Psalm 119:81-88

KAPH

Help me!
~ Ps. 119:86

Don't you wish we could just "push a button" and help would arrive - our unpleasant, unwanted problem or circumstances would vanish!  

Charles Spurgeon notes:

that this portion of the gigantic psalm sees the Psalmist in grave, extreme circumstances.  His enemies have brought him to the lowest condition of anguish and depression; yet he is faithful to the law and trustful in his God. This octave is the midnight of the psalm, and very dark and black it is. Stars, however, shine out, and the last verse gives promise of the dawn.

In these verses, the psalmist is lamenting - how long will God wait to vindicate His servant??  Have you experienced a time in your life when you've had to wait on God - longer than you wanted to?  Maybe you are in that spiritual "holding pattern" right now  . . . you feel like you are just circling, circling . . . waiting to finally land.  May we cry out with David - "Revive me according to your lovingkindness!"  ~ Ps. 119:88

Recall the Old Testament account of how the Israelites roused God's anger towards them when they complained or "murmured" about having just manna to eat, which was in itself an incredible blessing & provision of the Lord.  Their attitudes were sinful - that is not what is heard in David's lament here in these verses.  Thomas Manton notes:

Let us complain not of God, but to God. Complaints of God give a vent to murmuring; but complaints to God, to faith, hope, and patience.

Even though David is weary, we hear the faith and hope in his words!  Spurgeon offers these observations below to the question in verse 82:  When will You comfort me?  When you are struggling to find God's comfort, perhaps your search can be found in one of these answers:

• When your grief has answered its purpose
• When you believe
• When you leave sin
• When you obey
• When you submit to My will
• When you seek My glory

I love the suggestion of the first one - that our grief has a purpose!  It is not wasted, and every one of those possibilities above has spiritual purpose for our souls, for our sanctification and growth!

WHAT CAN I LEARN ABOUT GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• God is my salvation
• God is my hope
• God is my comfort
• God will execute righteous judgment
• All God's commandments are faithful
• God regards me with lovingkindness

HOW CAN I PRAISE GOD THROUGH THIS PSALM:

• I praise the Lord that He IS my hope - that even when I am in a hard place, I know that God has a purpose for it and that my pain & sorrow will not be wasted. 
• I praise the Lord that He is faithful, and that He will revive me according to His lovingkindness.

PRAYER:  by Ruth Harms Calkin

Lord, as I read Your Word today

I underlined these words:

"Don't be impatient for the Lord to act.

Keep traveling steadily along His pathway

And in due season He will honor you

With every blessing."

I know I need more patience, Lord

But I simply cannot create it.

I plead with You to do it for me.

And Lord, could You hurry a little?