. [2] In Deuteronomy 32:4, Moses wrote, “He is the Rock, His work is perfect. For all His ways are justice. A God of truth and without injustice! Righteous and upright is He.”
God’s testimonies “are righteous and very faithful.” He does not lie. His promises, warnings, and actions are fair and reliable. [3] What is there not to trust about God? He always tells the truth.
“My zeal has consumed me, because my enemies have forgotten Your Words.” Psalm 119:139
Henry Kissinger once wrote, “The weak are strengthened by the frontier. The strong grow weak by inhibition!” Prior to David becoming king, many in Israel lived in fear due to their lack of faith in God. For example, in 1 Samuel 17:4-10, when the giant Goliath challenged Israel to find one among them to fight him, those who were famous for being strong, turned inward and were greatly afraid. David, on the other hand, though considered weak by others, looked upward to God, and as a result, zeal to silence the giant consumed him.
When David saw that his fellow Israelites lacked faith in God to arise for the occasion, he picked up five smooth stones, his slingshot, and ran at the giant.
Before he struck the giant dead, in 1 Samuel 17:45-46, he prophesied, saying, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the Name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you and take your head from you. And this day I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air and the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands.”
In the Book of Judges, we learn that for many years, Israel was weak due to their inhibition to completely destroy pagans from their land. Frequently, pagans conquered and subdued them. Then, they would cry out to God for help and He would raise up a “Judge” to rescue them. Though David was weak, His faith in God was strong. By faith in God, he expelled invaders from Israel. He set up a massive orchestra and choir to lead Israel in worship. During His days, the Word of God was held in high honor. David’s zeal for God inspired others to do great exploits.
“Your Word is very pure. Therefore, Your servant loves it.” Psalm 119:140
David deeply loved God’s Word. Lovers love God’s Word because it is our connection with Him. The Scripture is like a two-way bridge between God and people. He comes to us and we go to Him in it. Love for Scripture is a sign of one’s love for God.
David loved God’s Word because it is pure. In John 15:3, Jesus said to His disciples, “You are already clean because of the Word which I have spoken to you.” In Ephesians 5:26, Paul wrote of Christ cleansing His bride the Church “with the washing of water by the Word.” God’s Word has the power to cleanse and transform those who receive it. Just as gold is refined by removing what is worthless from it, God’s Word refines our hearts by helping us to identify and remove the impurities that are within us. [4]
“I am small and despised, yet I do not forget Your precepts.” Psalm 119:141
David honored God’s precepts above himself. God’s Word transformed him. In 1 Corinthians 1:27, Paul wrote, “God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty.”
In Deuteronomy 7:7-8, God explains that He didn’t choose Israel because it was a large nation with lots of people. Even today, Israel is a tiny nation about the size of the state of New Jersey.
In Deuteronomy 9:4-6, God explains that He didn’t choose Israel because Israel was more righteous than other nations. The Israelites often disobeyed God and made Him angry.
God chose Israel because He knew that their weaknesses would magnify His strength. The outstanding people in the Bible stand out because they acknowledged their inadequacies and embraced God’s grace. As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:10, “By the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain, but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”
“Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your Law is truth.” Psalm 119:142
God’s righteousness will never run dry or change in nature after so many years.
God’s Law is truth. Truth is the best guide. To reject truth is to act foolishly.
In John 8:32, Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” In John 18:37, Jesus said to Pilate, “For this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.”
“Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, yet Your commandments are my delights. The righteousness of Your testimonies is everlasting. Give me understanding, and I shall live. Psalm 119:143-144
These two verses repeat the message of the two verses before them, but they add greater emphasis. Earlier David said, “I am small and despised.” Now, he states, “Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me.” Earlier David said, “I do not forget Your precepts.” Now, he expresses a stronger love for God’s Word, “Your commandments are my delights.” [5] Neither lingering inadequacies within him nor trials from without him lessened David’s love for God’s Word.
God’s testimonies will always be right. We don’t have to worry about them changing or coming to an end. In John 4:14, Jesus said, “Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” [6]
David prayed for greater understanding: “Give me understanding.” There is always more to understand about God. David wanted to know God better each day than the day before.
