Psa 119:93 | KingComments | STEP | The letter lamedh is a picture of a (shepherd’s) staff. For the shepherd, it is a stick with a curved end; for an ox shepherd, it is a stick with a sharp end, a goad (cf. ). They are both used to direct the animals. Lamedh is related to lamad , which means ‘to instruct’, ‘to teach’. The lamedh is the only letter that exceeds the upper limit of the other letters. This speaks of teaching from above. The shepherd teaches his sheep with the help of his staff. Our Shepherd is the heavenly Shepherd. The teaching of our heavenly Shepherd gives new life ( ; cf. ; ; ; ). It also gives steadfastness. The first three verses of this stanza ( ) are a thanksgiving and speak three times of standing firm. This also applies to us ( ). The Word of God is not a passing word. It is eternal ( ). For the Word is “settled in heaven”, that is, it is set there . It is heavenly in character. Never will man and the devil succeed in attacking it, for the Word is firmly established in heaven. Attempts to do so have been and are often made, but they have never succeeded and will never succeed. Every promise will be fulfilled to the letter ( ). The devil has tried to cast doubt on the Word at the Fall ( ) and at the temptation in the wilderness ( ). Man has also tried that by taking away from the Word of God – like the Sadducees – or by adding to it – like the Pharisees. In our day, we see the attempts to take away something from the Word in modern theology and the doctrine of evolution – the modern-day Sadducees – or add something to the Word in the teachings of men – the modern-day Pharisees. God’s faithfulness also never ends, but continues “throughout generations” ( ; cf. ). At issue here is the faithfulness of God toward creation. He proves this faithfulness to each generation as long as the earth, which was established by Him, stands. This is a great encouragement to each new generation. This is what each generation may pass on to the next. The faithfulness of God is visible in the unshakability of the earth, which was established by the Lord Jesus. The same faithfulness is visible with the Word of God. Heaven and earth will pass away, but the Word will always be fulfilled ( ). Our firmness is in the Lord Jesus, our Rock, for He is “the same yesterday and today and forever” ( ). The believer can see this by the heavens and the earth, which were created by God ( ). They were created according to His will ( ), and according to His ordinances they remain where He placed them to this day. And they are there as His servants, serving Him in the purpose for which He has made them in the place where He has placed them. This holds encouragement for us as members of the body of Christ, His church. We may serve Him and one another, for that is what He made us for with the talents He gave us. In the midst of all the misery, the law of the LORD has been the delight of the tried believer ( ). This is illustrated by the Lord in the parable of the sower. Tribulation and persecution reveal that a person’s heart can be shallow soil, in which the seed could not take root ( ). It is someone who does not rejoice in the Word and cannot withstand the affliction of tribulation and persecution. Because the law has been the delight of the righteous, he has not perished, but has stood firm in the affliction. The law, the torah , here has the meaning of ‘teaching from the Word of God’. Since Christ is the center of Scripture, of teaching ( ), He is actually the source of joy. The righteous who can be joyful while in affliction experiences the truth of the word: “The joy of the LORD is your strength” ( ). The righteous will “never forget” ( ) the precepts of the LORD, which are eternally established in heaven, as he said at the beginning of this stanza ( ). The reason is that he owes his life to this. The LORD made him alive by His precepts ( ). The words of Christ, the eternal Son of God, “are spirit and are life” ( ). The believer will never forget the origin of his new life. They are words that have given him life and at the same time keep him constantly alive. The righteous knows that he is the property of the LORD ( ). Therefore, He asks for salvation. He says to Him: “I am Yours.” Such an intimate statement is unique in Psalms. We encounter it especially in a situation of the greatest distress. This distress appears to have been caused by wicked people, namely the antichrist and his followers ( ; cf. ). David also testifies to his intimacy with the LORD when he says: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” ( ). It is precisely in the difficult moments that David experiences the most intimate moments. The psalmist reminds the LORD, as it were, that He therewith has also taken care of him. We are responsible to take good care of what belongs to us. We see that with God. Therefore, the righteous appeals to Him to deliver him. As an additional reason, he says that he has sought God’s precepts. This shows that he is truly God’s property and not just a natural descendant of Abraham. In affliction, the Word remains the psalmist’s delight ( ). By the same Word his heart was revived, he was born from above ( ) and received new life ( ). He has become the property of the LORD and therefore His servant ( ). This is the basis of his cry for help whether the LORD will deliver him in his great need. He asks for God’s intervention because wicked have lurched upon him to put him to death ( ). The reason for their murderousness is that he diligently considers the testimonies of the LORD and shows it in his life. That is why the wicked persecute the righteous. This started with Cain slaying Abel. It reached its absolute nadir in the mass of the Jewish people who cried out for the death of the Lord Jesus, a cry that was heeded by Pilate. In the near future it will be repeated in the persecution of the faithful remnant of Israel ( ). Everything made on earth has an expiration date ( ). It can be so perfect, but it will come to an end ( ). The psalmist has seen that end. His spiritual eyes have been opened to this reality. He has also seen that only the commandment of God is “exceedingly broad”, that it is boundless, it never comes to an end. The Word of God abides forever, as does he who does the will of God ( ; ).

‏ Psalms 119:93

/lamedh/ Teaching of the Shepherd

The letter lamedh is a picture of a (shepherd’s) staff. For the shepherd, it is a stick with a curved end; for an ox shepherd, it is a stick with a sharp end, a goad (cf. Acts 26:14). They are both used to direct the animals. Lamedh is related to lamad, which means ‘to instruct’, ‘to teach’.

