Daily Devotional Podcasts

547_Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord Psalm 114 When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, 2 Judah became his sanctuary, Israel his dominion. 3 The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back. 4 The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs. 5 What ails you, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back? 6 O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs? 7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, 8 who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water. A young shepherd boy once wandered into a vast cathedral. He had never seen anything like it before—the vaulted ceilings, the towering columns, the colorful stained glass windows. The voices of the choir echoed through the arches, making a melody so beautiful that he trembled, though he didn’t understand the words. He later said, “I didn’t know what it was, but I knew God was there.” Such wonder sometimes precedes the fear of the Lord. It’s not terror, but awe. The fear of the Lord is what grips us when we believe in God who created the mountains, parted the seas, and spoke galaxies into existence-but also calls us by name. It’s the awe of knowing we are closely watched, completely known, wholly loved, and fully accountable before the Best and Highest of beings. The psalm provides a glimpse of God’s greatness, using the context of Israel’s redemption from Egypt. It looks back to the glorious days when the mountains and the seas trembled in awe at the presence of God. This poetic retelling of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt reminds us that all nature quakes before the majesty of God, its creator and ruler. The psalm begins with Israel’s exodus: “When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became His sanctuary, and Israel His dominion.” Here was a nation of slaves, oppressed and powerless. For four hundred years, they lived under the authority of Egypt, and for much of that time, under a cruel tyrant. Yet God brought them out with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. The miracle was not just in the dramatic events of the Exodus—the plagues, the Passover, the parting of the Red Sea. God’s unseen but no less powerful hand preserved His people throughout those long centuries in Egypt. When Joseph summoned him to come live in Egypt and escape the famine, God appeared to him in a dream and said, “I myself will go down with you to Egypt” (Genesis 46:4). It wasn’t an exile—God was accompanying them into preservation. That’s the first miracle. The knowledge of God that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob passed down to their sons kept Israel from intermarrying with the Egyptians. They lived separate though in the same land. They did not blend with Egyptian culture. The racism and discrimination that they faced played its role in keeping them distinct. The oppression of Egypt

548_Glory belongs to the Lord Psalm 115 Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! 2 Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” 3 Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. 4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. 5 They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. 6 They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. 7 They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. 8 Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them. 9 O Israel, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. 10 O house of Aaron, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. 11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and their shield. 12 The Lord has remembered us; he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron; 13 he will bless those who fear the Lord, both the small and the great. 14 May the Lord give you increase, you and your children! 15 May you be blessed by the Lord, who made heaven and earth! 16 The heavens are the Lord's heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man. 17 The dead do not praise the Lord, nor do any who go down into silence. 18 But we will bless the Lord from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the Lord! Some years ago, a missionary doctor serving in a remote African village was honored by his home country for his decades of service. One journalist travelled thousands of miles to interview him. Puzzled at the simplicity, even poverty, of the man he met, he asked, “Doctor, you’ve saved hundreds of lives and trained countless young people. Why live like this? Don’t you feel you deserve some recognition?” The old man answered quietly, “I am only a servant. If anyone must be honored, let it be the One who gave me strength to serve.” That moment captures the spirit of Psalm 115, which rebukes all human pride: “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness.” Our worship is not about us. It is about God—His name, His love, and His faithfulness. This psalm, by an unknown author, may have been written after Israel’s return from exile in Babylon. The people were weak, few, and struggling to rebuild their ruined temple and city. Their efforts looked small and the result pitiable. The neighboring nations mocked: “Where is their God?” To them, Israel’s God appeared powerless. But the psalmist’s answer comes with quiet, unshakable conviction: “Our God is in the heavens; He does all that He pleases.” He did not mean that God is unpredictable or indifferent.