David knew that his eternal salvation depended on understanding God rightly. He said to the Lord, “Give me understanding, and I shall live." In John 17:3, Jesus said, “This is life eternal, that they might know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.”
[1] From Googles sources and Bible Gateway: “Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem. It contains 176 verses divided into 22 sections, with each section named after one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Instead of just one line per letter, all eight verses in a given section begin with that specific letter. For example, verses 137–144 start with the צ TSADDE, and this exact pattern continues sequentially all the way through the final letter, Tau (ת).
צַדִּ֣יק אַתָּ֣ה יְהוָ֑ה וְ֝יָשָׁ֗ר מִשְׁפָּטֶֽיךָ׃
צִ֭וִּיתָ צֶ֣דֶק עֵדֹתֶ֑יךָ וֶֽאֱמוּנָ֥ה מְאֹֽד׃
צִמְּתַ֥תְנִי קִנְאָתִ֑י כִּֽי־שָׁכְח֖וּ דְבָרֶ֣יךָ צָרָֽי׃
צְרוּפָ֖ה אִמְרָתְךָ֥ מְאֹ֗ד וְֽעַבְדְּךָ֥ אֲהֵבָֽהּ׃
צָעִ֣יר אָנֹכִ֣י וְנִבְזֶ֑ה פִּ֝קֻּדֶ֗יךָ לֹ֣א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃
צִדְקָתְךָ֣ צֶ֣דֶק לְעוֹלָ֑ם וְֽתוֹרָתְךָ֥ אֱמֶֽת׃
צַר־וּמָצ֥וֹק מְצָא֑וּנִי מִ֝צְוֺתֶ֗יךָ שַׁעֲשֻׁעָֽי׃
צֶ֖דֶק עֵדְוֺתֶ֥יךָ לְעוֹלָ֗ם הֲבִינֵ֥נִי וְאֶחְיֶֽה׃
Historically, each letter name corresponds to a concrete object. Over time, these pictures evolved into the letters used today. For example, צ TSADDE was originally the symbol for righteous.
[2-6] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
Sunday, July 26, 2026
The Presence of Jesus in One’s Life – Psalm 119:129-136
פ PE [1]
“Your testimonies are wonderful. Therefore, my soul keeps them.” Psalm 119:129
God’s testimonies include raising the dead, giving sight to the blind, multiplying food for the hungry, defeating evil empires, delivering His servants from the mouths of lions, making the lame to walk again, care for the orphan and widow, creating the universe, sustaining the universe, and sending His Son into the world to pay the ransom for humanity’s salvation. God shares His testimonies with us because He loves us and wants us to know that He can help us.
It is one thing to hear God’s testimonies and it is another thing to be absolutely certain that they are true. In 1 Corinthians 2:14, God says, “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” Each of us needs the Holy Spirit to help us to understand and to believe the Word of God.
How do we know that what we read in the Bible applies to us? We know it by God’s Spirit. In Romans 8:16, God says, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” When we repent of our sins and surrender our life to Christ, He gives us His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit affirms us. He tells us that all the promises of God apply to all who are in Christ.
In Romans 15:4, Paul testified, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”
God gives us hope as we consider His testimonies. “Therefore,” as David wrote, “My soul keeps them.” [2]
“The entrance of Your Words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:130
The purpose of God’s Word is to give us light. Without light we cannot see where we are going. Without light we cannot perceive what is going on around us. How often have individuals and entire nations been duped by liars who made great promises to them? People trusted, helped and supported them only to have them turn on them like brute beasts and tear them to pieces.
“The entrance of Your words gives light.” In the opening verses of the Bible, God tells us how the universe began—truths that people could never discover on their own. As soon as God’s Word enters our hearts and minds, it begins to bring light. The more we study it, the more clearly we see. [3]
God’s Word becomes even clearer when it is carefully explained and faithfully taught. In Nehemiah 8:8, it is written that the Levites, “Read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.” [4]
God’s Word “gives understanding to the simple.” God teaches and He gives understanding so that simple-minded people can comprehend what He is saying. Even those with little education or natural ability can understand the way of salvation because God makes it plain to them. The road to heaven is so clearly revealed in Scripture. Those who humbly trust God will see the way. [5]
“I opened my mouth and panted, for I longed for Your commandments.” Psalm 119:131
When a person is born of God’s Spirit, he or she experiences a deep hunger for God’s Word. Like a newborn baby craves milk! God encourages us to feed that thirst in 1 Peter 2:2: “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby.” I seldom ever read the Bible until I was born again. After Christ converted me, I could not get enough of the Bible, and I still read and enjoy it daily.
