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(See: pronunciation guide
for the Hebrew vowels)
PSALM 119:121-128
THE DISCERNMENT FILE
Each verse begins with the
letter, Ayin. The word means EYE and represents discernment; Spiritual sight
which gives perspective and orientation to everything that happens in life –
from the viewpoint of the character and plan of God.
The believer who is
functional in the angelic conflict as a servant of God must always SEE every
aspect of life from the humility perspective of dependence on the character
and plan of God.
Verse 121, The Deliverance
Entry
1. I have done justice and
righteousness: The verb is `AsAh as a qal perfect to express the past and
present action that characterizes the life of this believer.
Justice (mispAt) focuses on moral consistency as in application to others.
Righteousness (tsedeq) focuses on character consistency – inward integrity.
Because of his sinless consistency, the believer expresses humility dependence
on God for deliverance from the violent persecutors.
2. Do not leave me to my oppressors: the verb is nuach as a hiphil imperfect
+ negative that functions as an imperative. The qal stem means TO REST, but
the hiphil means to CAUSE to rest, or REMAIN. Thus the idea of LEAVE. As
usual, the imperative is a humility/command of dependence on God.
The “ones who oppress” is a qal active participle of `Ashaq, which amplifies
the nature of persecution to be oppression.
Verse 122, The Benefit Entry
1. Be surety: The verb is `Arabh as a qal imperative. It means to give oneself
as collateral; to make a pledge. Make a pledge on behalf of your servant.
Again, this is the command of humility dependence on God. This is not DOUBT or
uncertainty but recognition of God’s character.
2. for good: The preposition, le, and tobh. It refers to benefit. In this case
it is the promised benefit of God toward the trusting believer such as at
Psalm 84:11 and Romans 8:28.
This is one of the VALUE FACTORS that motivates the believer to trust God.
3. Do not let the arrogant oppress me: Repetition for emphasis as is
characteristic of the entire psalm. The verb is `Ashaq again, but this time as
a qal imperfect plus the negative, which is used as an imperative; the command
of humility dependence on God.
Arrogant is zādh as seen
before for the spiritual rebels of verse 21.
True spiritual discernment recognizes the VALUE FACTOR of BENEFIT for
protection from the spiritual rebels.
Verse 123, The Faith-Rest Entry
1. My eyes fail: The verb is
kAlAh as a qal perfect. It means to be complete, finished or used up or
exhausted. The past tense indicates, “my eyes have become exhausted.” This is
the same concept as we saw at verse 81, “my soul has expressed itself fully.”
This does not mean that the
believer IS WORN OUT or that he is spiritually drained.
It means that the physical
pressure is so great that he has learned long ago that there is no recourse to
human solutions for deliverance from the oppressors.
2. for your deliverance:
divine protection in a crisis situation, and in context, in a persecution
crisis. He can find no solution through human resources. He CANNOT SEE through
physical perceptions that there is any help. The help comes ONLY in the sphere
of the spiritual; knowledge and orientation to God’s character and plan. This
is the ultimate in the expression of FAITH-REST.
Faith-rest is to totally let
go of any recourse to human viewpoint and to totally trust in God’s plan for
deliverance and for further teaching from God.
3. and for your righteous
word: the word (’imrAh) of your righteousness (tsedeq).
This refers to two ideas.
(1) the FULFILLMENT of God’s word which is His promise of deliverance. In this
case, the line would have a synonymous function to amplify the word
DELIVERANCE.
The believer HAS been waiting and continues to wait for God’s perfect wisdom
and timing that keeps this believer alive and functional as an efficient
servant of God.
Verse 43, “I have waited for
your ordinances.”
Verse 74, “I have waited for your word.”
Verse 81, “I have waited for your word.”
Verse 114, “I have waited for your word.”
Verse 147, “I have waited for your words.”
(2) the continued provision
of LEARING God’s word, which is mentioned in the very next verse, “teach me
your statutes.” We have already seen that this believer has been receiving
divine revelation to enhance what he has previously learned.
Verse 102, “for you yourself have taught me.”
Faith-rest for additional
learning: “teach me,” Verse 12, 26, 33, 64, 66, 68, 108, 124, 135, 171
Verse 124, The Provision
Entry
1. deal with your servant
according to your grace provision: The verb is a qal imperative of `AsAh which
continues the attitude of humility dependence on God. The word chesed refers
to the grace provision from God that comes to the believer based on his
knowledge and application of God’s word. It is not really a “works” based
system, but it is just that the provision can only be experienced by a soul
that is in fellowship with God and USING God’s word. It is not a MERIT issue,
it is simply a CAPACITY issue.
The provision in view is the provision of God’s word made available to this
believer based on his continued devotion to God. The next phrase explains the
nature of the provision (chesed) in view; it is the continued revelation of
God’s word to this believer.
Servant, repeats the service devotion of this believer and his continued
hunger to learn more and more of God’s word.
2. and teach me your statutes: The verb is lAmadh as a piel imperative to
express growth humility. Statutes (chuqqAh) refers the details for glorifying
God.
