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Psalm 119:97-105 (Nun)

04 Aug

Nun

105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet
    and a light for my path.
106 I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again:
    I will obey your righteous regulations.
107 I have suffered much, O Lord;
    restore my life again as you promised.
108 Lord, accept my offering of praise,
    and teach me your regulations.
109 My life constantly hangs in the balance,
    but I will not stop obeying your instructions.
110 The wicked have set their traps for me,
    but I will not turn from your commandments.
111 Your laws are my treasure;
    they are my heart’s delight.
112 I am determined to keep your decrees
    to the very end.

Psalm 119:97-105

Dear God, as I read this “Nun” section of Psalm 119 this morning, I thought about the Letter in Revelation 2 to the church at Ephesus. How they were doing great things, but they had lost their first love of loving you with all their heart, soul, mind, and strength and then loving their neighbors. What came to me is that I do not believe the psalmist has this problem. He is definitely clinging to you. He wants to do the right things, but it is out of his love for you that he wants to do them. Honestly, I don’t know how much he is loving his neighbors, but he is certainly devoted to you.

If I were to receive a supernatural letter from you in the mail, what would it say? Would I even have the courage to open it? It’s awfully convenient when these conversations are a one-way street, and I can just imagine your encouraging words to me. But where are your frustration points with me?

With all that said, let’s get into today’s verses.

  • 105 Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. – Of course, this is a popular verse. When I read it I can hear Amy Grant singing it. It was written on one of the side of Baylor University’s old administration building, Pat Neff Hall. Of course, we have our current interpretation of your “word.” We think of our modern Bible as your word. For the psalmist, however, I think he was mainly talking about the instructions in Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. The laws. Your laws are a lamp unto his feel and a light for his path. As I come against difficult, complex, or confusing situations today at work, help me to use your word, both your law and the other teachings I get through the entire Bible, as well as your still small voice, Holy Spirit, to guide me.
  • 106 I’ve promised it once, and I’ll promise it again: I will obey your righteous regulations. – Yes, he has promised it many times. Even in just the previous 105 verses. What must this man have been like to be around? He seems so desperate to throw himself into you. I wonder what kind of personal pain he carried into writing this psalm. What was his state of mind when he chose each word? As I imagine visiting with him, my tendency it to try to get him to relax just a little.
  • 107 I have suffered much, O Lord; restore my life again as you promised. – I don’t know if this is the right prayer or not. Maybe you promised the psalmist that you would restore a life he lost, but I feel no such expectation of my life. Studying Job and looking at the lives of Paul, Peter, and the other apostles, I cannot make this same statement to you. I simply pray for the healing of the people I love, regardless of what it might cost me.
  • 108 Lord, accept my offering of praise, and teach me your regulations. – Yes, this. My offering of praise is feeble, I know, but I do offer it. My wife and I just did our daily prayer together, and I tried to focus it around worship and praise. Gratitude for what you are doing that I can see and what you are doing that I cannot see.
  • 109 My life constantly hangs in the balance, but I will not stop obeying your instructions. – Reading about some of the persecution the Christians in some of those Revelation churches experienced was sobering. The church in Smyrna comes to mind. You had no rebukes for them, and yet you told them they were about to suffer, even to death. But they would not succumb to the second death. I don’t suffer to anything near that extent. In fact, outside of a few relationships that are strained, I don’t get chastised for my faith in you at all. So I don’t know what it is like to have my life hang in the balance, but I appreciate this psalmist feeling like his did and yet he would follow your instructions anyway.
  • 110 The wicked have set their traps for me, but I will not turn from your commandments. – I suppose there are traps we gladly walk into. Jesus did that. He would gladly walk into a trap the Pharisees or Sadducees set for him, but then he would cleverly turn it on them and they would find themselves in their own traps. I pray that if I find myself in any kind of difficult situation that you would give me the shrewdness and wisdom to call on you and know what to say.
  • 111 Your laws are my treasure; they are my heart’s delight. – Your presence in my life is the source of life for me. My heart would be a dark place without you.
  • 112 I am determined to keep your decrees to the very end. – Yes, I am determined to keep your decrees to the very end.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on August 4, 2025 in Psalm 119, Psalms

 

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Psalm 119:97-104 (Mem)

02 Aug

Mem

97 Oh, how I love your instructions!
    I think about them all day long.
98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies,
    for they are my constant guide.
99 Yes, I have more insight than my teachers,
    for I am always thinking of your laws.
100 I am even wiser than my elders,
    for I have kept your commandments.
101 I have refused to walk on any evil path,
    so that I may remain obedient to your word.
102 I haven’t turned away from your regulations,
    for you have taught me well.
103 How sweet your words taste to me;
    they are sweeter than honey.
104 Your commandments give me understanding;
    no wonder I hate every false way of life.

Psalm 119:97-104

Dear God, okay, this Mem section was tough for me to read. I was brought back to the Rich Young Ruler from Mark 10 again. Jesus loved him, but he knew there was a dimension missing. When I read this Mem section it just feels like this young man (I call him young because he mentions his elders) is trying so hard to justify himself through his own power and strength. My wife and I have this joke where when one of us gives the other a nice compliment the receiver of the compliment says, “I know, right?!?” For example, “You did such a great job at ______.” Reply, “I know, right?!?” It’s a way of receiving the compliment but also sarcastically deflecting it to some extent. I almost get the feeling that this psalmist would take a compliment like, “You are amazing at how your follow God’s commands,” and say without any sarcasm, “I know, right?!?”