The lamedh is the only letter that exceeds the upper limit of the other letters. This speaks of teaching from above. The shepherd teaches his sheep with the help of his staff. Our Shepherd is the heavenly Shepherd. The teaching of our heavenly Shepherd gives new life (Psa 119:93; cf. 1Pet 1:23; Jam 1:18; Jn 3:3 ; 5; Eze 36:26-27). It also gives steadfastness. The first three verses of this stanza (Psa 119:89-91) are a thanksgiving and speak three times of standing firm. This also applies to us (1Cor 15:58).

The Word of God is not a passing word. It is eternal (Psa 119:89). For the Word is “settled in heaven”, that is, it is set there. It is heavenly in character. Never will man and the devil succeed in attacking it, for the Word is firmly established in heaven. Attempts to do so have been and are often made, but they have never succeeded and will never succeed. Every promise will be fulfilled to the letter (Lk 21:33).

The devil has tried to cast doubt on the Word at the Fall (Gen 3:1) and at the temptation in the wilderness (Mt 4:1-11). Man has also tried that by taking away from the Word of God – like the Sadducees – or by adding to it – like the Pharisees. In our day, we see the attempts to take away something from the Word in modern theology and the doctrine of evolution – the modern-day Sadducees – or add something to the Word in the teachings of men – the modern-day Pharisees.

God’s faithfulness also never ends, but continues “throughout generations” (Psa 119:90; cf. Psa 90:1-2). At issue here is the faithfulness of God toward creation. He proves this faithfulness to each generation as long as the earth, which was established by Him, stands. This is a great encouragement to each new generation. This is what each generation may pass on to the next.

The faithfulness of God is visible in the unshakability of the earth, which was established by the Lord Jesus. The same faithfulness is visible with the Word of God. Heaven and earth will pass away, but the Word will always be fulfilled (Mt 5:18 ; Mt 24:35). Our firmness is in the Lord Jesus, our Rock, for He is “the same yesterday and today and forever” (Heb 13:8).

The believer can see this by the heavens and the earth, which were created by God (Psa 119:91). They were created according to His will (Rev 4:11), and according to His ordinances they remain where He placed them to this day. And they are there as His servants, serving Him in the purpose for which He has made them in the place where He has placed them. This holds encouragement for us as members of the body of Christ, His church. We may serve Him and one another, for that is what He made us for with the talents He gave us.

In the midst of all the misery, the law of the LORD has been the delight of the tried believer (Psa 119:92). This is illustrated by the Lord in the parable of the sower. Tribulation and persecution reveal that a person’s heart can be shallow soil, in which the seed could not take root (Mt 13:20-21). It is someone who does not rejoice in the Word and cannot withstand the affliction of tribulation and persecution.

Because the law has been the delight of the righteous, he has not perished, but has stood firm in the affliction. The law, the torah, here has the meaning of ‘teaching from the Word of God’. Since Christ is the center of Scripture, of teaching (Jn 5:39), He is actually the source of joy. The righteous who can be joyful while in affliction experiences the truth of the word: “The joy of the LORD is your strength” (Neh 8:10b).

The righteous will “never forget” (Psa 119:93) the precepts of the LORD, which are eternally established in heaven, as he said at the beginning of this stanza (Psa 119:89). The reason is that he owes his life to this. The LORD made him alive by His precepts (1Pet 1:23). The words of Christ, the eternal Son of God, “are spirit and are life” (Jn 6:63b ; 68). The believer will never forget the origin of his new life. They are words that have given him life and at the same time keep him constantly alive.

The righteous knows that he is the property of the LORD (Psa 119:94). Therefore, He asks for salvation. He says to Him: “I am Yours.” Such an intimate statement is unique in Psalms. We encounter it especially in a situation of the greatest distress. This distress appears to have been caused by wicked people, namely the antichrist and his followers (Psa 119:95; cf. Rev 13:7).

David also testifies to his intimacy with the LORD when he says: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Psa 23:4). It is precisely in the difficult moments that David experiences the most intimate moments.

The psalmist reminds the LORD, as it were, that He therewith has also taken care of him. We are responsible to take good care of what belongs to us. We see that with God. Therefore, the righteous appeals to Him to deliver him. As an additional reason, he says that he has sought God’s precepts. This shows that he is truly God’s property and not just a natural descendant of Abraham.

In affliction, the Word remains the psalmist’s delight (Psa 119:92). By the same Word his heart was revived, he was born from above (Jn 3:3) and received new life (Psa 119:93). He has become the property of the LORD and therefore His servant (Psa 119:94). This is the basis of his cry for help whether the LORD will deliver him in his great need.

He asks for God’s intervention because wicked have lurched upon him to put him to death (Psa 119:95). The reason for their murderousness is that he diligently considers the testimonies of the LORD and shows it in his life. That is why the wicked persecute the righteous. This started with Cain slaying Abel. It reached its absolute nadir in the mass of the Jewish people who cried out for the death of the Lord Jesus, a cry that was heeded by Pilate. In the near future it will be repeated in the persecution of the faithful remnant of Israel (Rev 12:17).

Everything made on earth has an expiration date (Psa 119:96). It can be so perfect, but it will come to an end (2Pet 3:10 ; 12). The psalmist has seen that end. His spiritual eyes have been opened to this reality. He has also seen that only the commandment of God is “exceedingly broad”, that it is boundless, it never comes to an end. The Word of God abides forever, as does he who does the will of God (1Pet 1:25; 1Jn 2:17).