Psalm 119:153 Consider my affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget your law.… Oh, consider my adversity, and deliver me. Plainly the adversity is such that the psalmist feels he cannot deliver himself. Therefore he pleads with God to deliver him. Some of the trials and afflictions of life are within the man's own reach and control, if he has the help of God. But there are some forms of adversity which bring to a man an overwhelming sense of self-helpless-ness. Then, if he be a good man, he makes absolute committal of his case to God, and seeks Divine intervention in his behalf. Illustrate by the helplessness of Israel at the shores of the Red Sea. Then they were bidden "Stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah." Men, however, often seriously mistake if they ask Divine intervention when what they really need is Divine help; not that God should do for them, but should enable them to do. Apply this to the deliverance of the soul from sin. Here man is helpless. "God must save, and God alone." But usually the saved man must unite his labor and his dependence on God in every endeavor to live out the godly life. Only very occasionally has he to put down his tools and absolutely wait while God works for him. Bunyan's pilgrim only once in his journey had to put down his weapons, and betake himself to "All-Prayer." It is weak sectarian feeling that exaggerates self-helplessness, and thinks thus to honor God. Here the psalmist shows his anxiety by two petitions. I. "CONSIDER MY AFFLICTION." He wants God to consider it, estimate it, see what it really is, involves, and needs, because he feels how easily he might misapprehend it. It might not really be as serious as he thought it was. He might so easily read it through his feeling rather than through his judgment. So he wants God to take it into his consideration, and so find out what could best be done with it. Was not this what St. Paul wanted when he prayed about his "thorn"? II. "DELIVER ME." If God would give the matter consideration, he felt sure he would invent the wisest way of deliverance. He would be well content whichever way of deliverance God thought to be best. "Help me to do it, Lord, or do it altogether thyself." - R.T. Parallel Verses KJV: RESH. Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law.WEB: Consider my affliction, and deliver me, for I don't forget your law. |
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