Propped up
The letter Samekh is associated with a prop or support. To me the letter looks a bit like the loops of material I used to fasten my tomato plant to the scaffold I supported them with...
This strophe (113-120) sets up some interesting contrasts:
On the one side is God who is a refuge, a shield, a sustainer, a promise-keeper, a deliverer and a hope-preserver.
On the other side are double-minded people who stray and deceive and will be discarded like dross for the vanity of their ways.
Why is the Psalmist not like them?
He is propped up by God's Word:
- He loves God's law (v113)
- He puts his hope in God's Word (v114)
- He distances evildoers so that he can keep God's commands (v115)
- He is sustained by God's promises (v116)
- He has regard for God's decrees (v117)
- He rejects those who stray from God's decrees (v118)
- He loves God's Statutes (v119)
- He stands in awe of God's laws (v120)
Look at the "support" words we find here: Refuge. Shield. Hope. Sustain. Uphold. Delivered.
When we are on the throne of our lives, we are self-referencing and double-minded. We are Unstable and Volatile people. We can come unstuck easily.
BUT, when we love God's Word and lean on it as our support, we can become stable people. We can lose the double-mindedness and instability.
Our respect for God makes us take His Word seriously and His Word "props us up" and helps us to see Him even more clearly and respect Him even more. It's an upward Spiral.
| 113 I hate double-minded men, but I love your law. 114 You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word. 115 Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God! 116 Sustain me according to your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed. 117 Uphold me, and I will be delivered; I will always have regard for your decrees. 118 You reject all who stray from your decrees, for their deceitfulness is in vain. 119 All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross; therefore I love your statutes. 120 My flesh trembles in fear of you; I stand in awe of your laws. (Psalms119:113-120) |
