“I open my mouth and pant, longing for Your commands.” -Psalm 119:131
I love how God uses physical elements to point to deeper truths. Bread, light, water, and air are all things we as humans understand. They are basic needs for our survival. The Lord uses physical objects to lead His people to a knowledge of Jesus. God’s message is not muddled. He loves us too much to make the Gospel confusing or irrelevant. This verse demonstrates a connection between bodily panting and spiritual thirst. We know what it is to pant, to be out of breath from a long run or because the scorching heat of the day brings about thirst. Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that He had living water to give her. Rightly He did. Those who trust in Jesus as Savior will never thirst again. He alone quenches our spiritual thirst. Yet every saint knows as he grows that the well goes even deeper. Cool, sweet water.
In C.S. Lewis’ The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Reepicheep the valiant mouse seeks the end of the world with those aboard the ship. He remembers his nurse from when he was young telling stories of “where sky and water meet, where the waves grow sweet, doubt not Reepicheep, to find all you seek, there is the utter East.” So the saint will pant for more of what he has tasted of God’s goodness.
The psalmist Asaph wrote of God’s promises to those who worship Him alone. The Lord has said, “Open wide your mouth and I will fill it” (Psalm 81:10). Later in the same psalm God contrasts His actions toward those who hate Him with people who serve Him. He again promises to His children, “But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you” (Psalm 81:16). Who alone can satisfy the God shaped vacuum in each of us but the Lord Himself? And He promises to do so. God’s commands continually revive the withered spirit from His wellspring of Life. His mercies are new each day. Our Lord is faithful to feed and water His sheep.
Grace upon grace,
April
Growing deeper: John 4:4-30; 6:35-40; 7:37-39; 8:12; 10:1-21
“The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” -Psalm 119:130
God’s Word illuminates dark roads. He gives us spiritual vision to see the truest reality- the unseen spiritual realm. By His law even fools can know their sinful state, requiring their need for a Savior. Scripture reveals the darkest places in our hearts. This is a mercy, as godly sorrow leads to repentance and restored fellowship with the One who loves us best. What would the world be like without a sun or the Son? Always grasping through pitch blackness, without hope, without comfort or purpose. Some live this way. It should move every Christian with pity and compassion to see a blind soul, a dead spirit walking aimlessly through this earthly portal.
Christians must pray for the lost, asking God to give them eyes of faith, a heart to understand His simple but glorious truth. The basic message of the Gospel is able to penetrate the understanding of a child. The simplicity of the Good News is purposefully done so it may reach the farthest corners of the world to every nation, tongue and tribe. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Through Christ we truly see for the first time. Glory to God for such mercy and freedom from sin’s bondage when we are finally shown The Way through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Grace upon grace,
April
Growing deeper: John 14:1-7; 2 Corinthians 4:13-18; Ephesians 6:10-13
“Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them.” -Psalm 119:129
If God’s statutes did not mean anything to the psalmist he would not have wanted to obey them. The love for what is right and true grows an inward desire for holy obedience. Those who do not love God’s law but go through the outward motions are legalists at best, hypocrites at worst. We are motivated by what we love, things we are passionate about, what we respect, and by godly fear. The difference in reverent fear for the Lord versus being afraid of Him is loving God’s authority. We trust Him to rule over us therefore we will obey. His character, His nature, demands our all and yet God Himself is not demanding. We are not His puppets on a string. Instead, the Lord woos us to Himself, unlocking the mysteries of Who He is over a lifetime of discovery. This is the heart of God for His children.
As we grow in grace toward spiritual maturity, His saints learn what a wonderful, gracious, merciful Law-Giver we serve and desire to follow His footprints. This too is a mercy as God gently leads us in the paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake. The end result is the Christian’s glorification, reflecting the likeness of our Savior. We have been justified by His mercy, we are being sanctified in His grace, one day we will be glorified in His perfect righteousness.
“Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them. The unfolding of Your Word gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. I open my mouth and pant, longing for Your commands. Turn to me and have mercy on me, as You always do to those who love Your Name. Direct my footsteps according to Your Word; let no sin rule over me. Redeem me from the oppression of men, that I may obey Your precepts. Make Your face shine upon Your servant and teach me Your decrees. Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for Your law in not obeyed.” -Psalm 119:129-136 Pe
I’m not sure the timeline from when the psalmist wrote this octave Pe, from the previous Ayin, but there is a continuation of thought and emotion. The writer declares his adoration for God’s statutes. He again asks for help against his oppressors. His heart breaks over those who do not follow God’s law. The psalmist desires to be taught by the Lord and live out his faith in holiness. These are marks seen throughout Psalm 119, but the similarities struck me particularly between the octaves Ayin and Pe.
