Monthly Archives May 2015

Vs. 126 — It is time for You to act, O Lord, For they have regarded Your law as void.

Prayer:

It is time for You to act, O Lord, for they have regarded Your law as void. I see the violent oppression against Your people, on the weak, and on the innocent by the hands of the wicked. Their hands drip with blood and their eyes search for more victims. They murder and enslave; they trample down and throw away the spirits of those who are made in Your image as if they were mere garbage. These lovers of violence hate Your ways. They hate justice and life. They challenge Your crown, Your throne. When will You bring vengeance and retribution? When will you bring an end to the perverse acts of Your enemies? Call Your elect from the four corners of the earth and come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen.

Vs. 125 — I am Your servant; Give me understanding, That I may know Your testimonies.

Charles H. Spurgeon:

In the previous verse he sought teaching; but here he goes much further, and craves for understanding. Usually, if the instructor supplies the teaching, the pupil finds the understanding; but in our case we are far more dependent, and must beg for understanding as well as teaching: this the ordinary teacher cannot give, and we are thrice happy that our Divine Tutor can furnish us with it. We are to confess ourselves fools, and then our Lord will make us wise, as well as give us knowledge. The best understanding is that which enables us to render perfect obedience and to exhibit intelligent faith, and it is this which David desires,—“understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.” Some would rather not know these things; they prefer to be at ease in the dark rather than possess the light which leads to repentance and diligence. The servant of God longs to know in an understanding manner all that the Lord reveals of man and to man; he wishes to be so instructed that he may apprehend and comprehend that which is taught him. A servant should not be ignorant concerning his master, or his master’s business; he should study the mind, will, purpose, and aim of him whom he serves, for so only can he complete his service; and as no man knows these things so well as his master himself, he should often go to him for instructions, lest his very zeal should only serve to make him the greater blunderer. (Spurgeon, C. H. (2009). The treasury of David: Psalms 111-119 (Vol. 5, p. 369). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)

Prayer:

As Your servant, which is a pleasure and a growing joy, I ask for understanding in Your ways that I may love You and serve You. To do so, please reveal what pleases You. I dare not presume outside of Your word, nor to reason out with a human view what Your word says. Show me, my Lord, with clarity, Your will through and in Your word. Then, I ask, sweep this servant up by Thy Spirit to both run for You and simultaneously rest in You. I am Your servant; give me understanding, that I may know Your testimonies. Thank You for the desires to know You.

Vs. 124 — Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy, And teach me Your statutes.

Charles Bridges:

“Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy.” If I am a “servant” of God, I can bring my services before him only upon the ground of “mercy”; feeling that for my best performances I need an immeasurable world of mercy—pardoning—saving—everlasting mercy; and yet I am emboldened by the blood of Jesus to plead for my soul—“Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy.”
But then I am ignorant as well as guilty; and yet I dare not pray for divine teaching, much and hourly as I need it, until I have afresh obtained mercy. “Mercy” is the first blessing, not only in point of importance, but in point of order. I must seek the Lord, and know him as a Saviour, before I can go to him with any confidence to be my teacher. But when once I have found acceptance to my petition—“Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy”—my way will be opened to follow on my petition—“Teach me thy statutes. Give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies”—that I may know, walk, yea, “run in the way of thy commandments” with an enlarged heart, ver. 32. My plea is the same as I have urged with acceptance (ver. 94)—“I am thy servant.”

John Calvin:

The object of the Prophet’s request then is, that God would teach him in his statutes. But he begins with the divine mercy, employing it as an argument to prevail with God to grant him what he desires. This prayer then must be resolved thus: Lord, deal gently with me, and manifest thy goodness towards me by instructing me in thy commandments. Our whole happiness undoubtedly consists in our having that true wisdom which is to be derived from the word of God; and our only hope of obtaining this wisdom lies in God’s being pleased to display his mercy and goodness towards us. The Prophet, therefore, magnifies the greatness and excellence of the benefit of being instructed in the divine law, when he requests that it may be bestowed upon him as a free gift. (Calvin, J., & Anderson, J. (2010). Commentary on the Book of Psalms (Vol. 5, pp. 4–5). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)

Prayer:

Father, I offer this hour a simple prayer. Actually, Father, it is a deep plea from both a longing and a deep, dry thirst. Deal with Your servant according to Your mercy, and teach me Your statutes.

Vs. 123 — My eyes fail from seeking Your salvation And Your righteous word.

Prayer:

My eyes fail from seeking Your salvation and Your righteous word. Unfaithful is too often my name. My eyes look away from You, my heart too often strays. O’ that I could be fixed to gaze only on Your face and glory. I am sorry, Father, for seeking some portion of salvation in life from some other means than You. Nothing can fulfill me, satisfy me, and rescue me like You. Why do I allow my heart stray like a sheep following after lush grass. It is You that I love and want. Cause my heart and its affections to be fixed on Thee–that is my prayer! Jesus, You are my King!