“My soul faints for Your salvation, but I hope in Your Word. My eyes fail from searching Your Word, saying, ‘When will You comfort me?’” Psalm 119:81-82
David’s soul was faint. His soul needed God’s saving grace to revive it. How would God’s saving grace come to Him? The answer is in God’s Word.
In Psalm 1:2-3, Scripture does for a soul what water does for a tree. Blessed is the person whose “delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither, and whatever he does shall prosper.” Scripture feeds the soul and makes it prosper.
In Romans 15:4, Paul wrote, “For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.”
In Romans 5:5, the hope that God gives us “does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” God also assures us of His love for us by His Spirit bearing witness with our spirit.
In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Paul wrote, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”
David’s longing can also point to the hope of the coming Messiah. David was one of the prophets that Peter referred to in 1 Peter 1:10 where he wrote, “Of this salvation the prophets have inquired and searched carefully, who prophesied of the grace that would come to you,” The Old Testament prophets saw God’s promise from a distance. Their longing was so great that it seemed as though their eyes failed while waiting for the promise to be fulfilled. [2]
Although his soul was faint and his eyes were weary from watching, David said to God, “I hope in Your Word." Without hope in God, his soul would have been lost.
Faith is about trusting in God’s love for you. When you cannot yet see the answer, you can trust in Him who made the promise. [3]
“For I have become like a wineskin in smoke, yet I do not forget Your statutes.” Psalm 119:83
David compared himself to a wineskin that had been exposed to smoke for a long time. Such a bottle would be darkened, dried, hardened, and shriveled from the heat. David’s circumstances negatively impacted his witness for God. [4] He had not forgot God’s Word, but it was hard for him to shine for God while under the dark clouds of trials and temptations.
Affliction can weaken even the strongest people. David once had a healthy vibrant appearance. He had lost his luster. He did not want to be considered a worthless wineskin by God. [5]
Our feelings during suffering do not always reflect reality. Even when we feel weak and insignificant, God still loves us and sees us as precious in His sight. [6]
Although his affliction was severe, David told God, “I do not forget Your statutes.” His hardships had not quenched his love for God, but he admitted that needed God to keep his fire burning.
“How many are the days of Your servant? When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?” Psalm 119:84
David brought his persecutors before God in prayer. He knew that vengeance belongs to God. He appealed to God as the righteous Judge to do what was right for everyone involved. [7]
Those who trouble God’s people will one day face the righteous judgment of God. In Jude 1:14, we read, “Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, ‘Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints.’” We look forward to the day when Christ will return and bring complete justice: “Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly.” [8]
David asked, “How many are the days of Your servant?” Some understand this question as a reference to the brevity of life: “Come help before my life is over." Others understand it as referring to the duration of his suffering. “Lord, You know how many days I have suffered. When will it end?” He asked God to shorten the days of his tribulation. [9]
This passage encourages us to bring our pain to God. We can ask Him to shorten the days our suffering. Jesus revealed God to us as a healer who has compassion on those who hurt. [10]
“The proud have dug pits for me, which is not according to Your Law. All Your commandments are faithful. They persecute me wrongfully. Help me! They almost made an end of me on earth, but I did not forsake Your precepts.” Psalm 119:85-87
Proud people dug pits for David. This means that their attacks were not accidental. They were carefully planned. Like hunters who secretly set traps for their prey, they schemed to bring David down. Their hatred reflects the long-standing hostility of the serpent’s seed against those who belong to God. [11]
In Revelation 12:17, the devil is at war with those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. The commandments refers to the Law. The testimony of Jesus refers to the Gospel. The proud especially oppose the idea that all people are sinners in need of a Savior. There are many ways to witness for Christ, but my experience is that the severest persecution is leveled against those who preach the Law and Gospel by which God converts souls unto Himself.
David’s enemies were enemies of God’s Law. In Exodus 21:33-34, God’s Law requires a person who digs a pit that causes harm to take responsibility for the damage. So, God will certainly condemn a person who digs a pit for a Law-and-Gospel-proclaimer... if he does not repent. [12]
David’s persecutors wanted him to forsake God, but failed. David could say to God, “I forsook not Your precepts.” They could not diminish his devotion to God. David was willing to lose much to gain more of God. The mark of genuine faith is steadfast love for God. [13]
“Revive me according to Your lovingkindness so that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.” Psalm 119:88
David resolved to remain faithful to God. He relied on God’s grace to do so. Our ability to serve God stems from our reliance on His Spirit’s anointing and power to do so.
The greatest evidence that God loves us is not merely the blessings He gives around us, but the transforming work He accomplishes within us. When God gives us a desire to obey Him and the strength to follow His ways, it is a clear sign of His grace at work in our hearts. [14]
It is by God’s grace that we are saved, and it is by His grace that He proclaims through us His Law and Gospel which brings salvation to lost souls.
[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 81–88 start with the כ KAPH, and this exact pattern continues sequentially all the way through the final letter, Tau (ת).
כָּלְתָ֣ה לִתְשׁוּעָתְךָ֣ נַפְשִׁ֑י לִדְבָרְךָ֥ יִחָֽלְתִּי׃
כָּל֣וּ עֵ֭ינַי לְאִמְרָתֶ֑ךָ לֵ֝אמֹ֗ר מָתַ֥י תְּֽנַחֲמֵֽנִי׃
כִּֽי־הָ֭יִיתִי כְּנֹ֣אד בְּקִיט֑וֹר חֻ֝קֶּ֗יךָ לֹ֣א שָׁכָֽחְתִּי׃
כַּמָּ֥ה יְמֵֽי־עַבְדֶּ֑ךָ מָתַ֬י תַּעֲשֶׂ֖ה בְרֹדְפַ֣י מִשְׁפָּֽט׃
כָּֽרוּ־לִ֣י זֵדִ֣ים שִׁיח֑וֹת אֲ֝שֶׁ֗ר לֹ֣א כְתוֹרָתֶֽךָ׃
כָּל־מִצְוֺתֶ֥יךָ אֱמוּנָ֑ה שֶׁ֖קֶר רְדָפ֣וּנִי עָזְרֵֽנִי׃
כִּ֭מְעַט כִּלּ֣וּנִי בָאָ֑רֶץ וַ֝אֲנִ֗י לֹא־עָזַ֥בְתִּי פִקֻּודֶֽיךָ׃
כְּחַסְדְּךָ֥ חַיֵּ֑נִי וְ֝אֶשְׁמְרָ֗ה עֵד֥וּת פִּֽיךָ׃
Historically, each letter name corresponds to a concrete object. Over time, these pictures evolved into the letters used today. For example, כ KAPH is symbolic of arm, wing, open hand.
[2-14] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary
No comments:
Post a Comment