Psalm 119:78
“May the arrogant be put to shame, because they lead me astray with a lie; I But I shall meditate on Your precepts.”
May it be another appeal to YHWH but not for us but to the arrogant, let them be ashamed of trusting in their own strength or wisdom and or powers to free themselves. Arrogance and ignorance are twin brothers. If I take their counsel I am led astray and led into deceptions, lies, and death. The arrogant have words of seeming wisdom. But all too soon we see that their advice is self centered glorifies the pride of man and trips us up in the traps and entangled barbed wire of the devil and his demons. Let them eat their own advice and break their teeth on the stones grinded into the very bread they offer.
Rather we shall meditate on His precepts, there will we find the richest food for the soul.
Christ is our meditation and deepest thoughts are reserved for Him, for no folly is even close to “deep unto deep” of the love and mystery of Christ. Will we waste our time in thoughts trivial or untrue? No way! He is our meditation our fruitful for the soul, fix your eyes above where Jesus is seated in the heavenly places.
Psalm 119:97 “How I love Your Law! It is my meditation all the day.”
The word is translated here means “O how!” this is an exclamation of his love of God’s law, the Torah, the 10 commandments, the laws of the tabernacle and the services it renders in the selected days and offerings of worship. The love here expressed is a delightful friendship! The writer was a friend of the Torah (he followed God’s ways) and he saw the messiah in his practice of worship, annually, monthly, weekly, then he adds “I meditate all the day”; everyday is a time we worship and we love the mediation of God’s law. This mediation increases the temperature of love happening all the day long in us, and all throughout the day as we worship the temperature increases. Worship is daily meditation on the Torah (10 Commandments) and its lifestyle of obedience of faith that Messiah was the forgiveness needed for the times I was not obeying my meditations.
Christ is the object on whom I focus my meditations.
The fountain in me that encourages my love for God’s law is the inner presence of Christ ruling in me.
Psalm 119:99 “I
have more insight than all my teachers,
For Your testimonies are my meditation.”
This translates as, I accept the pruning knife to my vine. Cut away and remove the dead branches. More life will take over and more insights that bear fruit in an increased practical wisdom. To have more, we must have less first, or we need to be pruned. We are pruned so that we grow in life and bear fruit. Then we lose, but only that which holds us back. Now the branch is carrying more fruit than before. Again YHWH cuts away more lifeless branches, now we are bearing much more fruit that is beyond even my mentors. Abide in the vine, meditate on his resources in your relationship with YHWH. Then you see another reality, testimonies of people who transcend their mentor abound. That’s what the Psalmist is referring to; “I have more insight than all my teachers.” We stand on their shoulders and grow even greater vines of fruitfulness. Root your life into the deep love of Jesus. Watch His power develop your confidence and trust.
Christ is the main vine, and the Father is the pruner of the garden grapes. He removes what dead branches need removal. These sections of our lives will abound in fruit in response to the flowing life from the main Vine, Jesus. The inner spring is working day and night as I meditate on Him.
Psalm 119:148 “My
eyes anticipate the night watches,
So that I may meditate on Your word.”
The word used for anticipate means to confront something unplanned or meet something that was planned. The eyes are ever alert and watchful for good or bad, once we establish the tone, then we proceed and see what is coming and we either protect or relax. Night watches were quiet times of the night, but there had to be on men guard, on alert for danger or opportunity. But if the night was quiet then the soul can slow down and think unobstructed. Concentrate on His word, meaning concentrate on words that create an atmosphere, or worship, or a strategy, or a confession of sin. This is reflection on God’s word. It takes effort to reflect, but alert eyes allow me to meditate and have reflection.
Christ was constantly waiting on the Father for the plan of the day.
May these be a start to dig deeper and embrace more fully,
Your loving Pastor David
