PSALM 119:65-72

The tāth file – the organized plan of God
The letter tāth indicates something twisted together so that it is secure and stabilized and organized. It does not indicate twisted in the sense of distortion or error.

But it indicates organization, unity and benefit.

Verse 65, The Benefit Entry

You have done good with your servant according to Your word: The verb is AsAh as a qal perfect and means to do, perform, make, accomplish. The perfect tense views the action as completed. It is something that has been done in the past, but is not necessarily OVER. In this case, it is not over, for God continues to do that which is beneficial to those who love Him.

The word SERVANT, again communicates humility toward God’s purpose for the believer’s life on earth. Our efficient participation in God’s plan begins with recognizing His authority and plan, and expressing love-devotion to Him. This attitude cultivates sinless consistency which is the basis for fellowship with God.

Good, is tobh and refers to that which is beneficial and helpful to the believer.
God always does that which is beneficial to the TRUSTING believer; that is, the believer who is in fellowship with God and expressing love-devotion to Him.

This is the principle of Romans 8:28, “And we know that to those who love God, He works all things together for good, that is, to those who are called according to the plan.” (BFT)

And then of course, the BASIS for determining what is beneficial to the believer is the standard of righteousness and justice and love that is found in His word.
It is what GOD determines is beneficial and right for the believer. The believers does not determine this for himself.

Verse 66, The Study Entry

1. Teach me: the verb is lAmadh as a piel imperative – the command of humility dependence on God.
2. good discernment: Literally this is “goodness of discernment.” It is tubh + ta`am.
   A. ta`am means TASTE. It refers to the capacity to DISCERN. Thus, capacity to understand
       and evaluate all the intricacies of life through Divine Viewpoint.
       It is used at Proverbs 11:22 to contrast physical beauty with the virtue of having spiritual
         DISCERNMENT.
   B. tubh: taste can be good or bad. This describes the taste as being both beneficial and pleasant.

3. and knowledge: dA`ath is God’s word with emphasis on FACTS which give perspective and standards concerning the divine viewpoint of life.
4. for: This is, kiy, and should be rendered, BECAUSE, and introduces the reason this believer expresses consistent teachability, or learning humility.

5. Because I believe in Your commandments.
The verb, believe, is ’Amān, and means to believe in, accept as true, trust in something.
He puts his trust in the value and benefit of God’s guidelines for life.

Because he recognizes the reality of the authority and plan of God, he desires to persist in the growth process of learning more about God and His plan.
Commandments is, mitswAh, and refers to God’s commanded policies for everyday living as a trusting believer.

Verse 67, The Discipline Entry

This is the first mention in this Psalm about this believer’s experience of divine discipline.

Somewhere in his past, and probably, in the recent past, this believer had strayed from following the truth. According to verse 71, the discipline accomplished its purpose and he began to pursue truth again. And according to verse 75, he recognizes that divine discipline comes from the faithfulness of God because God wants His servants to function in fellowship and serve efficiently.

1. Before I was afflicted: The verb is `AnAh as a qal perfect and refers to the affliction of divine discipline.
The word, before, is terem and indicates the attitudes and actions which precipitated God’s discipline.
2. I went astray: shAgag is the verb, and means to go astray or to err. It refers to the failure to preserve truth in the soul by application to various situations in life.
3. But now I keep your word: `atAh (now) indicates the present situation after the believer has responded properly to divine discipline, recovered from his wandering, and once again begins to follow God’s word.

The word, keep, is the verb, shAmar again and means to apply the truth of God’s word to one’s life. As we have seen before, when the believer follows truth, it guards and preserves the integrity of God’s word.

See Topic:  Discipline on the believer

Verse 68, The Character of God Entry

1. You are good: the adjective, tobh refers to the essence of God based on love and justice which seeks the benefit of His creatures.
2. and you do good: the verb is yAtabh as a hiphil participle, which gives it a noun type function. You are a doer of good. This is an expression of God’s functional essence in meeting the needs of His people.
3. teach me your statutes: the imperative of TEACH repeats his humility toward God’s character and plan, and his attitude of teachability.
Statutes is choq, and refers to the decrees of established policy for God’s people.
They are called good at Nehemiah 9:13.
See Topic:  The Goodness of God

Verse 69, The Persecution Entry

1. The arrogant have forged a lie against me: the word is zādh again and refers to the spiritual rebels who in general reject God’s viewpoint and standards for the human race, and who SPECIFICALLY refer to the ones who are persecuting this servant of God. Here, it is said that they wage a smear campaign against this believer.
Verse 21, They wander from God’s commandments
Verse 51, They utterly deride