The Word of God teaches us the will of God. In Psalm 40:8, David wrote, “I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your Law is within my heart.” In Psalm 100:2, David wrote, “Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before His presence with singing.” When we see our life lining up with the Word of God, so that God’s Word is being incarnated or embodied in us, it yields great joy.
David opened his mouth, and panted like someone exhausted from the heat or struggling for breath longs for fresh air. His desire was strong, sincere, and wholehearted. [6] He thirsted for God as a thirsty deer pants for water.
“Look upon me and be merciful to me, as Your custom is toward those who love Your Name.” Psalm 119:132
David asked the Lord to look upon him with mercy. He wanted God to see his hunger and thirst for Him, and respond to his love by blessings him with those blessings “which eye has not seen, nor ear has heard” spoke of in 1 Corinthians 2:9. [7] Spiritual blessings!
“Direct my steps by Your Word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me.” Psalm 119:133
David was as concerned about God’s work IN him as he was about God’s work THROUGH him. He prayed, “Direct my steps by Your Word.” He was asking God to direct every step he took according to His Word. Our thoughts, choices, and actions should not only avoid what God’s Word forbids but should also follow the way of life that His Word teaches us. [8]
David wanted to do as Romans 12:21 says to do: “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.” He wanted to do as Romans 6:13 urges us to do: “Do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”
When David prayed, “Let no iniquity have dominion over me,” he was asking God to keep him free from being enslaved by sin. The power and control of sin is something every believer should fear and resist. When we trust God’s promise for victory over sin as Romans 6:14 says, “Sin shall not have dominion over you.”
“Redeem me from the oppression of man, that I may keep Your precepts.” Psalm 119:134
David prayed for redemption from the devil’s evil attacks.
After the devil attacked Job, his friends began to suggest that he must have done something very bad to incur such losses. In Job 19:23-27, Job exclaimed, “Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book! That they were engraved on a rock with an iron pen and lead, forever! For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth, and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”
Once, after I incurred a heart-breaking loss, God used the lyrics of a song entitled, “My Redeemer,” to help me express my heart-felt need for Him to heal me.
“Here I go again,
I’m thinking of the time when I will stand,
And look into the eyes of my Redeemer.
Words won’t come my way,
And deep inside my silent accolades,
I’ll find my voice to sing of my Redeemer.
And I know upon this earth I’ll never find,
The words that can express my heart of mine.
When with His words of light,
He spoke and pulled my dark soul from the night.
How can I repay my Redeemer?
With His wounded hands,
He held my broken heart to understand,
I never can repay my Redeemer.”
God used this song, and two other songs sung by Matthew Ward, “To the King” and “God Almighty,” [9] to heal my broken heart. The Lord helped me to focus on what I still had rather than what I loss. He made me stronger in new ways. He helped me to love again.
“Make Your face shine upon Your servant and teach me Your statutes.” Psalm 119:135
David often referred to himself as God’s servant. Seeing himself in such a low position before God, he desired God to patiently teach him (shine) so he could know how to serve Him best.
“Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep Your Law.” Psalm 119:136
A tender-heart is often accompanied by a tearful eye. This verse reflects the heart of Christ, who was described as “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” David’s sorrow was a godly sorrow. People were deliberately defying God. [10]
In Luke 23:24, while on the cross, Jesus prayed for sinners, saying, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” His heart was broken for them. They were filled with hatred not love.
The beauty on display in Psalm 119:129-136 is that of a heart that can hold both wonderment at God’s amazing testimonies and grief over the hatefulness of people, and still be okay thanks to the presence of Jesus in one’s life.
