Ps 119:73-80
SS Lesson for 07/21/2024
Devotional Scripture: Ps 1:1-6
“Knowledge is power.” The statement can mean many different things. Awareness of how we are being misled gives us freedom from outside control. Possessing the right skills allows a person to lead or even dominate others. Or withholding information from others can allow us to control them. The vagueness of this proverb reminds us that knowledge can take many forms and serve many purposes. A better statement might be, “Knowledge can support goodness.” Instead of thinking of knowledge as the path to power, might we think of knowledge as a way of learning to do good and build a better world? Some forms of knowledge and methods of acquiring it have great potential for good. Knowledge comes to us, of course, through some process of education, whether in formal schools or elsewhere. Healthy patterns of education draw together good teachers and eager students working around a series of questions and concerns that will produce knowledge and transform the lives of those involved in the learning process. In wisdom texts like Psalm 119 or Proverbs or Job, the disciplined pursuit of knowledge involves all sorts of concerns. A wise person might study many things, ranging from what we would today call the sciences, to languages, to arts and crafts. But most of all, the wise person described in these texts cultivates the art of living.
Psalm 119 takes up the art of living in an almost obsessive way, as it repeatedly turns to the same ideas and figures of speech. It emphasizes the Law of Moses (the Torah) as a guidebook to a life of dignity and moral integrity. It invites faithful people to delight in such a life, not merely endure it. Psalm 119 is by far the longest poem in the Bible. Its length is due in part to the psalmist’s decision to write an acrostic psalm, in which lines would begin with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. This technique was a form used to display a comprehensive approach to the subject of the poem. The same convention appears in various forms in other Old Testament texts, such as Psalms 37; 111; 112, and Lamentations 1-4, among others. Psalm 119 takes the form to its extreme by including eight consecutive lines beginning with the same Hebrew letter. In English, this would mean eight poetic lines that start with the letter A, then eight more with B, and so on. Twenty-two Hebrew letters multiplied by eight lines equals the 176 verses found in Psalm 119. While the alphabetically-structured sections are relatively self-contained, several themes and keywords repeatedly appear throughout the psalm. These include various words for the Law of Moses (“commands” [Psalm 119:73]; “laws” [v. 75]; “precepts” [v. 78]; “decrees” [v. 80]; etc.) and the response of the faithful person to the law (“delight” [v. 77]; “comfort” [v. 76]; etc.). In its expression of such ideas, verses 73-80 all begin with the Hebrew letter yodh. This section focuses on the psalmist’s hope and prayer for a future that will be better than the past. Like Psalm 71, this section of Psalm 119 portrays God as the teacher and the human praying as the student in the school of life. The student learns the commandments, the Law of Moses, not merely as a set of arbitrary rules, but as a window into the meaning of life. By providing a clear structure to everyday life, the law invites a person to inner peace and openness to the work of the creator God. These commandments rest on God’s prior commitment to justice (often paired with or assumed to accompany righteousness). God’s deep desire for a fair and fertile world for human beings underlies everything in the revelation at Sinai (Exodus 20; etc.), and it can underlie everything in human life. So this psalm affirms.
Your hands have made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments
(Scriptural Text from the New King James Version; cross-references from the NIV)
73 Your hands have made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
74 Those who fear You will be glad when they see me, because I have hoped in Your word.
75 I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.
76 Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to Your word to Your servant.
11 He told them, "The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables
6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people."
2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ,
15 Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
7 Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.
9 Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.
1 Praise the Lord. Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands. 2 His children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.
21 He who pursues righteousness and love finds life, prosperity and honor.
6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.
11 God is a righteous judge, a God who expresses his wrath every day.
8 let the Lord judge the peoples. Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, according to my integrity, O Most High.
14 For the Lord will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance. 15 Judgment will again be founded on righteousness, and all the upright in heart will follow it.
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
17 The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."
16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,
77 Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; For Your law is my delight.
78 Let the proud be ashamed, for they treated me wrongfully with falsehood; But I will meditate on Your precepts.
79 Let those who fear You turn to me, those who know Your testimonies.
80 Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes, that I may not be ashamed.
