Reflection on Psalm 119:169-176

We need.
It's a fact.
Frayed and
misaligned affections,
tired and
ill-working bodies,
communities that
scorn God:
all this exposes
the gaps.

Yet,
Yahweh's truth and
Yahweh's loyal love
remain.

So while needy,
we are safe.

Read the passage: Psalms 119:169‭-‬176

Reflection on Psalm 119:161-168

It's a choice:
risk it and
speak the truth
or spout the party line.

In the end, lies lose.
Truth wins.
But the path may,
will hurt.

But Yahweh is here, and
Yahweh rescues.

As for us,
we plead,
we love,
we follow.

Read the passage: Psalms 119:161‭-‬168

Reflection on Psalm 119:153-160

It's not the attack
on culture
or contract.
These hurt
but are not ultimate.

God is ultimate.
His ways are ultimate.
His ways are right.
His ways are
the way
things are supposed to be.

The attacks on his ways,
these matter.
These attacks wound
deeply.

Yet,
we love, and
we stand.

Read the passage: Psalms 119:153‭-‬160

Reflection on Psalm 119:145-152

Faithfulness is
required
but hard. 

Sometimes,
when world + flesh + devil
take advantage
of the heart's lure,
when the lawless
attack the lawful,
we stumble.

But a rest remains.
God has provided
capacity to follow,
care for the stumbling,
guidance for the journey.

We know he is good.
We know he is right.

Let us trust and obey.

Read the passage:  Psalms 119:145‭-‬152

Reflection on Psalm 119:137-144

Passion is good;
source matters:
righteous, trustworthy God
or self?

Passion is good;
object matters:
God's perfect, reliable commands
or heart's substitutions?

Read the passage: Psalms 119:137‭-‬144

Reflection on Psalm 119:129-136

Claiming to trust God, 

yet refusing to obey, 

is rebellion.

 

Turning that refusal 

against siblings is 

evil.

 

But God 

guides, 

protects, 

teaches, 

stirs up.

 

Those who love 

and trust 

and obey 

remain safe.

Read the passage: Psalm 119:129-136

Reflection on Psalm 119:121-128

They throw fear 

like a weapon, 

hoping the righteous 

will cower 

and submit.

 

But God wins, 

and we're his.

 

So choose wisdom 

and stand.

Read the passage: Psalm 119:121-128

Reflection on Psalm 119:113-120

The choice seems clear:

follow God. Live.

Don't follow God. Don't live.

 

Still, circumstances cloud, 

while hope clarifies.

Read the passage: Psalm 119:113-120

Reflection on Psalm 119:105-112

Darkness is a lack.

Light is a substance.

Scripture is a light, 

showing the way, 

treasured in hearts' depths, 

transforming the anger-ember 

into passion's seed.

No matter what, 

we stand.

Read the passage: Psalm 119:105-112

Reflection on Psalm 119:97-104

Footsteps in dust 

meet musing songs in heart--

and 

Word Eternal 

becomes Word lived.

Read the passage: Psalm 119:97-104

Reflection on Psalm 119:89-96

"The joy of obedience:"

Self-importance

chafes at the notion.

But this joy

remains--

the good and fit life,

aligned with reality.

Self-importance 

is 

out of alignment.

Read the passage: Psalm 119:89-96

Reflection on Psalm 119:81-88

Reading the cries,

rising

from persecution

so long ago,

opens eyes

that have not seen

have not felt

the arrows of a sibling

who means to harm.

Read the passage: Psalm 119:81-88

Reflection on Psalm 119:73-80

Knowing, trusting, they wanting in 

Yahweh:

This longing trust flows 

when I mess up, 

when others mess me.

Lord, help me remember.

Read the passage: Psalm 119:73-80

Reflection on Psalm 119:65-72

Every day could benefit from a litany 

of reality:

God is good.

God is great.

Reality is messed up.

We messed up reality.

Jesus makes deep goodness possible.

It's possible to forget that truth.

We need to thank God 

in detail 

for his goodness and his greatness, 

otherwise we wander.

Thus, the litany.

Read the passage: Psalm 119:65-72

Reflection on Psalm 119:57-64

Others feel the pull.

I see it in the Word.

I see it in my Christian siblings.

But here, 

within this soul, 

the pull is a ninja: 

the effects experienced, 

but the doer is unseen, 

unfelt.

Yet I know it's there 

drawing me in 

to the One 

whose hesed 

fills everything.

Read the passage: Psalm 119:57-64

Reflection on Psalm 119:49-56

Decades have passed 

since 

"What are we to do?"

"Stand!"

But here we are 

again.

Lawlessness rages and seethes, 

striking out.

What are God's people to do?

Stand, 

determined to walk his ways 

no matter what.

Read the passage: Psalm 119:49-56

Reflection on Psalm 119:41-48

The frustration hits 

and the tongue, 

that small fire, 

yearns to wag 

and set the frustration 

ablaze.

But that is not 

the way of hesed, 

the way of salvation, 

the way of Yahweh.

So we plead for hesed pouring in.

We plead for trust pouring out.

We plead for guarded lips.

We refocus our focus 

on truth, 

on God.

We choose to rest.

Read the passage: Psalm 119:41-48

Reflection on Psalm 119:33-40

The longing persists, 

but 

the heart hides it 

from perception.

 

Still, 

the tending proves 

a heart for God 

despite speed bumps.

 

So, the cry goes up:

"I long, help me long."

"I delight, help me delight."

Read the passage: Psalm 119:33-40

Reflection on Psalm 119:25-32

We act like we're hardwired

for 

self-indulgence, 

but that's the work 

of a virus 

we gave ourselves 

and tend to enjoy.

 

Except, we don't.

Truth is the cure, 

God's truth, 

treasured, 

remembered, 

sought.

This is our uninfected longing.

Read the passage: Psalm 119:25-32

Reflection on Psalm 119:17-24

Seems strange, 

but there it is:

"I'm faithful."

"They're not."

"Help me."

Seems arrogant,

but

there it is: 

it's in the TaNaKh--

straight from God, 

sent through 

mind and

fingers and 

ink.

I am faithful.

Help me.

Read the passage: Psalm 119:17-24