When You’re Down and Troubled and You Need Some Loving Care

When You’re Down and Troubled and You Need Some Loving Care

Psalm 119:25-32

Main Idea: To gain spiritual freedom, run to the Word and ask the Lord for strength.

The title of this section paraphrases the opening words of the song “You’ve Got a Friend,” made popular by both Carole King and James Taylor in the early ’70s. The words capture well the theme of stanza Daleth (?) in the beautiful acrostic Psalm 119.

The psalmist is down and discouraged. He may even be experiencing a life-or-death situation. His cry is deep and heartfelt: “My life is down in the dust” (v. 25); “I am weary from grief” (v. 28). The ESV has, “My soul clings to the dust” and “My soul melts away for sorrow.” He is at the end of himself and has nowhere to look but to his God. He is determined to draw near, and he is confident his God will draw near to him, broadening his understanding and setting his heart free from his difficulties, troubles, and worries (v. 32). This psalm shows us several key steps to gain spiritual freedom.

Ask the Lord to Revive Your Soul and Give You Understanding

Psalm 119:25-27

Being honest before the Lord is always a wise course of action. As the omniscient God who knows everything, he is already fully aware of your circumstances and situation. When you are disappointed, tell him. When you are hurting, open your heart and pour out your sorrow. Acknowledge your need for him and the healing and reviving power of his Word.

Ask Him to Teach You His Word (119:25-26)

The psalmist begins by describing his deathlike circumstances. He laments, “My life is down in the dust.” He is down and nearly done. All hope for life is almost gone. Because of what follows, his problem does not appear to be physical. Rather, his problem is people—people who would lead him down a wrong path (v. 29) and put him to shame (v. 31). Therefore, he prays that the Lord would give him life and revive or renew him “through your word.” Further, in explaining his situation to the Lord (“I told you about my life”), the Lord answered. He is asking the Lord again to renew him and to do so by teaching him his statutes. God’s Word will strengthen him and help him make sense of life and the difficulties he is facing. God’s Word will help him see things in proper perspective.

Meditate on His Wondrous Works (119:27)

The way of understanding is often the way of meditation. It comes by putting our troubles in the context of God’s Word. In other words, the more we know the Word, the more life will make sense with its ebb and flow, with its good times and challenging times. This truth is why the psalmist continues his prayer in verse 27, asking the Lord to help him “understand the meaning of your precepts.” And as he gains more understanding, he will meditate and reflect on the Lord’s wondrous works again and again (cf. v. 18) (Ross, Psalms, 491). Being reminded of God’s faithfulness in the past to Israel and to him personally, he can be confident and assured that God will remain faithful today and in the future. Luther said, “‘To be exercised in wondrous works’ means to discuss, speak, and debate the words of Christ and ‘chirp’ them to each other sweetly and swiftly, like the little birds” (Lectures on the Psalms II, 437).

Ask the Lord to Sustain You and Guide You in a Life of Integrity

Psalm 119:28-29

Verses 28-29 parallel verses 25-27 because they begin with a confession or lament of distress of the soul followed by a prayer asking for strength and guidance. The repetition of the same thought in different words may indicate just how severe the situation is. Words like depressed, discouraged, and despondent capture the psalmist’s heart. Spurgeon’s words are poignant: “Heaviness of heart is a killing thing, and when it abounds it threatens to turn life into a long death, in which a man seems to drop away in a perpetual drip of grief” (Treasury, 191). What is the cure for such sorrow of the soul?

Ask the Lord to Strengthen You from His Word (119:28)

The psalmist bares his soul to the Lord declaring, “I am weary from grief.” Drop by drop his life is crying itself away. But there is a medicine for the soul. It is the Word of God. Therefore, he prays, “Strengthen me through your word.” In other words, he says, “Pick me up again, lift my soul, and raise my spirit by your powerful, living Word” (cf. Heb 4:12). It is not difficult to imagine this verse being a comfort to our Lord when he prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. Matthew 26:38 records him saying, “I am deeply grieved to the point of death.” Our Savior walked this path. We who follow him should never be surprised if he calls us to walk the same path.

Ask the Lord to Lead You to Live Faithfully (119:29)

The psalmist has asked for strength to sustain his soul. He now asks for grace to guide his walk: “Keep me from the way of deceit.” He wants to be kept from deception, falsehood, and lies. Ross says, “The psalmist wants all that is false and pointless removed from his life—because he has chosen the ‘way of faithfulness’” (Psalms, 492). Indeed, the way to ensure that we do not follow false ways is for our God to graciously teach us his instruction (cf. v. 26). The necessity and power of God’s Word are amazing. Not only does it change the way we think, but it also changes the way we live. A Scripture-saturated life, graciously taught by the divine Teacher, will have a different perspective and outlook on everything. The spectacles of faith informed by the Word help us see life and navigate it differently from those who do not abide in the Word. The Word of God truly is “a lamp for my feet and a light on my path” (v. 105). It is a gracious Word from a gracious instructor.

