Wednesday 22nd January
Read Psalm 119:89-96
“Lamedh
89 Your word, Lord, is eternal;
it stands firm in the heavens.
90 Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
you established the earth, and it endures.
91 Your laws endure to this day,
for all things serve you.
92 If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.
93 I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have preserved my life.
94 Save me, for I am yours;
I have sought out your precepts.
95 The wicked are waiting to destroy me,
but I will ponder your statutes.
96 To all perfection I see a limit,
but your commands are boundless.” (NIVUK)
I realise this map is not just for me it is good for the entire creation. v89-96.
Thinking about a ‘life preserved’ leads the psalmist to reflect on the eternal nature of God’s words, words that have never changed, are always there and are always relevant to generations past and present. These are words that created and sustain (endures) not just man but the whole earth (a reminder of John 1). The eternal nature of these words reinforces the faithfulness and power of God now (to this day) and His sovereignty (all things serve you). The psalmist says: if I had not seen/found delight in these truths I would have wandered off track and perished. Gracious Lord that’s a very good reason never to forget or ignore what you have told me. The psalmist then comes to the recognition that God will save because he belongs to Him (I am yours– is a recognition of God’s grace?) and consequently he will continue to listen to God’s guidelines because he knows ‘the wicked’ (Satan?) will try and redirect his path away from God and destroy the joy of the journey with Him (Jesus). The psalmist affirms: I will keep pondering/meditating/ listening/ hearing/ responding to your instructions for my path. I know I will never be perfect (to all perfection I see a limit) but God’s instructions are, always accurate, true, reliable, in fact are boundless in their perfection [seems to return to the idea at the beginning of the stanza].
Geoff Hinch