With that said, let me look to see what I see in these verses.

  • 97 Oh, how I love your instructions! I think about them all day long. – I am grateful for your instructions, but there are times when I want to reject them and be selfish and unforgiving. I know my desires will only lead me to places I don’t want to be, but they feel so good in the moment. I suppose it would be a great aspiration for me to love all of your instructions all day long. Maybe I’m just jealous of the psalmist for getting there when I haven’t been able to yet.
  • 98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are my constant guide. – I will say that there are times when I feel like I have a secret passcode to peace that others don’t have. Is it wisdom? I don’t know that I’d call it that. It feels more like letting go and living in a state of acceptance of what I cannot control. Perhaps an answer to the “Serenity Prayer” from AA: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
  • 99 Yes, I have more insight than my teachers, for I am always thinking of your laws. – I think this is where he lost me. Honestly, I’m surprised the Jewish church added this psalm to the canon based on this verse alone. As for me, there are certainly times I disagree with my teachers, but I am very aware that I could be wrong. I will never know you completely on this side of life, but I can try to get as close as I can. But I’ll still be wrong about some things. I watched a video yesterday by N.T. Wright on whether or not cremation is okay from an eternal standpoint. He had an opinion. Others have another opinion. I have my own opinion, although I don’t stand by it. I don’t know what’s right. And that’s okay. If I can stay in community you can help us all work it out with fear and trembling.
  • 100 I am even wiser than my elders, for I have kept your commandments. – Oh, my goodness. “This one thing you lack…”
  • 101 I have refused to walk on any evil path, so that I may remain obedient to your word. – I’ve walked evil paths. I’ve been tempted by evil paths just this week. So I will modify mine to say I really do my best to not walk on an evil path. I don’t just try not to walk on an evil path, but I do my best to avoid it. But sometimes I stray. I am sorry.
  • 102 I haven’t turned away from your regulations, for you have taught me well. – You do teach me well. I wish I followed you better, although I do think I get a little better each year. Thank you for your patience with me.
  • 103 How sweet your words taste to me; they are sweeter than honey. – Yes. This. Your words are awesome, and when I do successfully follow you I find myself in a peace that is awesome.
  • 104 Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life. – I completely agree with this verse too. It’s also a reason I want to help others not only call you Lord, but also live a discipling life. I want them to experience this as well. Help me to do that.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on August 2, 2025 in Psalms

 

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Psalm 119:89-96 (Lamedh)

01 Aug

Lamedh

89 Your eternal word, O Lord,
    stands firm in heaven.
90 Your faithfulness extends to every generation,
    as enduring as the earth you created.
91 Your regulations remain true to this day,
    for everything serves your plans.
92 If your instructions hadn’t sustained me with joy,
    I would have died in my misery.
93 I will never forget your commandments,
    for by them you give me life.
94 I am yours; rescue me!
    For I have worked hard at obeying your commandments.
95 Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me,
    I will quietly keep my mind on your laws.
96 Even perfection has its limits,
    but your commands have no limit.

Psalm 119:89-96

Dear God, this psalmist is working so hard for your approval. He is working so hard for your protection. I just want to give him a hug and tell him about your love for him. I want to tell him about grace and mercy. I want to tell him the story about the rich young ruler and how Jesus loved him. If he had been a contemporary of Paul’s and read some of his epistles, how would this psalm have been different?

I’m not saying we don’t need to be mindful of your commands. We do! But it’s like I heard someone say about the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount one time. They said we don’t get your favor by obeying what Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount. We obey what Jesus taught by worshipping and loving you and receiving your mercy and grace.

I also heard someone recently talk about how we need mercy because of the fall, but grace is something you were giving to Adam and Eve even before the fall. You grace us with your presence and your love. That is just something that happens because you love us so much. What a lovely thought.

With that said, let’s look at the Lamedh section of Psalm 119.