549_A song from a grateful heart Psalm 116 I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. 2 Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. 3 The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. 4 Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!” 5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful. 6 The Lord preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me. 7 Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. 8 For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling; 9 I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. 10 I believed, even when I spoke: “I am greatly afflicted”; 11 I said in my alarm, “All mankind are liars.” 12 What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits to me? 13 I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord, 14 I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people. 15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints. 16 O Lord, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds. 17 I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord. 18 I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people, 19 in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord! In January 2010, after the massive earthquake that devastated Haiti, rescue workers searching through the rubble of a collapsed supermarket heard faint singing. After days of pulling out bodies, they had come across a survivor young woman named Ena Zizi. She had been trapped for seven days in total darkness, pinned by concrete. She was severely dehydrated and barely alive. Yet she was singing. Later, when they carried her out on a stretcher, she whispered, “God kept me alive. I was not alone in the dark.” Psalm 116 is the song of someone who has been to the edge of despair and found that God was still there; the song of a soul that knows what it means to be heard and saved. Psalm 116 is one of the Hallel Psalms (Psalms 113–118), hymns of praise sung by the Jewish people during their great festivals, especially the Passover. These songs rose up from grateful hearts to fill the temple courts. The Lord Jesus probably sang this psalm with His disciples on the night before His crucifixion, just before they went out to the Mount of Olives. Soon to face the anguish of Gethsemane and the agony of the cross, he deliberately joined in this psalm of deliverance and gratitude. The psalm begins: “I love the

550_Let all nations praise the Lord Psalm 117 Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! 2 For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord! John G. Paton was a missionary to the New Hebrides Islands—today known as Vanuatu—in the South Pacific, which were peopled by cannibals. Despite the danger of being killed and eaten, he went to preach to the islanders, compelled by a deep conviction that the love of Christ was meant not just for his own people but for all nations. He labored for years, often in danger, often alone. Slowly, one by one, people began to listen to his message. When Paton died, it was said that there wasn’t a single village on the island without a Christian congregation. The gospel had taken root among a people once thought unreachable. That story captures something of Psalm 117, the shortest psalm in the entire Bible. In just two verses, it contains the length and breadth of God’s redemptive purpose: His love is for all nations, and His faithfulness never ends. The psalm begins with the words: “Praise the Lord, all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples.” This call is to every tribe, every language, every culture, every continent—at a time when Israel saw itself as God’s chosen people—a unique nation called into covenant with Him. Breaking through national boundaries, it speaks a prophetic word: God’s salvation is meant, not for Israel alone, but for the whole earth. This verse, quoted by Paul in Romans 15, tells us that this has always been God’s plan. “Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy.” In other words, Christ Jesus came first to the Jewish people to confirm God’s promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—but also to open the door for all nations to experience mercy and salvation. God’s covenant love, first revealed to one family, was always meant to expand and embrace the world. Psalm 117, then, is not a small psalm—it’s the seed of the spread of the gospel worldwide, even as Christ Jesus commanded his apostles, after His resurrection: “Go and make disciples of all nations.” This psalm was one of the Hallel psalms—Psalms 113 to 118—traditionally sung during the Passover, mentioned as among the last acts of the Lord before he went out to Gethsemane on his journey to the cross. As he sang, “Praise the Lord, all you nations,” he knew that his impending death would make that praise possible. He saw beyond the agony of the cross to the joy of fulfilling God’s will—of redeeming, through his death, people from all the ends of the earth, to be a kingdom of priests to God. Revelation 5 describes John’s vision of the Lamb “as though slain.” And the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fall down before him and sing a new song: “Worthy are You to take the scroll and to open its seals, for

