Psalms In My Palms - Book 1 - Wisdom

Grow Where Your Planted

Psalms 119:97-128

Well here we are ready to cover four more Hebrew Alphabet letters-"Mem, Nun, Samekh and Ayin". You may not have known these before or you may be a person who has studied the Hebrew language; either way, we will work through these section by section for better understanding. Remember we are dealing with WISDOM!

The first one we find is "Mem". Which basically means "waters" but also refers to "people, nations, languages or tongues." Water played an important part in man's history! Creation for man was made after God's Spirit hovered on the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:2&6). The second movement of creation was the dividing of the waters from the waters. Man was made for a purpose. (Psalms 1:3-NKJV)-"He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of waters"; (Exodus 8:6-KJV-Moses "stretched out his hand over the waters," (15:8)-the waters were gathered together". For the nation of Israel to pass from danger to security; God did the same to the Jordan River for them to enter the promised land ; (Psalms 23:2) says, "Lead me beside the still waters..."; (78:20) related the account of the smitten rock to bring forth water to refresh the nation; (John 4:13b-NKJV-) "But whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst ...it will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life." Even to the gift of salvation Jesus referred to it as water.

God led the Israelites from captivity in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land. Just as God separated the waters to bring forth the earth as man's habitation, God controlled the waters to free Israel to a new land He prepared for them. This is why David said, (NEB) "I love your instructions!" Because they were His guidance from self to a life of righteousness. God's leading is essential to our walk by faith in Him. David further said, "I think about it constantly." He recognized the connection between God and himself. "Your commandment is with me all the time and make me wiser (WISDOM) than my enemies." He gains several advantages over the unbeliever! He gains:

1. His love for God's law;

2. Meditation on God;

3. Protection of the commands;

4. WISDOM;

5. Knowledge;

6. Remembrance of Instructions;

7. Greater WISDOM;

8. Obedience;

9. Prevention from evil;

10. Control over his will; and

Because of all these gains, David remembered Who is in control! It is God who gave him all this by the methods of Instruction, Learning, Teaching, Rules that are sweeter than honey, WISDOM from laws, and a dislike for bad conduct! That about says it all! David learned because God was teaching!

David went on to make a profound statement in the next Hebrew section called "Nun" which means a "grafting hook to catch fish". It also men's "to sprout, or put forth". It suggests the soul of man which is our spark of Divinity. That one spark cast forth brings in results or a harvest of value. God breathed into Adam a breath of life and he became a living soul. Just one spark becomes the grafting hook to produce a seed, which brings forth a sprout,which grows to provide energy which flows out to others. The fruit or results benefits others!

God's illumination in a dark world! (TEV) "Your word is a lamp to guide me and a light for my path." David followed up by vowing,"I will keep my solemn promise to obey...Your righteous instructions." God provided for his distress call, "My sufferings are terrible indeed. Keep me alive, as You have promised! Accept my prayer of thanks, Lord, and teach me...(reminder) I have not forgotten...I have not disobeyed...(they are) my eternal possession; they are the joy of my heart." David made a final decision when he said, (NEB) "I have decided to keep Your statutes forever, every last one." A profound promise with the help of a divine God who illuminates our path before us.

Now we are ready for the Hebrew letter "Samek". Here we find the meaning "To trust, depend upon, or our support". Divine support and protection uses a process of memory. It creates a completeness. We are supported or sustained by The Spirit of God, therefore Trust is created! It is only for us as Christians to turn this trust into our faith in Christ. HE CAN WHEN WE CANNOT! He sustains and support us!

This is why David said, (NEB) "You are my shelter and my shield...sustain me according to Your Word...support me...I hate fickle people, but I love Your instructions...Get away from me, you evil doers I want to guard God's commandments! Don't put me to shame because of HOPE." Now David sees the connection between his need for support, shelter, shield, and God's sustaining power! The results are so I can focus constantly on Your statutes because "You discard everyone who strays from Your statutes because they are dishonest and false. You dispose of all the wicked people on earth like waste- that's why I loveYour laws."

Finally David proclaims,"My body shudders because I fear You; I'm in awe of Your rules." What we need to sustain us is the truth of God's opinion to keep us on the right path of WISDOM.

Last in this part of Hebrews we come to "Ayin" which mean "Eye, source or center of the Universe". Perception and insight are gained by the physical eye or spiritual eye. The human eye can be taken as a microcosm of the universe. In other words our viewpoint by which we determine everything around us. You have heard the expression, "Seeing is believing." We believe what the eye gate sees! If only we could hold as securely to what the Spiritual Eye sees and trust because of it.

David saw his problems and the power of his God; so he stated firmly, " I've done what Is just and right,(expecting that God will do what He promised). This Hope and Trust inspired David to remind God of His part in each situation:

1. "Don't abandon me to my enemies!"

2. "Promise that You will help Your servant;"

3. "Don't let proud men trouble me!"

4. "My eyes are tired from watching for Your salvation for the deliverance You promised."

5. "Treat me according to Your constant love,"

6. "Teach me Your commandments."

(Interception-David reiterated, "I amYour servant...") Then he continued:

7. "So give me understanding that I may know your teachings"

8. "Lord it is time for You to act because people are disobeying Your law!"

As for me David said, "I love Your commands more than gold, more than the finest gold. And so I follow all Your instructions; I hate all wrong things." Maybe we need to repeat this over to ourselves and put our own name in each place: "I (Name) love Your commands more than gold. If anyone offered me payments of gold or huge sums of money I will not disobey God's commands because I love His commands much more. And so I follow all Your instruction, I hate all wrong ways."

Do I sound preachy! Blame David or the writings of David but remember he was just a former shepherd boy whom God raised up to a position of King and promised his descendant's reign would be eternal. SO HERE IS! "Yes, God, I submit because You divided the waters to make room for me, You gave us a Divine purpose to grow in love, I learned to trust in Your support, and You gave me Divine Eyesight to see Your hand in all I do! NOW I COMMIT MYSELF TO YOU TO FOLLOW YOUR PATHWAY AND REJECT THE WAYS OF THE UNRIGHTEOUS."

Next time...

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