Ayin

Psalm 119

English Standard Version (ESV)  Another brief review:

• Zayin: Remember your word to your servant
• Heth: The Lord is my portion
• Teth: You have dealt well with your servant
• Yodh: Your hands have made and fashioned me
• Kaph: My soul longs for your salvation
• Lamedh: Forever, O Lord, your word
  is firmly fixed in the heavens.
• Mem: Oh how I love your law!
• Nun: Your word is a lamp to my feet
  and a light to my path.

Continuing now from v.121

121 I have done what is just and right;
do not leave me to my oppressors.

The KJV, once again is more to the point:  I have done judgment and justice:

Is man supposed to judge?

Yes. And we must judge rightly, as God judges, executing justice and showing mercy.

Isaiah speaks of justice more than any Prophet. Hear what he says of the One to come:

Isaiah 62:2 The nations shall see your righteousness,
and all the kings your glory,
and you shall be called by a new name
that the mouth of the LORD will give.

Here the Psalmist pledges loyalty to do good and asks God’s protection.

122 Give your servant a pledge of good;
let not the insolent oppress me.

Malachi [4:1] says of these:

“For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the LORD of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.

123 My eyes long for your salvation
and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.
124 Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,
and teach me your statutes.

Again, the KJV states it a little differently.

Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy.

Have you considered how God’s steadfast and unfailing love for us is so often demonstrated by His mercy? Should we not also have mercy on our fellow sinners?

125 I am your servant; give me understanding,
that I may know your testimonies!
126 It is time for the Lord to act,
for your law has been broken.

These testimonies are the witness of God’s several written laws. It is a call to justice. The laws have been broken and the offense is against the righteous. What will the Lord God do?

127 Therefore I love your commandments
above gold, above fine gold.
128 Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right;
I hate every false way.

I esteem the precepts of God. God’s laws are right, pleasing and agreeable; therefore I hate what is NOT right.

Is it OK to hate? Yes. The Psalmist hates lies, deception, disappointment, falsehood, deceit, fraud, and anything wrong in the eyes of the Lord.

Should we?