Psalm 119 Fourth Octave
Open your Bibles to verses 25-32, the next section of eight verses. Hopefully you are reading along and God is speaking to you every week. The fourth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is daleth; it aligns nicely with our sound ‘d’. The first word that begins this section is dabqa and it translates to cling, stick to, or be joined to. English idioms or expressions come to mind when I think about sticking to something: stick with me, stick around, stick to it, or stick to your guns. This section is about being sticky but specifically what are we sticking to?
The Psalmist writes that his life is sticking or clinging to the dust. Even though God breathed life into dust and created mankind, I don’t think that’s the direction he was heading in that statement. Dust is symbolic of sorrow and grief, not somewhere we want to stick around. However, let’s face it, we all get depressed. We are all disappointed with life at one time or another. The question is: will we stick around there?
The writer shows us that honesty with God is vital to victorious living (25-26). In his sadness he acknowledged his emotions, asked for help, and God responded. No counselor could come up with a better plan; tell yourself the truth and ask God for help. We see that word ‘statute’ or ‘decree’ again which simply means ‘what we should do’. “Lord, what should I say or do here?” We also see the word ‘precept’ again (vs. 27): what we should pay attention to. “Lord, where should my focus be to get out of the dust?” He decides to focus on the wonder of God: who He is and what He’s done. Good advice.
Verses 28-30 (see why you need your Bible?) are cries for help, however, he knows where his help will come from: God’s Word. That’s where your strength will come from as well. He realizes a choice needs to be made; will I stick to the dust or will I stick with God? The God who is full of wonder and miracles wins out in verse 31. This author has made the choice to trust God and be joined to Him as in a marriage partnership (Gen. 2:24). Our earthly marriages, wonderful or challenging, depending on the day, are only pictures of our sticky relationship with Jesus Christ. If you’re going to be sticky with someone, clingy, let it be the Lord; He created us that way and I think He likes it.
I love the way this fourth octave is completed. “I will run…” God’s commands bring victorious living; we should run toward them not away from them. His instructions will set our hearts free to be who He has destined us to be. Nothing less. If you’re going to be sticky, don’t stick to the world’s ways, they only bring you down. Stick with Jesus and let him set your heart free.
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