Jod

God’s Word Provides a Foundation

Psalm 119:73-80

Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.

They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.

I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.

Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.

Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.

Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies.

Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.

This stanza is the yod stanza, the Hebrew letter our Lord referred to in Matthew 5:18: “For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” The word “jot” is the Greet iota, which refers to the Hebrew letter yod, the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet. So, our Lord is saying that not even the smallest letter of God’s Word will pass away until all of It is fulfilled.

But while yod is the smallest letter of the alphabet, it is certainly not trivial. In this stanza, it serves to provide a foundation by telling us Who God is and how we relate to Who He is. As mentioned back in our study of verse 54-56, many of the problems we see in Christianity today stem from the fact that we simply don’t know Who God is. The passage before us provides us more of that knowledge. We see here three major thoughts of Who God is: our Creator, Comforter, and Collaborator.

I. Our Creator (vs. 73-75)

Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.

They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.

I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

As the Creator, God motivates three attitudes in us.

Recognition (v. 73)

Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.

This crucially important verse declares the Psalmist’s recognition that God created him. The Hebrew behind made ('asāh) means “to do, to make, to accomplish, to complete.” Even more significant, however, is the Hebrew word translated fashioned (kūn), which has a wide range of meaning. Among others, it signifies the action of setting in place or erecting an object (Is. 40:20; Mic. 4:1), establishing a royal dynasty (2 Sam 7:13; 1 Chron. 17:12), founding a city (Hab. 2:12), and creating the natural order (Deut. 32:6; Ps. 8:3; Prov. 8:27). Psalm 8:3-4 especially captures our attention:

When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained [kūn]; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Oh, when we realize Who God is, what picture does that paint of man in his sin and wickedness? Why would God have any thought of such a creature? Shakespeare’s view of man was greatly positive:

What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals![1]

All of that can be true, however, only because God is the Creator of man’s potential, a potential that can only be realized through salvation in Christ.

Oh, how vital it is, therefore, that Christians recognize God as Sole Creator! While that seems basic and even unnecessary to mention, it demands our attention. Theistic evolution, giving credence to the ridiculous and falsified so-called “geologic column,” and other compromises are common. It is absolutely essential that the Christian make no concession with such views in even the slightest way. Recognizing God as Sole Creator is the footer and foundation of all else.

Beyond tragic is the tendency of a growing number of evangelicals today who compromise on Genesis 1-3 by trying to harmonize the creation account with naturalistic evolution. Untold damage is done by even the slightest such concession. Even the smallest single conciliation with it, in fact, obliterates the creation account and destroys the very foundation of the entire Bible. It is truly puzzling that evangelicals can champion biblical inerrancy and authority but turn right around and allow themselves to be intimidated and bullied into denying that by pseudo-intellectuals touting junk science and blatant lies.

On the other hand, other Christians go to the opposite extreme and insist that we must “meet the evolutionist on his own ground and prove creationism with scientific evidence.” Operating under the same false assumption as the evolutionist—namely, that science can discover Truth—they argue using scientific “laws” that are themselves untrue and improvable. The problem here is that they are defending the wrong thing. Instead of defending, “Thus saith the Lord,” they are defending, “Thus saith science.” I would submit further, that while they think they are evangelizing (which is, of course, commendable), they are actually destroying evangelism. Why? Because evangelism, which comes from euaggelizō, and is also translated “Gospel,” means “to proclaim good news.” Is some improvable scientific theory the good news? No! God and what He has done through Jesus Christ is the good news. Is evangelism the proclamation of proofs? No! It’s the proclamation of Truth and nothing but the Truth. God’s command to us is to proclaim the Truth, and He will do the rest.

In contrast, I prefer the approach of historian Thomas Carlyle. He was once at a meeting of learned men in which the problem of man’s descent was being discussed, and was asked to give his opinion. Here was his wonderful reply: “Gentlemen, you place man a little higher than the tadpole. I hold with the ancient singer: ‘Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels’ (Psalm 8:6).”[2] Discussion over! Let us not debate the issue, rather simply declare the Truth.

So important is this that David repeats something that he mentioned back in verse 34: Give me understanding. He first mentions this principle back in verse 27: “Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.” The Hebrew word in all these verses (bîn) means “to perceive, to observe, to pay attention to, to be intelligent, to be discreet, to understand and to discern.” The discerning of Truth from error is one of the most neglected principles of Scripture in our day, despite the fact that it is emphasized repeatedly in Scripture.

