·
Hope and the Word of God. Let us meditate on the passages in Psalm 119
that use the term yachal (see yesterday’s post). In this you will see some of the details both
of the one who hopes in the Lord and in the Lord in whom he hopes.
o 119:43:
And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for I have hoped in
Your ordinances. He does according
to the rules of life given by God because he hopes in them, trusts them to see
him through hard times.
o 119:49:
Remember the word to Your servant, upon which You have caused me to hope. The God he trusts has caused him to trust in
the word He spoke. And note, the
Psalmist is God’s “servant.” A servant,
someone beholden to someone else, trusts that One to keep His word.
o 119:74:
Those who fear You will be glad when they see me, because I have hoped in
Your word. The Psalmist is not alone
in hoping in the Lord.
o 119:81:
My soul faints for Your salvation, but I hope in Your word. The hard service, as Job called it (Job
14:14), may be truly hard; but his faith does not waver.
o 119:114:
You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word. Hope in the Lord may not bring an end to the
hard service, but throughout the Lord will give him what he needs for joyful endurance.
o 119:147:
I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in Your
word. Day after day, the Psalmist
exercises his trust in the Lord by continually turning to the Lord and crying
out to Him!
·
Hope and redemption. Today’s passage has been referred to by some
as the “Psalm of Paul.” They say this
because it sounds like Romans and other powerful passages of Paul concerning
our redemption. But of course, it was
not written by Paul. What it tells us is
that, in the Old as well as the New Testament, hope is founded upon the promise
of a Redeemer. That promise was first
given in Gen. 3:15 and then repeated often in the OT with a growing
understanding as to what it would involve.
The story of Cain and Abel made it clear that this Redeemer was not only
human (Seed of the Woman) but would die for us.
You may not think the story was clear, but my reason for saying this is
that the saints of the OT understood that was in the story.
o Job
had confidence, as he awaited the day of his “change”, because he knew that his
Redeemer lived (19:25-27). That passage
only makes sense, and only provides hope for Job, if Job understood that the
Redeemer would be one of us (human) and would die (be a sacrifice for
sin).
o In
Psalm 130 the writer is in “the depths.”
His situation is hopeless IF the LORD marks (takes note of) iniquities;
i.e. if God is keeping track. But there
is forgiveness! How can he be assured of
this? Because I wait for the LORD, my
soul waits, and in His word I do hope.
What does he know about the LORD?
What has the LORD promised? With
the LORD there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption. And He shall redeem Israel from ALL his iniquities.
Let us wait patiently, eagerly, joyfully. Hope in the LORD!
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