8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. 6 We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
16 It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy.
9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life — not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,
16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.
15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
10 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
27 "All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
3 Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
20 We know also that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true. And we are in him who is true — even in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
17 I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them 18 to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.'
13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
28 This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace
Verses 17-24
3. An appreciation for God’s Word 119:17-24
The psalmist’s prayer for God to illuminate his understanding concerning His Word is one that all God’s people need to pray (Psalms 119:17-18). Psalms 119:19-20 reflect the writer’s great appetite for the Word. In contrast to the wicked, whom the psalmist asked God to remove, he delighted in God’s Word (Psalms 119:21-24). The wicked who oppress those who love the Scriptures come into view quite often in this psalm (Psalms 119:23; Psalms 119:53; Psalms 119:61; Psalms 119:69-70; Psalms 119:78; Psalms 119:85-87; Psalms 119:95; Psalms 119:110; Psalms 119:115; Psalms 119:119; Psalms 119:122; Psalms 119:134; Psalms 119:155; Psalms 119:157-158; Psalms 119:161).
One of the writer’s favorite titles for himself in this psalm was God’s "servant" (Psalms 119:17; Psalms 119:23; Psalms 119:38; Psalms 119:49; Psalms 119:65; Psalms 119:76; Psalms 119:84; Psalms 119:124-125; Psalms 119:135; Psalms 119:140; Psalms 119:176).
Verses 25-32
4. A prayer for greater understanding 119:25-32
The writer felt the need of the refreshment that God’s Word can provide (Psalms 119:25; cf. Psalms 119:37; Psalms 119:40; Psalms 119:50; Psalms 119:93; Psalms 119:107; Psalms 119:149; Psalms 119:154; Psalms 119:156). He then called on the Lord for understanding, strength, and security (Psalms 119:26-29). He promised to obey God when he received greater understanding because he valued the law highly (Psalms 119:30-32).
Verses 33-40
5. Loyal commitment to God’s Word 119:33-40
The psalmist professed wholehearted loyalty to God’s statutes (Psalms 119:33-35). He asked Yahweh to keep him from covetousness and vanity (Psalms 119:36-37). He wanted God to root the Word deeply in his life (Psalms 119:38-40).
Verses 41-48
6. God’s Word and salvation 119:41-48
The writer called for God to deliver him by His love and in fulfillment of His promise (Psalms 119:41). This would give him an answer for his adversary (Psalms 119:42). Then he prayed and promised that the Lord’s Word would continue to direct him (Psalms 119:43-46). He said he loved God’s commandments (Psalms 119:47-48). Loving the Word of God is another frequently expressed response to it in this psalm (Psalms 119:47-48; Psalms 119:97; Psalms 119:113; Psalms 119:119; Psalms 119:127; Psalms 119:132; Psalms 119:159; Psalms 119:163; Psalms 119:165; Psalms 119:167).
Verses 49-56
7. God’s Word as a source of hope 119:49-56
The poet next expressed his hope in God’s Word (Psalms 119:49). He said it renews life (Psalms 119:50). He despised the proud who scorn faith in God and have no use for His law (Psalms 119:51-53; cf. Psalms 119:69; Psalms 119:78; Psalms 119:85). In contrast, he sang and thought about God’s precepts even at night (Psalms 119:54-56).
"Remembering [Psalms 119:49] is not recalling, for God never forgets; it is relating to His people in a special way." [Note: Wiersbe, The . . . Wisdom . . ., p. 317.]
Verses 57-64
8. Strong commitment to God’s Word 119:57-64
The psalmist called on God for mercy because God was his chosen portion in life (Psalms 119:57-58). He professed having lived in keeping with what God had commanded (Psalms 119:58-60), even when his enemies intimidated him (Psalms 119:61-62). He had made others his companions, who followed God’s law as he did (Psalms 119:63-64).
Verses 65-72
9. Confidence in the Word of God 119:65-72
The writer relied on the fact that God would deal with him according to what He had revealed (Psalms 119:65). However, he felt the need for further instruction to prevent him from wandering away from God’s will (Psalms 119:66-68). He would trust in God even though other people slandered Him (Psalms 119:69-70). Affliction had taught him to appreciate God’s statutes more than he had previously done (Psalms 119:71-72).