  • 89 Your eternal word, O Lord, stands firm in heaven. – While everything around me might look confusing or crazy, nothing on your side of reality is in doubt. This is a great a deep verse. There is a depth of truth to is that is awesome. We were listening to the Bible Project Podcast yesterday, and the teacher was talking about John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, and all sorts of other gospel characters misunderstanding why John and Jesus had come. They thought it was time for redemption from Rome, not from their sin. None of us have much clue what is going on in real time. But you, O Lord, and your eternal word stand firm in heaven.
  • 90 Your faithfulness extends to every generation, as enduring as the earth you created. – As I said earlier, your love for us is remarkable. Not only mercy. Not only grace. But then when we are bad to you, you are still faithful to us. Amazing. Humbling. Awesome.
  • 91 Your regulations remain true to this day, for everything serves your plans. – There are some days when I simply cannot see how everything serves your plans. Again, I have no more perspective than Zechariah or Peter had in their time. Probably much less. Okay, definitely much less. So it can be hard for me to see everything serving your plans, but I can at least appreciate how you can take everything and redeem it for your glory. As for what your plan is for the world or in all of this, I simply have no idea.
  • 92 If your instructions hadn’t sustained me with joy, I would have died in my misery. – Death even in living. I’ve seen some who are like that. Help me to be a source of your life to those around me.
  • 93 I will never forget your commandments, for by them you give me life. – My life comes through you. These prayer times aren’t my only touchpoint with following you, but they are an important part of it. And I didn’t particularly want to do this prayer journal this morning. But I know it’s part of my foundation that I need to 1.) connect to you and 2.) learn from you. Your commandments give me life.
  • 94 I am yours; rescue me! For I have worked hard at obeying your commandments. – I am going to reject the second half of this verse. I have no justification for you to rescue me or love me except that you chose to offer it to me through Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection. Through the Holy Spirit’s indwelling after Jesus’s ascension. But I will gladly label myself as yours. Rescue me, Father.
  • 95 Though the wicked hide along the way to kill me, I will quietly keep my mind on your laws. – One of the things Satan would love is for me to get distracted from you by the hate or selfishness in my heart. I talked with a friend recently who had a lapse in his addiction. I told him that the times I find myself being most tempted by sin are the times when I am feeling sorry for myself. My selfishness. My rights. That includes the right to defend myself to others. But I reject that and pledge to keep my mind on you and your laws.
  • 96 Even perfection has its limits, but your commands have no limit. – What an interesting verse. Your limits are beyond my limits. I am limited. You are limitless. So I humbly bring myself to you and ask for your mercy.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on August 1, 2025 in Psalm 119, Psalms

 

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Psalm 119:81-88 (Kaph)

31 Jul

Kaph

81 I am worn out waiting for your rescue,
    but I have put my hope in your word.
82 My eyes are straining to see your promises come true.
    When will you comfort me?
83 I am shriveled like a wineskin in the smoke,
    but I have not forgotten to obey your decrees.
84 How long must I wait?
    When will you punish those who persecute me?
85 These arrogant people who hate your instructions
    have dug deep pits to trap me.
86 All your commands are trustworthy.
    Protect me from those who hunt me down without cause.
87 They almost finished me off,
    but I refused to abandon your commandments.
88 In your unfailing love, spare my life;
    then I can continue to obey your laws.

Psalm 119:81-88

Dear God, wow! Halfway through this psalm it shifts tone and goes from a psalm of orientation to a psalm of disorientation. Was this the plan all along. I’ve been critical of this psalmist for not having suffered, but maybe he was saving it. One of the interesting things about taking this thing slowly like this is that it helps me to notice this trend. When I’m done with this psalm in several days, one thing I’ll do is look at the biblical commentary I use to see what scholars think of this psalm.

With that said, let’s look at these verses one by one.

  • 81 I am worn out waiting for your rescue, but I have put my hope in your word. – There is a podcast I listen to that has an intro about making sense during confusing times. The funny thing is, I think everyone thinks their times are either the most confusing or at least particularly confusing. This came to mind because I wonder at what level this psalmist needed rescued. Was it life or death or simply a lament? Was it personal rescue or societal rescue? There are times when I am stressed and times when I am in mourning. I get anxious sometimes. And if I were in Gaza or Ukraine right now, I would be feeling the depths of needing your rescue. Father, please rescue those who call on your name, and have mercy even on those who do not. Use all of this pain to draw us closer to you in some way. Don’t let it be wasted. Make it count.
  • 82 My eyes are straining to see your promises come true. When will you comfort me? – I have certainly needed comforted. There are still pains in my life for which I need comfort. Help me to take the comfort your give me and give it to others who need comfort as well. I don’t want just comfort for me. I want to know comfort so I can give comfort. Help me to give comfort.
  • 83 I am shriveled like a wineskin in the smoke, but I have not forgotten to obey your decrees. – I’ve felt this way before. I’m grateful to not feel it now. I’ve followed you blindly in the midst of pain but not forsaken you. But I do remember the 18-month period when I was in so much pain I didn’t pray like this. I prayed to you silently, but not really meditating on your Word like I am doing now. Thank you for carrying me through that time and teaching me as well.
  • 84 How long must I wait? When will you punish those who persecute me? – Again, how personal is this persecution for the psalmist? Is it something that a few people are persecuting him or is he in exile and persecuted as a Jew? And how does your “punishment”–even for the evil–work? Somehow, I don’t think any of us really understand that.
  • 85 These arrogant people who hate your instructions have dug deep pits to trap me. – So this seems pretty personal. Isn’t it interesting that he wrote this and then published it for others to know and sing? Again, he goes back to his theme of your commands and instructions. Some obey and try to follow and some hate and ignore. Help me to be someone who not only follows, but inspires others to follow as well. I’m thinking of one man, in particular, who needs to know your instructions right now.
  • 86 All your commands are trustworthy. Protect me from those who hunt me down without cause. – Again, this is very personal. The phrase “hunt me down” is interesting. I don’t feel hunted by people right now, but I know there are others who do. God, help us all.
  • 87 They almost finished me off, but I refused to abandon your commandments. – There is obviously some pain in these words. Be glorified, Father, even in this pain all of us feel.
  • 88 In your unfailing love, spare my life; then I can continue to obey your laws. – Quoting Keith Green: “Make my life a prayer to you. I want to do what you want me to. No empty words and no white lies. No token prayers. No compromise. I wanna share the light you gave through your Son you sent to save us from ourselves and our despair. It comforts me to know you’re really there.”

