King David has always been one of my
favorite characters in the Tanakh [Old Testament]. King David had a heart for the Almighty, and was even called "a man after Elohim's own heart." It is my
prayer that the Ruach Ha Kodesh [The Holy Spirit] would use this expose' on Psalm 119, to open your eyes, to the kind of man David
was, and what his attitude was when it came to approaching the Almighty. I
believe it is a model for what our heavenly Father desires for us to be in His sight. I will be
using the King James version for this expose' simply because of its poetic nature.
I have always thought that the Psalms sounded their best from this version. I
will not touch on every verse, as I believe the Ruach is only wanting to
present David's character. What exactly was it about David that made him a man
after our heavenly Father's own heart? I believe it was a combination of many things that
included his heart attitude toward Elohim, his humility, his fear and his trust. I
will attempt to glean some of these characteristics from the passages of Psalm
119 that are attributed to him.
Verse one starts with David writing
these words, " Blessed [are] the undefiled in the way, who walk in the
law of the LORD." David knew
that there was a blessing to all who walked undefiled in the law of the Adonai. Yah's law, to David was more than strict regulations and ridged burdensome
commandments. David understood that Yah's laws were for his own good, and were
given by a loving Father, who had his best interest in mind. David explains his
understanding in verse 2, where he declares, "Blessed [are] they that
keep his testimonies, [and that] seek him with the whole heart." David understood that keeping the
testimonies of the Almighty was something, that originated in the heart. He sought after the Father in heaven with his whole heart. David acknowledges in verse 5 that there is a power
greater than him ordering his steps when he says,
"O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes. In verse 10 & 11, David reminds God, "With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against thee."
"O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes. In verse 10 & 11, David reminds God, "With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against thee."
I find it interesting, that starting
in verse 12, David starts a sequence of making some profound statements that
really show us his heart for the Almighty.
"Blessed
[art] thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes" David is asking Yah to teach
him. He is not seeking man to teach him, He is asking Yah to teach him His
statutes, for he knows Yah is able to teach him. All too often, we seek men to
teach us our Father's ways, and what we end up with, is a head full of the teachings
of men, and nothing from our Father in heaven. Then in verse 17, David says, "Deal bountifully with thy
servant, [that] I may live, and keep thy word." Did you catch that? Deal bountifully
with thy servant. David is saying, test me. He is asking Elohim to deal with him,
to try his heart. He is asking much more than just learning the ways of the Father, and
having them in his mind. He is asking Elohim to deal with him, in such a way, that
his life would prove the things he learned were applied to his life, and not
just knowledge in his mind. Then in verse 18, David says, "Open thou my
eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law." David is
pleading that Father would open his eyes. He wants nothing of Yah to be hidden
from his sight. He is hungry for Yah to reveal the benefits of keeping his
commandments. In verse 25, David says, "My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken
me according to thy word." David knows that his life will end one day, but
he knows that his soul will be quickened by the word, which he has hidden in his
heart. Again in verse 26, he says, "teach me thy statutes."
David says something a little
different in verse 27. He says, "Make me to understand the way of thy
precepts." Here, he is acknowledging that understanding comes from the Father. He is not saying, help me to understand. He is saying, make
me to understand. The pattern of requests that David follows in several of the
following verses, reveals volumes about the character of David:
vs. 28: "Strengthen thou
me according unto thy word."
vs. 29: "Remove from me
the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously."
vs.31: "O LORD, put
me not to shame."
vs.33: "Teach me, O
LORD, the way of thy statutes."
vs.34: "Give me
understanding, and I shall keep thy law."
vs.35: "Make me to
go in the path of thy commandments."
vs.36: "Incline my heart
unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness."
vs.37: "Turn away my eyes
from beholding vanity; quicken thou
me in thy way. "
vs.38: "Stablish thy word
unto thy servant."
vs.39: "Turn away my
reproach which I fear."
vs.40: "Quicken me in
thy righteousness."
When I compare these few verses with
what David wrote in Psalm 143, there is a distinct pattern that emerges.
Reading in Psalm 143:8 - 11 it says;
"Cause me
to hear thy loving-kindness
in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the
way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee. Deliver
me, O LORD, from mine enemies: I flee unto thee to hide me. Teach
me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead
me into the land of uprightness. Quicken me, O LORD, for
thy name's sake: for thy righteousness' sake bring my soul out of trouble."
Do you notice anything common about
all of these verses? In every case, David is depending upon the heavenly Father to perform
everything. David does not seem to consider himself able to perform anything
apart from Him. I find it strange, that not one time does David say, help me,
as if he was able to accomplish anything on his own. He was constantly asking Elohim to perform the work in him. That is a true understanding of Grace. It is our heavenly Father working in us, both to will, and to do His will. I pray we can all come to
this understanding.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they
shall prosper that love thee.
Shalom Ahlaychem,
Barry W. Gaugler
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