One question worth asking each time we read Scripture is, “Who is God in this passage?” What does the text inform us about His character and promises? By beginning with this question we then rightly see who we are as image bearers living under the curse of sin, and our need for a Savior. In this passage God’s mercy is displayed. But why does God need to intervene at all? Is the psalmist merely asking for the Lord to deliver him from bullies and be a religious person? If the writer only desired to live a morally good life and have God save him every now and then from mean guys, his life would be in vain. Because all live and will die, what is the point of worshipping an unseen Divinity if all you do is seek to please Him between the dash line of your birth and death date?
I believe the psalmist sees more than the temporal. Even as he is afflicted, he knows there is more to life than the seen. God in His mercy, has revealed this truth to him. The Lord is merciful to all who draw near Him as the psalmist does. He does not give His children what they deserve, which is Hell. He does not keep His beloved in sin and ignorance. No, God blesses His sons and daughters with the gift of instruction, understanding and discernment. He gave us Himself through His Son Jesus on the cross. My sins and yours if you know Christ as Savior, are covered by the righteousness of Jesus. Therefore we can pray as the psalmist does, “Turn to me and have mercy on me, as You always do to those who love Your Name.”
God has turned away the hellfire and given each of His children a new heart, with spiritual sight to see the truest reality. Spiritual warfare is on the move and has been raging since the Fall. But God has delivered His people once and for all. He will continue to display His mercy and lovingkindness as it overflows from one day to the next. The Christian is taught, sustained and protected because of His covenantal promise. Those who know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are His eternal sons and daughters.
“and because I consider all Your precepts right, I hate every wrong path.” -Psalm 119:128
The psalmist has already declared how much he loves God’s commands. Now he balances his affection with an equal hatred of anything which is anti-God. That is, false ways, lies and folly- Sin. Since God is the Source from Whom all blessings flow, the psalmist loves all the Father does, beginning with the good instruction He has given His children. False ways are a rejection of God’s authority. Therefore the psalmist declares all of God’s precepts as right. He has found the truth and will not easily let it go.
Sometimes during the course of a day, or even a season, we may have to fight to remember what is true. It is a very real spiritual warfare within the soul, as Lucifer has every intention to mark us as an invalid in the Lord’s army. We are to remember El Elyon, The Most High, King of Kings, when we get swept us in the cares and snares of our earthly life. I believe our Father provides helps in times of spiritual fog. My husband is a great comfort to me when I need Biblical encouragement. What other kind of encouragement is there? I know I can lean on this man to speak the truth I already know, but have somewhere along the way focused on the temporary horizon instead. God is gracious to provide His children with spiritual helps by illuminating His Word to us, and through other Christians. This is a grace that is ours in Christ Jesus.
Who is in Heaven seated on His Throne but God Almighty? Who is Omnipotent, Omniscient but Jehovah Yahweh? It is God’s mercy to align our thoughts back with His. C.S. Lewis commented on how the Lord speaks to us. He says God whispers in our joys, speaks to our consciences, and shouts in our pain. Adversity then is God’s megaphone, an instrument of grace. We want soft hearts. Soft hearts are pliable to God’s instruction, discerning to sinful choices, quick to repent. Puritan Thomas Case noted, “God softens hearts with the showers of adversity and makes us more attentive unto Him and less influenced by the noise of the world.” Our response in those trials reveals the fruit of our love for Him. May God give us grace to affirm His precepts as truth and turn from every wrong path.
“Because I love Your commands more than gold, more than pure gold,” -Psalm 119:127
The psalmist pleads for the Lord to take action in the previous verse because he treasures God’s glory more than the riches of the earth. No gemstone or precious metal is worth comparing to the greatness of God’s glory revealed in His holy gift. God’s Word is the psalmist’s delight. As a believer grows in fellowship with the Lord, he will see the wisdom in God’s boundaries, His commands, in which we are free to roam. Pasture is good, but so are fences to keep us from harm. Whether it is an outsider who seeks our undoing, or we attempt to destroy ourselves in sin, God has laid out His commands as guideposts for staying on the narrow path. This is why Christians find God’s Word priceless.
Keep to His way and you will be alert to steep cliffs, falling rocks, sharp twists and turns on your pilgrim journey. We can pray for a love of His commands and for the Holy Spirit to help us obey them. God is faithful to answer this kind of prayer since it is in line with His will. Loving the Bible leads us straight to what, or Whom, our hearts always longed for. God’s Treasure Map shows us the way to true life, eternal life hidden in Jesus Christ.
Grace upon grace,
April
For further encouragement I wanted to share this song. I’ve been thinking a lot about Heaven lately. It isn’t a discontent with all God has given me here, but knowing something better awaits. Scripture directs our steps back to Eden, through Jesus Christ. Christian, this isn’t our home. Don’t drop your anchor here. We’re almost Home.
