Psalm 119 ayin (vss. 121-128)

[Al Moak]

Psalm 119 - Ayin

Our student has learned a lot.  He's learned meditation and memorization, and he's learned the absolute faithfulness of God's Word in real life situations.  He's even begun to learn the details of how it applies.  The thing that impresses him most at this juncture is his own continual need of help!  With all his learning, he sees that he still needs to learn much more! In fact, he sees that the more he knows, the more he still needs to know! It's for that additional understanding that he prays now.  He says, "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." 

Once again, as always, it's because of real life situations that he discovers his need.  In fact he's observed that his greatest need is God's own understanding. In other words He needs to have God's own perspective on how the covenant (the written Word) deals with particular problems of life.  There are always those who would "oppress" him, who would "put him down" because of his faith in that Word.  He calls them "the proud" because they lack the humility to realize that God has spoken and that He cares for His servants.  He says that "they have regarded Your law as void" - useless trash.  with such men around him, he needs God to fulfill His promises - as found in His Word – so that these "proud" may be silenced. He needs God to remind him what those promises are, and he needs to understand how they apply, then he needs the wisdom that can only come from fulfilled promises. So he asks for help.

That help means everything to him because, as he confesses, "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!"  It's as though he said, "Lord, I so greatly appreciate and need Your Word!  It's better than the finest of earthly treasures!  Lord, reinforce my faith now, in the face of my enemies!  Once again teach me, show me new understanding in Your Word, and give me some particular truth in it to hang onto, to claim as my own, to take as the basis of my prayer to You!"

Is it that the way it is for you?  Do you search for specific truths, for specific Biblical principles that apply to specific problems in life?  Do you intensely desire "the proud" to see that God's Word - God's promises - are true in every practical situation?  Oh seek the truth!  Oh seek God's help in it!

[Pat]

Ohhh, how true and meaningful is this statement tonight, Alan.

""Lord, I so greatly appreciate and need Your Word!  It's better than the finest of earthly treasures!  Lord, reinforce my faith now, in the face of my enemies!  Once again teach me, show me new understanding in Your Word, and give me some particular truth in it to hang onto, to claim as my own, to take as the basis of my prayer to You!""