Verse 78, They lie in order to subvert
Verse 85, They dig pits and their character is not according to God’s law
Verse 86, They persecute with a lie
Verse 122, They oppress this servant of God
Verse 126, They have broken God’s law

2. With all my heart I will observe your precepts: the verb nAtsar is repeated to indicate this believer’s continued pursuit of truth as the only basis for stability in his life.
The word, precepts, is piqqudh refers to God’s standards, systematically organized and appointed for God’s people. The emphasis is on morality standards. Psalm 19:8; 111:7

 

Verse 70, The Pleasure Entry

1. Their heart is covered like fat: The verb is tApash as a qal perfect views this action as completed; that is, an action that has occurred in the past and results in a present condition. Thus, the translation, HAS BECOME. The word means to be hardened and insensitive.
Like fat: the word is chAlebh and is used only 2 other times in a symbolic way as here (Psalm 17:10; 73:7).

It is used to communicate insensitivity to spiritual and moral values. The “fat” of arrogance prevents the penetration of TRUTH into the soul. The arrogant attitude that rejects God’s standards HARDENS the heart and results in continuous rejection of God’s word. The more truth they encounter, the more the heart will resist.
Thus, at Isaiah 6:10, the action of God to “render the hearts of this people fat,” or to “harden the heart,” is accomplished by His continued proclamation of truth, which in turn perpetuates the negative volition and arrogance of the spiritual rebels.
Psalm 17:10, “They have closed their FAT (insensitive) heart; with their mouth they speak arrogantly.”

The personal anarchy of spiritual arrogance is expressed at Psalm 73:7-9.

“Their eye bulges from fat; the imaginations of their heart run riot.”

2. but I have delighted in your law: The “but” is not present in the text, but it is implied by the context.

The verb, delight, is shA`a as a pilpel perfect and communicates the genuine pleasure of realizing the relevance and applicability of bible truth. Again, with the perfect tense we should understand a PAST or COMPLETED idea that has a PRESENT focus. Thus, I have delighted, and still delight. To translate it as, “I have delighted” tells us of his PAST attitude that continues to be his focus at the present time.

In context, this believer is making a contrast between himself and the spiritual rebels. In fact, if it were not for the fact that he responded to divine discipline, he would have likewise stayed on the path of resistance to God. Thus in the next ENTRY, he again reminds himself of the positive purpose of divine discipline which corrected him.

Verse 71, The Correction Entry

1. It is good that I was afflicted: The word is tobh again and repeats the principle of Romans 8:28. Divine discipline is BENEFICIAL to the believer.

The verb afflicted, is `AnAh as seen at verse 67 and refers to the administration of divine discipline as seen previously at verse 67 and later at verse 75.

2. That I may learn your statutes: Statutes is choq again – specific obligations and limits decreed by God for the believer’s fulfillment of God’s plan for him.
This refers to the continued pursuit of truth perpetuated by restoration to fellowship after proper response to divine discipline.
The purpose of divine discipline:
A. Hebrews 12:10-11, “to share His holiness,” and to “yield the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”
B. Job 33:19-30, “to bring back his soul from the pit,” – to prevent the physical death that comes from divine discipline.
To “be enlightened with the light of life,” – so that the divine viewpoint of God’s word might produce the quality of spiritual life, that is God’s purpose for the believer here on earth.

Verse 72, The Priority Entry

The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver.
The word of God is more important and more BENEFICIAL to the believer than material things.
The comparison of value can be seen throughout the book of Proverbs.
Proverbs 3:14-15; 8:10-11, 18-19; 15:16; 16:16; 20:15
And at Psalms 19:9-10.

Therefore, genuine love for God’s word as expressed at verse 119:127.

SUMMARY OF THE PLAN OF GOD FILE

Verse 65, The Benefit Entry
God always works things together for benefit in the life of the trusting believer.

Verse 66, The Study Entry
The believer depends on God for spiritual growth; learning discernment and knowledge concerning all the issues of the character and plan of God.

Verse 67, The Discipline Entry
God disciplines the believer when he goes astray in order to restore him to fellowship and efficient service activity.

Verse 68, The Character of God Entry
God is absolutely benevolent and always does what is beneficial for his creatures according to His perfect wisdom.

Verse 69, The Persecution Entry
The believer can resist the lies of the arrogant spiritual rebels by continually observing God’s word.

Verse 70, The Pleasure Entry
Whereas the spiritual rebels are inured to spiritual value, the trusting believer finds the greatest pleasure in God’s word.

Verse 71, The Correction Entry
The oriented believer understands the value of divine discipline and appreciates God’s purpose in administrating it.

Verse 72, The Priority Entry
The oriented believer places more value on God’s word than material possessions.
 

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