Psalm 119 Devotional
22 Days: Knowing is Loving
Day 4 (Daleth – verses 25-32)
My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to Your word. I have told of my ways, and you have answered me; Teach me Your statutes. Make me understand the way of Your precepts, so I will meditate on Your wonders, my soul weeps because of grief; strengthen me according to Your word. Remove the false way from me, and graciously grant me Your law. I have chosen the faithful way; I have placed Your ordinances before me. I cling to Your testimonies; O’ Lord, do not put me to shame! I shall run the way of Your commandments, for you will enlarge my heart.
What is our soul making its way through at this moment? As the psalmist presents his soul to us, we are painted the picture of somebody struggling through the dirt, the dry area in life, or the bleakest of situations. Perhaps today we are just fighting to get through, over, or past something. We are not alone in the battle before us (1 Corinthians 10:13). As the psalmist wants to show us, the hope for the revival that raises us out of the dust is laid out before us in God’s word. As we begin a prayer, let us be confident in what God’s word tells us. He knows all of our ways – even the ways we think we are keeping to ourselves. Can we be like the psalmist and begin to realize that even in our ungodly ways we have the “way out” and the way to avoid the dust of our own doing. God’s statutes are good and perfect and beneficial to us.
We have the precepts, we may not understand the precepts, but deep down we know the way to grasp these precepts of God. Will we meditate on God’s word? Will we cry out in grief to the King, will we ask Him for the answers that can be found in His word. Maybe that is the problem with facing our situation. We do not actually want God’s word to give us the solution as then we will be proven wrong, but what about the fact that He will be proven right as He walks beside us through the problem. Our false ways will be met head on by the graciousness of God and a love that He has for us. God places His law (His word) before us. What shall we do with that act of grace which He gives us?
The answer to that last question is easy, but the action involved in the answer is not quite as easy. We can choose the faithful way. That way is a focus on God’s perfect word before us. No longer would we have to cleave to the dust, but rather we can cling to God’s wonderful testimonies. How could we possibly take all of God in – well our heart will grow fuller each moment thanks to His desire for us to know Him more. Let us all run toward the knowing of God in a greater way. This is never easy, but we know the promises of eternal hope which are found in Jesus, and the running will be well worth it.
Lord God, let me leave behind the dust that so often I cleave to and become mired in. Lord, I do need my faith built up more each day. Move from weeping to being strengthened by Your great and glorious word. Lord, I desire the faithful way of following You. I will cling and I will run to You, my Lord and my God. Thank you, King Jesus, grow my heart so that I can always know more You and grow more in You.