551_Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good Psalm 118 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! 2 Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” 3 Let the house of Aaron say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” 4 Let those who fear the Lord say, “His steadfast love endures forever.” 5 Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. 6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? 7 The Lord is on my side as my helper; I shall look in triumph on those who hate me. 8 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. 9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. Vs.14-16 The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. 15 Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the Lord does valiantly, 16 the right hand of the Lord exalts, the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!” Vs. 28-29 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. 29 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever! Matthew Henry was a well-known 17th-century Bible commentator. One night, he was robbed while traveling. When he got home, instead of complaining, he wrote these words in his journal: “Let me be thankful, first because I was never robbed before; second, because although they took my purse, they did not take my life; third, because although they took all I had, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.” The heart that can give thanks even in the midst of loss is a heart that knows God’s goodness. Gratitude doesn’t come from a life free of trouble, but from a heart that sees the hand of a sovereign and faithful God in everything. Psalm 118 captures this gratitude. It begins and ends with the same refrain: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever.” This psalm is a song of victory and thanksgiving. It is the last of the “Hallel” psalms—Psalm 113 to 118 - those feast songs of praise remembering God’s mighty deliverance from Egypt. In fact, these very words—“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good”—would have been on the lips of the Lord Jesus and His disciples on the night before His crucifixion, when they sang a hymn before going out to the Mount of Olives. Martin Luther, the great Reformer, called Psalm 118 his “beloved psalm.” The seventeenth verse—“I shall not die, but live, and tell of the works of the Lord”—was engraved on a plaque on his study wall. He looked at it daily during the dark days when many of his fellow Reformers were being killed. It reminded him that he was safe in

552_The blessedness of walking by the Word Psalm 119: 1-8 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! 2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, 3 who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! 4 You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. 5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! 6 Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. 7 I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules. 8 I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me! A few years ago, a young man decided to take a solo hiking trip through a dense forest in the Pacific Northwest. He carried a compass, a map, and his phone’s GPS. But midway through the trail, the fog rolled in, thick as milk, and his phone battery died. He carried on, relying on his instincts to find his way back. Hours later, disoriented and exhausted, he realized he had been walking in circles. When rescuers finally found him the next morning, he said, “I had the compass all along, but I thought I knew better.” God has given us a perfect compass—His Word—to guide us safely through life. Yet, so often, we try to navigate by instinct, emotion, or desire. Psalm 119 reminds us that true blessedness—true happiness—comes not from following our own sense of direction but from walking by the Word of God. Psalm 119 is unlike any other passage in Scripture. It’s the longest psalm and the longest chapter in the Bible. It’s a carefully structured acrostic poem. Each section begins with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Almost every verse speaks about God’s Word—using terms like law, statutes, precepts, commandments, testimonies, and judgments. Each word captures a unique shade of meaning—like facets of a diamond, together reflecting the brilliance of God’s revelation. This psalm is remarkable, not just for its length, but its depth. It is the overflow of joy in the scripture because it brings the soul to God. It is not intellectual understanding that sparks this joy, but the delight of living by the truth. For the psalmist, the Word is not a set of restrictions but as a path of blessing, freedom, and joy. The first eight verses of Psalm 119 form the opening “pearl” in this string of meditations. They focus on the happiness of living by God’s Word: “Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.” (Psalm 119:1–2) The focus of scripture is not on reading or studying the word, but living it out. For while it is essential to read and understand the word, happiness comes from living it out. This is the truth echoed in Revelation 1:3—“Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and keep what is written in

