Psalm 119 - Yodh

The psalmist turns his attention to the impact his testimony has on those who observe him. While he considers others, both the godly and the ungodly, he is not unduly obsessed by what they think of him. Rather, his motivation is still very God-focused. He knows, however, that as he achieves his desire of living correctly before God, there will be a resulting effect on others.

The beginning and end of the stanza provide a great framework for revealing his God-centered focus. He starts with an important foundational truth. "Your hands made me and fashioned me; give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments" (v. 73). He is God's. God made him. There is nothing more natural or appropriate than for the created one to please the Creator. The psalmist wants to learn God's truth so that he can do that.

The final verse of the stanza again states the psalmist's heart desire. "May my heart be blameless in Your statutes, so that I will not be ashamed" (v. 80). Because of the truth he knows, he wants to live the right way. He wants to keep God's way blamelessly. He does not want his life or testimony to be one of shame.

Between the foundational truth and the heart-felt desire falls the present struggle. Verses 75-77 describe this Christian who, in the midst of life's circumstances, is seeking to live out what he knows to be true. He is striving to correctly apply truth so that he will have a blameless testimony.

The psalmist pulls his thoughts to truth that is going to help him think the right way so that he can have the right testimony. He remembers that God is always righteous and faithful, even when life is filled with affliction (v. 75). He reminds himself that God's Word has the compassionate comfort that will help him through the affliction (v. 76-77).

It is important for the psalmist to direct his thoughts in these ways if he is to have the proper impact on others. Without submission to God and without reliance on God for support, the psalmist would end up rebellious, full of pain and bitterness, hopeless. Other Christians who look at him will find nothing to encourage or inspire them. The unsaved will find nothing to draw them to God, but only "proof" that their rejection of Christianity is valid. The psalmist does turn his thoughts to truth, however, and the result is that he does have a right impact on others. His testimony is good.

His godly life has an influence on those who reject God. There are those who are attacking him, who are rejecting God. They think he is a weak man who has to have some crutch to lean on, and they don't even think his chosen crutch is reliable. They arrogantly proclaim, "Where is this great God that you so faithfully rely on? How has your faith helped you? You are a loser, and your life will be a disaster. You should trust in yourself and your own strength like we do."

The psalmist prays that, as he faithfully lives for God, these men would be ashamed (v. 78). He desires for their boasts to be empty, their predictions to be false, and their assertions to be proved erroneous. These desires can be met as the psalmist remains faithful and trusting through the difficulties of life. If onlookers form a jury that must decide whether the psalmist or his accusers are correct, they will have to rule in favor of the psalmist. When they see that his life doesn't fall apart even in the midst of trouble, there is no other verdict they can reach.

The psalmist also has an influence on those who love God. They also watch his responses and examine the evidence. As they observe this man faithfully following God, they have two responses. The first is found in verse 74; those who fear God will see him and be glad. This man's testimony will be cause for rejoicing. Those who love God will rejoice to see someone else faithfully doing the same, especially in a time of trouble.

What an encouragement it is to see a testimony of faithfulness and trust in the midst of difficulty. The gladness is in part on behalf of the believer himself; others observe his testimony and rejoice over his spiritual victories. They delight to see that he has learned to give God-honoring responses. The gladness goes deeper, however, because the fellow Christians know that the sufferer's victorious responses are anchored in deeper truth. The sufferer can respond in the way he does only because God is who He says He is. The triumph can come only because the Word of God can do everything it claims it can do. This individual therefore becomes another encouraging evidence that living for God works.

The second effect on the fellow believers is edification (v. 79). The one who has gone through the trial and has honored God has opportunity to support and encourage and teach others. He is able to minister to those around him based on what he has learned on his journey toward maturity. Other believers recognize him as a source for truth, and they come to ask questions. "How did you do it? What truth did God use to encourage you? How can I avoid the dangers? What kept you from falling?" These observing believers desire to hear what God did for someone else; through his words of testimony and truth, they are encouraged as they seek and expect God's work in their own lives.

When God does a work in the life of one of His children, whether it be through trials or merely through the ongoing work of spiritual maturity, that work is never limited to the life of just that person. Each Christian is a showcase to the unsaved and to the saved alike. It is somewhat like a coach, trainer, or director who turns his attention to a single individual. When that personal training takes place in a public setting, all those around, whether they be fans, teammates, or critics, are able to see what is happening. Successfully mastering a skill silences the critics while inspiring the teammates and fans; most importantly, it brings honor to the Teacher who made it all possible.

"May those who fear You turn to me, even those who know Your testimonies." Psalm 119:79 (NASB)