Psa 119:155 | KingComments | STEP | The letter resh has the pictogram of a bowed head and is related to the word ‘see’ ( ) and the word ‘head’ (the sum or the beginning, ). In this resh stanza, a court case, as it were, is held ( ) and we hear 1. the psalmist’s prayer in his affliction ( ), 2. with his request to live ( ), 3. the description of his enemies ( ), 4. with another request to live ( ), 5. and as a final conclusion his confidence that the words and covenant of the LORD are truth ( ). As a reason for looking upon his affliction or tribulation and being rescued from it, the psalmist argues that he does not forget God’s law ( ). The psalmist is in need of a comforter, someone who would stand by him in his trial, someone who would show compassion in his affliction. The Lord Jesus says: “And I looked for sympathy, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none” ( ). The psalmist shows by his question that he is counting on God to look upon his affliction and to rescue him. He derives this certainty from the promise of the LORD in His covenant. There he got to know Him as a caring God, Who looks after His own in mercy, even when they are in affliction. The righteous is being sued, there are serious charges, all of which are false ( ). He can boldly ask God to take his trial and stand up for him. Then he will be redeemed and go free (cf. ). He will get his life back, which is consistent with God’s promise that He gives life on earth to those who turn to Him. He does this on the basis of His covenant. “Salvation is far from the wicked” ( ). The cause of this is not with God, but with themselves. For they do not seek God’s statutes. This is a great contrast with the psalmist and the faithful remnant, who do. Those who ignore God’s Word will never enter the realm of peace. ‘Not seeking’ means having no desire for it. They do not want to engage in God’s Word. The wicked here are the Israelites who have rejected the covenant of the LORD and have become followers of the antichrist. They are the persecutors of the believing remnant. The righteous, on the other hand, sees that the mercies of the LORD are great ( ). He has experienced this in his life ( ). Now that he is in affliction, he appeals to it again. He wants to live to the glory of God. Therefore, he asks that God revives him according to His ordinances. He knows that life with God is firmly tied to what God’s Word says. Without the Word there is no life. The Word is life ( ). The pressure on the righteous is great ( ). He is not persecuted and opposed by just a few, but his “persecutors and adversaries” are “many”. It is terrible to be persecuted and opposed. When that also happens en masse, it is a very great trial. In the end time, the mass of the Israelites will accept and follow the antichrist ( ). Therefore, two-thirds of the people will also be exterminated by Assyria ( ). Despite the fact that the apostate crowd is against him, the righteous says that he does not turn aside from God’s testimonies. He remains with the Lord with a resolute heart (cf. ). He experiences: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all” ( ). The psalmist has his eyes open to what is happening around him. He also beholds “the treacherous” ( ). They act treacherously – this word also means: deceitfully, apostate – toward the covenant of the LORD. That causes loathe in him. That loathe comes to him not because of the treacherous acting against him, but because they do not keep God’s Word. Being treacherous is abominable, and all the more so when the word of God is known, but one does not keep it. We can think of treacherousness in a marriage. In Jeremiah 2, treacherousness in marriage is compared to unfaithfulness to the covenant with the LORD ( ). The word “love” in Jeremiah 2:2 is the word for faithfulness to the covenant. Marriage is also seen as a covenant ( ). Dealing treacherously in the marriage covenant was and is – even today – probably the most heinous form of treacherousness in the sphere of human relationships. The psalmist wants to live because life is promised in the covenant if he loves God’s precepts ( ). He chooses life ( ). His desire for life comes from love for God’s precepts. This states that life is promised to those who love God’s Word. He appeals to God’s lovingkindness for this purpose. The last verse of this stanza is about the sum of the Word and that it is everlasting ( ). The God-fearing declares that the sum of God’s Word is “truth”. The Hebrew word “sum” also means “head”. It means that the whole and the main point of the Word is truth, the Word is trustworthy (cf. ; ; ). It is about the whole of God’s Word. The Word, the covenant, with all the righteous ordinances it contains, has no end, it “is everlasting”.