553_Living according to God’s Word (Psalm 119:9-16) Psalm 119:9-16 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 12 Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees. 13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. 14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. 15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. 16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. A young man named William had grown up in a Christian home. His parents had taught him the Scriptures from childhood, and he had memorized large portions of it in Sunday school. But when he left home for university, he encountered new ideas, new friends, and new temptations. One night, feeling empty and ashamed at the poor choices he was making, he sat alone in his dorm room. Staring at his Bible on the shelf, he realized that he hadn’t opened it in months. He finally flipped it open. His eyes fell on Psalm 119:9 — “How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.” William later said that moment changed the course of his life. It wasn’t because of guilt or fear, but because he understood that it wasn’t willpower, but the word of God, that would keep him on the path of purity, peace, and purpose. Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible because of the passionate love its author had for the scriptures. In verses 9 to 16, the psalmist asks the question that every generation encounters: How can a young person stay pure? It’s not just a question for the young, though. Whether we are sixteen or sixty, we all wonder at times how to live clean, honest, godly lives in a world filled with impurity, confusion, and compromise. The psalmist’s answer is both simple and profound: By living according to your word. Purity is not merely about avoiding what is wrong. It’s more about being whole — untainted, unmixed in motive, sincere in heart. It is about being shaped by God’s truth-our thoughts, our desires, and our actions. The world around us tells us to follow our hearts. But God’s Word tells us to guard our hearts, since everything starts there. Therefore, the psalmist begs fervently, “I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.” This is the hunger and thirst for God’s commandments that is satisfied with righteousness. Physical hunger is met with food; thirst is quenched with water. The emotional hunger for love and belonging is satisfied with meaningful relationships. Intellectual hunger drives learning. But none of these can fill the hunger of the soul. Blaise Pascal, the brilliant French scientist and philosopher, once said, “There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of each man which cannot be satisfied

554_The wonders of His Word (Ps 119:17-24) Psalm 119:17-24 Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word. 18 Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. 19 I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not your commandments from me! 20 My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times. 21 You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, who wander from your commandments. 22 Take away from me scorn and contempt, for I have kept your testimonies. 23 Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes. 24 Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors. There’s a story told of a man who had been blind from birth. For years, he had lived in a world of darkness, guided only by sound, touch, and memory. Then came a day when medical science offered him a miracle. After a long and complex surgery — made possible through the gift of a donor’s eyes — the bandages were finally removed. For the first time in his life, light poured in. Shapes, colors, and faces began to form before him. The world that had always been described to him was now visible in breathtaking reality. A few days later, he boarded a train to return home. Every few moments, he would exclaim, “Wonderful! Marvelous! Glorious! Amazing!” His fellow passengers began to grow irritated. One man sitting beside him finally snapped, “Can’t you please be quiet? What on earth is so wonderful about what you’re seeing?” The man turned to him with tears glistening in his newly opened eyes and said softly, “Sir, pardon me. Till a few days ago, I was blind. This is the first time in my life that I’m seeing these things. I’m overwhelmed at the beauty of what was hidden from me until yesterday.” That sense of astonishment — that wonder of seeing what was always there but never perceived — is exactly what the psalmist prays for in Psalm 119:18: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” We have come to the third section of Psalm 119, the great psalm that celebrates the beauty, power, and perfection of God’s Word. Every verse is like a beam of light reflecting the glory of divine truth. The psalmist begins this section in humility: “Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word.” Notice how he introduces himself — not as a king, a scholar, or even a worshiper — but as a servant. The Hebrew word carries the same sense that the Apostle Paul later uses in the New Testament: doulos — meaning a bond-slave, one wholly owned by his master. A slave’s life is not his own; his purpose and destiny are defined by the master he serves. So when the psalmist says, “Deal bountifully with your servant,” he isn’t asking for wealth or comfort. He’s not seeking blessings for self-promotion or to satisfy his own desires. He is asking for God’s favor for one reason only — that he

