December 20, 2019 -- Psalm 119:78 -- What are you rehearsing?
/Let the insolent be put to shame,
because they have wronged me with falsehood;
as for me I will meditate on your precepts.
Psalm 119:78 English Standard Version
This reading gives me a sense that the LORD has answered the psalm-writer’s prayer of the previous verse: “Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight”. He is now experiencing the mercy he prayed for in the previous verse. The compassion of God has changed his attitude and behavior. Though the writer has been shamed by the insolent, and they have wronged him with falsehood, because of the rich mercy of God he has chosen not to meditate on their wrong-doing, instead, he will meditate on the precepts of the LORD.
The precepts of the LORD are those things He has appointed for us to do. A high calibre athlete will think through the course of the marathon he is to run. He will study the course. Mentally preparing for the tough hills. He will repeatedly visualize himself being consistent, keeping his pace and being successful. Those times of meditation will help him when he faces those challenges on the actual race day. He will have fought them in his mind and now his mind and body will be prepared to fight in the race itself.
The Psalmist is meditating on the precepts of God—Who has laid out the boundary lines of his life so that they fall in pleasant places. He is musing on the commandments of His King. He sings them as songs of praise. In sighs of deep inner commitment he dedicates himself to the right paths the LORD has appointed for him. Instead of rehearsing all the wrongs of the insolent, those proud men who oppose him and try to trip him up, he is focused on the glories of the LORD his God. The commandments of God are those practical ways in which a believer’s life is lived, showing forth the splendour of God. What a beautiful instruction for us today. Are the precious precepts and the wonderful commandments of the LORD your meditation this day? Will you rehearse them and know them so instinctively that the moment adversity comes upon you your reflex will be to honour the Living God?
You have promised us, King of Kings: “Blessed are those who way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD!” Give us this day the gift of Your Holy Spirit so that we will emboldened to confess our sins—the sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His blood having been applied to us—help us therefore not to get re-entangled in old sins. May Your Spirit direct our thoughts and actions so that they are in step with Your righteous rules. In times of quiet and peace let the rules of Your mouth be our meditation and song. Open our eyes and expand our faith so that in pondering Your way we will see wondrous things in Your law. Amen.