[1] From Googles sources and Bible Gateway: “Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem. It contains 176 verses divided into 22 sections, with each section named after one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Instead of just one line per letter, all eight verses in a given section begin with that specific letter. For example, verses 129–136 start with the פ PE, and this exact pattern continues sequentially all the way through the final letter, Tau (ת).
פְּלָא֥וֹת עֵדְוֺתֶ֑יךָ עַל־כֵּ֝֗ן נְצָרָ֥תַם נַפְשִֽׁי׃
פֵּ֖תַח דְּבָרֶ֥יךָ יָאִ֗יר מֵבִ֥ין פְּתָיִֽים׃
פִּֽי־פָ֭עַרְתִּי וָאֶשְׁאָ֑פָה כִּ֖י לְמִצְוֺתֶ֣יךָ יָאָֽבְתִּי׃
פְּנֵה־אֵלַ֥י וְחָנֵּ֑נִי כְּ֝מִשְׁפָּ֗ט לְאֹהֲבֵ֥י שְׁמֶֽךָ׃
פְּ֭עָמַי הָכֵ֣ן בְּאִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ וְֽאַל־תַּשְׁלֶט־בִּ֥י כָל־אָֽוֶן׃
פְּ֭דֵנִי מֵעֹ֣שֶׁק אָדָ֑ם וְ֝אֶשְׁמְרָ֗ה פִּקּוּדֶֽיךָ׃
פָּ֭נֶיךָ הָאֵ֣ר בְּעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝לַמְּדֵ֗נִי אֶת־חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃
פַּלְגֵי־מַ֭יִם יָרְד֣וּ עֵינָ֑י עַ֝֗ל לֹא־שָׁמְר֥וּ תוֹרָתֶֽךָ׃
Historically, each letter name corresponds to a concrete object. Over time, these pictures evolved into the letters used today. For example, פ PE was originally the symbol for mouth.
[2-8] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[9] The three songs mentioned are on a CD entitled, “My Redeemer” by Matthew Ward
[10] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
“Your testimonies are wonderful. Therefore, my soul keeps them.” Psalm 119:129
God’s testimonies include raising the dead, giving sight to the blind, multiplying food for the hungry, defeating evil empires, delivering His servants from the mouths of lions, making the lame to walk again, care for the orphan and widow, creating the universe, sustaining the universe, and sending His Son into the world to pay the ransom for humanity’s salvation. God shares His testimonies with us because He loves us and wants us to know that He can help us.
It is one thing to hear God’s testimonies and it is another thing to be absolutely certain that they are true. In 1 Corinthians 2:14, God says, “The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” Each of us needs the Holy Spirit to help us to understand and to believe the Word of God.
How do we know that what we read in the Bible applies to us? We know it by God’s Spirit. In Romans 8:16, God says, “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” When we repent of our sins and surrender our life to Christ, He gives us His Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit affirms us. He tells us that all the promises of God apply to all who are in Christ.
In Romans 15:4, Paul testified, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”
God gives us hope as we consider His testimonies. “Therefore,” as David wrote, “My soul keeps them.” [2]
“The entrance of Your Words gives light. It gives understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:130
The purpose of God’s Word is to give us light. Without light we cannot see where we are going. Without light we cannot perceive what is going on around us. How often have individuals and entire nations been duped by liars who made great promises to them? People trusted, helped and supported them only to have them turn on them like brute beasts and tear them to pieces.
“The entrance of Your words gives light.” In the opening verses of the Bible, God tells us how the universe began—truths that people could never discover on their own. As soon as God’s Word enters our hearts and minds, it begins to bring light. The more we study it, the more clearly we see. [3]
God’s Word becomes even clearer when it is carefully explained and faithfully taught. In Nehemiah 8:8, it is written that the Levites, “Read distinctly from the book, in the Law of God; and they gave the sense, and helped them to understand the reading.” [4]
God’s Word “gives understanding to the simple.” God teaches and He gives understanding so that simple-minded people can comprehend what He is saying. Even those with little education or natural ability can understand the way of salvation because God makes it plain to them. The road to heaven is so clearly revealed in Scripture. Those who humbly trust God will see the way. [5]
“I opened my mouth and panted, for I longed for Your commandments.” Psalm 119:131
When a person is born of God’s Spirit, he or she experiences a deep hunger for God’s Word. Like a newborn baby craves milk! God encourages us to feed that thirst in 1 Peter 2:2: “As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word, that you may grow thereby.” I seldom ever read the Bible until I was born again. After Christ converted me, I could not get enough of the Bible, and I still read and enjoy it daily.