555_A determination to walk in His way (Psalm 119:25-32) Psalm 119:25-32 My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word! 26 When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes! 27 Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works. 28 My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word! 29 Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! 30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me. 31 I cling to your testimonies, O Lord; let me not be put to shame! 32 I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart! In 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton set sail with twenty-seven men on the ship Endurance for what he hoped would be the first land crossing of Antarctica. But before they could even reach the continent, their ship became trapped in pack ice and was eventually crushed. The men were stranded on drifting ice floes, facing temperatures far below zero, fierce winds, and no hope of rescue. For nearly two years, they fought to survive, moving camp after camp, often on foot, dragging lifeboats behind them. What held them together was Shackleton’s steadfast resolve. When others despaired, he remained calm, decisive, and focused on one goal — to bring every man home alive. Against all odds, he did. Every one of his crew survived. Later one of them said, “It was Shackleton’s determination that saved us. When he set his face in one direction, we followed him, because we knew he would not quit.” That kind of determined endurance — steady, unwavering, choosing the right course even in bitter conditions — is what we see in Psalm 119:25–32. The psalmist is going through one of the lowest valleys of his life. He feels crushed by grief and spiritual weariness. “My soul clings to the dust,” he says — a vivid picture of someone brought to the edge of despair. The dust is where one lies defeated and lifeless. But even from there, he looks upward and cries, “Give me life according to your word.” In Scripture, “life” is more than breath in our lungs. True life means fellowship with God. When Adam sinned, he died spiritually that very day — he was separated from the God who had breathed life into him. To be “revived,” therefore, is to be reconnected with the source of life — God Himself. The psalmist’s plea is not merely for comfort, but for restoration of that relationship. And he knows how that life comes: “according to Your word.” The Word of God is the channel through which the breath of God moves. Every genuine revival — whether in an individual heart or in a community — always flows from God’s Word. Our emotions may fluctuate, our circumstances may change, but His Word stands firm. Works that claim to be revival can and must be tested “according to His word.” Then the psalmist says, “When I told of my ways, you answered me;

556_Cultivating the right desires (Psalm 119:33-40) Psalm 119:33-40 Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end. 34 Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart. 35 Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. 36 Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! 37 Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways. 38 Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared. 39 Turn away the reproach that I dread, for your rules are good. 40 Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life! There was a farmer who wanted to grow the best corn in his county. Every year, he entered his corn in the state fair, and almost every year, he won the best farmer award. One day, a newspaper reporter interviewed him and was surprised to discover that this farmer shared his best seed corn with all his neighbors. The reporter asked, “How can you afford to share your best seed corn with others when they’re competing with you?” The farmer smiled and replied, “Why, sir, don’t you know? The wind picks up pollen from the neighboring fields and carries it across the land. If my neighbors grow inferior corn, cross-pollination will degrade my corn as well. So, if I want good corn, I must help my neighbors grow good corn too.” That simple story illustrates that what we sow is what we reap. This is true whether we reap in our fields or in our hearts. Desires are like seeds. Some grow into fruitful lives that bless others, while others grow into weeds that choke the soul. The question is what we cultivate. Psalm 119:33–40 describes the desires of a man who sought holiness - to live life according to the will of God. The psalmist prays: “Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end.” (v.33) It is a humble yet determined request, not for information but for transformation. This is no one-time lesson he needs, but lifelong instruction. The phrase “to the end” reveals his perseverance in seeking to live each day in the paths of the Lord, and to finish well. In verse 34, he continues, “Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.” Far from spiritual laziness, this prayer reflects the understanding that the only wise people are those who joyfully, earnestly, sincerely, and constantly seek to follow God’s ways - the best way for mankind. And the truth of God is not a matter of observation and reflection alone, but of revelation. Keeping God’s word requires more than knowledge. Once the heart understands the beauty and goodness that characterize the ways of God, obedience becomes a joyful response rather than a reluctant duty. The psalmist’s emphasis: “with my whole heart,” underlines the consecration of his conscience, like the Lord who prayed in Gethsemane in the willingness of