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 31, 2025 in Psalm 119, Psalms

 

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Psalm 119:73-80

30 Jul

Yodh

73 You made me; you created me.
    Now give me the sense to follow your commands.
74 May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy,
    for I have put my hope in your word.
75 I know, O Lord, that your regulations are fair;
    you disciplined me because I needed it.
76 Now let your unfailing love comfort me,
    just as you promised me, your servant.
77 Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live,
    for your instructions are my delight.
78 Bring disgrace upon the arrogant people who lied about me;
    meanwhile, I will concentrate on your commandments.
79 Let me be united with all who fear you,
    with those who know your laws.
80 May I be blameless in keeping your decrees;
    then I will never be ashamed.

Psalm 119:73-80

Dear God, I wonder how this psalmists would have defined your “commands.” Is he referring to all of the meticulous laws and being pious, or is he looking at the bigger picture. Would he have been the type to come to Jesus, ask what it is to be saved, and then claimed to have kept all of the commands. Would Jesus ask him to sell all he has, give it to the poor, and then come and follow him? In the story of the Rich Young Ruler in Mark 10:17-27, Jesus loved the man. That is often forgotten. He loved his earnestness. He loved his zeal. He loved his obedience. To obey is better than to sacrifice. So why did Jesus raise the bar on him beyond the law? It makes me think of the part of the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus said the series of, “You have heard it said …, but I say…” This psalmist and passionate about following you and loving you. I appreciate him for that. I would love for that to be said of me. But if it were true, would there still be something more I owe you?

  • 73 You made me; you created me. Now give me the sense to follow your commands. – I owe you everything. You are my creator. I am your created. And I am at the lower end of your creation at that. Even the lowest angel in heaven is far greater than me. I’m just this man on earth who has some amount of reason and thought. Who am I to think I am more than I am? But you are God. Give me the sense to follow your commands.
  • 74 May all who fear you find in me a cause for joy, for I have put my hope in your word. – Accountability isn’t in here, but I can see it in the subtext, for me at least. I want “all who fear you” to be my tribe. My friends. My support. And my accountability. I pray that those I know and respect will know me and hold me accountable, but that starts with me making myself known to them. Help me to be completely known, warts and all.
  • 75 I know, O Lord, that your regulations are fair; you disciplined me because I needed it. – When I first read this verse as part of the passage this morning, I asked myself if I’ve ever considered any event in my life to be discipline from you. I don’t think I have. Should I have? I’ve certainly seen you take challenges in my life, including terrible mistakes I’ve made, and used them as opportunities to teach me. I’ve learned a lot. But I think they natural consequences of my sin are quite enough punishment. I wonder if this is the difference between how the psalmist saw you and how Jesus taught us to see you. The ultimate punishment will be exclusion from your presence in the end, but even that is more a natural consequence of our choices and not what you want to happen.
  • 76 Now let your unfailing love comfort me, just as you promised me, your servant. – Yes. I like the idea of claiming your comfort. Again, going back to the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said those who mourn are blessed because they will be comforted. There are times when I really need your comfort. But there are also times when I just simply feel sorry for myself. At those times, I am slowly learning from you to care more about others and the pain they are in than myself.
  • 77 Surround me with your tender mercies so I may live, for your instructions are my delight. – For those before Jesus, they didn’t have this blanket understanding of your grace or the comfort of it. I appreciate your tender mercy and reconciliation through Jesus so that I might live–both on this earth and past it.
  • 78 Bring disgrace upon the arrogant people who lied about me; meanwhile, I will concentrate on your commandments. – It’s always these types of verses in psalms that catch me off guard. If people are enemies of mine, I suppose I don’t care about their outcomes. I only care if they are enemies of yours–especially if they claim to be of you and then act apart from you. If they are doing that, the bring all of the disgrace upon them you can muster so that they might not misrepresent you and your name.
  • 79 Let me be united with all who fear you, with those who know your laws. – This kind of goes back to that accountability I was talking about earlier. About being known by my tribe. Being one with them under you so that we might bring you joy and glory.
  • 80 May I be blameless in keeping your decrees; then I will never be ashamed. – A clear conscience is an amazing thing. I’ve had a guilty conscience. I’ve had a clear conscience. There’s no comparison. Father, help me to live with a clear conscience, repenting to you and accepting your grace when I am wrong, and repenting to others when I need to as well.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 30, 2025 in Psalm 119, Psalms

 

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Psalm 119:65-72

29 Jul

Teth

65 You have done many good things for me, Lord,
    just as you promised.
66 I believe in your commands;
    now teach me good judgment and knowledge.
67 I used to wander off until you disciplined me;
    but now I closely follow your word.
68 You are good and do only good;
    teach me your decrees.
69 Arrogant people smear me with lies,
    but in truth I obey your commandments with all my heart.
70 Their hearts are dull and stupid,
    but I delight in your instructions.
71 My suffering was good for me,
    for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees.
72 Your instructions are more valuable to me
    than millions in gold and silver.

