“Look upon my suffering and deliver me, for I have not forgotten Your law.” -Psalm 119:153
Praying for what we know the Lord can do and will answer in His time is a source of great comfort. We don’t know when or how the deliverance will come, but trust Him to be our help. Will He relieve our earthly pain in this specific case? Or will a reception from Heaven be our sweet welcome as we cast off the burdens of this life, delivered eternally from heartache? God already sees the psalmist’s pain and the writer knows this. Yet he asks for God to look closer, with compassion, and act. Whatever the outcome, the psalmist will not let go of God’s laws. He has resolved to live out his faith and worship the One True God no matter what. We cannot always understand God’s reasons or timing in events, but we can know His heart is for sinners and sufferers. This is why Jesus went to the cross, to take our place. No matter what happens this side of Heaven, those in Christ will be eternally delivered.
Grace upon grace,
April
Growing deeper: Job 17:1-9; 19:23-29; Matthew 11:28-30; 2 Corinthians 4:8-18
153″Look upon my suffering and deliver me, for I have not forgotten Your law. 154 Defend my cause and redeem me; preserve my life according to Your promise. 155 Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek out Your decrees. 156 Your compassion is great, O LORD; preserve my life according to Your laws. 157 Many are the foes who persecute me, but I have not turned from Your statutes. 158 I look on the faithless with loathing, for they do not obey Your Word. 159 See how I love Your precepts; preserve my life, O LORD, according to Your love. 160 All Your words are true; all Your righteous laws are eternal.” -Psalm 119:153-160 Resh
The psalmist prays for the Lord to preserve him three times in this prayer. He asks God to preserve his life according to His promise, laws, and love. This octave is similar to the previous Qoph (vv.145-152). There are parallels in the writer’s petition, reflection of the wicked, and praise of God’s eternal words. Verse 160 emphasizes what is said earlier in verses 151-152, proclaiming God’s words as true and eternal. In both octaves the psalmist is in distress, petitioning for the Lord’s deliverance (vv.145-149/153-154). He is surrounded by the wicked, who are God’s enemies, in verse 150 and vv. 157-158. Whether these prayers were written over the same affliction or separate matters, I do not know. But the psalmist once again places his cause and trust in God’s hands. He is asking for the Lord to be his defense, Jehovah Maginnenu.
The psalmist’s prayer and example are ours to imitate. His faith brings him to trust in God’s promises, His law, which demonstrates God’s perfect justice, and His covenantal love, which knows no end. The same God the writer cries out to is the same Lord whose strong arm rules with complete power today. If we ever need to be reminded of God’s transcendence and sovereignty, especially in a world where wickedness and confusion rule the day, look no further than the Bible. Like in the days of Noah, right up until the flood, evil seemed to be winning. There were 400 years of silence from God’s prophets before the Light of the World broke through. Then everything changed. Jesus came in the silence of night, unassuming, as a baby. The King is coming again but this time, all the world will know it. He will come as a warrior on a white horse. In the end, the psalmist’s prayer is fully answered in the future deliverance of God’s people at the end of Time. This too, is our great hope, as we look back on God’s past faithfulness, His present help and future graces.
“Long ago I learned from Your statues that You established them to last forever.” -Psalm 119:152
One reason I began this blog was to tell of God’s faithfulness in my life. Through secondary infertility and parenting a child with autism, the Lord has taught me more of His character and promises which I continue to cling to. It is by the work of His grace I have faith to believe all of His ways to be good, but it is also through experience. If you’re anything like me, I tend to learn the hard way. I, like doubting Thomas, want to be shown. In His great patience and kindness, my Father has revealed Himself to me experientially through means of grace. I have also learned God is who He says He is by reading and observing other believers. Whether it is a person in the Bible, a Christian biography or someone I know, the Lord demonstrates His power and love through His people.