557_Love for His Word (Psalm 119:41-48) Pslam 119:41-48 Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord, your salvation according to your promise; 42 then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in your word. 43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for my hope is in your rules. 44 I will keep your law continually, forever and ever, 45 and I shall walk in a wide place, for I have sought your precepts. 46 I will also speak of your testimonies before kings and shall not be put to shame, 47 for I find my delight in your commandments, which I love. 48 I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes. Years ago, a Christian missionary named John G. Paton translated the Bible for a tribe in the South Pacific. As he searched for the right word for “faith,” he realized that the tribe had no word that directly captured the idea of trusting or believing. One day, a local woman came into his hut, and the missionary tried a new approach. Sitting down on a chair, he put both feet on its rung and leaned back restfully. When he asked the woman to describe his attitude, she told him he was leaning completely, wholly, on the chair, without any other support. Paton realized this was the perfect translation for trustful faith. Faith, he wrote, is leaning your whole self upon God and His Word. Psalm 119:41–48 is all about such faith. This soul leans wholly on God’s steadfast love and salvation, finding in His Word both freedom and delight. The psalmist not just reads scripture but loves it. He does not merely learn or recite the commandments, but he shapes his whole being and life by them. Hence his prayer — “Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord, your salvation according to your promise.” His humble request is not for wealth, success, or recognition. He desires the one thing that sustains his soul — God’s covenantal love and saving grace. This love is not performance-based, but is a unilateral and loyal commitment to love to the end. It begins with God, and arouses love in response. It is the love that drove Abraham to move out of his country and his father’s house, looking for a country yet to be revealed. This was the love by which God made and kept his unilateral covenant with Abraham to bless him and make him the father of many nations through faith. It’s not a love that depends on how well he performs or how faithful he has been. It’s a unilateral love — one that begins and ends with God. In the ancient Near East, both parties in a covenant would walk between the slain animals. This symbolized the death of the one who broke the covenant thus made. When God made his covenant with Abraham, he cast Abraham into a deep sleep, and passed alone between the split animals (Genesis 15).. In effect, the

558_His promises, a comfort in our affliction (Psalm 119:49-56) Psalm 119:49-56 Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. 50 This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life. 51 The insolent utterly deride me, but I do not turn away from your law. 52 When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O Lord. 53 Hot indignation seizes me because of the wicked, who forsake your law. 54 Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourning. 55 I remember your name in the night, O Lord, and keep your law. 56 This blessing has fallen to me, that I have kept your precepts. Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch Christian who survived the Nazi concentration camps, once said, “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” During the darkest days of her imprisonment, Corrie clung to the promises of God that she had hidden in her heart. Stripped of freedom, family, and security, she held on to the truth that God is faithful to His Word. She confessed, “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.” Psalm 119:49–56 underpins this theme— in affliction, the promises of God sustain, comfort, and revive us. They are our unshakable foundation even when all else fails. The psalmist begins: “Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life.” (Psalm 119:49–50) The psalmist knows that God does not forget. But he pleads with God to remember, so that he himself may be assured of God’s faithfulness to his word. This is what we need to do when all hope seems lost. When our prayers seem unanswered, our suffering prolonged, the psalmist teaches us to turn our hearts toward God’s Word and say, “Lord, remember your promises — because they are my hope and my life.” The Word of God is not a distant doctrine or abstract idea. The psalmist took God’s promises to his people as his own. For this is the essence of faith. God’s promises are not for a select few. They are not dependent on status, nationality, or privilege. The apostle Peter affirmed this, after God directed him to visit Cornelius the Gentile with the gospel. As Acts 10:34–35 says, “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears Him and does what is right is acceptable to Him.” Any believer can claim God’s promises with confidence, for they are offered to all who put their trust in Him. The psalmist’s comfort is not that affliction will be removed. God never promised us a life free of suffering. In fact, 2 Timothy 3:12 reminds us, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” Not the absence of trials, but the presence of God in their midst - this is his pr0mise, as Isaiah 43:2 declares: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;