Psalm 119:65-72

Dear God, I’ve been a little distracted by work this morning while on my vacation. I have an unavoidable appointment in about 20 minutes that I’ve had to get my head in the game for. It’s kind of stunk, but who am I to complain. This vacation has been great and I am completely blessed (is that the right word?) to be here right now. I am grateful to you for this time away and in such a lovely place. Thank you, Father. Thank you. I said yesterday that I need to be more intentionally grateful to you. I am, Father. I am very grateful for you.

Regarding today’s “Teth” section of Psalm 119, I’m actually looking forward to getting into this verse by verse because there were some interesting and disparate thoughts throughout them. So let me see what you might have for me this morning.

  • 65 You have done many good things for me, Lord, just as you promised. – Did you promise me good things? Honestly, if you did, it’s not a promise I cling to anymore. Maybe I used to expect good things at some point, but I feel like that has been squeezed/pressed out of me. There are a lot of good things in my life, and I am grateful to you for them. But they feel like a fortunate blessing more than you living up to a promise you made to me. I think of the faithful people in Ukraine or Gaza right now who are really suffering. I certainly can’t claim that I am deserving of this goodness and they are not. No, you are good all of the time, but I might not be able to determine what “good ” looks like. I certainly can’t trust my own definition of it. While I am at it, Father, please bless and care for all of the people who are suffering in these war zones. Whether it’s Thailand and Cambodia, all of the conflicts in Africa, Gaza and Israel, or Ukraine and Russia, I ask that you please raise up people and governments who will care for these who are suffering. Honestly, this is too big for me to know how to pray. Holy Spirit, please take these feeble prayers and use them however you will to make a difference for you, the Father, and Jesus in this world.
  • 66 I believe in your commands; now teach me good judgment and knowledge. – Yes. This! Teach me good judgment and knowledge. The psalmist still had a lot to learn. I still have a lot to learn. Teach me, Father. Don’t let any opportunities pass by me. Teach me. Give me wisdom and discernment. Help me to see beyond the surface. Help me to bring you glory through my little life.
  • 67 I used to wander off until you disciplined me; but now I closely follow your word. – Boy would I love to say this is true about me, but I still wander off now and then. I suppose it’s less and less, but I confess that I still wander. To quote “Come Thou Fount,” “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love. Here’s my heart, Lord, take and seal it. Seal it for thy courts above.”
  • 68 You are good and do only good; teach me your decrees. – Going back to verse 65, you being good doesn’t mean that you owe me good things. But you are good, God. You are good all the time.
  • 69 Arrogant people smear me with lies, but in truth I obey your commandments with all my heart. – I wonder what kind of persecution the author of this psalm experienced. I don’t experience much at all, but I live in a region that, if not on a real level of depth, at least pays lip service to worshipping you. That takes away a lot of my persecution there. But there are times when I get crossways with other believers. That can be hard because I can get really proud of my stances and frustrated when I think people who should agree with me don’t. Sometimes I doubt whether I am right or not. Going back to verse 66, teach me judgment and knowledge.
  • 70 Their hearts are dull and stupid, but I delight in your instructions. – The word stupid is hard for me. Misinformed, maybe. Sometimes fooled by misinformation sold to them by people who are monetizing misleading them. So I pray for them and I pray for myself, that we might all be learning from you and delighting in your instructions. That we might ultimately be one.
  • 71 My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees. – Frankly, it’s good to know the psalmist has suffered. I couldn’t tell from what I’ve gone through so far. But he’s right. It does help us to learn to depend upon you, understand who you are calling us to be, and deny ourselves, take up your cross and follow you.
  • 72 Your instructions are more valuable to me than millions in gold and silver. – Quoting a song here: “Lord, you are more precious than silver. Lord, you are more costly that gold. Lord, you are more beautiful than diamonds, and nothing I desire compares with you.” I love you, Father, and I thank you.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 29, 2025 in Psalm 119, Psalms

 

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Psalm 119:57-64 (Heth)

28 Jul

Heth

57 Lord, you are mine!
    I promise to obey your words!
58 With all my heart I want your blessings.
    Be merciful as you promised.
59 I pondered the direction of my life,
    and I turned to follow your laws.
60 I will hurry, without delay,
    to obey your commands.
61 Evil people try to drag me into sin,
    but I am firmly anchored to your instructions.
62 I rise at midnight to thank you
    for your just regulations.
63 I am a friend to anyone who fears you—
    anyone who obeys your commandments.
64 O Lord, your unfailing love fills the earth;
    teach me your decrees.

Psalm 119:57-64

Dear God, when I read this passage this morning, my first thought was of Samuel and Saul and Samuel telling Saul that obeying you is better than sacrificing to you. Now, in that case, I think Samuel was really making a point because he knew that a sacrifice was in order, but it wasn’t the time for the sacrifice. No, obedience would have been better for Saul.

So when I read this passage this morning, I thought of obeying and how important it is. Your mercy is, unfortunately, necessary because there are too many times I do not obey, but that doesn’t mean I should strive for obedience. And it’s even for my good.