Ask the Lord to Keep You from Shame and to Gladden Your Heart

Psalm 119:30-32

The final three verses contain four declarations of commitment and devotion to the Lord. They all start with the personal pronoun I: I have chosen, I have set, I cling, and I pursue. What is it that we must determine in our heart, in our soul, to go hard after in our relationship with our God? What is our role in the reviving of our soul?

Choose Faithfulness (119:30)

Having asked God to “keep me from the way of deceit,” the psalmist makes a pledge with firm resolve: “I have chosen the way of truth.” He shared his way in verse 26. He rejects false ways in verse 29. He now will pursue with determination the faithful way, “the way of truth.” VanGemeren provides a balanced perspective in the dynamic between the believer and his God:

On the one hand [the believer] depends on the Lord for life, sustaining grace, and illumination (vv. 25-29), as God alone can deliver us from evil (v. 29, cf. Matt. 6:13). On the other hand, human beings are fully responsible in seeking the kingdom of God by choosing and living a life of loyalty to God and his word. (Psalms, 865)

Set Your Mind on the Word (119:30)

Having chosen the way of faithfulness, the psalmist declares, “I have set your ordinances before me.” The NIV has “I have set my heart on your laws.” In other words, the Lord’s Word is ever before him. It is in his mind and before his eyes. It is his compass, his guide. It is his GPS. Where it tells him to go, he will go. Even when others (or even his own heart) tell him to pursue a different course or direction, he will trust the Lord’s Word amid the fog and haze of life because he knows in time the way will be clear.

Cling to the Word (119:31)

In verse 25 our songwriter’s soul clings to the dust, to death. Here in verse 31 he is determined that he will cling (hold on strong) to the Lord’s decrees. Though he felt as if death had a strong grip on his soul, he proclaims, “I cling to your decrees.” The psalmist uses the personal, covenantal name of God, Yahweh, which appears in most English Bibles as “Lord.” Life’s circumstances may tempt us to lose our grip on things, but we can choose to grab hold of our Lord and his Word and never let go. He will give us life (v. 25), he will strengthen us (v. 28), he will teach us (vv. 26,29), and he will not let us be put to shame. Others may fail us, but our God will not. He will never let us down!

Run Faithfully (119:32)

This stanza ends on a note of commitment and confidence. There is an eagerness to honor the Lord made evident by the promise, “I pursue the way of your commands” (cf. Heb 12:1-2). In other words, “I will not just walk; I will run after your Word!” There will be a delightful, enthusiastic, and joyful passion for you and your Word, the psalmist says. And he acknowledges that his ability to do this depends on the Lord. All of this will come to fruition “for you [Lord] broaden my understanding” (“when you enlarge my heart” ESV). As the Lord lifts the burdens of life through our soaking in his Word, our hearts and minds are set free from difficulties and troubles. We are free to run hard after our God and his way. Spurgeon puts it beautifully:

The feet soon run when the heart is free and energetic. Let the affections be aroused and eagerly set on divine things, and our actions will be full of force, swiftness, and delight. God must work in us first, and then we shall will and do according to his good pleasure. . . . Our running is the spontaneous leaping forward of a mind which has been set free by the hand of God. (Treasury, 193)

Conclusion

We began our study noting a secular song that has a similar theme to these verses in Psalm 119. A gospel song complements the psalm even better. It was a favorite of mine as a little boy, and it still is to this day. It was written by a son to his mother to comfort her soul in a time of sorrow and trouble (Adams, Handbook, 269). Its title is “What a Friend We Have in Jesus.” Meditate on this psalm with the lyrics of this hymn:

What a Friend we have in Jesus,

All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Oh, what peace we often forfeit,

Oh, what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?

Is there trouble anywhere?

We should never be discouraged;

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Can we find a friend so faithful

Who will all our sorrows share?

Jesus knows our every weakness,

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy-laden,

Cumbered with a load of care?

Precious Savior, still our refuge;

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?

Take it to the Lord in prayer.

In His arms He’ll take and shield thee;

Thou wilt find a solace there.

Reflect and Discuss

1. What are the normal sources of relief people seek out for help when they are facing a challenging situation? Does the Bible support or challenge these things?
2. What is meditation? What does it mean to meditate on God’s works and Word? Is this a private or corporate act?
3. Why does meditation help when you are experiencing something difficult?
4. How can your prayers help you diagnose your spiritual life? Do your prayers reveal that you live a life that needs God to give you strength?
5. How do the psalmist’s requests to keep his ways from deceit and to give him instruction parallel and complement one another?
6. What are some past examples where you have had to choose “the way of truth”? Are there any present areas in your life where you need to do this again?
7. How is the Bible able to be your compass and guide if it does not specifically address many situations you will meet?
8. The psalmist uses God’s covenant name (Yahweh) in this stanza. How does this special relationship with God affect how a Christian can go to him during distress?
9. What are some of the examples in the New Testament where you see Jesus clinging to God’s Word to give him strength?
10. How is the psalmist able to view God’s commands as something he eagerly wants to follow instead of something he begrudgingly follows?