As we complete our meditation on Psalm 119 with this final portion, we have certainly gained spiritual insight by connecting each Hebrew letter to its portion and uncovering its hidden meaning. Yet, in doing so, we may have missed the poetic rhythm of this Psalm — for every line within each portion begins with the Hebrew letter assigned to it, and it is this pattern that produces the rhythm we may not have fully appreciated.
Psalm 119 concludes with this final portion, falling under the last Hebrew letter, ת (Taw), which conveys the meaning “Mark” or “Seal”. When we complete a course, we receive a certificate as a mark of that completion. Likewise, when we receive forgiveness through even a small understanding of God’s love, He not only marks us as His own children but also seals us with His Spirit to secure our salvation. Have we truly been sealed with the Holy Spirit — or are we unknowingly losing sight of our salvation each day, having never grasped the real purpose for which God gave us the Holy Spirit when we first believed?
Our Words Tell Whom We Are
May my cry come before you, LORD;
give me understanding according to your word.
May my supplication come before you;
deliver me according to your promise.
May my lips overflow with praise,
for you teach me your decrees.
May my tongue sing of your word,
for all your commands are righteous.
Psalm 119:169-172 (NIV)
Jesus said that, “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,” and this portion shows that the Psalmist was well aware of this pattern. He pleaded with God to set his heart right, even while he himself strove to do so through the precepts of God’s law. Many of us fail in this same way — outwardly presenting ourselves as holier-than-thou, while inwardly never bothering to give up anything that would enable God to transform our lives into a new creation. The Psalmist was concerned with becoming a new person inwardly, rather than merely presenting himself well before others. The more we memorise the Word of God without applying it, the greater the chance that we remain unchanged. But applying the Word of God in our daily lives helps transform us into children of God, moving us out of our former status as children of the devil.
In other words, our speech is a measuring scale of our transformation. When our speech still carries vengeance, foul language, curses, and doubtful questions about God’s integrity, it reveals that our hearts need a complete overhaul. This can be done only by the Creator, not by anyone who claims to have a franchise to do God’s work. For God says:
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws
Ezekiel 36:26–27 (NIV)
When we believe what God has done to forgive our sins, our hearts become new; and to guard that belief, God gives us His Spirit, so that we keep His commands and remain fully secure in our salvation. This is the pattern of God’s work in every person’s life, regardless of the depth of the sins they have committed. When our hearts are set right in this way, our mouths will speak only words filled with the love of God. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul urged believers to practise kindness and compassion, so that the Holy Spirit — the Seal of our salvation — would not be grieved.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:29-32 (NIV)
If we attempt this in our own strength, we will only add more filthy words to our hearts — words that will surface whether we lament, pray, praise God, or sing songs. God is deeply concerned about our attitude in all these things, and we cannot fool Him with mere spiritual appearances, for even here, He will bring to light what is truly in our hearts. For this reason, we should pray that in all we do, nothing but the love of God would be revealed, and should ask God to fill our hearts with that love.
The Confidence That Leads Us To God
May your hand be ready to help me,
for I have chosen your precepts.
I long for your salvation, LORD,
and your law gives me delight.
Let me live that I may praise you,
and may your laws sustain me.
I have strayed like a lost sheep.
Seek your servant,
for I have not forgotten your commands.
Psalm 119:173-176 (NIV)
At a quick reading, it may appear that the Psalmist was citing his righteous deeds as though obliging God to show him favour. Yet we all know that it is not by any deed of ours, but by His grace alone, that we have been saved. When the Psalmist speaks of choosing God’s precepts and delighting in His law, he is not proving his worthiness to God — rather, these are simply instruments that help us come to God in our lowest moments. The devil uses many people to convince us that we are merely sinners, with nothing in us that would allow us to call on Him or come into His presence.
Through this false belief, many distance themselves from our Father God and once again become children of the devil, who is the father of all lies. Doing what is right, as the Bible teaches, is not primarily the reason for our salvation — rather, it helps to counter the devil’s false teachings and enables us to approach God in every situation. As we draw near to Him, the very things that once gave us confidence to approach Him become second nature, and we no longer need to strive so hard to walk in the truth of God.
We know, of course, that it is not by the law but by His grace that we are saved. The Psalmist was affirming that God’s laws sustained him during the critical hours of his spiritual walk with God. Paul clearly explains the role of the law in the life of the redeemed in the following verses:
Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.
Galatians 3:23-25 (NIV)
It should be understood that we are no longer held in custody under the law; rather, now redeemed by the Giver of those laws, we find it easier to keep them with a changed attitude, as children of God. Hence, the law no longer confines us to a set of dos and don’ts — instead, we keep it instinctively, having obtained the mind of our brother Jesus and having become children of the Father of Jesus.
Long before the parable was told by Jesus, the Psalmist was already confident that, though he went astray, God would come after him to rescue him, leaving aside the other ninety-nine. The more we understand God and His love, the more we submit ourselves to His grace, setting ourselves apart from the lies of the world. This setting apart from the world’s lies is nothing other than holiness. We may strive hard to be sanctified, as God said, “Be holy, because I am holy.” Yet it is, at its heart, a simple decision on our part to set aside all else that separates us from our Father God.
Father God, cleanse our hearts with Your Word, so that we may utter only the words that please You and become Your mouthpiece for the many who are oppressed by the lies of this world. Amen
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