LEARNING DAILY

Psalm 119:123-127, My eyes fail from seeking Your salvation and Your righteous Word. Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy and teach me Your statutes. I am Your servant; give me understanding that I may know Your testimonies [statutes, laws, decrees]. It is time for You to act, O Lord, for they have regarded Your law as void. Therefore, I love Your commandments more than gold, yes, than fine gold!

The psalmist is asking, almost pleading for justice as a response from God for an unknown wrong or evil. He is also asking for a deeper understanding of God’s Word. In verses 121-128, the psalmist is asking God to make good on His promises.  The Word of God tells Believers to stand firm in their faith when facing opposition of any kind; there certainly is comfort and strength in His Word. Don Adkisson wrote in his notes on this Psalm that “one can be overtaken with weariness when in a battle. We need God’s blessing and mercy is the first blessing; a deeper sense of His mercy will bind us more strongly to His statutes. The psalmist requests understanding and the need to properly apply God’s Word because he [the Psalmist] lived in a day when it [God’s Word] was disregarded.”

That could be said of the world Believers live in today – the Word has been disregarded! DA’s note continued, “People have made void God’s law in their daily lives; it has been replaced with something else. When sin becomes fashionable, a holy walk is regarded as contemptible.” Like those of many generations before, people today desire to walk on the broad way that leads to destruction rather than on the narrow way that leads to eternal life in God’s kingdom.

There is great spiritual wisdom for Believers today in these verses that show the beauty and power of God’s Word. The Psalmist should be an example to those reading this Psalm to affirm (or commit) to living their lives on the narrow way, by being obedient to God’s Word.

Reading and studying the Word should prompt the reader to reflect on their thoughts, words spoken, and action to be sure they align with God’s standards of righteousness. The psalmist’s plea for God to guarantee or confirm his welfare reflects and acknowledges his dependence on God’s provision. Believers today must also rely on the Holy Spirit to guide and teach them, to defend them when facing opposition. What a great reminder that God cares for each of us. Believers are called to live their lives grounded in righteousness, justice, and a deep love for God’s Word. Each Believer should be praying for the Holy Spirit to guide, protect, and intervene in the circumstance being faced each day. May each Believer be challenged to prioritize God’s commandments found in His Word above all else in order that it helps establish daily priorities and actions in accordance with His perfect will.