“Revive Me” (Ps 119:153-160)

Consider my affliction and deliver me,

For I do not forget Your law.

Plead my cause and redeem me;

Revive me according to Your word. (vs153-154)

God’s word promises revival, so we seek Him for it.  He says, “Revive me according to Your word”.  If the bible were a book of condemnation, instead of mercy, if there was no hope for repentance and pardon, then we wouldn’t seek mercy. But, because the bible constantly talks of God forgiving and giving more grace, we seek it, even though we are sinful.  We don’t give up on mercy, because God is faithful to show it, according to His word.

The bible is a hated book, but it is also the book of hope, the only hope. Men despise the rules and judgments of scripture, and they hate Christ enthroned, but He’ll give grace to WHOMEVER wants it.  He says, “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rom 10:13).  So, while the bible convicts us of sin and commands us to improve, it also gives grace to sinners and saints. God’s judgment that He’ll help the poor in spirit (vs155-156).  He says, “Great are Your tender mercies, O Lord; revive me according to Your judgments”.

We aren’t asking God to do anything contrary to His will, as we come to Him for mercy in our misery. But, as a Judge, He has DECLARED that He’ll justify the ungodly, give strength to the feeble, and do all this by faith in Christ.  He says, “But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, just as David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works” (Rom 4:5-8).  If we believe the Son, no matter what is wrong or how we’ve caused our anguish, God will help.

Finally, we want God to revive us, to encourage and enable us, according to His love (vs157-160).  He says, “Consider how I love Your precepts; revive me, O Lord, according to Your lovingkindness”.  His judgments to help the poor are favorable, but His love is another blow at our sinful unbelief and cowardice. We may BOLDLY approach the throne, because behind the gospel of God giving us His Son is the LOVE of God that saves sinners, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”, and again, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” [John 3:16; 1 John 4:10).

So, when I’m unworthy and needing help, and when all seems against you, why not lean on this love, and call God to action by His own heart’s affection?  Let us be warmed and filled by the love of Christ and this loves goodness; let us be encouraged in the future, past, and present! He is IMMEASURABLY loving, more than we can ask or think, and His love will help the wicked, lift the fallen, and strengthen the faint.  This love can be trusted and relied upon when there is NOTHING in ourselves or circumstances. He will give us what we don’t deserve through Christ.  His love is that attribute, when all has gone wrong with us, that makes us say, “There is hope in God”!

Never forget His love.  Never get into a duty gospel where His love doesn’t help the sinful.  Stand upon a higher footing than “what you deserve”, and look into Christ’s love for what He’s WILLING to give.