Psalm 119:121-128 – Find security by living life as God’s Word has prescribed

Psalm 119:121-128 starts with Zayin, the sixteenth letter of the Hebrew Alphabets. The Psalmist launched this portion with a prayer for God not to leave him unguarded before his oppressors. He used the way he had conducted his life as the basis for his plea to God, asserting that he had lived his life justly and righteously. It is certainly helpful to live such a kind of life. And this kind comes by considering God and the principles laid down in His Word. There can be no better surety than God, so the Psalmist asked God to be his surety and keep the oppressors from harassing him.

We sense the resoluteness of the Psalmist from what he said in verse 123. He asserted that “My eyes fail with longing for Your salvation and for Your righteous word.” He knew the power of God’s Word, and was certain that it could bring about salvation and righteousness. So he asked God to show mercy, which we have ascertained is not dealing with one according to what one deserves. That’s how God had always dealt with us. God knows that we are made of clay. Where would we be, had God dealt with us according to what we have done? Thankfully we are the recipient of His grace rather than His wrath. Grace is giving us what we don’t deserve and that’s what God has done. He is a great and wonderful God. So it’s not surprising that the Psalmist should ask to be mercifully dealt with. Apart from asking for mercy, the Psalmist also asked to be taught His statutes. This is by way of saying that his desire was to walk according to the decrees set in God’s Word. Having been granted mercy, it’s only natural to seek to walk in God’s way.  

Verse 125 affirms that spiritual truths need to be spiritually discerned. So the Psalmist sought for that ability. It’s true that to understand the ways of God, we need His illumination. We thank God for the Holy Spirit, the Divine helper Whom He had sent to come alongside us. He is the one to help us understand all truths. So every time we are stuck, we can call on Him to show us the instructions of God clearly. It is true that in the world of faith, there is great confusion. People had irresponsibly twisted and contorted the Word of God. The Psalmist knew that only God can give the remedy. In times like this, God’s intervention would be needed. So he asked God to intervene.

Verses 127 and 128 remind us that nothing could be compared with the Word of God.  The Psalmist reminds us that it is certainly more valuable than fine gold, a costly commodity. What can the Word of God be compared with? The author would have gladly traded all his gold for the truth of God’s Word. So it’s no wonder that he should esteem the Word of God and hate all false ways. What about us? The Word of God is absolute truth. Let’s seek to be fully acquainted with the Word and to live out the precepts daily.