We read in this verse that the Lord was faithful to teach the psalmist from a young age. Older saints likely poured into him by their example, as well as teaching him God’s statutes. Yet it was God who opened his understanding, allowing him to see his sin, and the layers of wisdom found in God’s law. They are not written just to keep our noses clean, but go much deeper, penetrating the thoughts and intent of the heart. The end goal of learning God’s commands is to lead us to the Gospel. The benefit of the law is in recognizing you and I can never measure up to its holiness. In my sinful nature, I cannot keep the entire Law. So God sent Jesus, the Righteous One, to exchange my filthy rags for His Robe of Righteousness. His robe for mine. This is the great wisdom and mercy of God. Further comfort is provided as God’s statutes are firmly set, which means His promises are also established, to be faithfully fulfilled to the end of Time. The Gospel message tells us that Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is a permanent payment for redeemed sinners. It is finished. Jesus and His words are eternal because God is the same yesterday, today and forever. Christian, you and I serve an immutable, everlasting Lord, Savior, Father and Friend. Take encouragement in these truths, rehearsing the Gospel back to yourself today.
“May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” -Hebrews 13:20-21
“Yet You are near, O LORD, and all Your commands are true.” -Psalm 119:151
It is for the psalmist’s benefit to remember these two important truths. God is always near to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:17-18; 145:18) and all His ways are right (Deuteronomy 32:3-4; Psalm 18:30). God’s character and promises are eternally true, since He is unchanging and does not lie. These are essential weapons for the Christian solider. God did not create mankind to then separate Himself from us. The Lord made you and I for fellowship with Him, to worship Him. If God did not want anything to do with us, then He never would have sacrificed His Son for helpless sinners. Fear not. The Lord is with you. He is with every one of His precious saints through the Holy Spirit.
Knowing with confidence God’s Word as revealed Truth is a source of comfort and encouragement. When chaos ensues, and the enemy chases you, hold on to the Gospel. We read it, meditate on it, carrying God’s promises in our hearts, asking for His wisdom and help to obey each day. God has not left believers to themselves. Christians enjoy the gift of prayer, seeking an audience with our Creator at any time. He has given us His very words in the written Scriptures. Day after day creation proclaims God’s faithfulness and beauty. The Lord directs His love in the blessing of Christian fellowship as we image Christ to one another through our obedience. May He give us clear eyes of faith to see with an eternal perspective today. We have the loving embrace of our Heavenly Father and His Truth to guide us on our pilgrim way.
Grace upon grace,
April
Growing deeper: Deuteronomy 4:7; Psalm 19; John 14:15-21; 17:17
“Those who devise wicked schemes are near, but they are far from Your law. -Psalm 119:150
The psalmist’s enemies are within reach to do him harm. He cries out for the Lord to help him. Although physically the wicked close in around him, spiritually speaking they stand at Hell’s door. The unrepentant are far from their Creator. Choosing to rebel against God’s law, they subvert His authority for personal autonomy. Some evildoers even live among the sheep, disguised like one of them, but they are wolves to the core. Jesus said to be alert to these snares. The tares must remain with the wheat until harvest time. On that Great Judgment Day there will be threshing, to winnow out what is pure and lasting, from what will be burned up. God is Judge who will deliver His people in His perfect time. The Lord may provide relief with temporary deliverances now, but one day there will be a final reckoning when God delivers His Church from all that is unjust. Praise God!
Grace upon grace,
April
Growing deeper: Matthew 13:24-30; 36-43; 1 Peter 2:21-25
“Hear my voice in accordance with Your love; preserve my life, O LORD, according to Your laws.” -Psalm 119:149
Hear and preserve, according to Your law and love. The wonderful blessing of being God’s child is His willingness and delight to hear our prayers. Whether it be an incense of adoration, thanksgiving, repentance or petition, we have access to the throne of Grace at all times. Why would God acknowledge creatures of the dust? Because He loves us. Just as His wrath is great toward unrepentant sinners, so great is His love for those who come to Him in simple faith. The Lord is perfect in justice and in love. This is also why God preserves His people with everlasting life. In the Lord’s rich mercy He has not left us to ourselves, to endure eternal separation from Him. His law was perfectly fulfilled in the only One who could keep it, His Son. Jesus Christ exchanged His robe of righteousness for our sinful rags. I wear His righteousness now, as do all who know Christ as their Savior. Therefore, God will preserve our lives forever. The depth and beautiful mystery of law and love have met at the Mercy Seat, permanently and sufficiently satisfying the holy payment of sin.
