17 Deal bountifully with Your slave,
That I may live and keep Your word.
18 Open my eyes, that I may behold
Wonderful things from Your law.
19 I am a sojourner in the earth;
Do not hide Your commandments from me.
20 My soul is crushed with longing
For Your judgments at all times.
21 You rebuke the arrogant, the cursed,
Who stray from Your commandments.
22 Take away reproach and contempt from me,
For I observe Your testimonies.
23 Even though princes sit and talk against me,
Your slave muses on Your statutes.
24 Your testimonies also are my delight;
They are my counselors.Psalms 119:16-24 (LSB)
I am convinced most believer’s concept of God’s grace is not as high as it should be. Sadly, most of us walk through this life with the attitude we somehow deserve salvation and blessings. We treat God as if He is the interloper with His commands to live Holy and obedient lives. Why? Our focus is on self.
The first line is this stanza is, “Deal bountifully with Your slave, That I may live and keep Your word.” The psalmist did not have the fatal disease of self-focus. Instead we see in this verse he is petitioning the Lord to bless him bountifully, but not for personal gain or long life. Instead, we read he is asking to live so he may continue to be obedient to His Word. What a focus! His focus, intent, and purpose for living are all to live for His glory. Think back to our look at the Blood Covenant in Possessing the Treasure. Covenants have binding conditions on the parties in them. This covenant was initiated, through God’s Grace, by the shed blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. His death instituted it.