Verses 73-80
10. God’s Word as an object of hope 119:73-80
God had fashioned the psalmist, who now called on the Lord to use him to encourage other godly people (Psalms 119:73-74). He needed comfort, and asked God to frustrate the arrogant who opposed him (Psalms 119:75-78). He prayed that other godly people would encourage him, and that he would continue to walk in God’s ways (Psalms 119:79-80).
Verses 81-88
11. The reliability of God’s Word 119:81-88
The poet had almost given up as he waited for God to save him from his enemies, but he found God’s revelation to be a reliable source of strength (Psalms 119:81-82). Feeling similar to a wineskin shriveled up by the smoke of a fire, he asked God how much longer he would have to wait for salvation (Psalms 119:83-86). In spite of severe attacks by his enemies, he had remained true to God’s ways and requested safe keeping (Psalms 119:87-88; cf. Psalms 119:159).
"When the Father allows His children to go into the furnace of affliction, He keeps His eye on the clock and His hand on the thermostat." [Note: Ibid., p. 322.]
Verses 89-96
12. The permanence of God’s Word 119:89-96
The permanence of God’s Word is evident in that God has preserved it in heaven and faithfully keeps it secure there (Psalms 119:89-91). Because the writer delighted in this firm Word, he could gain the victory over his affliction (Psalms 119:92-95). Everything else that is good has limitations, but the Word of God is boundless in its value (Psalms 119:96).
In 1542, Martin Luther wrote the words of Psalms 119:92 on his Bible with his own hand. [Note: Ker, p. 148.] At this time much of his reforming work was behind him, and he lived only four more years.
Verses 97-104
13. The sweetness of God’s Word 119:97-104
The psalmist loved God’s law because it gave him more wisdom than his enemies, his teachers, and the elderly sages who did not have it (Psalms 119:97-100). It had enabled him to maintain his personal purity (Psalms 119:101-102, cf. Psalms 119:9; Psalms 119:104). God’s promises were particularly sweet to him (Psalms 119:103).
"While God’s truth is food for our souls, it is not a ’buffet’ from which we select only the things we like." [Note: Wiersbe, The . . . Wisdom . . ., p. 324.]
(Adapted from URL:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/dcc/psalms-119.html)
The psalmist did not simply obey rules. He enjoyed a relationship with God. That relationship was full of dignity and moral depth. The Law was not just a set of rules but a guide to a meaningful life. God’s Law contains the secrets of spiritual growth for the people of Israel and, to a certain extent, for Christians as well. We affirm this when we learn from the writers of Scripture who grew and learned because of their reverence for God’s Law. A life of obedience should not be burdensome but joyful. Still, Psalm 119 acknowledges the presence of hostile forces, in this case, fellow human beings who sought the righteous person’s harm in some unspecified way. The pursuit of wise living does not guarantee that one will enjoy universal respect. In fact, when we seek God and follow his ways, we should expect to be very unpopular, at least sometimes. Yet the faithful person perseveres without fear or anger, confident in the ultimate triumph of God’s mercy and goodness. Beyond the psalmist, these verses assumed the existence of a faithful community of like-minded people. They trusted each other and worked toward building a better world that expects goodness from its Creator. They did so in part by fostering a life of celebration. While they did not ignore or pretend away the negative dimensions of life, they saw something more behind them. Their hopeful, trusting attitude inspires us to live similarly. Such an education requires faithful persons to free themselves from fear, prejudice, anger, greed, lust, and other vices. One of the principal causes of social discord in modern societies is the loss of trust in others and their honorable intentions. Certainly, some people cannot be trusted. But an attitude of mistrust can spread like cancer and divide even those whose actions are honorable and whose intentions are good. In resistance to such a tendency, Psalm 119 and others like it open the door to the possibility of mutual trust. This stance of informed, reasonable trust begins with trust in God as the Creator and educator, who draws anyone willing into a meaningful life. That stance allows us to learn from others, to check our pride, and to weed out our prejudices and fears. In short, true education for life requires trust. Only then can the delight in God become a reality in our lives.