‏ Psalms 119:155

/resh/ The Main Point

The letter resh has the pictogram of a bowed head and is related to the word ‘see’ (Psa 119:153 ; 158 ; 159) and the word ‘head’ (the sum or the beginning, Psa 119:160). In this resh stanza, a court case, as it were, is held (Psa 119:154) and we hear

1. the psalmist’s prayer in his affliction (Psa 119:153),

2. with his request to live (Psa 119:154),

3. the description of his enemies (Psa 119:155-158),

4. with another request to live (Psa 119:159),

5. and as a final conclusion his confidence that the words and covenant of the LORD are truth (Psa 119:160).

As a reason for looking upon his affliction or tribulation and being rescued from it, the psalmist argues that he does not forget God’s law (Psa 119:153). The psalmist is in need of a comforter, someone who would stand by him in his trial, someone who would show compassion in his affliction. The Lord Jesus says: “And I looked for sympathy, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none” (Psa 69:20).

The psalmist shows by his question that he is counting on God to look upon his affliction and to rescue him. He derives this certainty from the promise of the LORD in His covenant. There he got to know Him as a caring God, Who looks after His own in mercy, even when they are in affliction.

The righteous is being sued, there are serious charges, all of which are false (Psa 119:154). He can boldly ask God to take his trial and stand up for him. Then he will be redeemed and go free (cf. Heb 7:25). He will get his life back, which is consistent with God’s promise that He gives life on earth to those who turn to Him. He does this on the basis of His covenant.

“Salvation is far from the wicked” (Psa 119:155). The cause of this is not with God, but with themselves. For they do not seek God’s statutes. This is a great contrast with the psalmist and the faithful remnant, who do. Those who ignore God’s Word will never enter the realm of peace. ‘Not seeking’ means having no desire for it. They do not want to engage in God’s Word. The wicked here are the Israelites who have rejected the covenant of the LORD and have become followers of the antichrist. They are the persecutors of the believing remnant.

The righteous, on the other hand, sees that the mercies of the LORD are great (Psa 119:156). He has experienced this in his life (Lam 3:22-23). Now that he is in affliction, he appeals to it again. He wants to live to the glory of God. Therefore, he asks that God revives him according to His ordinances. He knows that life with God is firmly tied to what God’s Word says. Without the Word there is no life. The Word is life (Deu 32:47a).

The pressure on the righteous is great (Psa 119:157). He is not persecuted and opposed by just a few, but his “persecutors and adversaries” are “many”. It is terrible to be persecuted and opposed. When that also happens en masse, it is a very great trial. In the end time, the mass of the Israelites will accept and follow the antichrist (Jn 5:43b). Therefore, two-thirds of the people will also be exterminated by Assyria (Zec 13:8).

Despite the fact that the apostate crowd is against him, the righteous says that he does not turn aside from God’s testimonies. He remains with the Lord with a resolute heart (cf. Acts 11:23). He experiences: “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all” (Psa 34:19).

The psalmist has his eyes open to what is happening around him. He also beholds “the treacherous” (Psa 119:158). They act treacherously – this word also means: deceitfully, apostate – toward the covenant of the LORD. That causes loathe in him. That loathe comes to him not because of the treacherous acting against him, but because they do not keep God’s Word. Being treacherous is abominable, and all the more so when the word of God is known, but one does not keep it.

We can think of treacherousness in a marriage. In Jeremiah 2, treacherousness in marriage is compared to unfaithfulness to the covenant with the LORD (Jer 2:2). The word “love” in Jeremiah 2:2 is the word for faithfulness to the covenant. Marriage is also seen as a covenant (Mal 2:14). Dealing treacherously in the marriage covenant was and is – even today – probably the most heinous form of treacherousness in the sphere of human relationships.

The psalmist wants to live because life is promised in the covenant if he loves God’s precepts (Psa 119:159). He chooses life (Deu 30:19). His desire for life comes from love for God’s precepts. This states that life is promised to those who love God’s Word. He appeals to God’s lovingkindness for this purpose.

The last verse of this stanza is about the sum of the Word and that it is everlasting (Psa 119:160). The God-fearing declares that the sum of God’s Word is “truth”. The Hebrew word “sum” also means “head”. It means that the whole and the main point of the Word is truth, the Word is trustworthy (cf. 1Tim 1:15 ; 1Tim 3:1 ; 1Tim 4:9; 2Tim 2:11; Tit 3:8). It is about the whole of God’s Word. The Word, the covenant, with all the righteous ordinances it contains, has no end, it “is everlasting”.