Psalm 119 4th stanza

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Psalm 119:25-32

Daleth

25   My soul clings to the dust;

give me life according to your word!

26   When I told of my ways, you answered me;

teach me your statutes!

27   Make me understand the way of your precepts,

and I will meditate on your wondrous works.

28   My soul melts away for sorrow;

strengthen me according to your word!

29   Put false ways far from me

and graciously teach me your law!

30   I have chosen the way of faithfulness;

I set your rules before me.

31   I cling to your testimonies, O Lord;

let me not be put to shame!

32   I will run in the way of your commandments

when you enlarge my heart! [1]

 

Devotion

          Note to Readers: This is the 200th Blog Post I have been able to do. Thank you for your encouragement and patience with me as I try to be a help to you on your walk with Christ. I am deeply humbled that God has granted me over 3500 readers. I pray you will continue to find this blog an encouragement for your day. Your faithful servant. John Haselton. Now back to our regularly scheduled blog.

          Verse 25 begins with an expression of pain on the part of the psalmist at his feeling of separation from God and a plea for God to send his word to help him draw closer to God. To the psalmist God’s very word is his source of life. Here he may be foreshadowing Jesus in his temptation when Jesus replied to Satan “Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from God. Here the psalmist is not so much seeking spiritual aid from God by is seeking physical restoration.

          Verse 26 the writer is stating that he is confident that the Lord has heard his plea and will answer. Again, he prays that God would teach him the way to walk in the world.

          In Verse 27 the author longs for a more complete and perfect way of knowing God’s laws. He asks for God’s aid in knowing the things in the law. He wants to know the law fully so he can meditate on it in all is wonderful words and ways.

          Verse 28 we hear of the psalmists plight again as he expresses his depression that he knows can only be found in God’s laws.

          Verse 29 the writer prays that with God’s help he puts all things that are false ways i.e. lying, apostacy, or lack of resolve to live by God’s word. He appeals to God for deliverance from these sins.

          Verse 30 the author declares that he has put the sinful ways talked of in the prior verse behind him and chosen to walk after God’s way. He puts God’s word before him and seeks to live by it in all its fullness

          In verse 31 the writer declares his allegiance to God’s word and ways and prays never to be put to shame for his faithful following of God’s law

          Verse 32 the psalmist continues his thought from the previous verse stating that he will carry the word of the Lord with him no matter where he goes. He asks God to enlarge his heart the meaning of this is up for debate among scholars. However, we can say that it has something to do with God increasing the writer’s ability to follow in the paths of righteousness.


[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ps 119:25–32.

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