We continue looking at Psalm 119.
Psa. 119:73 Your hands have made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
Psa. 119:74 Those who fear You will be glad when they see me,
Because I have hoped in Your word.
A prevalent phrase in Jewish prayer is: “Blessed are thou O Lord God Almighty, MAKER of Heaven and Earth.” It is an acknowledgment of God’s power and ability. Prayers start by focusing on the source of the existence of all things in Heaven and on Earth. John declares that without Him, nothing was made that was made – John 1:3. The premise of the Bible is never to prove God’s existence or His ability. Instead, it states it as factual.
David acknowledges that God created him. But, more so, the fact that God was personally involved with our creation as human beings.
Psa. 139:13-18 For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well. My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the Earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them. How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.
David asks to understand. When we know, it brings appreciation and thankfulness to God for making us His marvelous creation.
Psa. 119:75 I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are right,
And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.
Psa. 119:76 Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort,
According to Your word to Your servant.
Not only does David show us God’s ability, but he also shows us God’s motive. God is a God of righteousness. His judgments are never wrong, and He will always act based on His character. Even when God’s dealings are painful and afflicted, it is done in our best interest. Therefore, David finds no place to complain against God or even accuse God.
Weekly I deal with young people that say: I am mad at God. They are more hurt because they didn’t get their way but don’t want to admit it. It is easier to blame God for my mess. Satan is the accuser of the brethren and the accuser of God. He accuses God to men and accuses man to God. Think what spirit are you stepping into when you become the accuser?
David stays away from that. Even if he doesn’t understand the “why,” he will remain humble and trust God.
Psa. 119:77 Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live;
For Your law is my delight.
Psa. 119:78 Let the proud be ashamed,
For they treated me wrongfully with falsehood;
But I will meditate on Your precepts.
The Bible says that His mercies are new every morning – Lam 3:22-23. Mercy is different from grace. The prophet Habbakuk prays and asks God: “In wrath, remember mercy.” Mercy is extended when God has the reason and the ability to punish us but doesn’t. Grace is not getting away with our sin; grace is the ability not to just sin again. Grace empowers us and makes us God-conscious.
The opposite of God-consciousness is sin consciousness. Mercy is the character of God that focuses us on His goodness. His goodness leads people to repentance – Rom 2:4. When I understand the way He treats me, I will understand the way I should treat others. Do unto others as you want them to do unto you, but also do unto them what God has done unto you – Matt 6:12. By this shall all people know you are my disciples if you have love one for another. Mercy is sourced and empowered by love.
So David prays that the ones doing him wrong would be shameful for their actions. He didn’t mistreat them, but they persist in treating him with falsehood and doing him wrong.
Psa. 119:79 Let those who fear You turn to me,
Those who know Your testimonies.
Psa. 119:80 Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes,
That I may not be ashamed.
David asks that his companions will be the same people that fear God. We have looked at some verses about the fear of the Lord. I want to add this one:
Ex 20:20 And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.”
Is it possible that we sin so quickly because we have lost our fear of God? We just talked about grace and mercy. Because God is gracious and does not strike out at us when we sin, some have taken that to mean that sin is okay. If we understand what sin does to us, we will not treat it lightly.
Paul said that we must rebuke people in the open so that others might fear as well. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and to resist sin and stay away from it is very wise.
How shall a man keep his way?
Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path – Prov 3:5-6.
