Outline (Kel)
I. The psalmist prays for deliverance in accordance with the promises of God, so that he will have an answer for the one who taunts him—the declaration of God’s faithfulness (41–43).
II. When the LORD delivers him, the psalmist will continue to obey God’s law, live at liberty, and proclaim God’s testimony because of this deliverance (44–46).
III. Because the psalmist delights in and longs for the commandments of God which he loves, he will meditate in them (47–48).
(NET) The psalmist wants to be able to give a reliable testimony about the LORD’s loyal love (vv. 41–42), but if God does not intervene, the psalmist will be deprived of doing so, for the evidence of such love (i.e., deliverance) will be lacking.
119:45 I will be secure,
for I seek your precepts.
III. Because the psalmist delights in and longs for the commandments of God which he loves, he will meditate in them (47–48).
Note
v.43 Do not completely deprive me of a truthful testimony,
for I await your justice.(NET) The psalmist wants to be able to give a reliable testimony about the LORD’s loyal love (vv. 41–42), but if God does not intervene, the psalmist will be deprived of doing so, for the evidence of such love (i.e., deliverance) will be lacking.
119:44 Then I will keep your law continually
now and for all time. 119:45 I will be secure,
for I seek your precepts.
(Kel) There is a sequence between the last section’s petitions and [v.44]..., “so I will keep your law continually.” Since he is praying for God to keep his word and deliver him from the one taunting him, he will promise to keep God’s word as well, continually.
Verse 45 adds to this the expectation of living at liberty when the LORD fulfills his word and because the psalmist is faithful...[I will be secure (NET)]... He anticipates living a good life without the hindrances of opposition or misfortune. And the reason for this anticipation is that he has sought... God’s precepts. Such seeking could be to obtain an oracle..., or to study and apply God’s word more fully. In this context both make sense, but ultimately in the psalm it would refer to his focus on studying and applying God’s word (specifically, his precepts). His prayer for deliverance intensifies his resolve to obey; and his anticipation of deliverance is based on his determined investigation of God’s word.
Reflection: Not only the psalmist based his plea for salvation on God's character, the psalmist also promised to keep and sought God's words after salvation. In other words, salvation and knowing God have a close relationship. If we want God to save us, do you know His characters? Do you know how to pray? After our salvation, what shall we do with the One who saves us? Forget about Him? Today's section reminds me how God designed salvation. It is the means to pull us back to Him.
Audrey
Comments