Psalm 119.17-24 (1)

Pray Psalm 119.17, 18.
Deal bountifully with Your servant,
That I may live and keep Your word.
Open my eyes, that I may see
Wondrous things from Your law.

Sing Psalm 119.17, 18.
(Open My Eyes: Open My Eyes, That I May See)
Open my eyes, Lord, let me see wonderful truths to transform me.
I am a stranger here in the earth; hide not from me Your glorious worth.
Deal with your servant graciously that I may live obediently.
Open my eyes, Lord, let me see glory divine!

Read Psalm 119.17-24; meditate on verse 17.

Preparation
1. What does the psalmist ask of God?

2. Why does he ask this?

Meditation
Stanza 3, the ג (gimel) stanza, continues certain themes broached in stanzas 1 and 2, but it also introduces new themes. In particular, a sense of urgency about the Law comes into view, brought about by a feeling of alienation and by the psalmist’s finding himself among those who do not keep the Law. If stanzas one and two can be regarded as having been composed in a major key, stanza 3 has the ring of a minor key and only returns to the major key in verse 24, where the theme of verse 16 is recovered.

Verse 17 sets that urgent tone with an imperative, גְּמֹ֖ל (guh-MOLE), “deal bountifully”. This is a plea for grace, and it is the first of four imperatives we will encounter in this stanza. The psalmist thus acknowledges his complete dependence on God to stand fast in His Word and continue in His ways. Verse 17 parallels verse 12 of stanza 2, where the psalmist calls on the Lord to teach him His statutes, and thus pulls that theme into stanza 3 (we’ll see it also in verses 18 and 19, and an echo of verse 15 in verse 23).

The psalmist wants God to deal bountifully with him, as he explains, so that he “may live and keep” the Word of the Lord. There is no opposition or contradiction of grace and Law. Why should God grant us His grace? That we might have life in His Word, His Law. Why do we keep the Law of God? That we might more bountifully dwell within His grace. Why may we expect God to grant this request? Because we are committed to Him as his servants, and we live to do His gracious will, as revealed in His Word (cf. vv. 23, 24).

Verse 17 is the topical sentence of stanza 3. Without God’s grace, and the obedience it produces, the psalmist would not be able to endure the sense of alienation and the opposition he encountered in the world.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“Deal bountifully with Your servant…” (Ps. 119.17).

Isn’t it a show of God’s grace that He allows us, His servants, to request anything? Are we, as His servants, allowed to ask that He treat us bountifully? Really?

Isn’t that a bit like asking for a raise? When maybe we don’t deserve it? Or maybe we have a truly gracious boss? Perhaps maybe a tad of nepotism is afoot?

We do indeed have the most gracious Boss. And nepotism is a given! “Therefore you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Gal. 4.7). And Jesus added this dynamic: “No longer do I call you servants…but I have called you friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you” (Jn. 15.15, 14).

He tells us what He wants us to do. And His expectations for us are that we can do it because He is right alongside, helping and guiding us step by step. “I am with you always…” (Matt. 28.20). And “you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you…” (Acts 1.8).

He sets us up for success. He encourages us. He is with us. He gives us the power to do what He has asked us to do. So even in our subservient position, we are allowed to come to Him with our requests – even though it almost seems outlandish that we are allowed to do so.

And what do we ask of Him?
1. That we may live.
2. That we may obey and keep His Word.

And when we stop to think about it, those two requests make sense: Please give us life, so that we can do what you have called us to do as Your servants/sons/friends.

The crux of the parable that Jesus told about the earthly master and his servants was this: “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord” (Matt. 25.21) This was said to the obedient servant.

What was said to, and about, the disobedient servant was not so pleasing: “You wicked and lazy servant…cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness…” (Matt. 25.26, 30).

So although God is full of grace, He also has standards of expectation for us. We would do well to keep His righteous balance of Grace and Law in mind as we make our requests of Him; and as we serve Him daily, doing His will as His faithful and bounty-filled servants.

And when we do, He beckons us to “come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4.16).

For reflection
1. How would you explain the relationship between grace and Law?

2. How would you explain the relationship between Law and life?

3. How is the work of Jesus Christ foundational to a right understanding of both grace and Law?

… the prophet here describes the main object of our existence. He declares it to be owing to the peculiar grace of the Holy Spirit, that any person keeps the law of God. John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Psalm 119.17

Pray Psalm 119.19-24.
Pray for the activities before you today, that in each of them, God would grant you grace to keep His Law and walk in the way of His Word.

Sing Psalm 119.19-24.
(Open My Eyes: Open My Eyes, That I May See)
My soul with longing breaks for You; all of Your judgments I would do.
For You rebuke the proud and the cursed, who from Your Law have strayed, and worse.
Take from me all contempt, O Lord, for I have kept Your holy Word.
Lift all reproach from me, O Lord - my soul renew!

Princes oppose me day by day, for I continue in Your way.
I will Your statutes hold in my mind. What great delight in them I find!
Lord, let Your testimonies be light on my path to counsel me.
Lord, what delight You bring to me out of Your Word!

T. M. and Susie Moore

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.