“Revive me according to Your word”
[Psalms 119:153-160]
Is it pleasant or painful to recall the past for you? Many people seem to suffer rather than rejoice as they look back on the past. The reason is because there are more bad past memories than good memories. People with many bad memories don't want to recall the past, so keep them in their minds. Then, when something bad happens in the present life, many bad memories of the past come back to life, making them more painful and disappointed. Those who live in such anguish and despair may even feel more despondent and despair as they see themselves filled with regrets for the past, old guilt, and old resentment. What should we do? We must be wary of discouragement.
In Psalms 119:154, 156, 159, the psalmist prayed, “Revive me”. I would like to meditate on Psalms 119:153-160 in two ways on guarding against discouragement under the heading “Revive me according to Your word”. May the grace God be with us.
First, what makes us discourage?
There are two things:
(1) It is “my affliction” that discourages us.
Look at Psalms 119:153 – “Look upon my affliction and rescue me, For I do not forget Your law.” The affliction that came upon the psalmist was the suffering of “the wicked” (v. 155), those who persecuted him, and his adversaries (v. 157). The psalmist was persecuted by these wicked men who didn’t seek the Lord's statutes (v. 155), and these deceitful men who didn’t keep the Lord's words (v. 158). Because of their persecution, the psalmist who sought the statutes of the Lord and kept it. And because he loved the word of the Lord, he was suffering, and such sufferings could lead him to discouragement. In this situation, he pleaded with the Lord three times to ‘revive me’ (vv. 154, 156, 159).
(2) It is “my cause” that discourages us.
Look at Psalms 119:154 – “Plead my cause and redeem me; Revive me according to Your word.” The psalmist pleaded with God for his resentment when suffering unjustly came upon him, because the wicked oppressed him for nothing wrong. We can be discouraged when we have resentment. What should we do when we are so discouraged?
Second and last, how can we overcome discouragement?
We can overcome discouragement through prayer and the word. The psalmist had two choices when he was in the midst of the persecution of the wicked: Either he let affliction to discourage his soul, or he could more actively engaged in a life of word of God and prayer. The psalmist's choice was the latter. He prayed and spoke more actively in the midst of affliction. See his prayer: “rescue me” (v.153), “Revive me” (vv. 154, 156, 159). He didn’t become discouraged in affliction, but looked to the Lord and prayed to the Lord for salvation and restoration (revival). Also, when he was in distress, he didn’t forget the law of the Lord (v. 153) and didn’t turn aside from from the Lord’s testimonies (v. 157). He held the word of the Lord more and more. So the psalmist cried out to the Lord, “Revive me according to Your word” (v. 154) and “Revive me according to Your ordinances” (v.156). In order not to be discouraged in our affliction, we must pray according to the word of the Lord. In other words, we must hold onto the word of the Lord and cry out to Him in faith. Our hearts must be drawn by the word of the Lord. And we must be governed by His word. Otherwise, we are prone to discouragement in our hardships.
We can be discouraged by suffering and unjust resentment in our lives. In that case, we must hold onto the word of God and pray to Him. We must trust in the Lord's lovingkindness and ask, “Revive me according to Your word”. Then the Lord will listen to our prayers and will revive our hearts. The Lord will deliver us from our discouragement because He makes us hope and yearn for Him. And He will go further and deliver us from the wicked and the persecutors. I hope and pray that we will be able to experience this work of God’s salvation.
Longing for the Lord who is my hope in the midst of discouragement and despair,
James Kim
(Living today because of my Lord who is my hope)