The WE (and) indicates an amplification of what the believer is looking for
from God; an amplification of chesed. In other words, “give me your grace
provision AND continue to teach me your word.”
The continued provision of God’s word is part of God’s grace resources for the
faithful believer.
Verse 125, the Growth Entry
1. I am your servant: the
noun is `ebhed and repeats the believers understanding of his ambassadorship
responsibility here on earth. SERVICE HUMILITY
2. Give me understanding: The verb is biyn as a hiphil imperative that
expresses PREPARATION HUMILITY; the attitude that recognizes his dependence on
God for being equipped with God’s standards and resources through the growth
process, in order to succeed as a servant.
3. that I may know your testimonies: the verb is yAd`a as a qal imperfect, with
WE (result; purpose) to indicate the result and purpose of the growth process.
True humility recognizes the need for proper knowledge preparation in order to
serve efficiently as a servant of God.
Verse 126, The Timing Entry
1. It is time (`āth)
for Yahweh to Act (le + Yahweh + `AsAh – to do): The ORIENTED believer
recognizes that divine timing determines the time for judging the wicked as at
verse 119; the past and present activity of God. This statement does not mean
that God has not been judging, but that He has been delaying in this
particular instance for this believer. He is not disputing the timing of God,
but through humility is affirming the BASIS for God’s judgment; i.e. the
breaking of God’s law by the wicked.
2. They have broken your
law: the verb is pArar as a hiphil perfect to indicate the past and present
activity of the spiritual rebels. Law is torAh in the singular to refer to the
GENERAL revelation of God to humanity. The specifics need not be stated; they
reject and violate the instruction from God. It is for this reason that divine
justice will be administrating in God’s perfect wisdom and timing.
Verse 127, The Value Entry
1. Therefore: al + kān
indicates the attitude that results from understanding the timing issues of
God’s plan.
2. I love your commandments: The verb is
’Ahabh as a qal imperfect to focus on
the PRESENT attitude of placing value and affection on God’s word.
3. Above gold: the comparison with material value shows that this believer
understands the true issues in life concerning what is most important.
Psalm 119:72; 19:7; Proverbs 3:13-15
VALUE FACTOR: God’s wisdom and timing will judge the wicked at the proper
time.
Understanding divine timing for God’s judgment elicits greater love for God’s
word.
Verse 128, The Attitude
Entry
1. Therefore (al + kān)
I have esteemed as right: the verb is yAshar as a piel perfect to indicate
both past and present evaluation and conclusion concerning TIMING issues
within God’s plan. It means to evaluate and accept something as RIGHT and
PROPER – usually from a moral perspective. This is the SECOND conclusion
reached based on understanding the wisdom and timing of God’s perfect plan for
administrating His justice.
2. All (your) precepts
concerning everything: the personal pronoun is not present, thus, literally,
“all precepts.”
The word is piqqudh plus the adjective, al, which is ALL, to refer to ALL that
is appointed by God as the standards for human living. “Everything” is the
repeat of al to indicate not only that the believer ACCEPTS God’s word for
every situation in life, but that indeed, God’s word is most certainly
APPLICABLE to EVERY situation in life.
At Romans 12:2, Paul used three words to describe this omni-applicability.
The will of God is “intrinsically good, pleasingly good, and sufficiently
complete.”
At 2Peter 1:3, Peter describes it as “all things concerning life (moral
living) and godliness (worship activity or spiritual living).”
3. I hate every false way (every way of falsehood, as at verse 104): the verb
is san’ā, which indicates
the attitude based on recognition and acceptance of the VALUE of God’s
viewpoint and standards, which this believer has learned (verse 104).
Understanding of the wisdom and timing of God’s plan helps
the believer orient to the omni-applicability of God’s moral law and elicits
the proper attitude of hatred for false doctrine.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCERNMENT FILE
Verse 121, The Deliverance
Entry
Because of his sinless consistency, the believer expresses humility dependence
on God for deliverance from the violent persecutors.
Verse 122, The Benefit Entry
True spiritual discernment recognizes the VALUE FACTOR of
BENEFIT for protection from the spiritual rebels.
Verse 123, The Faith-rest Entry
Faith-rest is to totally let go of any recourse to human viewpoint and
to totally trust in God’s plan for deliverance and for further teaching from
God.
Verse 124, The Provision
Entry
The continued provision of God’s word is part of God’s grace resources for the
faithful believer.
Verse 125, The Growth Entry
True humility recognizes the need for proper knowledge preparation in order to
serve efficiently as a servant of God.
Verse 126, The Timing Entry
The ORIENTED believer recognizes that violation of God’s law is the basis for
divine judgment according to the perfect timing of God’s plan.
Verse 127, The Value Entry
Understanding divine timing for God’s judgment elicits
greater love for God’s word.
Verse 128, The Attitude
Entry
Understanding of the wisdom and timing of God’s plan helps
the believer orient to the omni-applicability of God’s moral law and elicits
the proper attitude of hatred for false doctrine. | 