“My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on Your promises.” -Psalm 119:148
Verse 148 enhances verse 147, as the psalmist goes deeper, from prayer to meditation. Meditating on the promises of God is a wonderful counter-attack to the afflictions of darkness. Satan is the author of lies, the host of fear. Here is a helpful parallel of literal darkness to spiritual darkness. Both leave us vulnerable to enemy invasion. Our physical bodies need sleep and cannot go long without it. Yet in times of distress, sleep may mock the weary soul. Reciting Scripture, recalling God’s promises, can massage our troubled minds. Shining the light of truth expels the darkness to help us see. The terrors which grip our thoughts will begin to flee when we wield the sword of the Spirit against Satan’s attacks.
Believers thrown into a spiritual fog wait in expectation for God’s relief. His mercies are new each day, so while we wait, our time is best spent in prayer and meditation. Becoming familiar with God’s Word through meditation equips His saints so that they may pray God’s language back to Him. “Direct my footsteps according to Your Word; let no sin rule over me” (v.133); “Sustain me according to your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed” (v.116). The words of the psalmist are ours to claim as well. The Lord is faithful to keep His children spiritually alert to the devil’s schemes. He will not allow His children to be lulled into a defenseless stupor for long, neglecting our post. He has given us weapons and gifts to fight against our enemies, trusting Him with the victory outcome.
Grace upon grace,
April
Growing deeper: Psalm 4; 130; Mark 14:32-42; John 1:4-9; Ephesians 5:8-17; 6:10-18
“I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in Your Word.” -Psalm 119:147
The psalmist gets up before the rest of the house to commune with the Lord. It is here in the blue hour, without the coming day’s distractions, that we think most clearly with a heightened hunger for spiritual food. C.S. Lewis referred to this time as the “cream of the day”. Even before physical bread, it is good to have daily bread from God, nourishing our spirit. The psalmist likely did not sleep well either, as this octave indicates his distress. It is better to get up and seek an audience with the Lord than toss and turn in elusive sleep.
The writer is desperate, crying out for His Father’s help. Does God hear him? The best posture for a believer to be in is a state of neediness. What do you and I have to offer Him but our sin and need? It is here we are humbled, and dependent. Self-reliance and self-righteousness are a charade of smoke and mirrors. The only Hope we have and cling to are the promises of God. Jesus became the Living Hope for all who will trust in His saving grace. He continues to intercede for God’s people, as we are being made fit for Heaven. What great encouragement to the sons and daughters of God. We can cry out to Him because He sees our lives, He hears our prayers, and He loves you. Here is where saints rest. Christ the Living Word is our Help and Hope, in life and in death.
Grace upon grace,
April
Growing deeper: Psalm 63; John 17:6-26; Hebrews 7:24-28
“I pray because I can’t help myself. I pray because I’m helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the time, waking and sleeping. It doesn’t change God. It changes me.” -C.S. Lewis
“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
“I call with all my heart; answer me, O LORD, and I will obey Your decrees.” -Psalm 119:145
This verse begins a new octave. In these eight verses the psalmist is looking for God’s presence and aid. He calls out, or cries out, with urgency and fervor to have the Lord bless him. This is what wrestling in prayer looks like. Have you ever prayed with your face in the ground, engaging not only your lips but your whole being in earnest longing? Did you know prayers like this from the heart are received by God our Father as sweet incense? And when words fail us, even the groaning of His saints is heard as the Spirit helps through intercession. What a gracious and compassionate Lord! He hears, He sees, He knows exactly every detail of your life. Prayer demonstrates our faith that there is a God, and that He is willing and able to act. It may not be as we expect, but the Lord is always at work on behalf of His people for His Glory and our good (Romans 8:28). Here we rest in taking the long view of God’s eternal plan, rather than remain short-sighted with temporal solutions. God’s plans are always better than we could ever imagine.
As the psalmist cries out in need, he also longs to obey the Lord in all of life. The holy desires of his heart search for God’s guidance to direct him, then walk in it. Whether the psalmist realizes it or not, he is doing exactly what God commands by drawing near to Him. This is what the Lord has called all people to do while we live in the Era of Grace. A fervent desire to draw near to God grows the more we meditate on what He has already taught us in the Scriptures. Who is He? Draw near to God by observing His creativity and majesty in creation. See His heart of compassion and mercy through Jesus His Son. Meditate on His character and promises through the written Word. This is what living in the center of God’s will looks like. This is where we begin to know the God of the Universe. May “the Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace” (Numbers 6:24-26).
redeemed in grace 