February 13, 2020 -- Psalm 119:113 -- Focused faith
/I hate the double-minded,
but I love your law.
Psalm 119:113 English Standard Version
This is the first verse of a new stanza—the Samekh stanza. Samekh is the 14th letter of the Hebrew alphabet so this is the 14th stanza. The verse itself is rather elegant in its brevity—it is only four Hebrew words. It would be approximately:
shifty hate; torahites love.
The shifty or double-minded are people who know the word of God and His will but are tossed about. It depends entirely on the company they keep as to whether or not the Law of God is honoured and obeyed. Frankly, this is a problem for all of us. If we surround ourselves with people who profess to be Christians, but act in ways that are contrary to our faith, we will soon cut loose from the spiritual moorings we claim to be so important in our lives.
The Torah of God is commonly defined as the first five books of the Bible—the books Moses wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It can also be used in a broader sense to refer to all the Old Testament. It can be a reference to all the instruction of God, the LORD and King of His people.
The Torahites—a word I constructed in my rough approximation of a translation—are those who deliberately choose to be identified as ones who keep the instruction of God. They are prepared to be corrected and rebuked for their wrong-doing. When an error in conduct or thought is detected, they long to pluck it out so that their devotion to the Living God is whole-hearted and pure. In the New Testament book of Hebrews, the mature are those “who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil” (Hebrews 5:14).
The footnotes in my English Standard Version Study Bible are particularly helpful. The psalmist notes he “hates” the double-minded—this hate is not so much an emotional response as it is a deliberate rejection of a false way. If you check out verse 158 of this Psalm you’ll note the psalmist looks with disgust on those who are faithless. That term ‘faithless’ is a synonym for ‘double-minded’.
The words of God are precious to His people. Any rejection of them or violation of His words to His people is treated with contempt and suspicion by the ones who are devoted to God, the Giver-of-the-Torah. The LORD does not lie (Titus 1:2); nor is God a man who changes his mind all the time (Numbers 23:19). Therefore, those who trust in Him hold His Torah as precious because the reading of the word and putting it into practice direct our thoughts and hearts to the King of kings and LORD of Lords, Who because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, has become our Dear Father in heaven. The Spirit of God lives in the hearts of believers and testifies to the veracity of the Word—since it is that same Spirit of God Who moved men, many centuries ago, to write the Word which gives careful witness to the Truth of God.
God, I believe. By Your Spirit’s presence in my heart, help me to overcome my unbelief. As the Word of Christ takes root in my heart and mind, Spirit of the Living God, help me grow in devotion to Jesus and so bring honour and glory to the Father in heaven. This day I pray for those who claim to be brothers and sisters in Christ, but who by their words and actions show themselves to be shifty and unreliable. Guard me in the way everlasting. Keep me humble to quickly confess every wrong path, quicker still to regain my footing in the path of righteousness, where Jesus my Shepherd leads. Amen.
