These statements are a far cry from the longings expressed
in the opening stanza of the psalm. In the beginning the psalmist saw other
believers living that way, and he desired it for himself. The first stanza conveys
almost a sense of wonder: Could this ever be true of me? Now it is. The
psalmist isn't just saying words here in this stanza. He isn't trying to
convince himself of his spirituality or impress others with his maturity. He is
speaking directly to God, someone that he knows he cannot fool. He is able to
declare these statements without shame or fear because God Himself knows they
are true of him.
The psalmist makes these statements with a purpose. His
prayer shares a request and a reason for making the request. "Look upon my affliction and rescue me,
for [because] I do not forget Your law" (v. 153). What is it about
this man's relationship with the Word that gives him the boldness to make such
a request? How can he feel so free to ask what he does from God?
In part, it is because maturity has taught him what to
expect from God. As he has learned what the Word teaches, he has seen God's
character revealed. Three times in this stanza, the psalmist asks for revival.
In each case he asks for it based on what God's Word says about His character
and what He will do. "Revive
me," he prays, "according
to Your word" (v. 154), "according
to Your ordinances" (v. 156), "according
to Your lovingkindness" (v. 159). From his knowledge of the Word and
of God revealed in the Word, he knows that revival of the righteous is to be
expected. He also knows the same response is not expected for the wicked. He
knows that "salvation is far from
the wicked" (v. 155) because they don't seek God.
Along with knowing what to expect from God, the psalmist is
also bold to ask for help because of the relationship he has with God. This is
not a man whom God sees as a stranger or a casual acquaintance. He is not a
"Sunday morning" Christian or someone who gives lip service only.
This is a man who is devoted to God and His Word. Verses already mentioned
recount his remembrance of, obedience to, and love for the Word. He esteems God
and His Word highly, stating, "Great
are Your mercies" (v. 156), and "The
sum of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous ordinances is
everlasting" (v. 160).
The psalmist is not afraid to give the reasons why God
should work on his behalf, nor is he afraid to ask God to act. His prayer may
provoke the question, "Does God intervene
in a greater way for faithful and mature Christians than He does for
others?" The answer is too complex for human minds to fully comprehend,
but the answer seems to be that at least sometimes He does. The answer is not
strange when examined from a human comparison; people are more likely to do something
significant for their families or close friends than for total strangers. God
is not limited to human responses, and He sometimes does amazing things even
for those who don't "deserve" them. There does seem to be support,
however, for asserting that God does special things for those who have shown
themselves to be His friends in a special way.
The emphasis is on the relationship. A mature Christian
doesn't earn or deserve God's blessings because of what he does. Christian
groups have routinely conducted studies and surveys to find out what makes a
successful Christian or some similar goal. This can lead to artificial
Christianity, as people will then pray or read or attend or dress or talk to a
specified criteria, expecting their actions to automatically produce the
desired result. They fail to realize that it is a devoted heart that leads to
the desired goal; the actions and behaviors are reflections of that heart
rather than checklists of effective steps for reaching that goal.
That devoted heart is what allows the psalmist to pray as he
does. He is bold enough to ask what he does because he has the spiritual
maturity, based on his knowledge of God's Word, that lets him know what is
reasonable to expect from God. He is also bold to ask because he has the
intimate relationship with God that gives him a basis for this kind of
conversation. He mentions his maturity, and he asks for revival, but he does
not require God's response; anything other than a completely submissive spirit
would belie the devoted relationship he claims to have.
"Consider how I
love Your precepts; revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness."
Psalm 119:159 (NASB)
No comments:
Post a Comment
As you leave comments and feedback, please remember that this site is desiged to edify and encourage.