559_Lord our true and eternal inheritance (Psalm 119:57-64) Psalm 119:57-64 The Lord is my portion; I promise to keep your words. 58 I entreat your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise. 59 When I think on my ways, I turn my feet to your testimonies; 60 I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments. 61 Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget your law. 62 At midnight I rise to praise you, because of your righteous rules. 63 I am a companion of all who fear you, of those who keep your precepts. 64 The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes! Many years ago, a young missionary named Jim Elliot wrote in his journal, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Those words became famous long after his death because they so powerfully summarized a life wholly given to God. Jim Elliot and four of his friends gave their lives taking the gospel to a remote tribe in Ecuador. To many, their deaths seemed tragic and unnecessary. But to those who understood the eternal perspective, Jim’s words became a window into something far deeper: that the greatest reward in life is not comfort, not possessions, not even earthly success—but God Himself. That is the heartbeat of Psalm 119:57–64. The psalmist begins by saying, “You are my portion, O Lord; I have promised to keep Your words.” In the ancient world, when Israel entered the Promised Land, each tribe was given its portion of land—a tangible inheritance that would sustain generations. But there was one tribe that received no such inheritance. The Levites, those who served in the tabernacle, were told something remarkable by God Himself: “You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites” (Numbers 18:20). Imagine that—no land, no fields, no cities to call their own. Instead, God said, “I will be your inheritance.” To most, that might sound like a loss. But to the heart that knows God, it is the richest gift of all. The Levites were called to live out a profound truth: that the Lord Himself is enough. Centuries earlier, Abraham had already understood this. When the king of Sodom offered him the spoils of war after a great victory, Abraham refused. He said, “I have lifted my hand to the Lord, God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth, that I would not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, lest you should say, ‘I have made Abram rich’” (Genesis 14:22–23). Abraham’s treasure was not in Sodom’s wealth but in God’s promise. And right after that act of faith, God appeared to him and said, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward.” What a breathtaking declaration! God Himself—our protector, our reward, our inheritance. Imagine the Creator of the universe saying to you, “I am your reward.”

560_The unfailing goodness of God (Psalm 119:65-72) Psalm 119:65-72 Do good to your servant according to your word, Lord. 66 Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I trust your commands. 67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word. 68 You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees. 69 Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep your precepts with all my heart. 70 Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in your law. 71 It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees. 72 The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold. Corrie ten Boom, the Dutch Christian who survived the horrors of a Nazi concentration camp, often used a simple but unforgettable illustration when she spoke about God’s providence. She would hold up a piece of embroidery. First, she showed the underside — a tangled mess of light and dark threads, appearing utterly chaotic. “This,” she would say, “is how our lives look from our point of view.” The audience would nod, for life often looks like that — messy, confusing, with meaningless dark stretches. But then she would turn the cloth around to reveal the top side — a skilfully embroidered crown in all its beauty and intricacy. “This,” she would say softly, “is what God sees. He is the Master Weaver. One day He will show us the pattern He was creating all along. The dark threads were just as necessary as the light ones.” Psalm 119:65–72 expresses this conviction — that whatever God does is good. It doesn’t always look that way when we are in the middle of pain or confusion, but faith teaches us to trust and obey the One who weaves bright and dark threads with purpose. The psalmist begins with a simple acknowledgment: “You have dealt well with your servant, O Lord, according to your word.” This is the declaration of every saint, every person of faith - that God has done him good. Not just in moments of blessing and joy, but even in the seasons of affliction. To the world, “good” means comfort, success, or pleasure — a life free from hardship. But for God and his people, good is not just what feels good, but what makes us partakers of his goodness - even if it is, for the moment, painful. For God in his goodness is not pampering but perfecting us. Jesus, though the Son of God, “learned obedience from what He suffered,” as Hebrews 5:8 reminds us. He did not see his suffering as a sign that the Father had abandoned Him. He accepted it from the Father to fulfil God’s purpose, to bring God’s saving love to the world. In obedience, he went to the cross, so that he might be glorified. If that was true for the Son, how much more for his people? Therefore, the steadfast prayer of faith, “Do good to your servant according to your word, O Lord.” With trust