The Word of God teaches us the will of God. In Psalm 40:8, David wrote, “I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your Law is within my heart.” In Psalm 100:2, David wrote, “Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before His presence with singing.” When we see our life lining up with the Word of God, so that God’s Word is being incarnated or embodied in us, it yields great joy.
David opened his mouth, and panted like someone exhausted from the heat or struggling for breath longs for fresh air. His desire was strong, sincere, and wholehearted. [6] He thirsted for God as a thirsty deer pants for water.
“Look upon me and be merciful to me, as Your custom is toward those who love Your Name.” Psalm 119:132
David asked the Lord to look upon him with mercy. He wanted God to see his hunger and thirst for Him, and respond to his love by blessings him with those blessings “which eye has not seen, nor ear has heard” spoke of in 1 Corinthians 2:9. [7] Spiritual blessings!
“Direct my steps by Your Word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me.” Psalm 119:133
David was as concerned about God’s work IN him as he was about God’s work THROUGH him. He prayed, “Direct my steps by Your Word.” He was asking God to direct every step he took according to His Word. Our thoughts, choices, and actions should not only avoid what God’s Word forbids but should also follow the way of life that His Word teaches us. [8]
David wanted to do as Romans 12:21 says to do: “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.” He wanted to do as Romans 6:13 urges us to do: “Do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.”
When David prayed, “Let no iniquity have dominion over me,” he was asking God to keep him free from being enslaved by sin. The power and control of sin is something every believer should fear and resist. When we trust God’s promise for victory over sin as Romans 6:14 says, “Sin shall not have dominion over you.”
“Redeem me from the oppression of man, that I may keep Your precepts.” Psalm 119:134
David prayed for redemption from the devil’s evil attacks.
After the devil attacked Job, his friends began to suggest that he must have done something very bad to incur such losses. In Job 19:23-27, Job exclaimed, “Oh, that my words were written! Oh, that they were inscribed in a book! That they were engraved on a rock with an iron pen and lead, forever! For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth, and after my skin is destroyed, this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself, and my eyes shall behold, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”
Once, after I incurred a heart-breaking loss, God used the lyrics of a song entitled, “My Redeemer,” to help me express my heart-felt need for Him to heal me.
“Here I go again,
I’m thinking of the time when I will stand,
And look into the eyes of my Redeemer.
Words won’t come my way,
And deep inside my silent accolades,
I’ll find my voice to sing of my Redeemer.
And I know upon this earth I’ll never find,
The words that can express my heart of mine.
When with His words of light,
He spoke and pulled my dark soul from the night.
How can I repay my Redeemer?
With His wounded hands,
He held my broken heart to understand,
I never can repay my Redeemer.”
God used this song, and two other songs sung by Matthew Ward, “To the King” and “God Almighty,” [9] to heal my broken heart. The Lord helped me to focus on what I still had rather than what I loss. He made me stronger in new ways. He helped me to love again.
“Make Your face shine upon Your servant and teach me Your statutes.” Psalm 119:135
David often referred to himself as God’s servant. Seeing himself in such a low position before God, he desired God to patiently teach him (shine) so he could know how to serve Him best.
“Rivers of water run down from my eyes, because men do not keep Your Law.” Psalm 119:136
A tender-heart is often accompanied by a tearful eye. This verse reflects the heart of Christ, who was described as “a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief.” David’s sorrow was a godly sorrow. People were deliberately defying God. [10]
In Luke 23:24, while on the cross, Jesus prayed for sinners, saying, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” His heart was broken for them. They were filled with hatred not love.
The beauty on display in Psalm 119:129-136 is that of a heart that can hold both wonderment at God’s amazing testimonies and grief over the hatefulness of people, and still be okay thanks to the presence of Jesus in one’s life.
