HOPE IN YOUR WORD
Opening Prayer
Gracious God, I need you today. Speak to me through your Word, show me more of who you are, and give me even greater reason to praise and worship you.
Read PSALM 119:73–96
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
י Yodh
73 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.
כ Kaph
81 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.
ל Lamedh
89 Your word, Lord, is eternal;
it stands firm in the heavens.
90 Your faithfulness continues through all generations;
you established the earth, and it endures.
91 Your laws endure to this day,
for all things serve you.
92 If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction.
93 I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have preserved my life.
94 Save me, for I am yours;
I have sought out your precepts.
95 The wicked are waiting to destroy me,
but I will ponder your statutes.
96 To all perfection I see a limit,
but your commands are boundless.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
How hopeful are you feeling today? Why? What are the things that increase or decrease your sense of hope?
Throughout Psalm 119, we see references to different threats the psalmist faced. In today’s reading the pressure seems to have reached a boiling point; there’s a sense of urgency in these verses. The writer has been wronged without cause (v. 78) by arrogant, dangerous people (vv. 85–87). You may never have faced someone who literally wanted to destroy you, but you may have encountered someone intent on hurting your reputation or maneuvering you out of a position. What did you do? What did the psalmist do?
The first thing is to call out to God. Last Sunday I mentioned that Psalm 119 is a poem about God’s Word. Another approach is to see it as a prayer of desperation. Have you ever noticed how prayer comes alive when you are at the end of your rope? Much as we hate it and try to avoid it, being overwhelmed makes us ready to listen. That’s the starting point for effective prayer.
The second thing is to put your hope in God’s Word (vv. 74, 81), which is the heart cry woven throughout this entire psalm. I’ve always found great comfort in verses 89 and 90. Whenever I’ve faced stressful, life-altering choices, I’ve turned to the Bible for direction. My prayer has been, ‘God, I don’t know if I’m making the right decision, or even if I’m interpreting this passage correctly, but I’m going to move forward based on your Word.’ It’s not a magic formula – sometimes it has taken me down a rough road – but the fact that God’s Word is eternal and that I was doing my best to align with it gave me direction and peace to step forward in faith when the way was unclear. That’s what it means to put your hope in God’s Word.
Apply
Has God’s Word ever given you direction and peace to take a life-altering step of faith? What happened, and what did you learn?
Closing prayer
Holy Spirit, build into me a greater desire for prayer and draw me deeper into Scripture. Continue to increase my faith and build my testimony so that I can have greater impact for good on those around me.
Book and Author Intros
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