Psalm 119:121-128: The value of comprehending His Word

Psalm 119:121 “I have done what is just and right; do not leave me to my oppressors.”
Psalm 119:128 “Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right; I hate every false way”

Driving down the freeway, I was struck by the signs and billboards offering everything a person could want, from rest and sleep to food to toys and entertainment, from churches and humanitarian aid organizations to filth and smut. The billboards are placed in places where they are hard or impossible to ignore. Driving back from work, signs litter every yard, declaring the benefits and problems with this and that political party or people. Everywhere I look I can see all these things vying for my attention. David realized that our everything is out to catch our attention and ensnare us, and most of it attacks us where its hardest to ignore, our vision. You know it, you have experienced the bedlam that is this world trying to move our eyes from being focused on the quiet, small object that is God's will to the large and garish objects of the world.

Christopher Wordsworth wrote that in this section dealing with the letter Ayin “[It] is a prayer for steadfastness and soundness of heart and mind, amid all the impiety and unbelief of a godless world;” On all sides we are oppressed, but really who is my oppressor? We know that it is not really and truly people, because “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12) What we truly find oppressing ourselves and our faith is our own internal arrogance and pride, our sense of self worthlessness and insecurities, feeling unloved and unvalued, misunderstood and misunderstanding the world, being kept away from the word and not knowing the promises of God. Our inadequacies, greed, and false and misleading ways draw us away from God's way – and it does this with tremendous subtlety! The battle is carried on in our eyes, and by extension through our other senses, but we find it difficult to defend ourselves against something where we do not see a tangible object oppressing and bearing down on us. How can we fight feelings? How do we protect against these intangibles? We start giving up because of this.

Its not our eyes or our senses or our fleshly selves that is the problem. We are not the problem. Tell that to yourself again. You are not the problem. It is not your fault that you are going through this (whatever “this” may be) It is a spiritual battle against the prince of darkness and purveyor extrordinare of lies. The only way to combat Satan is by knowing the Word and by valuing it above all else. In verse 127, David claims that he loves God's word above the finest of gold and by extension everything that could be bought with money or achieved through human effort. God's free gift of His Word is the defense that we needs.

Lets find the lies that Satan is telling us, showing us, and bombarding us with. For every lie, there is the truth. Satan says “You are worthless” and the truth is God loves us because we are special to Him. He has a plan for us and our lives, something that only we can do. Satan says “Its all your fault that...” but the truth is that God will use everything that happens for His greater glory, thus it is our “fault” that God is glorified even more! Satan says “You are not good enough” but God claims that we are his “holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.” (Ephesians 1:18 NLT) Yes! That we are His rich and glorious inheritance! Think on that this week! Just because our eyes, ears, and hearts are assaulted does not mean that we just give in. Remember that the Truth has set us free!

Thy wondrous testimonies, Lord,
My soul will keep and greatly praise;
Thy Word, by faithful lips proclaimed,
To simplest minds the truth conveys.