Rejoicing (v. 74)

They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.

Here is a most challenging verse. Think of it! People were glad to see the Psalmist; just his walking in the door cheered and encouraged them. How about us? Do we spread gladness or gloom? Do we walk about with a scowl or a smile? Do we encourage others or discourage them? And what causes such cheer? Our hope in God’s Word. If it drives us in every area of life, we will, indeed, bring cheer to other believers.

Reliance (v. 75)

I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

While some commentators view the affliction here as chastening for sin, that seems to be assumption only. While that will be true at times, affliction does not come only because of sin. God always has our best interest in mind and sometimes brings affliction simply to mold our character. One of the meanings of the Hebrew for afflicted ('anāh), in fact, is “to be humbled.” What did Paul learn, for example, when upon asking God three times to take away his “thorn in the flesh”—and whatever physical infirmity it was we do not know—God responded with no? He learned not to be “exalted above measure” that is, to be humble) and that God’s “grace is sufficient” (II Cor. 12:7-9). As commentator Albert Barnes, therefore, writes:

It was because God saw that there was some good reason why it should be done; that there was some evil to be checked; some improper conduct to be corrected; some lesson which he would be the better for learning; some happy influence on his life here, and on his happiness in heaven, which would be more than a compensation for all that he would suffer.

And through it all, we can trust the Lord because His judgments are right. Whatever God does in our life, it right.

II. Our Comforter (vs. 76-77)

Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.

Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.

One of the greatest blessings of being a child of God is the comfort He gives. In ancient times, could a person find comfort in Baal worship, which demanded human sacrifice to appease him? Is there today comfort in any religion, such as Islam or Jehovah’s Witness, that says that if we do enough works we will go to heaven, not knowing how many works are enough? Is there any comfort in a religion, such as Hinduism, that tells people that they will be reincarnated as many times as it takes to rid them of their sin? Is there any comfort in Roman Catholicism, which tells its followers that untold thousands of years in Purgatory awaits them after death where the remainder of their sins will be burned off?

Let us mediate a moment, therefore, on the comfort we have in the thoughtful, truthful, and tender God we serve.

He is Thoughtful (v. 76a)

Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort,

Here is a verse that explains Titus 3:5: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.” Works bring no comfort whatsoever. Only mercy can bring comfort. Merciful kindness is the Hebrew hesed, which as we noted back in verse 41 and speaks of kindness, loving-kindness, mercy, goodness, faithfulness, love, and acts of kindness. Our thoughtful God shows mercy to those love Him and keep His commandments. Only those who come to the Merciful God by the merits of Jesus Christ can find comfort. Spurgeon well says here:

The words “merciful kindness,” are a happy combination, and express exactly what we need in affliction: mercy to forgive the sin, and kindness to sustain under the sorrow.

We can never know comfort apart from the thoughtful mercy of God.

He is Truthful (v. 76b)

according to thy word unto thy servant.

Should not the driving force of the believer’s life be the desire for truth? Why? Because is it not comforting to know that God is always truthful? As we have noted before, there are two Hebrew words translated as word in this Psalm. The one used here is ‘imrāh, a rare poetic word that appears more in this Psalm than everywhere else combined and emphasizes not just a concept or thought but the very words of God. We live in a day when “words are cheap” and are said with no thought of their meaning or implications. Promises are made by politicians, advertisers, and even professing Christian teachers, but how often are they kept? In contrast, each and every word that God speaks is true and every promise He makes will be fulfilled.

He is Tender (v. 77)

Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.

Tender mercies translates a different Hebrew word than does “mercies” in verse 41 or “merciful kindness” in verse 76. The word here is racham, which literally refers to the physical womb of a woman, as the Old Testament authors thought of the womb or bowels as the seat of warm and tender emotions. Again, one finds no tenderness, much less hope (v. 74), in false gods, rather only in the one True God.

It is for that reason that David then says, for thy law is my delight. This is the sixth of seven instances of the word delight in this Psalm [3] (see verse 35b for an explanation of the various Hebrew words). When we take the time to truly think of God’s tender mercies, we will most certainly delight in His Word. As noted back in verse 35b, only those who delight in God’s commands truly love Him.

III. Our Collaborator (vs. 78-80)

Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.

Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies.

Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.

In the final three verses of this stanza, God comes to our aid against the enemy. Let us note three principles.

The Perversion of the World (v. 78)

Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.

“If God be for us,” the Apostle Paul wrote, “who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31). As that verse and its context demonstrate, nothing can separate the believer from God’s love or overcome us in our experience. But that certainly doesn’t keep the enemy from trying, does it?

The words dealt perversely translate a single word in the Hebrew (āwat), a verb that means “to be bent or crooked and to subvert or pervert.” The phrase without a cause is likewise a single word (sheqer) that also means a lie. Putting it all together, then, the enemies of God and His people will bend what we say, twist our words, pervert our intentions, and outright lie about us to further themselves and subvert the Truth.

Why do they do such things? What is the real driving force behind the deal perversely? For example, what motivates that ungodly university professor who mocks a young Christian in front of the whole class and tries to make him or her look like imbecile for believing the Bible? What makes the political liberal in America mock Christians who stand for basic, moral family values and try to pain such Christians as homophobes?

Why? Because they are proud. A principle that is woven into the very fabric of Scripture is that pride is at the root of all sin. Pride is what keeps people lost as they trust only in themselves, in their own intellect, experience, or education. There are several Hebrew words translated proud in the Old Testament. The one used here is zēd, which appears some thirteen times, most often in the Psalms. Its basic idea is “pride and a sense of self-importance, which often is exaggerated to include defiance and even rebelliousness.”[4] Jeremiah 50:31-32 is especially graphic on God’s attitude toward pride:

Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord GOD of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee. And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him.

Further, out of the forty-nine occurrences of the word “pride” and the forty-eight occurrences of the word “proud” in Scripture (AV), not a single one is used in a positive way. NEVER is pride tolerated, much less praised, as it is today. In a day when pride is cloaked with high-sounding terms such as “self-esteem” and “positive pride,” we do well to remind ourselves where pride will take us. As it was the ancient sin of Satan before his fall and was the sin that brought him down to hell (Is. 14:12-15; cf. 1 Timothy 3:6), so it is that “pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall” (Prov. 16:18).

What, then, will keep us humble? [Meditating] in [God’s] precepts. As mentioned back in verse 15, we can define mediation as quiet and concentrated thought. We should quietly ponder the Word of God, mull it over in our minds. When we do that, pride will evaporate because there will be no room for it in our thinking. God’s Word humbles us as nothing else can.

The Partnership of Believers (v. 79)

Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies.

Here is a challenge to every believer that none of us are in this thing alone. The Psalmist, however, did feel alone at this point. Like Paul, who had been abandoned by everyone (II Tim. 1:15; 4:16), David feels deserted. He, therefore, solicits the help of other believers, others who are committed to God’s testimonies, that is, the sober and serious expressions of God’s standards for human behavior. As noted back in verse 63, he wanted to be the “companion of all them that fear [God], and of them that keep [His] precepts.”

How important this is! It is, as Puritan Charles Bridges observed, “painful therefore to see Christians often walking aloof from each other, and suffering coldness, distance, differences, and distrust to divide them form their brethren.”[5] One of the most essential elements of a healthy church is unity and the encouragement that Christians are for each other. The great fourth century expositor Chrysostom exclaimed, “The Church was a little heaven.”[6] Let us each ask ourselves, “Do I contribute to making my local church a little heaven on earth?”

The Perfection of the Word (v. 80)

Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.

The key word here is sound (tāmiym), which means blameless or complete. Interestingly, “in over half of its occurrences, it describes an animal to be sacrificed to the Lord, whether a ram, a bull, or a lamb.”[7] So, as the Word of God itself is spotless and perfect, we are to seek such blamelessness in our living by obeying His statutes, that is, His decrees that are permanently engraved in stone. One expositor well sums up this soundness that David desired:

A sound heart throbs in unison with the moral laws of the universe. Those laws are the laws of benevolence and truth. A sound heart is a united heart. It has no fissures, no rents, no distractions; it is one whole. A sound heart is a strong heart. It does not sink under trial, or quail under danger.[8]

Indeed, when that is our desire, we will not be ashamed. When the Word of God is “etched in stone” in our hearts, we will never have cause to be ashamed.

Dear Christian, do you know who God is? As your Creator, He shaped you, as your Comforter, He soothes you, and as your Collaborator, he supports you.

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