Monday 13th January
Read Psalm 119:17-24
“Gimel
17 Be good to your servant while I live,
that I may obey your word.
18 Open my eyes that I may see
wonderful things in your law.
19 I am a stranger on earth;
do not hide your commands from me.
20 My soul is consumed with longing
for your laws at all times.
21 You rebuke the arrogant, who are accursed,
those who stray from your commands.
22 Remove from me scorn and contempt,
for I keep your statutes.
23 Though rulers sit together and slander me,
your servant will meditate on your decrees.
24 Your statutes are my delight;
they are my counsellors.” (NIVUK)
I easily get lost without God’s direction. v17-24.
We seem to step into a new setting, in the previous stanza there is doubt in the psalmist mind of the capacity to ‘not neglect’, now the psalmist asks for God to be good to ‘your servant’, this could read as if ‘You do this and I will obey’, but given the previous stanza, I think the meaning is, ‘I am reliant on your help to be obedient and choose the correct path’. Therefore, open my eyes Lord and help me to have insight and understanding of the wonderful things you say in your words to me, to direct my path. Then comes the recognition of where the psalmist is on the journey; Lord I am a stranger in a foreign land, and I am relying on your direction (commands – signposts) so please make them clear to me. I’m like a lost soul longing to find the truth for ‘all occasions’ but there are those who would pour cold water on that desire; the arrogant, those who won’t listen to your rebuke and who stray from the truth. Lord, please help me to ignore their scorn and contempt as I try and walk your way. It seems that even leaders are not listening to you and accusing me of making wrong choices but rather than worry about their words I will meditate on your directions (decrees & counsel) and there find great delight finding the right path to follow. It prompts the question; do I find great delight in God’s words to me?
Geoff Hinch