[1] From Googles sources and Bible Gateway: “Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem. It contains 176 verses divided into 22 sections, with each section named after one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Instead of just one line per letter, all eight verses in a given section begin with that specific letter. For example, verses 129–136 start with the פ PE, and this exact pattern continues sequentially all the way through the final letter, Tau (ת).
פְּלָא֥וֹת עֵדְוֺתֶ֑יךָ עַל־כֵּ֝֗ן נְצָרָ֥תַם נַפְשִֽׁי׃
פֵּ֖תַח דְּבָרֶ֥יךָ יָאִ֗יר מֵבִ֥ין פְּתָיִֽים׃
פִּֽי־פָ֭עַרְתִּי וָאֶשְׁאָ֑פָה כִּ֖י לְמִצְוֺתֶ֣יךָ יָאָֽבְתִּי׃
פְּנֵה־אֵלַ֥י וְחָנֵּ֑נִי כְּ֝מִשְׁפָּ֗ט לְאֹהֲבֵ֥י שְׁמֶֽךָ׃
פְּ֭עָמַי הָכֵ֣ן בְּאִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ וְֽאַל־תַּשְׁלֶט־בִּ֥י כָל־אָֽוֶן׃
פְּ֭דֵנִי מֵעֹ֣שֶׁק אָדָ֑ם וְ֝אֶשְׁמְרָ֗ה פִּקּוּדֶֽיךָ׃
פָּ֭נֶיךָ הָאֵ֣ר בְּעַבְדֶּ֑ךָ וְ֝לַמְּדֵ֗נִי אֶת־חֻקֶּֽיךָ׃
פַּלְגֵי־מַ֭יִם יָרְד֣וּ עֵינָ֑י עַ֝֗ל לֹא־שָׁמְר֥וּ תוֹרָתֶֽךָ׃
Historically, each letter name corresponds to a concrete object. Over time, these pictures evolved into the letters used today. For example, פ PE was originally the symbol for mouth.
[2-8] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
[9] The three songs mentioned are on a CD entitled, “My Redeemer” by Matthew Ward
[10] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
Saturday, July 25, 2026
Loving God’s Commandments – Psalm 119:121-128
ע AYIN [1]
“I have done justice and righteousness. Do not leave me to my oppressors. Be surety for Your servant for good. Do not let the proud oppress me.” Psalm 119:121-122
David appealed to God as his witness that he had done what was right. God’s own Word in
2 Samuel 8:15 speaks well of David: “David reigned over all Israel. David administered judgment and justice to all his people.” In 1 Samuel 24:11, he could say with a clear conscience to King Saul his father-in-law, “My father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it.” [2]
David appealed to God as his Judge, “Do not leave me to my oppressors.” While seeking justice for others who were oppressed, David also needed God to advocate for Him. [3]
Jesus Christ is our Surety before God. We know God loves us because of what Jesus did for us on the cross and in His resurrection. Since God is for us, who can keep us down? No one! In the end, those who are persecuted for doing what is right are in a far better position than those who persecute them. [4]
“My eyes fail from seeking Your salvation and Your righteous Word.” Psalm 119:123
David’s eyes grew weak watching for God’s visible response. Why was God taking so long? Even faithful believers can become discouraged when God’s answer seems delayed. We often struggle to wait for God’s perfect timing after our own expectations have passed. The good news is that God never fails. David needed to keep his eyes on God’s faithful promises. [5]
“Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy and teach me Your statutes. I am Your servant. Give me understanding, that I may know Your testimonies.” Psalm 119:124-125
David asked God to disciple him in His statutes. He wanted to understand all that God expected of him. While passing through “the valley of death,” he needed God’s Spirit to lead him. [6]
In times of trouble, we should stay focused on obeying God’s commands and not be overly concerned with what will happen next. In Psalm 138:8, David wrote, “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me. Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the works of Your hands.” In Hebrews 13:5, the Lord us: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
David appealed to God for mercy. When we ask God to teach us, we should recognize that His instruction is a gift of His grace and one of His greatest blessings. [7]
David confessed to God, “I am Your servant.” He wanted to serve God faithfully, so he asked God for guidance. A servant can rightly expect his master to explain what he wants him to do. In the same way, we can ask our heavenly Father to clarify what He expects from us. [8]
“It is time for You to act, O Lord, for they have regarded Your Law as void.” Psalm 119:126
David asked God for action. His adversaries were treating God’s Law as foolishness. They openly defied God and His authority.
