Psa 119:169 | KingComments | STEP | The letter tav is the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The original pictogram of this letter is a ‘cross’ and has the meaning of ‘sign’, ‘covenant’. We find these aspects in the blood of Christ. In Exodus 12 we read about this in the picture of the blood on the houses of the Israelites: “The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you” ( ). The blood that is put on the doorposts and lintels of these houses is in the form of the cross. Compare the sign or cross on the foreheads of the remnant in Ezekiel 9 ( ). The Lord Jesus calls Himself “the Alpha and the Omega”, the first and last letter of the Greek alphabet ( ). In Hebrew, that would be ‘the Aleph and the Tav’. The aleph speaks of an ox or bull, the animal of choice for the burnt offering. The tav speaks of the cross, or the altar on which the burnt offering is brought. Thus, the Lord Jesus is simultaneously the sacrificial animal, the altar, and the Priest Who brings the sacrifice. The psalmist understands that his problem is not only caused by outside enemies, but that he has a problem inside of himself. He himself has sinned, he has gone astray like a lost sheep ( ). What he needs is the Shepherd Who laid down His life on the cross for the sake of His sheep. The Shepherd had to descend and seek him in his lost condition ( ). A lost sheep cannot save himself. Man who is aware of this realizes that his help must come from outside (cf. ). He also realizes that his salvation comes not from something, but from Someone. This is the last stanza singing of the value of the Word in all its aspects relevant to our life. The loudness of addressing God seems to be at its highest here. The psalmist calls out to God ( ). He has done so more often in this psalm, but here he presents his calling as a person for whom he asks God if that person may “come before” Him. He is a calling for understanding according to His Word. He would like to gain understanding in all things, not from human thought, but from God’s revealed will in His Word. He who longs for understanding in God’s Word is also a special object of the enemy’s attacks ( ). Therefore, in addition to being someone who cries, he comes as a supplicant. He asks God that his supplication may come to “before” Him. The God-fearing begs for deliverance from dangers in accordance with God’s word or promise. After all, God has promised that He will neither abandon nor forsake His own. The enemy will do everything to render our prayer life powerless (cf. ). and form the two themes of Psalm 119. We see in a prayer requesting understanding and in a prayer for deliverance based on the promises of God’s covenant. These prayers form the basis of his praise ( ), his teaching through the songs ( ; cf. ), his struggle ( ), and his desires ( ). After presenting himself to God as someone who cries and as a supplicant, he comes to God as someone who praises God ( ). In God’s presence, not only cries for help come from his lips, but also songs of praise (cf. ). His lips even overflow with it. This is the result of teaching by God in His statutes. His song of praise consists of singing the words of God ( ). What the heart is full of, the mouth overflows with. The ‘instrument’ for this is his tongue. In many contemporary ‘songs of praise’ there are statements that are not based on the Word of God, but are contrary to it. Our songs of praise, too, must be in accordance with the Word of God ( ). Then He will gladly listen to them. The theme of the song here is the righteousness of God’s commandments. and run parallel. As a result, we see a doubling of praise. The praise is doubly emphasized. The praise indicates that the psalmist is utterly convinced that the LORD, by virtue of His covenant, will hear his prayer. In he utters praise to the LORD as a holy priest; in he speaks to fellow believers as a royal priest ( ; cf. ). There is also an awareness in the righteous that he is dependent on the LORD ( ). Therefore, he asks Him that His hand come to his aid. He has chosen God’s precepts to keep them and be engaged in them. This choice every faithful one must make. The LORD’s help is connected to His Word. He cannot help anyone who does not bow before His Word. We have been given the privilege of always approaching the throne of grace with boldness, that we may receive mercy and find grace for timely help ( ). The God-fearing longs for the salvation of the LORD ( ). By this he means the period of the blessings of the new covenant under the government of the Lord Jesus. About this he has read in God’s Word, that for him is his “delight”. In relation to us, we are saved once for all by faith ( ). However, in the present time we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling ( ). In the near future we will receive salvation of our bodies ( ; ). The psalmist asks the LORD to let his soul live ( ). This is not to enjoy life, but to praise the LORD ( ). He realizes that he cannot do that without the LORD’s help. This help, he knows, lies in God’s ordinances. The Word of God gives abundant reason to praise the LORD. The last verse is a confession of sin with a desire for restoration of the relationship broken by sin ( ). The psalmist acknowledges that he has “gone astray like a lost sheep”. He also acknowledges that he is being sought out by the good Shepherd, Who has laid down His life for His sheep, for he cannot find his way back himself. Yet he knows Who he is addressing. He also knows that he is God’s “servant”. He may have gone astray, but he has not forgotten God’s commandments. Just as the New Testament ends with the invitation to sinners to repent, so the psalmist ends here with the need for the people of Israel to be restored by the Good Shepherd.

‏ Psalms 119:169

/tav/ The Sign of the Cross

The letter tav is the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The original pictogram of this letter is a ‘cross’ and has the meaning of ‘sign’, ‘covenant’. We find these aspects in the blood of Christ. In Exodus 12 we read about this in the picture of the blood on the houses of the Israelites: “The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you” (Exo 12:13a). The blood that is put on the doorposts and lintels of these houses is in the form of the cross. Compare the sign or cross on the foreheads of the remnant in Ezekiel 9 (Eze 9:4).

