Do you ever feel as though you need reviving? I confess that I'm dragging a little this morning, so that request of the psalmist is resonating with me! Now let me clarify that there is no particular reason - other than sleep deprivation, since for some reason I slept very poorly last night - for my need to be lifted up, re-energized this morning. Certainly I'm not facing any circumstances like the psalmist! At least so far as I am aware, no one is "digging a pit for me" (verse 85) and I'm not being "persecuted with a lie" (verse 86). Even so, I'm looking forward to this time in the Word today and to being revived. What a blessing to know that we can be revived by and find comfort in God's Word!
Today we are going to focus our attention on the kaph stanza, verses 81-88. We have already read this stanza a couple of times in the broader context of the segment of the Psalm we have examined this week. But let's read these eight verses again, slowly and prayerfully, and see what we learn from them about God's Word. As I have already noted, these verses teach us that God's Word can revive us and bring us comfort. What else did you notice?
As you read the verses, what did you notice about the psalmist's circumstances? (Yes, I have already given you some hints, but review is a good thing! And don't limit yourself to my observations!!) How does the psalmist respond to his circumstances? What questions does he ask?
Is there any way in which you can relate to the psalmist's circumstances? I don't mean necessarily that you are in the exact same circumstances, but is there any way in which you can relate to him? How would you react if you were persecuted with a lie? Are there any other examples elsewhere in Scripture that can help us answer this question? What about Joseph and Mrs. Potiphar? See Genesis 37 and Genesis 39-41 for the details of that encounter.
Read the kaph stanza one more time and think about this......what lessons can you learn from this stanza to apply to your own life? Try to be specific. In a broader sense, think about what it is like to live as a Christian in our culture. Are there lessons in this stanza, as well as in the part of Psalm 119 that we have studied so far, that can help you to stand strong in a culture that is increasingly turning its back on God and His Word? Give that some thought today, and may God's Word revive you today as it is reviving me! "Forever, O LORD, Your word is settled in heaven. Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations." (Psalm 119:89-90) We'll talk about that tomorrow!
"With our culture's relativistic immorality, it's increasingly important for people to know truth. We can only do this by remembering God's statutes and refusing to forsake His precepts." - Pam Gillaspie
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