Falling In Love With God’s Word #9
Read Psalm 119:25-28
The lesson from this passage is deep and difficult. The author is “laid low in the dust,” confessing he needs strength which he cannot provide for himself. He uses the words weary (totally fatigued, spent, exhausted) with sorrow (deep distress, grief or sadness). This is not physical, but emotional & spiritual. He is being slandered & ridiculed. It has left him feeling depressed, on spiritual life support. Have you ever been harmed by someone? Talked against? Verbally abused? Sinned against? Opposed? If you have, you will agree that this type of exhaustion consumes you in a way that can’t even be matched by the physical pain from running a marathon! Physical exertion is no match for distressing relational conflict!
There are a few things we can learn here. First, this verse (the whole chapter for that matter) makes it clear that both the unrighteous AND the righteous will suffer. The author is devoted to living God’s way, but it doesn’t exempt him from pain. The hard thing to reconcile is that pain sometimes comes as a result of walking a righteous path. Tough, but true. In the Old Testament, innocent lambs were sacrificed because of the sins of the Israelites. In a fallen world, trouble comes to both the innocent and the guilty, all as a result of sin.
Second, we can take great comfort in knowing that Jesus went through the exact same thing. In fact, it was worse for him – he never sinned, but was truly innocent! He was misunderstood, ridiculed, slandered, beaten and ultimately killed. Why is this important? He is uniquely qualified to help us out of sorrow and grief.
Third, the author courageously walked the same path Jesus did. He did not resort to revenge or returning the abuse. He took the high, spiritual road – the road that is truly less traveled. I am reminded of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. When he felt this way, he also had a choice. His prayer was for the strength to overcome the hurt and disappointment by clinging to God’s will, not his own (Matthew 26:39). The author in this passage is calling for the same strength – a divine strength, not found within ourselves, but in the amazing word of God. When we find ourselves “laid low in the dust,” may we also pray for this strength and hold fast to the promises found in scripture.
Reflections
1. Have you ever felt this low? Have you ever been weary with sorrow due to relational difficulties, or things you consider unfair? How did you respond? In these situations, what comes naturally to you? Consider how you can find more strength from God and His word than in yourself.