Psalm 119:129-136
Psa. 119:129 Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul keeps them.
Psa. 119:130 The entrance of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple.
The testimonies of God are what make us remember what ability God has. But, in Hebrew, it also means: Do it again. Keeping the testimonies is a reminder that God is intricately involved with our lives. Do we realize that the Lord orders all our steps? This is a strange concept because it doesn’t mean we are puppets on a string. He has given us free will, but he promises to lead us as we make decisions so that our walk will bring glory to Him – Rom 8:14
Psa. 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD,
And He delights in his way.
The entrance or realization of His words gives us light. It brings us understanding about God and his ways. Without his word, we are like blind men trying to lead other blind people – Mark 15:14. Without insight from God, we have no understanding. Only He sees it all and knows it all.
Psa. 119:131 I opened my mouth and panted,
For I longed for Your commandments.
Psa. 119:132 Look upon me and be merciful to me,
As Your custom is toward those, who love Your name.
Again David tells us how much he wants God’s law in his life. HE says he is panting, desiring it with passion. How much do we still prefer the Word of God? In China, they sometimes have only one page of a book in the Bible, and they treat it like gold. Everyone in a group would memorize the verses on that page. In our homes, Bibles lay around and never get read.
David also asks God to deal with him as God’s custom is in dealing with people. What a great statement if you remember that a custom is something that is widely accepted and practiced in a culture. In South Africa, we barbeque a lot. In America, you do tailgating. It is your custom. David states that it is God’s custom to be merciful to people. What a statement!
Psa. 119:133 Direct my steps by Your word,
And let no iniquity have dominion over me.
Psa. 119:134 Redeem me from the oppression of man,
That I may keep Your precepts.
The one purpose the enemy has is to have dominion over people and to enslave them. So Paul clarifies that whoever we obey or give our members or bodies to, we become slaves of that Rom 6:12-16.
The original mandate was for man to rule and reign – Gen 1:26-28. However, because of the fall of man, when man rules, he uses manipulation, resources, and evil intentions to rule over other people.
Before Cain kills Abel, God warns him about sin. Cain’s countenance or face was cast downwards. God tells him that if he does well, he will be accepted. The fact that we face temptation does not mean we lose the acceptance of God.
Gen. 4:6-7 So the LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.”
Sin wants to rule over us, but we have the power to overcome it and not allow sin to have dominion – 1 Cor 10:13.
Psa. 119:135 Make Your face shine upon Your servant,
And teach me Your statutes.
Psa. 119:136 Rivers of water run down from my eyes,
Because men do not keep Your law.
David asks God to make His face shine on him. It was part of the blessing that God commanded Moses to have the priests bless Israel. So, where Cain’s countenance was cast down, God’s face shines on us.
Num. 6:22-27 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them: “The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you. The LORD lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them.”
In the end, David is heartbroken because he understands the power of God’s law. If people can understand how much it can bless them. It also highlights that David shares the heart of God for people.
When was the last time we wept for our generations? When was the last time we prayed so earnestly that God would make His face shine on the nations and give Christ what he died for? So David prays prophetically in Psalm 2 about how God sets up the kingdoms of the earth for Jesus to rule.
Psa. 2:8 Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession.
