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Toward a Word-First Life (Part 3)
A series of studies from Psalm 119
Posted on: Sep 23, 2009
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Psalm 119 provides a glorious celebration of the Word of God. In these verses, we ride a momentum of inspiration. Thought builds upon thought. We sense the writer's passion for truth. His and our necessity also is among the revelations here. The phrases stir in us the hunger for God's personal, specific, and timely communication in the way that they must have stirred the poet. Something rich and fulfilling is here for us if we will allow the Holy Spirit to open the words to us.
The writer of Psalm 119 took on a great responsibility. He carefully crafted the words God gave him into an inspired order. He was not sloppy, nor was he deterred. He stuck to his pattern and as a result we have 176 verses suitable for our edification and equipping. Just the writer's accountability to the form provides for us a good study of an attribution of the character of God. The Lord is immutable; He changes not. And the writer of Psalm 119 changed not his mode of communication.
This is the third entry in this series, which will examine each of this psalm's stanzas.
GIMEL
"Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.
"Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
"I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.
"My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.
"Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.
"Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.
"Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.
"Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors." (Verses 17-24)
Servant and stranger "“ these are the words the psalmist uses to describe himself in these eight verses. In relation to God, the writer sees himself as a servant; regarding the world and its ways, he wants to remain always a stranger. What will keep him focused on serving and estranged from the world? His relationship to the Word of God.
The psalmist writes that he is the servant of the Lord, but the language he uses indicates a deep relationship. His service to God springs from something more akin to what Jesus described in John 15:15. There, Christ classified His disciples as more than servants, they are "friends" for the secret things of God are revealed to His friends.
The bold way the writer addresses God in verses 17 and 18 indicates the depth of his connection. His language borders on demanding. He desires fruitfulness and revelation, maturity and understanding. The imperative mood in the Hebrew text reveals the sense of command and the writer strongly wants the Lord to ripen his life. This is what is meant by "deal bountifully." The picture created by these words points to two illustrations: the budding almond branch and the weaned child. The psalmist desired the flow of God's life, a life of revival and spiritual prosperity. This life is connected with the Word, and the prayer here is that God would enable the writer to "keep" His Word. "Keep" is the Hebrew word shamar, which speaks of guarding or hedging in something valuable. Gardens were often hedged with thorns to keep out animals that might eat what was growing in them. The imperfect tense of this verb indicates unfinished action or that the process of guarding is a constant part of a believer's life.
The other sense of "deal bountifully" speaks of maturation. Children spend their first days making sounds and drinking milk. Later, they form words and sentences and start chewing on meat and fruits and vegetables. God's dealings are designed to bring healthy growth for a believer, helping him to walk and talk in the most profitable ways. Mature believers learn to tend their gardens well. The weeds of bitterness and contention are rooted away. Discernment develops and only the fruitful plants remain.
Discernment speaks of eyes that are open the right way at the right times. This is the essence of the writer's request: "Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." He wants the Word to captivate him, which becomes obvious in the Hebrew's Piel verb structure. This form of verb communicates clear intention. Here is a heart that wants the Word and wants to see God behind the Word. The sense of awe or reverence toward the Lord comes to us when we approach His Word with expectation. God moves us with His Word, for this is what is meant by worshipping Him in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:23-24).
With verse 19, the psalmist makes a great statement that each believer should repeat to himself again and again: "I am a stranger in the earth." This world has nothing for us. The word speaks of a temporary inhabitant who possesses no inheritance rights. What will preserve this attitude in my heart? A searching of the Word and a commitment to the commandments. As strangers in this place, we remain broken in heart and contrite in spirit just waiting for God to execute His decisions. We are crushed with a longing to see the activity of God, in us is a desire to witness the progression of His righteous and eternal decisions.
Princes "“ a reference to government rulers and also those self-promoted by their manipulations and deceitfulness "“ may say negative things about us and even to us, but the Word and the work of God rolls away the effects of reproaches and contempt. Why? Because we guard the thoughts God gives us. We understand how the Lord moves in longsuffering and patience. Also, we meditate on His statutes. Saturating our minds with messages from the Bible brings delight. Our emotions sense the joy of the Lord and this is such strength.
The end result is that we are divinely counseled in Truth. Strangers and pilgrims facing struggles and opposition, our hearts are stirred, our eyes are open, our emotions are stable, and we hold fast to what God has said. These are the bountiful dealings of the Lord with His servants. Sure, the world recognizes the unique aspects of our spiritual lives. Yes, many will choose to excuse and accuse. And, yet, some will take note of what we have and decide to follow Jesus, for He is the Light and the Way. Some will see and hear and this makes it all worth it.
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