For years I have posted verses from the Psalms and a brief comment on Facebook and now am turning them into a blog. It is my conviction that the Psalms, as found in the Bible, are an example for us of honest communication with God. The psalmists express a wide range of emotions, circumstances, and requests. God is not afraid of our questions, doubts, or concerns. Join me as we learn from the Psalms to process our emotions through the character of God, and see him more clearly.

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

21 Days of Prayer in Psalm 119 (Day #18)

Read Psalm 119:137-144

“Right”

In today’s reading, I was quickened to the psalmist’s confession as to the rightness of the “rules” of the Lord. Sometimes, as humans desiring our own way, we kick against rules, authority, and standards, but here the psalmist honestly admits that those very rules are right and are sourced in the faithfulness of the Lord himself. Verses 137-138

Righteous are you, O Lord,
    and right are your rules.
You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness
    and in all faithfulness.

The term “Rules” certainly is being used as a synonym for all of God’s word. Yet it points to the heart of the matter—who makes “the rules?” The one who makes “the rules” is the one who rules, either externally or internally. The psalmist is not settling for mere compliance with external directives, he has internalized the rules of the Lord as the core convictions of his life!

He also confesses being pretty burned up on the inside because his enemies don’t live by God’s word (v.139). If they did, then so many problems would be solved! However, the attacks of those who forget God and deny his commands (e.g., do not commit murder, do not steal, do not bear false witness) so that they can oppress others and feed their own appetites for power and wealth, have repeatedly forced God’s people to take refuge in God’s promises. Hence the psalmist can write,

Your promise is well tried,
    and your servant loves it. (v. 140)

Can we stand with the psalmist today knowing that we have deeply trusted in the Lord’s promises and seen them come to pass? I love the fact that the Lord is always faithful to his promise, even if that means that I don’t get what I want when I want it. His promise is bigger and “righter” than that.


O Lord, may we never forget your words of loving guidance, powerful protection, compassionate comfort, and holistic healing, for your rules are but signs that you are our rightful Ruler and King! When you tell us “No” it is sourced in your holy love for us, when you tell us to wait it flows from your faithfulness. We do not begin to grasp the scope of your knowledge nor the depth of your love, but as we love your word we begin to see, we start to understand, and we enter the rest provided in a personal relationship with you. Open our eyes today to see how your rules are right!  

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