Instruction
Scripture: Psalm119:129-136
Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible at 176 verses.
It is an extended meditation on the believer’s relationship to God’s Word. This
psalm is also unique in that it is an acrostic. Each eight verse section has
the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet as the first letter in the line. It
would be as if for eight verses every line began with “A”, and then eight
verses began with “B”, etc. In this segment the psalmist states he has done
what is right and calls upon God to bring him salvation and to teach him His
statutes. What is more he recognizes how God’s law has been broken and calls
upon God to act. The function of this psalm is such that it leaves us
uncomfortable for we do not feel so strongly about God and His Word, so we must
recognize that it is only in and with Jesus that we can truly pray such a
prayer.
Teaching
This psalm teaches us to pray with the voice of Jesus. This
is what it means to pray in Jesus’ name: we pray His words and speak as He
speaks. It is only in and with Him that we can say, “I have done what is just
and right.” Normally such words would condemn us.
Our role in this psalm is that of a servant. We often think
of servants as hired hands free to come and go. This was not the case in the
culture of Israel. A servant was a slave who was not in bondage. She was in a
relationship of dependence upon her master or mistress. This is the attitude of
the psalmist. He comes before God fully dependent upon Him, counting on Him to
do want is good and right.
Life
When we approach God in prayer, we must learn to do so with
the humility of one who is dependent on God, but to whom God owes nothing. Yet
we know God’s mercy and love; that He desires us to come and pray, so we do.
That dependence allows us to also pray with a kind of pertinence and boldness,
not because we deserve or are owed what we pray for, but because of who God is.
So in Christ we can pray, “I have done what is just and right,” or, “It is time
for the Lord to act.”
One of the important aspects of this psalm is the desire to be
taught God’s statutes, to know His testimonies, and to love God’s commandments.
It urges us to pray to God – teach us, help us understand, and help us love
Your Word.
Prayer
This prayer is written
in the themes of Instruction and Confession.
Lord, we have done what is just and right. It is not so much
that we ourselves did what was just and right, but Jesus did what is just and
right on our behalf, and for His sake You have given us good, defended our
lives, and caused us to long for Your salvation and the fulfilment of Your
promises. Teach us Your statutes. Open our minds to know Your testimonies and
our hearts to believe them. Help us to learn to love Your commandments and to
hate every false way.
We know, to our shame, that apart from Jesus we have loved
the false way and hated Your commands. Please forgive us. Forgive us for the
times we did what was unjust and wrong, for the times that we were the
oppressors. Forgive us for not dealing with You as servants, but by thinking we
were Your masters. Forgive us for not recognizing the fine gold You have given
us in Your commandments. Amen.
Comments