Waw ו: Liberty from God’s word.
Psalm 119:41-48 (Part 6)
Rev. Dr. Devadosan Sugirtharaj
Introduction
This psalm begins with the letter Vau. There are almost no words in Hebrew that begin with this letter. It is a conjunction.
1. Receiving God’s word to defend against man. Psalm 119:41-42
- The psalmist acknowledges that mercy and salvation come from God through God’s word. Here mercies are mentioned in the plural. The Hebrew word for mercies is hesed which means covenantal loyalty.
- The psalmist believes that God’s word provides an answer to those who are against us.
2. Asking God’s word to remain to follow it. Psalm 119:43-44
- The psalmist prays that by the goodness and grace of God, the word of God truly dwells with us. To be awakened and attentive to God’s word, we need God’s help to keep His word in us. He affirms that the word of God never disappoints him because he has very high hopes in God’s word continually.
3. Testifying God’s word with others. Psalms 119:45-48
- The psalmist gives reason for testifying in public because it brings freedom to his life. Obedience to God’s word brings liberty to human life. The spirit of disobedience brings bondage to the people.
- The psalmist shows his boldness and ability to share freely God’s word among the most powerful people in the world without shame. The reason for this boldness is that he delights in God’s word and also he loves it so much that he expresses his delightful feelings in public to proclaim that it is worthy.
Conclusion
We have God’s word in our hands but how we feel about the word of God is not the same as the Psalmist had. When we express our love and delight in the word of God, then we do not hesitate to pray to God to keep His word in our hearts and minds and also to proclaim it to others without any shame. How do you feel about the word of God in your lives?