I Cling to His Testimonies

Psalms 119:25-32 ESV

“My soul clings to the dust;

    give me life according to your word!

When I told of my ways, you answered me;

    teach me your statutes!

Make me understand the way of your precepts,

    and I will meditate on your wondrous works.

My soul melts away for sorrow;

    strengthen me according to your word!

Put false ways far from me

    and graciously teach me your law!

I have chosen the way of faithfulness;

    I set your rules before me.

I cling to your testimonies, O Lord;

    let me not be put to shame!

I will run in the way of your commandments

    when you enlarge my heart!”

The Psalmist was in some type of difficult situation, but we don’t know what. It doesn’t say exactly. It could have been something self-inflicted or something beyond his control. Or he could be describing the sinful condition of all humans outside of God-given faith in Jesus Christ. For then it sounds as though he repented of his sinful ways, and then he wanted the Lord to teach him his commandments (his instructions, teachings, rules, laws).

Whatever it was it appears it was sucking the life out of him, for he prayed to the Lord to give him life according to His word. And now he desired to know and to understand the ways of the Lord and to follow after them. And he wanted his mind to now be focused on things above and not on the things of this earth. Wherever he was, or whatever condition he was in, he no longer wanted to be there. He wanted new life, not the old life.

So, what was he sorrowful about? He could have been sorrowful over his sins, for that would fit with the context. And even after he repented of his sins he could have still been grieving over what he had done previously. And so this could be a cry for the Lord to strengthen him mentally, emotionally, physically, and/or spiritually and to bring joy and life back into him, or for the first time, we do not know.

But then here again we have a suggestion that this was all about some sin in his life, for he was asking the Lord now to put false ways far from him and to graciously teach him the law of the Lord, his commandments, which for us are under the New Covenant. But, although the Lord is the one who forgives our sin and who gives us new life in Christ and who empowers us to say “No!” to sin and “Yes!” to God, we still have to resist the devil and flee temptation and do what God says. He doesn’t do it all for us.

Now this whole section of this psalm is really a good picture of what it means to believe in Jesus Christ, and to put our faith and trust in him. For first is the acknowledgment of our sinful condition, and then a prayer for the Lord to give us life, new life in him. Then we repent of (turn away from) our sinful practices, and now we desire to be taught the commands of God. But we can’t do it in our own strength, but we need him to empower and strengthen us to walk in his ways and not in sinful and fleshly ways.

And now that we have been crucified with him in death to sin and raised with him to walk in newness of life in him, no longer as slaves to sin but now as slaves to God and to his righteousness, we now choose the way of faithfulness to our Lord and no longer the way of sinful practices. And now instead of living for sin and for self, we want to obey our Lord and to live godly and holy lives, pleasing to him, in his power. Now we are glued to his word and to obeying his word and to no longer obeying the flesh.

And there is now a seriousness of faith in Jesus Christ to the point to where we run to and we seek after the ways of the Lord. We hunger and thirst for righteousness, and we no longer long for our sinful ways. We don’t want to ever return to where we were before now that we have known the ways of holiness and righteousness, and now that we have experienced God’s true love and grace and mercy. But still all of this comes from God. We just have to apply it to our lives in his strength. So all the glory goes to God!

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15] 

Seek the Lord  

An Original Work / July 20, 2012

Based off Isaiah 55

“Come to Me all you who thirst; come to waters.

Listen to Me, and eat what’s good today,

And your soul will delight in richest of fare.

Give ear to Me, and you will live.

I have made an eternal covenant with you.

Wash in the blood of the Lamb.”

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him. 

Let the wicked forsake his way, in truth.

Let him turn to the Lord, and he will receive mercy.

Freely, God pardons him.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,

Nor are your ways My ways,”

declares the Lord, our God.

“My word that goes out of My mouth is truthful.

It will not return to Me unfulfilled.

My word will accomplish all that I desire,

And achieve the goal I intend.

You will go in joy and be led forth in peace.

The mountains will burst into song… before you, 

And all of the trees clap their hands.”

https://vimeo.com/379408296