Some break God’s Law due to being weak-willed and others break it deliberately to defy Him. Their attitude is, “Who is the Lord? Who is the Almighty, that we should fear him?” They live as though God and His Law have no bearing on them. They are self-professed atheists.
David cried, “It is time for You to act.” He asked God to step in and silence those who boldly opposed Him and denied His truth. God often acts when sin has become bold and widespread, and when evil has reached its full measure. Then the Lord declares, “Now will I arise.” [9]
We should do everything we can to support truth. Yet we must also pray for God to take the work into His own hands, because only He can ultimately defend His honor and bring lasting victory over evildoers.
“Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, yes, than fine gold! Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right. I hate every false way.” Psalm 119:127-128
David had great love for the Word of God. He loved his Bible better than fine gold. He knew that faith in God’s Word solves more problems than money does. He hated false ways because they lead people from God to hell. The fear of an eternity in hell is a good reason to love God’s commandments more than worldly fame and fortune.
[1] From Googles sources and Bible Gateway: “Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem. It contains 176 verses divided into 22 sections, with each section named after one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Instead of just one line per letter, all eight verses in a given section begin with that specific letter. For example, verses 121–128 start with the ע AYIN, and this exact pattern continues sequentially all the way through the final letter, Tau (ת).
“I have done justice and righteousness. Do not leave me to my oppressors. Be surety for Your servant for good. Do not let the proud oppress me.” Psalm 119:121-122
David appealed to God as his witness that he had done what was right. God’s own Word in
2 Samuel 8:15 speaks well of David: “David reigned over all Israel. David administered judgment and justice to all his people.” In 1 Samuel 24:11, he could say with a clear conscience to King Saul his father-in-law, “My father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand! For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it.” [2]
David appealed to God as his Judge, “Do not leave me to my oppressors.” While seeking justice for others who were oppressed, David also needed God to advocate for Him. [3]
Jesus Christ is our Surety before God. We know God loves us because of what Jesus did for us on the cross and in His resurrection. Since God is for us, who can keep us down? No one! In the end, those who are persecuted for doing what is right are in a far better position than those who persecute them. [4]
“My eyes fail from seeking Your salvation and Your righteous Word.” Psalm 119:123
David’s eyes grew weak watching for God’s visible response. Why was God taking so long? Even faithful believers can become discouraged when God’s answer seems delayed. We often struggle to wait for God’s perfect timing after our own expectations have passed. The good news is that God never fails. David needed to keep his eyes on God’s faithful promises. [5]
“Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy and teach me Your statutes. I am Your servant. Give me understanding, that I may know Your testimonies.” Psalm 119:124-125
David asked God to disciple him in His statutes. He wanted to understand all that God expected of him. While passing through “the valley of death,” he needed God’s Spirit to lead him. [6]
In times of trouble, we should stay focused on obeying God’s commands and not be overly concerned with what will happen next. In Psalm 138:8, David wrote, “The Lord will perfect that which concerns me. Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the works of Your hands.” In Hebrews 13:5, the Lord us: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
David appealed to God for mercy. When we ask God to teach us, we should recognize that His instruction is a gift of His grace and one of His greatest blessings. [7]
David confessed to God, “I am Your servant.” He wanted to serve God faithfully, so he asked God for guidance. A servant can rightly expect his master to explain what he wants him to do. In the same way, we can ask our heavenly Father to clarify what He expects from us. [8]
“It is time for You to act, O Lord, for they have regarded Your Law as void.” Psalm 119:126
David asked God for action. His adversaries were treating God’s Law as foolishness. They openly defied God and His authority.
Some break God’s Law due to being weak-willed and others break it deliberately to defy Him. Their attitude is, “Who is the Lord? Who is the Almighty, that we should fear him?” They live as though God and His Law have no bearing on them. They are self-professed atheists.
