As we continue through Psalm 119, it is helpful to me to sum up the words that the psalmist uses for God's Word and the promises he experiences from them.
permanent, truth that never goes out of fashion, up-to-date, dependable, revelation, advice, words of wisdom, Your plans for me, commands, revelation, never obsolete, counsel, your Word, route, good directions, choice and tasty, instruction, understanding, beam of light, righteous order, puts me together, finest sayings, holy rules, Your course, book on living, a gift, clear-cut revelation, quiet retreat, renewal, definitions of life, Your decisions, Your promise, textbook on life, better than gold and gemstones, miracle word, Word of promise, right way to live, Your book, right instruction, Your commandments, Your promise, only truth, delightful commands, true judgments, last forever, Your guidelines, Truth, righteous decisions, what You have revealed, Your salvation, decrees, iron in my soul
In the midst of the unknowns in my life, my heart wants to hear all of these descriptions as promises for right living, as though it's a formula: hear this, do right, live a good life. But, my experience is very different.
"God that scares me. The ground I've been standing on is turning into quicksand. I know You've given me no guarantees that You'll protect me from bad things or even that You'll heal my insecurities, only that You'll lead me through them to knowing You better." (66LL)
And the psalmist ends 119 with the clear result of seeking God's commands and how we'll know Him better.
I'll recognize the sound of your voice. (v. 176)
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. (John 10:27)
My take-away from this psalm is changing. No longer a formula, but a call to listen and to know the One who know me personally: Yahweh.
1 comment:
Breathtaking piece of work---the Hebrew alphabet in an acrostic ordered psalm. Studied it in Old Testament classes. The psalm is divided in 22 sections of 8 verses each. The first word of each section begins with Hebrew alphabet in order. So verses 1-8 EACH have a first word beginning with 'aleph and verses 9-16 EACH have a first word beginning with beth, and so on. Not only that, you can make a series of individual acrostics from the Psalm. If you take the first verse from each of the 22 sections, you create a new Psalm which is also an acrostic, yet makes perfect sense in itself. Then if you take the second verse from each section, you create a new acrostic psalm. Remarkably beautiful prose. When do you ever see something like this? But more than syntax is the sacred. The psalmist, like all of you loyal women, is grounded in the Gift of the Torah and so are you, no matter what the wanting theme of your life is (Validation, Success, Security...). Psa 119:18 Open our eyes that we may behold wondrous things---miracle wonders!
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