Psalm 119:73–80 73JOD. Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: Give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments. 74They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; Because I have hoped in thy word. 75I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, And that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. 76Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, According to thy word unto thy servant. 77Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: For thy law is my delight. 78Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: But I will meditate in thy precepts. 79Let those that fear thee turn unto me, And those that have known thy testimonies. 80Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; That I be not ashamed.
I have heard it said that no matter who you are, people are always glad to see you, either they are glad to see you coming or they are glad to see you leave.
I don’t know if that is true, I suspect there is not enough room in that statement for the great amount of indifference many folks have for others. I sure would like to be a person whose arrival produces positive emotions, wouldn’t you? I say this because of what I found this morning in my readings in the Psalms.
Psalm 119:74 They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; Because I have hoped in thy word.
The Psalmist says that those the fear the Lord will be glad when they see him. I would like to ask why will they be glad? I have a couple of guesses.
1. They Have Things in Common
Psalm 119:74 They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; Because I have hoped in thy word.
There is nothing that strengthens relationships like shared interest so shouldn’t having Jesus in common make Christians close?
I have always admired how Jesus called twelve men from such varied backgrounds to become his apostles. Take notice of two, Matthew who was a publican, and Simon the Zealot, they were total opposites on the political spectrum. Matthew was an ally of Rome, collecting taxes from his countryman to finance the occupying force. Simon was a member of an anti-Rome group known for violent acts of defiance against the Romans and their supporters. Before Jesus came into the lives of these men, they would have certainly hated one another.
I suspect there was a day after they met the Master that Simon saw Matthew coming and smiled.
Oh, what a difference Christ in common can and should make!
2. They See Triumph in Crisis
Another possibility can be found in the context. The psalmist has been writing about his affliction.
Psalm 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction: For thy word hath quickened me.
Psalm 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: But now have I kept thy word.
Psalm 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted; That I might learn thy statutes.
Psalm 119:75 I know, O Lord, that thy judgments are right, And that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.
This divinely inspired author must certainly have been going through a time of great difficulty.
Could it be that he understands that those that fear the Lord will be glad and encouraged to see him trusting the Lord?
Is it possible that the Psalmist considers that his response to trials can be a helpful testimony to others?
It could be that these faithful believers welcome an opportunity to encourage a suffering saint, so they are glad to see him coming.
I guess, all I can do is guess but in the end, I hope that I will become a person that others want to see heading their way and a man that relishes an opportunity to minister.
I look forward to seeing you soon, I hope the feeling is mutual.
God bless ya’ll
The Bald Believer
Reading for 10/29/20