(vs73-74) “Your hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments. Those who fear You will be glad when they see me, because I have hoped in Your word”.
Hoping in God’s word makes us useful to others; it enables us to bring the fruits of righteousness to our brothers in the battle who also serve Christ (vs 73-74). He says, “Those who fear You will be glad when they see me, because I have hoped in Your word”. The gospel CHANGES us, forming the word inside of us, enabling us to help others see Christ and taste His love.
You will be opposed in this world for the gospel, so it is good to be among the saints, where your godliness and zeal for Christ are positives and not negatives.
If you are single, seeking a mate, you simply need to HOPE in God’s word, and you will be attractive to someone else who fears God also. You don’t have to change from godliness to worldliness to have friends, brothers, or people who care about you. Hope in the word, and while many will turn away, you will be beautiful to those who fear God, who have eyes to see.
This hope is trusting Him to save you, according to the word - to forgive, to cleanse, and to guide you all the way to glory. We hope in Him to enable us to honor Him who died for us, the Center of eternal praise.
Secondly, our request to God is, "Fulfill Your word" (vs75-76). We read, “I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me. Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to Your word to Your servant”. David was promised that God would build him a house, and his Son, ultimately Jesus Christ, would sit enthroned forever (2 Sam 7:12-16). David’s answer? “Now, O Lord God, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as You have said” (2 Sam 7:25). We are not satisfied hearing of mercies promised, we must receive them!
God’s goodness in the word is not for admiration, any more than food is to be stared at admirably by the starving. Someone may pick over his dinner, or leave it until later, acknowledging the goodness of the meal, and yet not eating. But, if he’s starving, hasn’t eaten in days, and wants to be satisfied, then he will eat. He won’t care so much for presentation, as he will for results, and this is how we must hear and read the bible. We are not spectators, playing at religion, using God’s word for EVERYTHING except internalization. We are needy sinners, beggars at the throne, and we’re saints who need God’s grace to survive. This isn’t cuteness; it is life or death. He says, “I call heaven and earth as witness today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live” (Deut 30:19). Have a greedy, hungry, attitude with the word. Say, “I see it, Lord, now do it”.
Finally, we have a response to the proud and deceitful; we will ponder the word of God, live by it, and invest ourselves EVEN MORE into Christ’s gospel (vs77-80). “Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; for Your law is my delight. Let the proud be ashamed, for they treated me wrongfully with falsehood; but I will meditate on Your precepts”. The world is against you, friends turn to foes, church’s split, and sinners persecute the Way, even as Ishmael persecuted Isaac (Gal 4:28-29)! Yet, the believer has clear direction. We ponder the word, draw nearer to Christ, and we become even more of what they hate, which is a person who glorifies God, living that His name be honored in our behavior.
We won’t compromise. We’ll take the heat and stay in the kitchen. We will not take matters into our hands with human wisdom, but we’ll bury ourselves in God’s word, find promises, instruction, and we’ll return from the conflict with men, having humbled ourselves before God, more strengthened and sincere.
Do not let the troubles worry you. Everything that we need for godliness and for overcoming is written by Him unto us. We need no other wisdom, and we never need to look to sinners for a way to fight sin. Grace has made Christ all to us, and praising His saving mercy, which is the essence of our response to the gospel, is all that we need in our response to the world.
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