My wife and I were talking over breakfast about how neither of us when through a “party phase” in high school or college. Part of mine was because my dad was a recovering alcoholic and I thought it was best not to drink, but I also didn’t want to break the rules. That was part of my survival mechanism in high school. And, frankly, it didn’t really appeal to me. But I can say that obeying those rules and not getting drunk with my friends was advantageous. I don’t think any of us look back on the great time we had in high school hanging out together without alcohol with any regrets. I’m grateful for it.

With all of that said, let’s make our way through “Heth” and see what’s what.

  • 57 Lord, you are mine! I promise to obey your words! – What a wonderful expression of love. “You are mine!” Oh, thank you that you are mine. My wife and I have this joke from the movie Groundhog Day when one character won a date with another character at a charity auction and when they are still together the next day, the person who was auctioned off asks the bidder why they are still there. She replies, “I bought you. I own you.” This is said lovingly as a joke. It’s very sweet. My wife and I use that line on each other often. Well, you really did buy me, and I have sold myself gladly over to you. And now I am yours and you are mine.
  • 58 With all my heart I want your blessings. Be merciful as you promised. – The definition of blessings is interesting. I think it’s important to realize that the blessings I want are not material. The blessing I want is your love, your grace and mercy, and your use of me and my little life in any way you see fit.
  • 59 I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws. – I really like this verse. This might be my favorite line of this whole psalm so far. It will preach. I like the idea of deeply considering and evaluating my life and then embracing you and your laws. Yes! I’m in. I made that decision a long time ago, but the zeal and fervor of it ebbs and flows here and there. I pray for more flow than ebb.
  • 60 I will hurry, without delay, to obey your commands. – Yes. Without delay. Not, “I’ll start tomorrow.” Now!
  • 61 Evil people try to drag me into sin, but I am firmly anchored to your instructions. – I’m trying to think of the sin that tempts me the most. Probably self-pity. Thinking I have rights to things that I don’t really have and then deciding I need to fight for those rights. I think of Saul feeling sorry for himself instead of embracing whatever your plan is. Help me to stay anchored to you and everything you continue to teach me.
  • 62 I rise at midnight to thank you for your just regulations. – My first thought here was, “Well, let’s not go crazy here.” I like being asleep at midnight. But I do need to just thank you more often. I was reminded of that in a sermon I listened to yesterday. I need to be more intentional about thanking you.
  • 63 I am a friend to anyone who fears you—anyone who obeys your commandments. – I’ve found myself being more skeptical of self-professed Christians lately. But when I find someone I believe genuinely worships you and submits themselves to your instruction and correction then I am all in with them.
  • 64 O Lord, your unfailing love fills the earth; teach me your decrees. – With that said, I still have a lot to learn about submitting myself to you and your correction and instruction. Teach me today.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 28, 2025 in Psalm 119, Psalms

 

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Psalm 119:49-56 (Zayin)

27 Jul

Zayin

49 Remember your promise to me;
    it is my only hope.
50 Your promise revives me;
    it comforts me in all my troubles.
51 The proud hold me in utter contempt,
    but I do not turn away from your instructions.
52 I meditate on your age-old regulations;
    O Lord, they comfort me.
53 I become furious with the wicked,
    because they reject your instructions.
54 Your decrees have been the theme of my songs
    wherever I have lived.
55 I reflect at night on who you are, O Lord;
    therefore, I obey your instructions.
56 This is how I spend my life:
    obeying your commandments.

Psalm 119:49-56

Dear God, is it bad that I read this Zayim section of Psalm 119 this morning and my first thought was that this guy needs to chill out a little? Yeah, it probably is. What does that say about me?

I’ve been watching the texting thread from the “alumni group” of men from the Christian Men’s Life Skills Class. A lot of them are young. Some of them are new Christians or dormant Christians embracing their faith seriously for the first time, and I can see this psalm really resonating with them because I see so much zeal in them. So much enthusiasm. It’s all so new to them, and they are all-in. As I’ve watched them I’ve wondered why I don’t act that way anymore. I used to. I remember when I was about 21 going to a Bible study with my grandparents and getting frustrated with them because I thought they had lost their saltiness. They were gathered and thinking thoughts about you, but were they doing anything in the world? Were they being salty?

And I honestly don’t think I can be the way some of the CMLS alums are. Not because they are wrong. They aren’t at all! In fact, I appreciate and respect it. Maybe even envy it a little. But I’m also a little farther into the race than they are and some of that newness has worn off. It might be wrong, but I wonder if I haven’t gotten used to your grace. It felt amazing (no allusion to the song intended) the first time I felt it and soaked in it. Now, it’s just something I can appreciate. I guess it’s a little like marriage. When I first met my wife there was great infatuation that accompanied my love for her. We could talk for hours on the phone and had to be with each other every moment. I talked about her all of the time to everyone. And then the natural course of my human brain adjusted to her being in my life. We just had our 33rd wedding anniversary two days ago and while I think we are closer than ever, more in love than ever, and deeper with each other than ever, that ooey gooey emotion isn’t the driver. It’s just deep appreciation and love.