The Lord Jesus calls Himself “the Alpha and the Omega”, the first and last letter of the Greek alphabet (Rev 1:8 ; 11 ; Rev 21:6 ; Rev 22:13). In Hebrew, that would be ‘the Aleph and the Tav’. The aleph speaks of an ox or bull, the animal of choice for the burnt offering. The tav speaks of the cross, or the altar on which the burnt offering is brought. Thus, the Lord Jesus is simultaneously the sacrificial animal, the altar, and the Priest Who brings the sacrifice.

The psalmist understands that his problem is not only caused by outside enemies, but that he has a problem inside of himself. He himself has sinned, he has gone astray like a lost sheep (Psa 119:176). What he needs is the Shepherd Who laid down His life on the cross for the sake of His sheep. The Shepherd had to descend and seek him in his lost condition (Lk 15:4-7). A lost sheep cannot save himself. Man who is aware of this realizes that his help must come from outside (cf. Rom 7:24). He also realizes that his salvation comes not from something, but from Someone.

This is the last stanza singing of the value of the Word in all its aspects relevant to our life. The loudness of addressing God seems to be at its highest here. The psalmist calls out to God (Psa 119:169). He has done so more often in this psalm, but here he presents his calling as a person for whom he asks God if that person may “come before” Him. He is a calling for understanding according to His Word. He would like to gain understanding in all things, not from human thought, but from God’s revealed will in His Word.

He who longs for understanding in God’s Word is also a special object of the enemy’s attacks (Psa 119:170). Therefore, in addition to being someone who cries, he comes as a supplicant. He asks God that his supplication may come to “before” Him. The God-fearing begs for deliverance from dangers in accordance with God’s word or promise. After all, God has promised that He will neither abandon nor forsake His own. The enemy will do everything to render our prayer life powerless (cf. 1Pet 3:7).

Psa 119:169 and Psa 119:170 form the two themes of Psalm 119. We see in Psa 119:169 a prayer requesting understanding and in Psa 119:170 a prayer for deliverance based on the promises of God’s covenant. These prayers form the basis of his praise (Psa 119:171), his teaching through the songs (Psa 119:172; cf. Col 3:16), his struggle (Psa 119:173), and his desires (Psa 119:174).

After presenting himself to God as someone who cries and as a supplicant, he comes to God as someone who praises God (Psa 119:171). In God’s presence, not only cries for help come from his lips, but also songs of praise (cf. Phil 4:6). His lips even overflow with it. This is the result of teaching by God in His statutes.

His song of praise consists of singing the words of God (Psa 119:172). What the heart is full of, the mouth overflows with. The ‘instrument’ for this is his tongue. In many contemporary ‘songs of praise’ there are statements that are not based on the Word of God, but are contrary to it. Our songs of praise, too, must be in accordance with the Word of God (Eph 5:19). Then He will gladly listen to them. The theme of the song here is the righteousness of God’s commandments.

Psa 119:171 and Psa 119:172 run parallel. As a result, we see a doubling of praise. The praise is doubly emphasized. The praise indicates that the psalmist is utterly convinced that the LORD, by virtue of His covenant, will hear his prayer. In Psa 119:171 he utters praise to the LORD as a holy priest; in Psa 119:172 he speaks to fellow believers as a royal priest (1Pet 2:5 ; 9; cf. Psa 66:16).

There is also an awareness in the righteous that he is dependent on the LORD (Psa 119:173). Therefore, he asks Him that His hand come to his aid. He has chosen God’s precepts to keep them and be engaged in them. This choice every faithful one must make. The LORD’s help is connected to His Word. He cannot help anyone who does not bow before His Word. We have been given the privilege of always approaching the throne of grace with boldness, that we may receive mercy and find grace for timely help (Heb 4:16).

The God-fearing longs for the salvation of the LORD (Psa 119:174). By this he means the period of the blessings of the new covenant under the government of the Lord Jesus. About this he has read in God’s Word, that for him is his “delight”. In relation to us, we are saved once for all by faith (Eph 2:8). However, in the present time we must work out our salvation with fear and trembling (Phil 2:12). In the near future we will receive salvation of our bodies (Rom 8:23-25 ; Rom 13:11; Phil 3:20-21).

The psalmist asks the LORD to let his soul live (Psa 119:175). This is not to enjoy life, but to praise the LORD (Psa 6:5). He realizes that he cannot do that without the LORD’s help. This help, he knows, lies in God’s ordinances. The Word of God gives abundant reason to praise the LORD.

The last verse is a confession of sin with a desire for restoration of the relationship broken by sin (Psa 119:176). The psalmist acknowledges that he has “gone astray like a lost sheep”. He also acknowledges that he is being sought out by the good Shepherd, Who has laid down His life for His sheep, for he cannot find his way back himself. Yet he knows Who he is addressing. He also knows that he is God’s “servant”. He may have gone astray, but he has not forgotten God’s commandments.

Just as the New Testament ends with the invitation to sinners to repent, so the psalmist ends here with the need for the people of Israel to be restored by the Good Shepherd.