Exploring Psalm 119 from a scientist’s perspective: Daleth 

 Peter Gray-Read BSc MSc

We have seen – in Aleph, the double blessing of the undefiled in the way and for those who whole heartedly seek Yahweh. In Beth we have been the illuminated by the word that Yahweh teaches us.  In Gimel we recognise that we need our eyes opened to see Him.  As believers we also recognise that even though we have the wonderful privilege of being ‘sons of God’ we need the servant heart seen in Gimel as embodied in the life of Yeshua
 
Daleth may be interpreted from the viewpoint of different believers struggling for one or other reason: the teenage believer – honestly expressing the frustrations, mood swings, resolutions, aspirations and hopes of youth or young in faith.  Or an older believer struggling with the limitations and influences of ‘the flesh’.  He or she honestly declares to God their condition, their current walk and know they need to move on, to make changes.  He or she has the wisdom and the courage to ask God to teach them – a prayer that was wonderfully answered.  Teaching was / is one of ministries that Yeshua was specially noted for and is continued by the Ruach Hakodesh – the Holy Spirit today 
 

 In this stanza we start off cleaving to the dust and end with running 

What a transformation!

 It turns on the wonderful prayer / New Testament revelation of verse 29’ …grant me thy LAW GRACIOUSLY’.  How often do we see those words together in the Old Covenant?

²⁵ My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word

David was at a very low ebb, his soul cleaved to the dust, the material substance he could touch, the immediate at hand – the physical.  That was the wrong thing to cling to.  Our soul needs to look beyond – lift up your eyes - to its maker.  We need that vision to inspire.  That’s why David prays ‘quicken thou me according to thy word’.  God breathed into Adam.  We need God to revive us – to quicken us. We need to cleave to Him

Our body started off as dust.  His hands fashioned us a wonderful tabernacle to dwell in – we are fearfully and wonderfully made.  However our soul is non-physical it is not solid, liquid or gas – but is somehow affected by the actions of our body

Neither is our ‘spirit’  a state of matter.  It resides in the body and affects our soul through what we feed it.  The writer is asking for Yahweh to ‘quicken’ – refresh, renew, energise him – body, soul and spirit.  Jewish thought was more holistic, it saw man as more of a unity.  Both needing to be revived

²⁶ I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes

There are various ‘ways’ in the scripture but here we have ‘my ways’ and God’s ways. It is important to look at the way we are living and how effective are ‘our ways’.  When our ways and God’s ways come into agreement then we can flow.  Yes God’s ways are higher than our ways that’s why we have to constantly look up 

²⁷ Make me to understand the way of thy precepts:  so shall I talk of thy wondrous works

We get great encouragement from sharing together… what God has done.  Whether in our personal circumstances or a discovery in science or creation.  God even delights in us rehearsing His mighty acts

Then they that feared the LORD spoke often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. Malachi 3:16

²⁸ My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word

Powerful imagery!  How can you soul melt?  He is touched by our infirmities.  Hebrews 4:15

It reminds me of one – in a garden - who said   ‘…Now is my soul troubled, and what shall I say? John 12:27.  There are several prophetic passages in the psalms and this one is no exception.  It was ‘the word’ that strengthened Yeshua to fulfil the ‘word’.  The cross was heavy and the sins of the world, including my sins heavier

²⁹ Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously

What a verse!  Law and grace… by his grace the Law has been kept for us; for me.  SO shall I keep thy law continually.  Unbroken communion with Yahweh. What a privilege.  We have to offer our bodies in ‘reasonable service’. Adam was tempted and chose to follow a lie; that ‘way’ has been removed and we can walk in liberty. Thank you Father

³⁰ I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me

David has made the right choice.  God’s judgements are a guide to learn from and instruct us, we must have them before us – not in a closed book but in our heart and as a light before our eyes to walk by.  He is the way, the truth and the life

³¹ I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O Lord, put me not to shame

How do we ‘stick unto thy testimonies’? 

Communion is His testimony – remembering Him in the bread and the wine 
His suffering on the cross is His testimony
The Resurrection in accordance with the scriptures… is His testimony 
The coming of the Holy Spirit is His testimony
His work in our lives is His testimony 
My healing and my family’s healing is His testimony 
My work is His testimony
What is yours? 

I must have your testimony Yahweh…put me not to shame

I am not ashamed of the gospel it is the power of God unto salvation

³² I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart

God’s ‘heart’ offers love to His enemies as well as His friends.  Enlarging involves changing… will we let the LORD change us? 

Red Rum, the greatest racehorse ever, had one of the largest hearts they had seen in a horse

We cannot run His race …and win; with our old heart. It is not big enough

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