The psalmist\u2019s back is against the wall. He has faced God, he has asked God for rescue, and he has appealed to his own integrity \u2014 that\u2019s 119:153. In v. 154 there is a subtle, revealing development.
\n\u201cPlead\/defend my cause and redeem me\u201d is largely the same as 153a \u2014 he faces God, he asks God to redeem (or rescue) him. But notice the following:
\n\u201cGive me life according to your promise\u201d (154b).
\nTwo things:
\nRescuing and redeeming is understood as \u201clife.\u201d
\nMore importantly, instead of appealing to his own integrity, as he does in 153b, in 154b he asks God to preserve his life \u201caccording to your promise.\u201d The uttered word of God, the promise that God would be Israel\u2019s God (as Israel remained faithful), is the foundation of his longing for life.
\nCovenant faithfulness is what he appeals to with God. He thinks his life should be preserved in order to demonstrate to the world that God is faithful to his covenant words of promise.
\nAre we this theological? This protective of God\u2019s glory? This protective of God\u2019s reputation? This protective of God\u2019s covenant words of promise? Do we want deliverance in order to bring glory to God or to save our own skin?<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The psalmist\u2019s back is against the wall. He has faced God, he has asked God for rescue, and he has appealed to his own integrity \u2014 that\u2019s 119:153. In v. 154 there is a subtle, revealing development.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":197,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1753],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2337","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-psalm-119"],"yoast_head":"\n