Psalm 119:65-72 | Teth
Psalm 119:65-72 | Teth
Milt Reynolds | Last updated: July 9, 2022
You have dealt well with your servant, O LORD, according to your word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. You are good and do good; teach me your statutes. The insolent smear me with lies, but with my whole heart I keep your precepts; their heart is unfeeling like fat, but I delight in your law. It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. - Psalm 119:65–72, ESV
Struggling to Pray
The insolent one points to my feelings of fatigue and weakness, accusing my Creator and Father of dealing poorly with me, insisting that God has not dealt well with me, that God is not good, that God does not do well.
God, teach me good judgement and knowledge...strengthen me to rejoice in how you have dealt with me...to see how you have dealt with me....to see your promises being kept towards me...to see the good that is in my current circumstance and condition. Teach me to delight in affliction as it teaches me to delight in your Word, regarding your Promise as better than gold and silver!
My Path | Good and Bad
I'm pausing now to look back at the path behind me, remembering some of the things that I've seen and experienced.
I remember some terrifically difficult, painful frustration and disappointment...as well as joyful contentment and satisfaction. Having got through it all to this point on my path, I can agree with Teth: You have dealt well with me, LORD! You are good, and you do good.
The easy times have pleased and delighted me, but in those easy time I've tended to consider them as rightfuly earned by me, rather than mercifully and graciously granted me by you, God.
The hard times have seen affliction, being smeared with lies, being made numb and hard-hearted. It's been hard to admit your goodness in the face such affliction. But now I can look back and see your goodness using that affliction to teach me...seeing your hand in it, bringing within in me a dependent trust and delight in all you have done and said, and all you will do and say!
It is good that I was afflicted.
Put Through Affliction
Part of "dealing well" means "put through affliction".
I've experienced "afflictions" for which I am not grateful. These afflictions all have seemed to have been connected with my going astray. Now, after suffering these affliction, do I now "keep" God's Word?
In context, "keep" means believing, studying, understanding, depending upon, delighting in, learning from and valuing God's Word. In this context I think that I do "keep" God' Word.
I can't point to any specific affliction that caused me to to desire to "keep" Gods's Word. It's a desire that springs mainly from seeking comfort and contentment that the pages of the world's news and opinions and offers do not assuage!
How To Define "Well"
Oh Lord, I don't know how to define "well". Speak to me about your idea what is "well" for me. My daily routine, my work, my interests and pursuits, my friends, authorities, enemies, circumstatnces, dangers, delays...am I to tag each of these as "well"?
Do what is well in your sight, oh Lord...not what is "well" in my sight. My sight is short, and my sight is blurred by my inclination be at the center of all that happens to me...blurred by my inclination to abbreviate and simplify all definitions of "delightful to see and taste, and full of wisdom" (as Eve so naturally put it!).
- KNOWLEDGE: /dah-ATH/ knowledge gained through seeing
- GOOD JUDGEMENT: /toob/ goodness, beauty, gladness experienced through taste
Part of the way God teaches his children is to allow them to stray, to see and taste differnt words and ways...even allowing them to be afflicted by their choices. Sadly, a consequence of "tasting" that which is harmful or false is becoming "smeared" with shame that is visible and hard to remove.
Comments
Post a Comment