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(See: pronunciation guide
for the Hebrew vowels)
PSALM 119:137-144
THE PRODUCTION FILE
Every verse of this section begins with the letter tsade, which is a sickle.
It represents production through reaping. The word righteousness occurs 5
times.
Verse 137, The Character of
God Entry
1. You are righteous O
Yahweh: Direct statement of the character of God; tsadiyq.
It refers to the absolute RIGHTNESS of everything about God.
Righteousness refers to the absolute standards of right and
wrong; good and bad from the perspective of God's viewpoint.
See Topic: God: Righteousness of God
2. and upright are your judgments: Direct statement as to the character of
God’s word.
the adjective is yAshAr which has the focus of moral rightness; that which is
right and proper for human life and interaction. Judgments, is mishpAt which
refers to standards that focus on experiential JUSTICE; what is right and fair
in human interactions.
God is perfectly righteous and His word communicates how that righteousness is
to be reflected in everyday human life.
Verse 138, The Faithfulness of God Entry
1. You have commanded your
testimonies (`ādAh)
in righteousness (tsedeq): The verb is tsAwAh, which means to lay down or set
forth, and thus to instruct and command. The word of God is communicated as a
reflection of God’s perfect righteousness.
2. and exceeding (me’Odh) faithfulness: ’emunAh confirms that the perfect and
absolute standards of divine righteousness are FAITHFUL to promoting the
BENEFIT of the human race. Yes, God acts for HIMSELF, but also for the benefit
of man.
We may not understand what and why God does what He does – but we can believe;
we can TRUST that it is truly perfectly right, and for our benefit.
God is UNCHANGING
(immutable): God cannot violate any aspect of His character, but remains
constant and precise in how He deals with His physical creatures. Mal. 3:6;
Jam. 1:13; This makes God faithful in everything that He says and does: Psalm
33:4; 1 Cor. 1:9; Deut. 7:9; Isaiah 49:7; 1 Thess. 5:24;
Verse 139, The Dedication Entry
1. My zeal has consumed me: the word, zeal, is qinAh and refers to passion;
intense mental and emotional desire. The verb is tsAmath as a piel perfect. It
means to bring to an end or exhaust. The perfect tense indicates a past and
present condition. It can be translated as “has consumed,” or “consumes,” as
long as the understanding is that BOTH are in view. It indicates that the
spiritual rebels make a very intense impression on the believer and in his
zeal he expresses great hatred, as previously seen at verses 104, 113, 128,
and later at verse 163.
At Psalm 69:9, the verb is ’Akal to describe both David and the future
Messiah.
2. because my
adversaries (tsar) have forgotten your words: The word, FORGOTTEN, indicates
that the adversaries are those who have previously learned God’s word as
members of the nation of Israel. Many of them could even be believers. This of
course, is what makes their rebellion even more impacting for this believer.
The dedicated believer, in his great zeal, reflects God’s hatred toward the
spiritual rebels.
Verse 140, The Value Entry
1. Your word (’imrAh) is very (me’odh) pure: The verb is tsAraph as a qal
passive participle. It means to be pure after a smelting process that reveals
the true value within the ore.
The word of God is of greatest purity. This communicates maximum value. The
value is established to the believer through -
(1) Value factors: The statements from God’s character as to the benefits from
God’s word.
(2) Experiential reality: what the word has accomplished in the believer’s
life.
2. Therefore your servant loves it: The word for love is ’Ahabh, and
communicates the attitude that places highest value on something. Love is the
natural and expected result for the believer who is taught and accepts the
VALUE FACTORS concerning God’s word.
Verse 141, The Persecution Entry
1. I am small: this is the
adjective tsA`iyr. It refers to being insignificant, usually in the eyes of
others.
2. And despised: The verb is bAzAh, as a niphal (passive) participle
(adjectival) which indicates the attitude and action of others.
3. I do not forget your precepts (piqqudh): the verb is shAkach as a qal
perfect, which has a COMPLETED action idea.
It should be, “I have not forgotten,” but it has a present reality because the
past action extends into the believer’s present life reality.
Even though the spiritual rebels, who have forgotten God’s truth despise the
trusting believer, he will continue to apply God’s word to his life.
Verse 142, The Viewpoint File
This expresses the proper viewpoint toward God’s character and His word.
God is eternally righteous and His word is absolute truth.
1. Your righteousness: The noun is tsedAqAh, and refers to God’s character of
perfect RIGHTNESS, as seen above in verse 137.
This is actually, a repeat of the viewpoint of verse 137.
2. is a righteousness unto eternity: The shorter, but synonymous noun, tsedeq,
is used.
Unto eternity is the prepositional phrase, le ‘OlAm, which indicates
perpetuity or eternity.
3. and your law is truth: Law is torAh again which refers to the revealed
policy of God for His creatures. The word, truth, is ’emeth, which
communicates accuracy, reliability and authority.
Verse 143, The Pressure Entry
Even in the face of severe physical and emotional pressure, God’s word is the
source of inner peace and joy for the trusting believer.
1. trouble: the word is tsar. It refers to a tight situation that is severely
troublesome. The verb from which this noun is derived, is tsArar, and means,
restricted, narrow or cramped.
2. and anguish have come upon me: this noun is mAtsOq and refers to severe
pressure. The verb from which this is derived is tsuq and means to press upon.
The verb, come upon, is mAts’A as a qal perfect, and means to find. These
things have found me. He has encountered them in the past and they are still a
very present and severe reality in his life.
3. Your commandments are my delight: Delight is sha’ashu’iym and indicates a
source of pleasure. The focus is on INNER happiness and not overt pleasure or
“fun.”
Verse 144, The Survival Entry
The trusting believer depends on continued spiritual growth in order to remain
under God’s physical protection.
1. Your testimonies (`āduth)
are righteous forever: A repetition of the character of God’s word.
Le `OlAm is repeated to emphasize the eternal quality of God’s word.
2. Give me understanding that I may live: The verb is biyn as a hiphil
imperative; the humility command that expresses dependence on God for the
requested action.
We saw details already at verse 135, about this believer’s hunger to be
perpetually learning God’s word.
The verb, live, is preceded by the WAW (and) of purpose or result, and is a
qal imperfect of chAyAh. The desired result is to stay alive physically in
order to participate in God’s plan for the functional believer.
SUMMARY OF THE PRODUCTION FILE
Verse 137, The Character of
God Entry
God is perfectly righteous and His word communicates how that righteousness is
to be reflected in everyday human life.
Verse 138, The Faithfulness
of God Entry
We may not understand what and why God does what He does – but we can believe;
we can TRUST that it is truly perfectly right, and for our benefit.
Verse 139, The Evangelism
Entry
The dedicated
believer, in his great zeal, reflects God’s hatred toward the spiritual
rebels.
Verse 140, The Value Entry
Love is the natural and expected result for the believer who is taught and
accepts the VALUE FACTORS concerning God’s word.
Verse 141, The Persecution
Entry
Even though the spiritual rebels, who have forgotten God’s truth despise the
trusting believer, he will continue to apply God’s word to his life.
Verse 142, The Value Entry
God is eternally righteous and His word is absolute truth.
Verse 143, The Pressure
Entry
Even in the face of severe physical and emotional pressure, God’s word is the
source of inner peace and joy for the trusting believer.
Verse 144, The Survival
Entry
Even in the face of severe physical and emotional pressure, God’s word is the
source of inner peace and joy for the trusting believer.
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