Psa 119:78 | KingComments | STEP | The tenth letter, yodh , with the numerical value ten, originally had the shape of a hand. The name of the letter is related to jad , the Hebrew word for hand. We know this word in the (Yiddish) Dutch verb ‘jatten’ which means ‘to steal – by hand’. The word jad also stands for the (pointer) stick used to read a Hebrew scroll. The letter yodh has to do with: work, power (right hand), responsibility (the number ten: ten commandments, ten fingers, ten wise and foolish virgins and so on). The letter yodh is the smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet. About it the Lord Jesus says: “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke [Literally one iota (Hebrew: yodh) or one projection of a letter (serif)] shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished” ( ). The iota is the Greek counterpart of the Hebrew yodh . The righteous acknowledges that he is made by the hands of God ( ; ), just as God’s hands also made the universe ( ). He thereby acknowledges that he is totally dependent on his Creator (cf. ). God made everything for the purpose of serving Him. The psalmist’s question is whether the LORD, Who has made and fashioned him, will complete His work on him. “Made” refers to his forming, “fashioned” means put in the place where he is now. He then looks to the future and asks for understanding to meet God’s purpose with his life. He has learned the lesson: He accepts the trouble and affliction from the hand of the LORD knowing that He wants to use it to form him. The suffering is like plowing the hard ground to make it ready for the seed of the Word (cf. ). He is also dependent on his Creator for understanding God’s commandments, because his mind has been darkened by sin. God can give him this understanding and that is what he asks for. He says to God, as it were: ‘I have come into being through Your work; now will You complete Your work in me. I have now understood that affliction is necessary for this purpose’ ( ; cf. ). God’s commandments are the manual for his life, for the completion of God’s work in him. Not everyone rejoices over the psalmist, but those who fear God do ( ). They see the righteous and are glad because they see in his life that he, like them, has waited for God’s Word and that he, like them, has experienced that that waiting has not been in vain. Such a life is contagious. It makes others glad and gives them courage (cf. ; ). We see it in the encounter between Elizabeth and Mary ( ). The judgments of the LORD are righteous, both for the wicked and for the psalmist ( ). For the wicked, they mean ruin. The psalmist knows that God’s judgments are always righteous, in accordance with His Word and His covenant. At the same time, these judgments are also part of God’s faithfulness, namely, to purify the psalmist and restore Israel. Through the tribulation, God works that the righteous place all hope of salvation in Him and condemn all unfaithfulness in themselves (cf. ). Those who are afflicted are in need of comfort ( ). Therefore, the psalmist asks God to comfort him through His lovingkindness. The word “comfort” in Hebrew means ‘to sigh deeply of relief’. Experiencing that lovingkindness – that is, the blessing and love of God on the basis of His covenant, which includes salvation – causes the psalmist to be relieved. Thereby he appeals to the word that God has spoken to him, the promise He made to him, His servant. He personally appropriates the covenant, which has become a promise by virtue of the blood of the new covenant. The psalmist clearly does not yet feel fully recovered from the affliction. This can be seen in his request to the LORD to let His compassion come to him ( ). He needs it. Everyone who is in miserable circumstances needs it. If he receives compassion, he will live, that is revive because he has new strength, because he has new life by virtue of the covenant. This is evident from the fact that the law of the LORD is his delight, his source of joy. For an unbeliever, the law is not a source of joy, because it condemns him. Then the psalmist asks if the LORD will stretch out His hand against the arrogant wicked ( ) and over the God-fearing ( ) and over the psalmist himself ( ). The arrogant have afflicted the righteous with lies ( ; cf. ). They have been able to do so under the permission of God, Who has His purpose in doing so. It does not mean that the arrogant have listened to God. On the contrary, they do not take God into account at all, but follow their own agenda. The righteous knows this and therefore asks God that He will make them ashamed. He can ask that question because he meditates on God’s precepts. As a result, he knows how God thinks about these oppressors. The arrogant with their big, lying mouths will be judged by God. As a result, the righteous also knows how to respond to these oppressors with their lies ( ). Their enmity cannot keep him from persevering in his trust in the LORD. The psalmist needs fellowship with those who fear God and know His testimonies ( ). He feels alone and now asks the LORD if those who fear Him will turn back to him. He wants to share with them his experiences. This is a remarkable desire of believers in all ages. Those who know God’s testimonies want to share them with those who also know them. We may take an example from the psalmist and pray that God will allow us to meet such people. In the New Testament we learn that the love between the Father and the Son is also in us. Love cannot be practiced by anyone alone. A believer always needs fellowship with other believers. The love of God is only perfected in us when we as believers love one another ( ). The psalmist prays that the LORD will let his heart be blameless in God’s statutes ( ), for he is surrounded by arrogant, hostile liars. He recognizes the deceitfulness of his heart and knows that only the LORD knows it ( ; ; ). A blameless heart – literally, a complete heart, that is, undivided – is essential in dealing with God. God looks for truth in the innermost being. If that is present, the believer will not be ashamed because he does not give sin a chance to enter his life. Then he will not be shamed in this life nor later, before the judgment seat of Christ ( ).

