What God's Salvation Does for a Man
S. Conway Psalm 119:41-48 Let your mercies come also to me, O LORD, even your salvation, according to your word. This section begins with fervent prayer for the coming of God's salvation unto the psalmist. He wants to have a personal realization of it. And he proceeds to tell wherefore he thus prays. His reasons may well be ours. I. IT ENABLES HIM AND URGES HIM TO ANSWER HIM THAT REPROACHETH. (Ver. 42.) If a man knows that God's salvation has come to him, he has that in his conscious possession which will make him despise, as mere idle tales, all and every reproach of the scoffer and the unbeliever. They may as well deny or decry the light of the sun as to do the like for that salvation in which the soul rejoices. His only fear is lest he should not be able to give clear testimony - lest, whilst he feels it in his heart, he should be unable to declare it with his lips; hence he prays (ver. 43), "Take not... out of my mouth." God will not take it out of his heart, but he may out of his mouth, by refusing him power or opportunity of utterance. He longs to bear bold testimony for God and his salvation. II. ENDUES HIM WITH PERSEVERING GRACE. (Ver. 44.) He will never desire to forsake the Law of God, but will go on therein continually forever and ever. Its ways are ways of pleasantness (Proverbs 3:17). III. CAUSES HIM TO WALK AT LIBERTY. (Galatians 5:1; John 8:36.) Christ's yoke will give rest; but then we must have it really on, not half on and half off, for then it frets and chafes and galls. How could it be otherwise? The liberty of the children of God is glorious. IV. GIVES HIM FEARLESSNESS. (Ver. 46; cf. Matthew 10:18-20.) V. AND PURE DELIGHT. (Ver. 47.) There is such delight as is here told of (vers. 16, 35; Psalm 37:4). This delight was "the meat to eat which ye know not of," of which our Savior spoke (John 4:32-34). And what servant of God is there that has not known this delight? It is "the peace of God, which passeth all understanding" (Philippians 4:7). VI. AND HOLY RESOLVE OF CONSECRATION TO GOD. (Ver. 48.) The lifting-up of the hands tells of solemn vows made to God (cf. Genesis 14:22). So here the psalmist takes his solemn oath - his sacramentum - that he will be true to God. How often, when the sense of the infinite love of God has come into the soul, has the like vow been made! VII. MAKES HIM TO BE EVER MEDITATING UPON GOD. The run of his thoughts is ever after God and his ways. - S.C. Parallel Verses KJV: VAU. Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word. WEB: Let your loving kindness also come to me, Yahweh, your salvation, according to your word.