Christian Photographers Community

Psalm 119 - Lamed

This is a debriefing stanza. The Hebrew student is debriefed as one who successfully undergone the extreme affliction of the previous stanza. What must come to light now is what he learned from that experience.  This stanza answers that question in no uncertain terms.

One thing he'd learned is that God's Word is absolutely faithful - He WILL do according to ALL He has said!  The student's trial had been extreme.  It forced him to search God's Word intensely for hope.  He found many promises around which to form his prayer for help.  Then he actually engaged in the necessary prayer, and, though the help didn't come immediately (at least according to his own timing) yet it DID come.  He had found God faithful!  He had learned, as he says here, "Your faithfulness endures to all generations!" 

He notes that God's faithfulness is seen every day in the created world.  He says, "You established the earth, and it abides - they continue this day according to Your ordinances, for all are Your servants."  It's the same with His Word - it's an absolutely FAITHFUL Word, a Word that's always faithful, never broken.

Then, thinking of his own case, he says, "Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction!"  That's his personal testimony.  He has absolutely hung on every word God has spoken - and it has finally proved absolutely faithful!  Now, then, having seen that wonderful faithfulness in the midst of extremity, the student says, "I will never forget Your precepts - for by them You have given me life!"  It really was a life-or-death matter, and God was true to His Word!  Now he knew that the lesson he'd learned could to be applied to ALL of life's circumstances!

Finally, having been saved according to the faithfulness of God's Word, the student is taught to pray concerning the future as well.  So he says, "I am Yours, save me; for I have sought Your precepts.  The wicked wait for me to destroy me, but I will consider Your testimonies."  He's just saying that, having gone through THAT trial and having observed first hand the faithfulness of God in His Word, he's definitely going to continue to trust Him.  He's aware that "the wicked" are always out there, always waiting to bring him down, but the lesson has been good, and he's going to trust God's Word!

He concludes and summarizes: "I have seen the consummation of all perfection, but Your commandment is exceedingly broad!"  Paraphrased, he's saying, "I've seen Your faithfulness to Your Word – it's perfect - so I'll continue to trust You and to wait on Your Word, because I know it will ALWAYS be that faithful - it's broad enough to cover all time!

That's true for us, too.  It's good for us, too, to have a "debriefing" sessions like this.  It's good for us, having experienced God's work in specific circumstances, to sit down, recall His faithfulness to His Word, and to respond with trust for the future as well.  We should do it often, because God blesses us often.  We need to be completely sincere when we sing, "Count your many blessings, tell them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done!"  Hopefully, besides surprising you, it will also move you to determination to meet all the problems of life in faith.