“I call out to You; save me and I will keep Your statutes.” -Psalm 119:146

Verses 145 and 146 are complimentary to one another. Charles Spurgeon famously compared Psalm 119 to a kaleidoscope, observing the different shades of meaning in each verse. He notes, “even when the color of the thought appears to be the same”, it is “charmingly varied from beginning to end”. Sometimes pleading just once does not leave our spirit at rest. Like a child requesting over and over, the one in need will petition before His Maker until an answer is given. 

The psalmist cries out to God again, looking for rescue from his enemies. As we will see later in this octave, the wicked are all around him. He asks for deliverance and in response, to live obediently before the Lord. This isn’t a bargaining tool with God, for the psalmist already operates out of His grace. The writer is simply requesting more grace to carry him through affliction so he can continue persevering in faith. If you and I are asking for the Father’s grace in our time of need, we must first spend time with Him, learning His ways, if we are ever to have peace which passes understanding. God allows His children to experience trials so that we might rely on Him and not ourselves. Sometimes afflictions force us to look nowhere but up. This is what C.S. Lewis described as a “severe mercy”. When we come to the end of ourselves our prayers create depth and persistence in our fellowship with God. Perseverance in faith and prayer become the principle. It is here we see how precious His deliverance can be. 

A flame of grace is what I ask of Thee

to carry me over the coals of affliction;

and if I should be burned

let it consume that which is not lovely.

Refine my faith even if it hurts, 

but let me never take my eyes off 

my loving Father.

He is teaching me to walk.

Grace upon grace,

April

Growing deeper: Luke 11:5-10; 18:1-8; 2 Corinthians 1:8-11