‏ Psalms 119:78

/yodh/ Made by God’s Hands

The tenth letter, yodh, with the numerical value ten, originally had the shape of a hand. The name of the letter is related to jad, the Hebrew word for hand. We know this word in the (Yiddish) Dutch verb ‘jatten’ which means ‘to steal – by hand’. The word jad also stands for the (pointer) stick used to read a Hebrew scroll. The letter yodh has to do with: work, power (right hand), responsibility (the number ten: ten commandments, ten fingers, ten wise and foolish virgins and so on).

The letter yodh is the smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet. About it the Lord Jesus says: “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke [Literally one iota (Hebrew: yodh) or one projection of a letter (serif)] shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Mt 5:18). The iota is the Greek counterpart of the Hebrew yodh.

The righteous acknowledges that he is made by the hands of God (Psa 119:73; Psa 139:13-16), just as God’s hands also made the universe (Isa 45:12). He thereby acknowledges that he is totally dependent on his Creator (cf. 1Pet 4:19). God made everything for the purpose of serving Him.

The psalmist’s question is whether the LORD, Who has made and fashioned him, will complete His work on him. “Made” refers to his forming, “fashioned” means put in the place where he is now. He then looks to the future and asks for understanding to meet God’s purpose with his life.

He has learned the lesson: He accepts the trouble and affliction from the hand of the LORD knowing that He wants to use it to form him. The suffering is like plowing the hard ground to make it ready for the seed of the Word (cf. Isa 28:23-29).

He is also dependent on his Creator for understanding God’s commandments, because his mind has been darkened by sin. God can give him this understanding and that is what he asks for. He says to God, as it were: ‘I have come into being through Your work; now will You complete Your work in me. I have now understood that affliction is necessary for this purpose’ (Psa 119:75; cf. Jn 15:2b). God’s commandments are the manual for his life, for the completion of God’s work in him.

Not everyone rejoices over the psalmist, but those who fear God do (Psa 119:74). They see the righteous and are glad because they see in his life that he, like them, has waited for God’s Word and that he, like them, has experienced that that waiting has not been in vain. Such a life is contagious. It makes others glad and gives them courage (cf. Mal 3:16; Phil 1:14). We see it in the encounter between Elizabeth and Mary (Lk 1:39-45).

The judgments of the LORD are righteous, both for the wicked and for the psalmist (Psa 119:75). For the wicked, they mean ruin. The psalmist knows that God’s judgments are always righteous, in accordance with His Word and His covenant. At the same time, these judgments are also part of God’s faithfulness, namely, to purify the psalmist and restore Israel. Through the tribulation, God works that the righteous place all hope of salvation in Him and condemn all unfaithfulness in themselves (cf. Rom 8:28).

Those who are afflicted are in need of comfort (Psa 119:76). Therefore, the psalmist asks God to comfort him through His lovingkindness. The word “comfort” in Hebrew means ‘to sigh deeply of relief’. Experiencing that lovingkindness – that is, the blessing and love of God on the basis of His covenant, which includes salvation – causes the psalmist to be relieved. Thereby he appeals to the word that God has spoken to him, the promise He made to him, His servant. He personally appropriates the covenant, which has become a promise by virtue of the blood of the new covenant.

The psalmist clearly does not yet feel fully recovered from the affliction. This can be seen in his request to the LORD to let His compassion come to him (Psa 119:77). He needs it. Everyone who is in miserable circumstances needs it. If he receives compassion, he will live, that is revive because he has new strength, because he has new life by virtue of the covenant. This is evident from the fact that the law of the LORD is his delight, his source of joy. For an unbeliever, the law is not a source of joy, because it condemns him.

Then the psalmist asks if the LORD will stretch out His hand against the arrogant wicked (Psa 119:78) and over the God-fearing (Psa 119:79) and over the psalmist himself (Psa 119:80). The arrogant have afflicted the righteous with lies (Psa 119:78; cf. Jn 15:25). They have been able to do so under the permission of God, Who has His purpose in doing so. It does not mean that the arrogant have listened to God. On the contrary, they do not take God into account at all, but follow their own agenda.

The righteous knows this and therefore asks God that He will make them ashamed. He can ask that question because he meditates on God’s precepts. As a result, he knows how God thinks about these oppressors. The arrogant with their big, lying mouths will be judged by God. As a result, the righteous also knows how to respond to these oppressors with their lies (1Pet 2:23). Their enmity cannot keep him from persevering in his trust in the LORD.

The psalmist needs fellowship with those who fear God and know His testimonies (Psa 119:79). He feels alone and now asks the LORD if those who fear Him will turn back to him. He wants to share with them his experiences. This is a remarkable desire of believers in all ages. Those who know God’s testimonies want to share them with those who also know them. We may take an example from the psalmist and pray that God will allow us to meet such people.

In the New Testament we learn that the love between the Father and the Son is also in us. Love cannot be practiced by anyone alone. A believer always needs fellowship with other believers. The love of God is only perfected in us when we as believers love one another (1Jn 4:12).

The psalmist prays that the LORD will let his heart be blameless in God’s statutes (Psa 119:80), for he is surrounded by arrogant, hostile liars. He recognizes the deceitfulness of his heart and knows that only the LORD knows it (Jer 17:9-10; 1Kgs 8:39; Psa 139:1b ; 23).

A blameless heart – literally, a complete heart, that is, undivided – is essential in dealing with God. God looks for truth in the innermost being. If that is present, the believer will not be ashamed because he does not give sin a chance to enter his life. Then he will not be shamed in this life nor later, before the judgment seat of Christ (2Cor 5:9-10).