Psalm 119:169-176

 (1) Summary (Kel)

Confessing that he has gone astray like a lost sheep, the psalmist calls for God to deliver him according to his word so that he may praise and sing to God (119:169–176).

Outline

          I.      He calls for God to hear his supplication and deliver him (169–170).
          II.      He desires to praise and sing of God’s word (171–172).
          III.      He calls for God’s hand to be near and to enable him to live since he loves his law (173–175).
          IV.      He confesses that he has gone astray like a lost sheep and asks God to rescue him by his word (176).

(2) Application (Kel)

The people of God are a praying people; they pray continually for the LORD to hear and answer their prayers. But as they meditate in his word they also come to see more areas of their lives that are not right, for the Word of the LORD convicts them of their sin. Their prayers therefore necessarily include an appeal for forgiveness. The exposition of this stanza could then be summarized in this way: When those who love God’s word and seek to obey it do wander away from him, they must acknowledge their sin as they pray for him to rescue and restore them. The believers today know that if they confess their sins he will be faithful and just to forgive them because forgiveness is based on the shed blood of Christ (see for example 1 John 1:5–10).

(3) Note and reflection: 2 main themes:

a. Come before God:
119:169 Listen to my cry for help, O LORD!
119:170 Listen to my appeal for mercy!
119:173 May your hand help me,

Why did he plead for God's attention?

    119:176 I have wandered off like a lost sheep.
    Come looking for your servant,
    for I do not forget your commands.

(NET) The psalmist, who is threatened by his enemies, feels as vulnerable as a straying, lost sheep. This would not suggest, however, that he has wandered from God’s path.

b. Praise

119:171 May praise flow freely from my lips,

119:172 May my tongue sing about your instructions

119:175 May I live and praise you!

If we combine the 2 themes together, the psalmist stated that he wandered off from God's path when he was threatened by the evil enemies who opposed God's words. He wanted to come back to God and therefore he asked God to help him. Therefore, when he came back to God he knew it was God/God's words which helped him. He wanted to praise God for Him and His Words. 

Have we ever experienced that? When we came back to God after we had wandered off we knew it was God who helped us? 

Audrey

p.s. tomorrow I will follow another group's devotion, and they read Mark 1. I will share both here and in that group.