561_Seeing the faithfulness of God even in our afflictions (Psalm 119:73-80) Psalm 119:73-80 Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands. 74 May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your word. 75 I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. 76 May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. 77 Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight. 78 May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause; but I will meditate on your precepts. 79 May those who fear you turn to me, those who understand your statutes. 80 May I wholeheartedly follow your decrees, that I may not be put to shame. There’s a story told about a silversmith who was once asked how he knew when the silver was pure. He smiled and said, “Oh, that’s simple. I keep the silver in the hottest part of the fire and watch it carefully. When I can see my reflection in it, I know it’s ready.” That’s a striking picture of how God works with us in our afflictions. He is not a careless observer of our pain; He is a loving Refiner. The heat of our trials is never meant to destroy us, but to purify us until His image is reflected in us. That truth lies at the heart of Psalm 119:73–80 — where the psalmist sees the faithfulness of God even in the midst of suffering. The psalmist begins with these words: “Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands.” Here we see a man who celebrates the fact that God is his Maker — that his life has design and purpose. He doesn’t view himself as a random product of time and chance. He knows he is fearfully and wonderfully made, fashioned by the Creator’s own hands. And because God created him, he seeks understanding to live according to God’s will. He wants to learn the commandments of God, not merely as rules to obey, but as the pathway to fulfilling the purpose for which he was made. That is a powerful thought for us in our modern world. We live in an age that often denies a Creator altogether. When people reject the idea that God made them, they also lose the sense of accountability and purpose that flows from that truth. If life is an accident, then morality becomes a matter of opinion, and suffering has no meaning. But when we know that we are fashioned by the hand of God, we begin to see that every season of life — even our afflictions — has purpose in His design. The psalmist understood something that many today forget: our Maker not only formed our bodies, but He also ordained our paths, shaping even our trials for our good. In verse 74 he says, “May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have

562_Learning to wait for God’s salvation (Psalm 119:81-88) Psalm 119:81-88 My soul faints with longing for your salvation, but I have put my hope in your word. 82 My eyes fail, looking for your promise; I say, “When will you comfort me?” 83 Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget your decrees. 84 How long must your servant wait? When will you punish my persecutors? 85 The arrogant dig pits to trap me, contrary to your law. 86 All your commands are trustworthy; help me, for I am being persecuted without cause. 87 They almost wiped me from the earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts. 88 In your unfailing love preserve my life, that I may obey the statutes of your mouth. There was a young missionary couple who left their comfortable life to serve among an unreached tribe in Africa. Disease, isolation, and constant danger surrounded them. They did not make even one disciple for Christ after years of labor. Discouraged, the husband wrote in his journal, “My soul faints for God’s salvation, but I still put my hope in His word.” Shortly afterward, he fell ill and died. His wife continued the work alone for many years, until she too became too old to carry on. Many years later, that tribe came to Christ. They remembered the words and kindness of that couple, who had waited on God even when they could not see him at work. Waiting for God is never easy. Yet His faithfulness is not measured by the speed of His answers. Scripture repeatedly reminds us that waiting on God is not a mark of weakness but of faith. Psalm 119:81–88 brings before us one who waits—not with bitterness or resignation, but with steadfast hope. The psalmist begins, “My soul faints with longing for your salvation, but I have put my hope in your word.” Though he has nothing left but longing, the assurance of God’s faithfulness to his word sustains him. It seems that God’s help is delayed. Yet he is not looking elsewhere for rescue. His eyes remain fixed on the Word of God. This is the language of faith refined through trial. He knows that God’s salvation alone will last and that all other forms of escape are empty. This is not stoicism; it is faith born out of deep communion. When he says, “I have put my hope in your word,” he is declaring that God’s promises are more real than his pain. Many of us, in moments of silence or delay, are tempted to fill the gap with our own solutions. But faith waits—not because it is blind, but because it knows the goodness of God. God’s delays are not His denials. He continues, “My eyes fail, looking for your promise; I say, ‘When will you comfort me?’” The psalmist is not questioning God’s goodness, but crying out for its manifestation. “When will You comfort me?” he asks. The same question echoes across the pages of Scripture—from Abraham waiting for a promised son, to Joseph waiting in prison, to Mary and Martha