“It is time for You to act, O LORD; Your law is being broken.” -Psalm 119:126
This verse shifts to a petition of action. It is not a demand, for who can order the Lord what to do? Rather, out of zeal for God’s Kingdom and honor, the psalmist cries out for the Lord to move swiftly. God will not allow wickedness to go unpunished- He will not be mocked. Yet God does not operate on our timetable. He is not bound by Time, for He created it. He is slow to anger, longsuffering, not wishing any to perish in Hell for everlasting wrath. I once heard a pastor say that Hell was made for Satan and the demons. It was never God’s intention to have image-bearers dwell in torment. We were made for Eden. Yet it doesn’t prevent image-bearers to rebel against God either. Rebellion and an unrepentant heart will suffer the consequences with eternal judgement.
Even the Lord Jesus took action when His Father’s house was turned into a marketplace instead of a house of worship (Matthew 21:12-13). We too can follow Jesus’ example of standing for holiness by upholding God’s laws. As redeemed sinners, we hold two truths together. The law reflects as a mirror of our true selves, mercifully, leading to repentance. Grace is now the freedom of every Christian. Just as we have been lavished in His grace, so we extend grace toward others. As the Christian matures in faith we see both extremes of legalism and grace abused as deceptive. We must stand for God’s standard as the psalmist does, crying out for justice. And yet the psalmist can boldly pray this request knowing he is securely kept by God, resting in the shadow of the Almighty. His sins are forgiven, his debt paid in full with the future blood of his Savior, Jesus Christ. Even if the psalmist’s (or our) feelings wax and wane, the facts remain. God does not give up what He has already bought with the sacrifice of His One and Only Son. Be of good courage and take heart, God will act for His people because He has already overcome the world, starting with Death.
“I am Your servant; give me discernment that I may understand Your statutes.” -Psalm 119:125
This verse is a continuation of thought and prayer from the previous. Here the psalmist goes deeper with his request. He reminds the Father for the third and final time that he is His servant. He has given himself totally and completely to Yahweh for service. Therefore, the psalmist desires to go deeper in God given instruction, by adding to his spiritual arsenal discernment and understanding. This is head knowledge practically applied. It is layered wisdom. Just like in elementary school, we begin with the foundation of education and gradually build upon it through years of maturity and discipline. Likewise, all Christians learn the basics of God’s truth through the Gospel. By God’s grace we grow deeper roots as we walk with the Lord, cultivating discerning wisdom through daily decisions. The responses we give even in the little things can sanctify or hardened our hearts.
There are means of grace we have at our disposal to nourish this spiritual muscle as well. Personal study with good commentary from wiser and usually older Christians is helpful. I like to use commentaries from Matthew Henry, John Gill, John MacArthur’s Study Bible, and the ESV Study Bible. You can find some of these resources online such as Biblegateway.com and Biblestudytools.com. Discernment also develops through sitting under Biblically sound preaching and teaching. Do the preacher’s words align with Scripture? Or is your pastor going off course dipping his toe in culture, adopting speech and wrong thinking from the world? These are good questions to consider. I have learned too that surrounding myself with serious, committed Christians encourages me to walk in excellence as well. Godliness, which is understanding lived out, finds suitable conditions to grow when we keep company with other godly men and women. This is a blessing of participating in fellowship with other believers.
The more you and I digest His truth in study, and learn from other Christians, the more we are able to acquire a Biblical worldview while living in Sodom. This is how every pilgrim equips their arsenal with ways of responding to the culture, our enemies, and our flesh. We are able to make godly decisions in what our response will be. Does the situation call for forgiveness, repentance, a gracious reply, overlooking an offense or clarity in speaking the truth? Every action is preceded with prayer. This is the fruit of marinating in God’s statutes.
Understanding God’s Word then is wisdom with feet. We know what the Bible says, we have studied His treasure trove, now our faith takes action in all we say and do. It doesn’t mean we are now perfect, never to sin again in this cursed world. What every Christian does have is a High Priest in Jesus who has justified us through His death and resurrection. The writer of Hebrews underscores this wonderful truth saying, “But when this priest [Jesus Christ] had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time He waits for His enemies to be made His footstool, because by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy” (Hebrews 10:12-14). Every Christian is becoming who he already is in Christ. God is at work conforming the character of every believer into Christlikeness, which will take our entire lifetime.
The desire of the psalmist is to be kept safe from his enemies as the previous verses indicate. Yet he also longs for God to faithfully draw him closer into His circle of fellowship. The only way for us to grow deeper with the Lord is by first dying to self. Self will, self desire, autonomous living is contrary to God’s authority. Even Jesus our Lord, submitting to the Father, learned obedience through suffering. We too must learn the same. A servant is not greater than his master. Right before He went to the cross Jesus said,
“The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves Me must follow Me; and where I am, My servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves Me.” (John 12:23-26)
The Lord has promised to draw near to those who seek Him. We are never abandoned. What then is the soil of your soul like? Are you dry and weary? Are you happily planted, enjoying the rich ground right where God has you? Or do you feel stuck? Alive but withering. God is waiting to draw near to this soul. He will lead you then by His mercy today and tomorrow and the next day. God is a generous giver of His wisdom, mercy and grace if we would only ask.
