Psalm 119 - Shin (vss. 161-168)
These last two stanzas of Psalm 119 may very well be just a summary of all that the student has learned. Considering the wonderful lessons, and considering the great depth of wisdom the student has learned in those lessons, it's easy to believe that many years may have passed since he began his studies in the Covenant of Jehovah. The stanza before us, reflects much growth and maturity and much settled confidence in the Word of God. Oh that we all might grow similarly!
We've all experienced, at one time or another, some degree of awe concerning certain public figures whose official authority is very great, such as the president, Chief Justice, etc. We're impressed by the sheer power they possess, power that could drastically change our lives. If such men happen to be ungodly and evil men, then we fear what they might do. Our student has experienced that fear. But, little by little, as he has grown in understanding and confidence in the Words of God, his feelings of awe have shifted away from men and toward the Lord of all, the King of kings and Lord of lords. He says, "Princes persecuted me without a cause, but my heart stands in awe of Your Word!"
He's discovered that God's Word is different than the words of earthly officials. Unlike them, God's Word is TRUTH! The result, he says, is that "I rejoice at Your Word as one who finds great treasure! I hate and abhor lying, but I love Your law!" He can trust in God, because His Word is faithful in contrast to the words spoken by mere earthly princes. He says, "Seven times a day I praise You, because of Your righteous judgments!" To the Hebrew mind the number "seven" always signifies perfection and totality, so he's just saying that he's praising God all day long for the rightness of His judgments!
He's learned, in fact, that "great peace have those who love Your law, and nothing causes them to stumble!" He's confessing, in other words, a settled conviction that, no matter what even the greatest of earthly princes may say or do, still God's Word ALONE contains truly great wisdom. The result is that the student has learned to do two things in response to men's threatenings - he has learned to "hope for Your salvation," and he has learned to "do Your commandments!" No matter what may happen in this world, he's declaring, that that course of action will result in success.
Looking back over all he's learned, then, he says, "My soul keeps Your testimonies, and I love them exceedingly - I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You." Simply summarized, he's learned to WALK WITH GOD!
Oh that all of us may arrive at such maturity in the Word of God! Oh that all of us may trust God and fear no man. Oh that we may come to fully believe that His testimonies concerning the way life should be lived are true altogether. Oh that we may learn, day in and day out, to WALK WITH GOD!