Psalm 119:21-24

David’s Prayer

God has corrected those who are infected with arrogance. David, not only acknowledges this, he goes on in his prayer to his Maker – to say they are cursed. It’s not too hard to see, because we know what happened in Genesis 3. When we disobeyed God, we brought curses on ourselves. Sin is costly. In David’s prayer, he points out what happens when we become prideful people.

The Truth About Pride

When we begin to live for ourselves,we stray away from God.

“You rebuke the arrogant; those who wander
from your commands are cursed (vv. 21, NLT, emphasis mine).”

The root of pride is what happens inwardly. It starts before there are outward signs of pride. In our hearts, we refuse to submit to God and somehow think our ways are better than His. This is what happens when we become people of arrogance.

Those, infected with pride, experience the cost of rejecting God and His commands. It is a high cost. We know sin brings death and turns us into God’s enemies. Instead of being a friend of God, we have gone to the otherside – becoming His enemies.

David’s Protection

David’s prayer is focused on seeking God’s protection from such people. David wanted God to be his shield against such people. Which brings up a new, important truth. When we refuse God and His Word, we not only hurt ourselves, we hurt God and His people. Sin not only costs us, but it grieves the heart of God and hurts those around us.

As a result of Noah’s sinful generation, God was heavily grieved (see Gen. 6:6). He grieves when we reject Him. He loves us to such an extent that He sent His Son to pay a price that wasn’t His to pay (see John 3:16).

God loves + we reject Him = God grieves, just as we do when we are rejected.

God’s Greatest Desire

God’s greatest desire is to walk in fellowship with Him. We were made to be in a close-knitted relationship with God. The kind of relationship we see here between David and his Creator. This is what God wants us to experience. He wants us to “draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”

Are we willing to invest in our relationship with God, our Creator?
Are we willing to submit to God, and draw near to Him?

We must decide if we will become people who are infected with pride or invested in our relationship with God. We need to ponder how invested God has continually shown Himself to be – in regards to us. Will we be infected or invested?

David’s Plea

David makes a plea before God, that the reproach and contempt would be far removed from him. Just as the stone is rolled away on the third day, David prayerfully pleas that God would roll away the scorn and contempt (springing from evil) that is placed in his life. While others breath evil, David continues to plant his feet at the seat of Christ. He continually seeks God’s face in all he says and does.

“… for I have kept thy testimonies (vv. 22, KJV).”

In our lives, what sources of scorn and contempt are there?
How are we bringing them to the throne of God?

David faced contempt against the leaders of his day “see vv. 23). Yet, he sought God. He prayed. He knew this truth before it was written in what is now the Bible.

“… let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.
There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace
to help us when we need it most (Heb. 4:16, NLT).”

God gives us the assurance of His promise to continually be our everything. He promises to be there, and give us the help we need the exact moment we need it. Will we bring our needs to “the throne of our gracious God.”

David’s Pleasure

Despite the obstacles David faced, his hope remained in God. Instead of fixating on what was going wrong in his life, he brought it before our great God. He brought it before the Lord, and stayed immersed in the Word of God!

David calls the testimonies, his delight!

Every day we are given 24 hours, how are we using those hours to make God and His Word our delight?

Not only is God’s Word the one thing we need to listen to, we need to be like David – calling the Word our counselors (see vv. 24). Instead of trying to get help from his friends or other leaders, who would of used their influence to sway him from God’s path, David sought out God. He knew to be careful where he turned for advice, because others don’t love God like he did. This is wisdom we, too, need to take to heart.

God’s Word needs to be the place where we run. Not solely in times of distress. God’s Word needs to be where we run daily. We need to make His Word our lifelong guide.