Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible, consisting of 176 verses. Many consider King David its author. Psalm 119 is a love song about the beauty of God’s law or Torah. It celebrates the guidance and wisdom in God’s word, portraying it as a source of instruction, comfort, and strength.
The Psalm also reflects on the challenges and struggles faced by those who seek to follow God’s word faithfully. David acknowledges the difficulties and opposition encountered in living a righteous life. He frequently refers to his enemies who are trying to destroy him. I believe the enemies he refers to are not external but internal. David is describing his self-sabotaging sin nature. This psalm is a prayer to God to restore us to a state of righteousness. The only way to righteousness is with a Savior, the Messiah.
Psalm 119:81-88
I wanted to reflect on Verse Eight, entitled “Kaph” in today’s blog post. The Hebrew letter Kaph (כ) has a numerical value of 20 and is the eleventh letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
81 My soul longs for your salvation;
I hope in your word.
82 My eyes long for your promise;
I ask, “When will you comfort me?”
83 For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke,
yet I have not forgotten your statutes.
84 How long must your servant endure?
When will you judge those who persecute me?
85 The insolent have dug pitfalls for me;
they do not live according to your law.
86 All your commandments are sure;
they persecute me with falsehood; help me!
87 They have almost made an end of me on earth,
but I have not forsaken your precepts.
88 In your steadfast love give me life,
that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.
Let’s take a look at this section verse by verse. David prays to God for salvation, for he knows that he is unable to meet the righteous standards set by God.
81 My soul longs for your salvation;
I hope in your word.
The Word Was God
The Apostle John speaks of Jesus as the Word in John 1:1-5.
1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was in the beginning with God. 3All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4In him was life,a and the life was the light of men. 5The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
The word is the Messiah who came to earth to save us. Let’s take a look at the next verse of Psalm 119.
82 My eyes long for your promise;
I ask, “When will you comfort me?”
God promises that He will save us and restore us to eternal life, the life promised in the Garden of Eden. But for that promise to be fulfilled, we must attain righteousness. David asks God, “When will you comfort me?” In other words, when will You arm me with Your righteousness?
83 For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke,
yet I have not forgotten your statutes.
A wineskin left in smoke becomes dry, brittle, and unusable. Similarly, David is expressing a feeling of being dried up or withered due to his spiritual struggle.
What I Hate I Do
Paul says in Romans 7:15-20:
“For I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.”
In these verses, Paul candidly expresses his internal struggle between his desire to do what is right and his tendency to sin. Despite his best intentions, he finds himself doing things that he knows are wrong. Paul attributes this struggle to his sinful nature, recognizing that it is not his true self but rather sin that is at work in him.
Paul’s words reflect the universal human experience of wrestling with temptation and falling short of our ideals. He emphasizes the need for reliance on God’s grace and the power of the Holy Spirit to overcome sin and live according to God’s will.
God, Save Us!
In Psalm 119, David says that he is not capable of abiding by God’s requirements to be righteous despite his knowledge of God’s commandments. This is why he pleads with God to be saved.
84 How long must your servant endure?
When will you judge those who persecute me?
David asks, “When will you judge those who persecute me?” I believe he is referring to his own sinful nature as the source of his persecution. He is not talking about other people as his enemies but about himself and his propensity to sin. David is asking God to judge his sinful nature and free him from being a slave to sin.
85 The insolent have dug pitfalls for me;
they do not live according to your law.
Again, David is not talking about other people but about himself and his own sinful nature. He digs his own pitfalls when he does not live according to God’s law.
86 All your commandments are sure;
they persecute me with falsehood; help me!
Our sin persecutes us with lies, yet we are unable to do what is right. Paul’s words speak to this struggle: “For I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.”
87 They have almost made an end of me on earth,
but I have not forsaken your precepts.
Praying for Righteousness
David acknowledges that his sin nature will lead him to death. David pleads with God, saying that he has not forsaken the desire to be righteous. He just is not capable of achieving it on his own.
88 In your steadfast love give me life,
that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.
David asks God to restore him to eternal life, to give him righteousness. Then he will be able to keep God’s testimonies. And the only way for this to happen is for God to send the Messiah.
The Coming Savior
Isaiah 53 prophesies about the coming of this Savior:
4 Surely He took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows;
yet we considered Him stricken by God, struck down and afflicted.
5 But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.
6 We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way;
and the LORD has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.
Isaiah 53:4-6 prophesies about the Messiah’s suffering, emphasizing his role in bearing humanity’s sins, bringing forgiveness, healing, and peace through his sacrificial death. It presents a profound picture of redemption and atonement through the suffering servant, a central theme in Christian theology regarding the identity and work of Jesus Christ.
Psalm 119 – Our Need For A Messiah
Psalm 119 describes how we are unable to keep God’s commandments and need a Savior to deliver us into righteousness. It is a magnificent example of how the Old Testament points to Jesus. David and all of Israel constantly prayed for salvation. God delivered that salvation by sending Jesus to earth to die for our sins. We now have righteousness through Him. Our prayers have been answered. Praise God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, our Advocate.
About Raleigh Acupuncture
Acupuncture is a powerful healing modality invented in China over two thousand years ago. In our opinion, Chinese medicine is a gift from God. We are constantly amazed by acupuncture’s ability to heal sickness and resolve pain, with no adverse side effects. If you have an ailment that is not responding to Western medicine, give acupuncture a try. Our website has nearly one thousand pages of information about every condition we treat, including videos, case studies, research studies, and testimonials. If you’re ready to give it a try, click on the link below to book directly online. We look forward to working with you.
BOOK NOW to schedule an appointment online.
Meet the Practitioners (Video).
Learn about all the conditions we treat.
Focus Key Phrase: Psalm 119
Image generated with perchance.org.
