Psalm 119 Fifth Octave
Many years ago God placed in my heart a burning passion to work with special children. I completed that assignment and retired after twenty five years. Being a seasoned teacher didn’t qualify me as teachable, though, a humble heart does. My desire is to be a teachable teacher, not of children anymore, but of the Bible. My prayer, along with the Psalmist, is to always have a heart to learn and therefore grow in Christ. Come along with me today as we focus on verses 33-40: the fifth octave of Psalm 119.
The Hebrew word that sets the tone for these verses comes from the the root word to throw, shoot like an arrow, or even rain. That’s what teachers do; we throw it out there and hope you’ll catch it. We shoot our arrows of knowledge and truth aiming at the bull’s eye. That’s the prayer of the Psalmist, “Teach me, O LORD,” and that should be the prayer of a believer in Jesus Christ.
This raining down of God’s Word into our lives (vs. 33-35) is a lifelong process. That’s why the writer stated he would keep it to the end. He desired to understand what God required of him (statute) and put it into practice with his whole heart or with all that he had; he was in it for the long-haul. I like that. When God leads us in His path (our commission in life) we find joy and delight knowing that we are pleasing Him and that joy increases over time. That’s a love relationship, not bondage or legalism but sincere, heartfelt love. That’s freedom.
In verses 36-40, hope you have your Bible handy, there is a request for an eager heart, one that is inclined and constantly looking up. Walking up an incline requires more energy and strength but it’s worth it. He realizes that what God has repeatedly done for him (testimonies) is more important than worldly possessions which have no spiritual value and he’s willing to work for it. The Lord wants to be your center and He will give you life, His kind of life, the higher life. Life that is full of abundance, peace, joy, and things that the world cannot offer you.
It’s perfectly acceptable to ask God to confirm His promises to you, He even enjoys it, but we also need to be willing to accept His correction or endure consequences when we’ve missed the mark. It’s a lifelong process. Make us teachable, O LORD.
The Psalmist completed this soul-searching prayer with a bold statement. Behold or pay attention to this, I have a burning desire to know God and have Him renew my life. Let that be the prayer of our hearts this week: I want to be teachable, I want to know God more. If that’s true of you today be assured that He hears you and He will answer. His relationship with you is one that He cherishes.
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