Embrace the Word for Friday, October 30, 2026

FOR AN AUDIO VERSION CLICK HERE

Psalm 119 is a celebration of God’s Word. Psalm 119:137-144 continues the exploration of the “blessed” life. Each verse in this eighteenth stanza begins with the eighteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet (which is tsadhe). The seventeenth and eighteenth stanzas share terms and concepts, as the term “understanding” is used in each stanza (119:130,144), as well as the matter of concern for the LORD’s honor (119:136,139). The seventeenth stanza centers on the term “righteous” as it is the first word of the first and last verse in this stanza (119:137,144). In fact, five terms that come from the root word for “righteous” are used throughout the seventeenth stanza (119:137,138,142[twice],144) along with overlapping terms for “righteous” there are terms such as “right” (119:37), “faithfulness” (119:138), and “true” (119:142). In the first sub-stanza of the seventeenth stanza, the Psalmist declares and celebrates the righteous Word of the LORD (119:137-140), while in the second sub-stanza, he depends upon and commits to the LORD’s righteous Word (119:141-144). In the first sub-stanza the Psalmist says that the LORD “is righteous” (119:137), but in the second sub-stanza, he says of himself, “I am small and despised” (119:141).

The Psalmist opens Psalm 119:137-144 with a declaration, not only concerning the LORD, but also His Word: “Righteous are you, O LORD, and right are your rules” (119:137). That which is true of the LORD is also true of His Word. The LORD is righteous, therefore, it should come as no great surprise that the Words that the LORD speaks are also righteous. The Words of the LORD—His promises, His commands, His warnings, His rebukes, His declarations, etc.—are all simply congruent with His character. It is important to highlight the Psalmist’s opening point, for sometimes it is thought that the character of the LORD and the character of His Word can differ. While there certainly is a distinction between the LORD and what He says in His Word, the Scriptures nowhere indicate that the essential qualities of the LORD and His Word are distinguishable. The LORD and His Word share the quality of righteousness. The LORD is only and always morally just and right. In fact, He is the standard of righteousness. All that He does is just and right, and His every Word is a true expression of justice and righteousness: “You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness” (119:138). The Psalmist is celebrating that since the LORD and His Word are righteous, he can rest his life on this true and dependable Word.

Since the LORD, and by inseparable connection, His Word is reliable, the Psalmist is jealous: “My zeal consumes me, because my foes forget your words” (119:139). Terms such as zeal or jealousy can sometimes reflect negative qualities, but here they are positive qualities. Zeal or jealousy correspond to what one loves. When such love is disordered; the zeal or jealousy is distorted. The Apostle Paul spoke of a “divine jealousy” (See 2 Corinthians 11:2). The LORD Himself said He was a “jealous God” (See Exodus 20:5). The Psalmist is intensely passionate—he feels a great turmoil within—and it pertains to his love for the honor of the LORD. The Psalmist could not just stand by complacently as God’s Word was forgotten. It was not simply that people have a lapse of memory, but that they were morally suppressing it in their hearts so as to not live by it and obey it. That the precious Word of God was being disregarded caused the Psalmist great torment. Such torment is tethered to the fact that the Psalmist has an immense love for the Word: “Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it” (119:140). The Psalmist’s love for the Word of God stems from the fact that it is pure truth—there are no impurities or errors to be found in the Word. The Psalmist has trusted in the Word and always found it to hold firm, proven to be good and true, even in the severest of affliction.

The Psalmist transitions from his declaration and celebration of the righteous Word of God (119:137-140), to his dependance on and commitment to God’s righteous Word (119:141-144). The Psalmist opens this second sub-stanza with a statement about himself that is probably, in part, how his foes regard him: “I am small and despised, yet I do not forget your precepts” (119:141). The Psalmist realizes that his foes regard him as insignificant and thus easy to dismiss. The Psalmist, with his “foolish” views concerning God’s Word, is a nobody in the eyes of the world. This is still the posture of the world: “For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth” (See 1 Corinthians 1:26). While his foes forgot the Word of God (119:139), he would not, indeed, he cannot, for they are too precious to him. Thus, while the Psalmist’s foes would charge that he lacks prestige, might, or smarts, he knows that his future is secure: “Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true” (119:142). The Psalmist’s allegiance is unmoved, for he has great confidence in the surety of God’s Word. The Word of God, as is true of God Himself is a “righteousness” that “is righteous.” This interesting statement is perhaps attempting to be emphatically emphatic as the Psalmist is stating that the LORD’s righteousness is as righteous as righteousness can be. Like everything else that is true about the LORD, His righteousness is infinitely and eternally righteous. Nothing and no one will ever change or successfully challenge the truth concerning God’s righteousness.

It is in the context of the reliability and dependability of the LORD’s righteousness, that the Psalmist acknowledges that he still faces difficulties and distress: “Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight” (119:143). The term “trouble” is actually the same term for “foes.” While the Psalmist does not specify the exact nature of his troubles, he does allude to his troublers. The Psalmist’s foes have created some sort of trouble or difficulty for him. Such trouble or difficulty describes whatever episode or event that has previously been described as “oppression” (119:121-122) and “scorn” (119:43,51), not to mention the manufacture of lies (119:69,78) as well as plots to destroy (119:85,95,110). The Psalmist not only faced some sort of devastating situation; but it has also stirred a deep inner distress. In spite of whatever troubled event and its related experience of anguish, the Psalmist identifies what will sustain him. The Psalmist is driven to persevere because of the delight he has found in the Word of God. The Psalmist faces great trauma, but he also feels great delight, for he has turned to the Word and is cultivating a focus on what is good, and true, and beautiful: “whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” (See Philippians 4:8). The Psalmist has committed himself to the LORD and His Word, for his convictions have been shaped by the righteousness of the God who provided a righteous Word: “Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live” (119:144). Such commitments and convictions are formed through the Spirit’s illuminating work. The Psalmist recognizes the need for such formation as he pleas “give me understanding.” Trouble and anguish may not immediately subside. It is not wrong to pray for relief, but it is always good to pray for the LORD to give understanding. 

As we reflect on Psalm 119:137-144, we can consider an autobiographical passage from the Apostle Paul’s life. The Apostle Paul knew a lot about troubles in his calling as an Apostle: “but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything” (See 2 Corinthians 6:4-10). The Apostle Paul was zealous for God’s Word to go forth wherever the Lord Jesus Christ sent him to proclaim the Gospel. But such a zeal to faithfully carry out his calling, landed the Apostle Paul in many troubles and difficulties—in many severe troubles and difficulties. These difficulties and troubles brought on much inner anguish and distress. Paul disclosed that he faced sorrow. Yet he also confessed that he always rejoiced. The Apostle Paul was not ultimately shaped by either his troubles or anguish; he was shaped by, “your commandments are my delight” (119:143). And since God’s commandments are righteous, the Apostle’s delight in God’s righteous Word armed him to face his difficulties and distresses with righteousness: “with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left.”

That’s all for Embrace the Word for Friday, October 30, 2026. I look forward to being back with you for the Monday, November 2, 2026 episode of Embrace the Word as we take a look at Psalm 119:145-152.