“Deal with Your servant according to Your love and teach me Your decrees.” -Psalm 119:124
This is the second time the psalmist refers to himself as “Your servant”. He is petitioning for the Lord to take up arms on his behalf since he belongs to His service. A master looks out for the well-being of his servants. He makes sure interlopers do not come onto his property to harm or kidnap what does not belong to them. Like a shepherd who fiercely protects his flock from ravenous wolves, so the Father will mercifully take care of His children. We are not only servants, but adopted family in the Kingdom of God. How much more will a father love his son or daughter over a hired hand? How much more will he protect them? God will surely act according to His love for us. If we believe the Lord is perfectly just, perfectly good and perfectly loving, then we can trust Him with our days and obey His commands, as this is our duty and the will of God.
He is also faithful to teach His children. This too is a mercy. Only God bestows instruction, which keeps us from boasting about any spiritual wisdom we have attained. It is a gift from the Lord. The apostle Paul writes, “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). What a helpful reminder for saints to remain humble in the spiritual graces we have been given. It is because of the Lord’s mercy that we receive anything from Him, not because of our own merit.
The wise man then seeks more wisdom, realizing there is so much he doesn’t know. It is interesting to observe how wisdom and humility intersect to produce a teachable heart. Wisdom is willing to be taught, hungry for truth, sincerely seeking God’s best, instead of looking out for his own interest. The psalmist goes to the Source of all knowledge, asking for God’s grace to teach him more. He is in the best posture to receive spiritual nourishment: a teachable, humble spirit, dependent on God. This the Lord does not despise.
It is a general principle that God grows His children in grace of the knowledge of Him through trials. Here we run to God, cling to Christ, finding comfort and guidance from the Holy Spirit. Our faith is refined in the crosses we bear because as we look to Jesus, we realize we aren’t carrying these burdens alone. Jesus says, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28). Our spiritual vision is sharpened when we look to Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith. We can freely approach the Throne of Grace, asking Him to watch over us according to His love and teach us according to His wisdom. Go to Him today and ask, for He will freely give.
“My eyes fail, looking for Your salvation, looking for Your righteous promise.” -Psalm 119:123
This is the lowest point in the octave. Our afflictions or disappointments overwhelm us to the point where we can’t think straight on what is true. Our faith may shrink but does not evaporate. The psalmist is still praying, still pleading to the Lord even though he does not sense His Presence. God is always actively at work in His children, and in the affairs of men. Puritan Richard Baxter comments on God’s mysterious providence. When we stand in Heaven, looking back on how our lives played out here on earth, if we still can’t understand God’s infinite wisdom, we can surely rest in His eternal goodness toward us:
“The Lord had a sweeter purpose and meant better than you would believe. Your Redeemer was saving you as much when He crossed your desires as when He granted them, and He was saving you when He broke your heart as much as when He bound it up.”
Our earthly eyes will fail us since we are finite creatures, with limited understanding to only what is seen. May God give us grace to have heavenly eyes of faith to comprehend the unseen, but very real spiritual warfare marching over the face of the earth. The angels in Heaven are clashing against Satan’s demonic forces in real time, each and every day. So when you and I are in despair, let us look up. Who is in Heaven? Who gives Satan any authority to speak of? Who allows the wicked to roam the earth for a set time? Who is longsuffering like God, not wishing any of His image-bearers to perish in Hell? Who died on the cross for redeemed sinners? Look to Jesus and ask Him to give you an eternal perspective. The story does not end here, it begins here. When we see things as God does we can be at peace, remembering He is in control and has never lost control over Heaven and Earth. On this particular verse Matthew Henry writes, “Though our eyes fail, yet God’s word does not, and therefore those that build upon it, though now discouraged, shall in due time see his salvation.” The battle is in the King’s Hands, His promises sure. We have certain victory over our enemies.
Help us, Father, in our weaknesses, fears and doubts that threaten to snatch up what has been planted inside of us. We have this treasure in but jars of clay. Be our Deliverer day by day until we see Christ face to face.
This is a newer song I’m not as familiar with. Yet since I first heard it, it is one of the songs I wake up thinking about. What we have to look forward to in Glory far outweighs this fleeting life. The first few lines of this song are a sweet reminder of this: “We will feast in the House of Zion, we will sing with our hearts restored. He has done great things, we will say together: We will feast and weep no more!”
redeemed in grace 