I guess that’s how I feel with you, and I think it’s a good thing. I really do love you. I really do appreciate you. And I really do want others to have this depth of love and relationship with you that I am continually trying to develop. Maybe that’s why I tend to want to spend more time getting people to deeply connect with you beyond the superficial American way of worshipping you on Sunday morning (maybe) and then moving on with life the other 167 hours of the week.

So now that I have all of that out of the way, let me look at these verses and see if I can connect my old soul to this youthful exuberance exhibited in Psalm 119.

  • 49 Remember your promise to me; it is my only hope. – So after I’ve said all of this about my feelings towards you, how do you feel about me? I know the answer. I know you love me. And I am so grateful for the Holy Spirit’s current presence in my life and for Jesus’s sacrifice and love for me. But I need to always remember that this is a two-way street and to be grateful that you are a faithful bridegroom to me.
  • 50 Your promise revives me; it comforts me in all my troubles. – There are times when I am very troubled and what comforts me is the promise that my life and experience here is very small compared with you now and eternity with you later. The promise that I am part of your creation that you love and part of your kingdom is what comforts me. It’s not the promise of an easy, good life here because you never promised that. You put me in a world already in motion into a body that will die of something. I guess it’s a little like the people I saw rafting down the river yesterday. They were working, but there was a guide in the back who was guiding. And that didn’t mean they didn’t still hit rocks. That didn’t mean the boat would get punctured and possibly go flat. It just meant they weren’t alone while they did it. Come to think of it, I really like that metaphor. I need to remember it.
  • 51 The proud hold me in utter contempt, but I do not turn away from your instructions. – There are people who do not understand me. Some of them are relatives. Some of them are people in our community who get upset when I don’t respond to the world or to them they way they want me to. Okay.
  • 52 I meditate on your age-old regulations; O Lord, they comfort me. – Even now, as I sit here in this cabin praying through this ancient poem to you, I am comforted. And for eight verses I didn’t like much when I started–I even scoffed at them a bit–they are really blessing me and comforting me.
  • 53 I become furious with the wicked, because they reject your instructions. – It’s interesting how I define “wicked” now. If I were to list the types of people I would label as wicked, I think it would be mostly populated with people who claim faith in you but use it for power over others and to judge them harshly. Who are cruel in your name. Yes, there are some people who are flat out evil at the top of society, but the wicked I think of are those who pervert what Jesus taught us about you into a cruel form of faith.
  • 54 Your decrees have been the theme of my songs wherever I have lived. – I do hope people see you in my life when they see me. Going back to talking about my marriage, I do still talk about my wife to people all of the time. I do still love her. No one doubts my love for her or that she is the most important part of my life next to you. I just hope that when they see me they can tell as much about you being in my life as they can her.
  • 55 I reflect at night on who you are, O Lord; therefore, I obey your instructions. – Oh, Father, help me to obey your instructions.
  • 56 This is how I spend my life: obeying your commandments. May this be true of me.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 27, 2025 in Psalm 119, Psalms

 

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Psalm 119:41-48 (Waw)

26 Jul

Waw

41 Lord, give me your unfailing love,
    the salvation that you promised me.
42 Then I can answer those who taunt me,
    for I trust in your word.
43 Do not snatch your word of truth from me,
    for your regulations are my only hope.
44 I will keep on obeying your instructions
    forever and ever.
45 I will walk in freedom,
    for I have devoted myself to your commandments.
46 I will speak to kings about your laws,
    and I will not be ashamed.
47 How I delight in your commands!
    How I love them!
48 I honor and love your commands.
    I meditate on your decrees.

Psalm 119:41-48

Dear God, okay, I had an uncharitable thought towards the psalmist this morning when I read this “Waw” section of Psalm 119: Did he get repetitive because he was just trying to fill out the form of 8 verses for each letter in the Hebrew alphabet? Was he really inspired to write about following your commands over and over again or was it more an act of self-discipline and what he had to say? I was listening to a podcast discussion yesterday about a lot of self-help and nonfiction books not really having enough materials to fill out the expected 180-ish pages that it takes to make a book so they get repetitive. I’m starting to wonder that about Psalm 119. My poet wife would probably not appreciate this take. Maybe you don’t either.

One thing I will say, however, is that this psalmist does seem very dedicated to you. There also seems to be a youthful energy to this psalm. I am being very prejudicial here, but it seems to me that he hasn’t suffered much yet. Even in David’s most worshipful of psalms, there is a level of lament in them. And I think anyone who lives long enough has at least some amount of lament, regardless of how well things are going in the moment. I certainly do. But this psalmist seems to have what I would call a naivete about following your commands and everything working out great. Yes, I follow your commands, but I no longer do it so that everything will turn out the way I want it. I want to do it because I love you and I’m grateful for you regardless of what might come my way.

With all of that said, let me look at these verses and see what bubbles to the top for me. Holy Spirit, please sit with me while I do this.

