Day 1011: What path do you follow? - Psalm 119 vs 57 – 64
57-58 The Lord is my portion; I promise to keep your words. I entreat your favour with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise.
59-60 When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies; I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments.
61-62 Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget your law. At midnight I rise to praise you, because of your righteous rules.
63-64 I am a companion of all who fear you, of those who keep your precepts. The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes! Psalm 119:57-64 English Standard Version
Now and then I pause from the books I've been commenting on to look at a Psalm. Today's verses are a part of the 150 verses that make up Psalm 119. What was it that caused the writer of this Psalm to 'turn his feet to God's testimonies, and quicken his pace in seeking to follow God's commandments'? (vs 59-60
It was when he thought upon his own ways. That may simply mean it was when he was thinking about what direction in life he should take. But it could also mean it was when he thought of how wayward his path had been in the past, or how easy it was for him to be led astray. A father who was writing to a son in the book of Proverbs said: “My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent.” (Proverbs 1:10) One of the ways to keep on God's path in life, as the writer says in vs 63, is to not be a part of the wicked crowd, but to be a companion of all who fear God, and those who keep His precepts. In the same way now, keeping close to Christian friends will be a great help in turning our feet always to the path Jesus would lead us.
There are gadgets to-day which have become popular for those who like to keep tabs on their physical health. The gadget will tell tell them how many steps they've taken throughout the day. God, however, has given us a conscience that helps us to measure how many of those steps have been on the right path. Is our life steadily moving in the direction His word calls us to go?
Most folk who read these posts are probably people who've become followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. There was a time when such a person wholeheartedly committed them self to be His disciple. There's an old hymn which puts such a commitment like this: “O Jesus, I have promised to serve you till the end.” That's a good start. But what is the important thing the Psalm writer says about promises in vs 57-58?
He asks for God's grace to enable him to keep such a promise. More importantly, he appeals to a promise that God had made. I suspect the writer knew that God would be far better at keeping a promise than he was. I know that's true of my life. The letter written to a man named Titus in the New Testament starts with these words: “Paul, a servant of God and apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect, and their knowledge of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began.” (Titus 1:1-2)
The Bible is full of promises God has given, so that those who turn their steps to His word can have a confident hope of eternal life. And, says Paul, God never lies. He will never fail to keep a promise He has made. Surely that's why this Psalm writer was able to find strength when, as he says in vs 61, wicked people had tripped him up in some way. It may even be that it was the troubles he was in that kept him awake at midnight! But, rather than fret, he used the time to praise God and reaffirm his desire to be faithful to the Lord. Then again, he may have been someone who had disciplined times to meet with God in prayer. He truly believed that the earth is full of God's steadfast love, so he chose to follow God's path, rather than fear what mortal men could do to him.
When we think of our ways, or the circumstances we may be in, may God help us to always turn our feet to His testimonies, and to His precious promises.