Our Practice

DEVOTION

PSALMS

OUR PRACTICE

Ps 119:49-56

49 Zayin

Remember your word to your servant, for you have given me hope. 50 My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life. 51 The arrogant mock me without restraint, but I do not turn from your law. 52 I remember your ancient laws, O LORD, and I find comfort in them. 53 Indignation grips me because of the wicked, who have forsaken your law. 54 Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge. 55 In the night I remember your name, O LORD, and I will keep your law. 56 This has been my practice: I obey your precepts.

NIV

Day seven in the longest psalm. There may be times in our life when things are not going just as we think they should. It seems this is the plight of the psalmist in this stanza. Asking God to remember his word consider his servant. The word of God gives us hope and comfort when there is some suffering in life. It is his word, his promises that preserve our life when things are going badly for us, at least when we think things are going badly. But if we are his servants, then our life is in his hand, and all things work for good to those who love the lord and are called according to his purpose.

Rom 8:28-29

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

NIV

Whatever we experience in life, we know that God is doing a good work in us, he is using our life experience, whatever that is, even suffering, for our good according to his purpose for our life. As far as the arrogant mocking us without restraint may well have to do with those periods in life when we are not experiencing what appears to be a victorious life. Because we have witnessed to them, because they know we are a born again, bible toting, believers in God, and they see us in a period of suffering, they mock our God. They could say something like, “If God is a God if love, why does he let you suffer so?” Or, “if you say God blesses you, why are you not looking blessed?” But it does not matter what anyone says, we will not turn from the Lord’s law. We remember his ancient laws that he gave to the Israelites, we remember the new covenant Jesus made with us. We remember that we are born again and we will inherit eternal life. We remember that God works everything for our good, because we love him and we are called according to the purpose he has for us as not just servants, but as co-heirs with Jesus, as his friend, as the children of God, citizens of the Kingdom of God. Yet at the same time, because they mock us, which is mocking God, horror grips us. When the psalmist says that indignation grips him because of the wicked, the Hebrew word means horror or burning heat, rage. This is indignation at its finest. How dare they mock our God! Who do they think they are? They don’t even know the truth! They are ignorant people, without knowledge of who God really is. Indignation grips us because of the wicked because they have forsaken the Lord and his law. Oh Lord, your degrees are the theme song of our heart. It does not matter where we lodge. If we lodge in a house of blessings or one of sufferings, we will always sing of your praise deep within our heart and thus that will shine from us to all we see and know us. As we lay in our bed at night we remember you are there, you are with us, and we recount all your works in our life and feel comfort, contentment and peace, because we know you love us. We commit our way unto you, Lord. We want to accomplish that which you have called us to. Yet, we also know that you are our strength and it is you working through us which gets it all done, according to your purpose. This has been our practice. Looking to you Lord for all things, which is obeying your precepts. This is our practice.