  • 41 Lord, give me your unfailing love, the salvation that you promised me. – Yes. This. And I think you’ve done this. You did it before Jesus. You did it through Jesus. And now you are doing it through Jesus and with your Holy Spirit. You are amazing.
  • 42 Then I can answer those who taunt me, for I trust in your word. – In my current life, I’m not really taunted. At least one person I know has rejected me, at least in part, due to my faith in you and how I live that out. And it has hurt. But I pray for that person that you would bring them to peace in you and that you will help them to feel completely loved and healed from their pain, including pain I caused.
  • 43 Do not snatch your word of truth from me, for your regulations are my only hope. – This reminds me of John 6:66-69: 66 At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him. 67 Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?” 68 Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. 69 We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God.” I have no where else to go. You are my only hope. I am prone to wander and leave the God I love. Here’s my heart, Lord, take an seal it for your courts above.
  • 44 I will keep on obeying your instructions forever and ever. – This is quite a vow. I hope I can live up to it.
  • 45 I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments. – The definition of freedom here is important. Yes, if I obey your commands I have to deny my selfishness. You set a standard that must be followed for true fulfillment and happiness, but the standard is not this huge, onerous thing that will cramp my style. It all fits into loving you with everything I have and loving my neighbor as myself. Is that really so bad?
  • 46 I will speak to kings about your laws, and I will not be ashamed. – I would love to know the context for the psalmist writing these verses. Was he an adviser to a good king? Was he a prophet to a bad king? To whom am I willing to express your laws, and am I too ashamed or shy to do it?
  • 47 How I delight in your commands! How I love them! – I really am so much happier when I am denying my selfishness and loving you and loving others.
  • 48 I honor and love your commands. I meditate on your decrees. – I’m here this morning so I can love you and meditate on your decrees. I love you, Lord. And I lift my voice to worship you. Oh, my soul rejoice! Take joy my King in what you hear. Let it be a sweet, sweet sound in your ear.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 26, 2025 in Psalm 119, Psalms

 

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Psalm 119:33-40 (He)

25 Jul

He

33 Teach me your decrees, O Lord;
    I will keep them to the end.
34 Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions;
    I will put them into practice with all my heart.
35 Make me walk along the path of your commands,
    for that is where my happiness is found.
36 Give me an eagerness for your laws
    rather than a love for money!
37 Turn my eyes from worthless things,
    and give me life through your word.
38 Reassure me of your promise,
    made to those who fear you.
39 Help me abandon my shameful ways;
    for your regulations are good.
40 I long to obey your commandments!
    Renew my life with your goodness.

Psalm 119:33-40

Dear God, I’m back with Psalm 119. This morning, I am going to look at the He section. Be with me as I go through this, Holy Spirit. Speak to me and teach me.

  • 33 Teach me your decrees, O Lord; I will keep them to the end. – Oh, how I would love to live up to this promise. That I could keep your decrees to the end! I don’t think I can make the next hour and keep all of your decrees. My selfishness takes over sometimes. I’m sorry for that. I’m coming to really think about the concept of self pity more and more. I’m starting to think that is a bigger driver of my sins than just about anything else. Selfish self-preservation is probably the leading driver of my sin, but self-pity and thinking I deserve better than I’m getting is a strong second.
  • 34 Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions; I will put them into practice with all my heart. – I think I am doing this just a little more each day. I am better at practicing your laws and instruction now than I was a year ago. Please help me to do this better today than I did it yesterday.
  • 35 Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found. – There is something to be said for a clear conscience. There are times when I follow your commands that result in others rejecting me or rebuking me. But in the end, a clear conscience is worth more than their approval. In fact, I’d rather have their rejection and a clear conscience than their acceptance but underlying guilt.
  • 36 Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money! – There has always been a problem with a love for money. From the moment humans came up with a system that was beyond bartering, there was a desire to accumulate money. And what is the itch that money is scratching? I think it goes back to certainty. We have made an idol out of certainty, and we think that the knowledge that we have enough money in the bank will give us certainty. Then, after some have accumulated more than they can possibly spend in a lifetime, it starts to buy power and influence. No wonder Jesus warned about it so strongly.
  • 37 Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word. – In the end, the possessions don’t matter. I think it was about a year ago that it occurred to me that I don’t have a bucket list. I just don’t have an emptiness in my heart beyond the sorrow I talk to you about. But even that sorrow sometimes makes me wonder if I’m sorrowful on behalf of those who are hurting me, or is it the self-pity I mentioned earlier that is bringing me sorrow. Help me to love them and care for them more than myself.
  • 38 Reassure me of your promise, made to those who fear you. – And what is the promise I’m claiming? The promise is not for anything in this world. It’s simply relationship with you now and forever. Help me to really live like that.
  • 39 Help me abandon my shameful ways; for your regulations are good. – Of course, I’ve talked about this earlier. My shameful ways are usually driven by my selfishness and self-pity. Help me to reject both, consider my life worth nothing to me, and seek only to share the gospel of your grace.
  • 40 I long to obey your commandments! Renew my life with your goodness. – Verse 33 started with a confident statement about keeping your commandments until the end. Now, he ends with needing renewing because of how he failed to keep them although he longed to. Oh, Father, I long to keep your commandments. Help me to do that all day, and thank you, Jesus, for everything you did to reconcile me to the Father, even in this moment.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on July 25, 2025 in Psalm 119, Psalms

 

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