My daily Bible reading rotation has had me in Psalm 119 for the last few days. The whole chapter, every single one of the 176 verses, is good sustaining food for thought, and I’ve returned to it often over the last 8 years in particular. There’s always deeper depths to plumb in all of God’s Word, but this chapter may be most representative of that. Every time I read it, a different portion, theme, or verse catches my attention and gives me pause. This time, it was verse 132 that stopped me: “Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your way with those who love your name.”
One part of this verse about which I’ve been thinking is how, in his request, the author identifies himself with the people of God, those who love his name. Although it’s a deeply personal psalm, and no less personal of a prayer or a verse, it’s not solely about the individual. There’s a communal aspect to it, a reminder that he is not living in isolation, that he is not the only follower of God – and neither are we.
Another aspect that caught my attention is the author is asking the Lord to be true to his character. He’s asking the God who sees (Genesis 16:13) to see him, the God whose face is towards his people (Psalm 34:15) to turn to him, the God who describes himself as being merciful and gracious (Exodus 34:6) to be gracious. If there’s one prayer we can know with all certainty, without a shadow of doubt, is in accordance with the Lord’s will, it is that he will be steadfastly faithful and consistent to his character, for the Lord does not waiver.
The last aspect over which I’ve been mulling is the familiarity with God that’s referenced by the phrase “as is your way”. That speaks to prior history, a personal and experiential knowledge that can only come through time. It comes from walking in step with the Spirit, not just every now and then for a day or two, but regularly, consistently, habitually.
All in all, this verse has made me evaluate not only my prayers and requests, but also the way I live my life in general. Do I isolate myself from the people of God? Is the depth of my knowledge of God growing because I’m walking in intimacy with him? At the root of my expectations and prayers, am I expecting God to be true to his character? It’s worth investing a little time and energy to prayerfully consider.
Your blog post really brings out some inspiring insights and examples to ponder from this Psalm. Thanks again for sharing. I always read and benefit from your posts, though I don’t always comment!
I appreciate how you brought to our attention that even though I am a follower of God, I am part of a huge family in Him. No one is alone for He is with us always. The Psalms are always a rich source of comfort, correction and direction for our daily walk with God.