David cried, “It is time for You to act.” He asked God to step in and silence those who boldly opposed Him and denied His truth. God often acts when sin has become bold and widespread, and when evil has reached its full measure. Then the Lord declares, “Now will I arise.” [9]
We should do everything we can to support truth. Yet we must also pray for God to take the work into His own hands, because only He can ultimately defend His honor and bring lasting victory over evildoers.
“Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, yes, than fine gold! Therefore all Your precepts concerning all things I consider to be right. I hate every false way.” Psalm 119:127-128
David had great love for the Word of God. He loved his Bible better than fine gold. He knew that faith in God’s Word solves more problems than money does. He hated false ways because they lead people from God to hell. The fear of an eternity in hell is a good reason to love God’s commandments more than worldly fame and fortune.
[1] From Googles sources and Bible Gateway: “Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem. It contains 176 verses divided into 22 sections, with each section named after one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Instead of just one line per letter, all eight verses in a given section begin with that specific letter. For example, verses 121–128 start with the ע AYIN, and this exact pattern continues sequentially all the way through the final letter, Tau (ת).
עָ֭שִׂיתִי מִשְׁפָּ֣ט וָצֶ֑דֶק בַּל־תַּ֝נִּיחֵ֗נִי לְעֹֽשְׁקָֽי׃
עֲרֹ֣ב עַבְדְּךָ֣ לְט֑וֹב אַֽל־יַעַשְׁקֻ֥נִי זֵדִֽים׃
עֵ֭ינַי כָּל֣וּ לִֽישׁוּעָתֶ֑ךָ וּלְאִמְרַ֥ת צִדְקֶֽךָ׃
עֲשֵׂ֖ה עִם־עַבְדְּךָ֥ כְחַסְדֶּ֗ךָ וְחֻקֶּ֥יךָ לַמְּדֵֽנִי׃
עַבְדְּךָ־אָ֥נִי הֲבִינֵ֑נִי וְ֝אֵדְעָ֗ה עֵדֹתֶֽיךָ׃
עֵ֭ת לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת לַיהוָ֑ה הֵ֝פֵ֗רוּ תּוֹרָתֶֽךָ׃
עַל֭־כֵּן אָהַ֣בְתִּי מִצְוֺתֶ֑יךָ מִזָּהָ֥ב וּמִפָּֽז׃
עַל־כֵּ֤ן׀ כָּל־פִּקּ֣וּדֵי כֹ֣ל יִשָּׁ֑רְתִּי כָּל־אֹ֖רַח שֶׁ֣קֶר שָׂנֵֽאתִי׃
Historically, each letter name corresponds to a concrete object. Over time, these pictures evolved into the letters used today. For example, ע AYIN was originally the symbol for eye.
[2-9] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
עֲרֹ֣ב עַבְדְּךָ֣ לְט֑וֹב אַֽל־יַעַשְׁקֻ֥נִי זֵדִֽים׃
עֵ֭ינַי כָּל֣וּ לִֽישׁוּעָתֶ֑ךָ וּלְאִמְרַ֥ת צִדְקֶֽךָ׃
עֲשֵׂ֖ה עִם־עַבְדְּךָ֥ כְחַסְדֶּ֗ךָ וְחֻקֶּ֥יךָ לַמְּדֵֽנִי׃
עַבְדְּךָ־אָ֥נִי הֲבִינֵ֑נִי וְ֝אֵדְעָ֗ה עֵדֹתֶֽיךָ׃
עֵ֭ת לַעֲשׂ֣וֹת לַיהוָ֑ה הֵ֝פֵ֗רוּ תּוֹרָתֶֽךָ׃
עַל֭־כֵּן אָהַ֣בְתִּי מִצְוֺתֶ֑יךָ מִזָּהָ֥ב וּמִפָּֽז׃
עַל־כֵּ֤ן׀ כָּל־פִּקּ֣וּדֵי כֹ֣ל יִשָּׁ֑רְתִּי כָּל־אֹ֖רַח שֶׁ֣קֶר שָׂנֵֽאתִי׃
Historically, each letter name corresponds to a concrete object. Over time, these pictures evolved into the letters used today. For example, ע AYIN was originally the symbol for eye.
[2-9] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
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