119: Resh

The Hebrew letter Resh [ר] signifies poverty or need. Scholars say it looks like a man bent over. It’s appropriate, then, that in these eight verses the psalmist most acutely expresses his awareness of his need and inability to help himself. If you are keeping track, he asks for help in seven different ways.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,” said the Lord Jesus, “for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Significantly, resh (spiritually impoverished) transforms into rosh (head or leader) by swapping out a single vowel. There are no vowels written in the Torah, so this ambiguity is part of the package. The last shall be first.

Last into first, humility into greatness. Christians can point to this paradox in the upper room, where the Lord and teacher washes his disciples’ feet, and again in Philippians 2, where one in the form of God empties himself in service, for which he is highly exalted and given the name above every name.

The writer of Psalm 119 can neither stoop nor rise to anything like that level, but he is greatly in need and well aware of it.

Psalm 119:153-154 — Delivery and Redemption

“Look on my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget your law. Plead my cause and redeem me; give me life according to your promise!”

Redeem Me

The Hebrew for “deliver me” is most literally “select me out”. Pick me! “Redeem” is the same word as in the case of the kinsman-redeemer in Ruth, but also the avenger of blood in Israel whose job was to exact rightful recompense for the untimely death of a relative. In using such a term, the psalmist is essentially appealing to an existing family relationship, law or tradition. This forms the basis on which he can rightfully make his claim for aid from one in a position to provide it. So he says, “Give me life according to your promise.”

I trust the Christian reader sees the application without me belaboring it.

Give Me Life

The psalmist’s appeal “give me life” comes nine times throughout Psalm 119 in seven distinct forms, three times in this section alone. Here are the seven, with the three from this stanza highlighted:

according to your word (v25, v107)
in your ways (v37)
in your righteousness (v40)
in your steadfast love (v88, v159)
according to your justice (v149)
according to your promise (v154)
according to your rules (v156)

We might think of the words “according to” or “in” as meaning something like “consistent with” or “in keeping with”.

It’s not a single attribute or character quality of God to which either the psalmist or you and I may appeal. There is rarely only one reason for the Lord to meet his servant’s need. The kinsman-redeemer came to the aid of his sister-in-law or other relative because of the established family relationship, perhaps for one reason and perhaps for many. In doing so, he was being righteous, just and in compliance with the rule of law, he was keeping a promise to his brother, and he was acting in love to protect a family member in need. He may even have been acting according to his natural inclination (as in the case of Boaz), as suggested in verse 37. The psalmist’s desperation in his affliction is such that he appeals to every possible way of escape.

Psalm 119:155-156 — Mercy by the Numbers

“Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes. Great is your mercy, O Lord; give me life according to your rules.”

Incidentally, the Hebrew word for “wicked” here is rash, the same consonants as resh. It’s yet another pun, of course. There are dozens of these sprinkled throughout the psalm, but we can’t see them in English.

Great Mercy

The word “mercy” is the same Hebrew term that at one time gave rise to the KJV’s repeated references to “bowels”. It refers to deep compassion, as when Joseph saw his brother Benjamin after many years and had to look for somewhere discreet to weep. The term also appears in the story of Solomon’s wisdom in deciding which prostitute was really the mother of the living baby. The writer of 1 Kings tells us that the natural mother was overwhelmed by maternal affection (“her heart yearned for her son,” says the ESV), and even offered to give her child away rather than have him killed to make a point. This is mercy, and it may be costly.

According to Your Rules

Even great mercy is not arbitrary; God will not extend his mercy unjustly. His emotions never overrule his actions. David too was overwhelmed with love for his rebel son Absalom, and yearned for the loyalist army to take the traitor alive rather than kill him in battle. This father was merciful, but not just. Absalom was at this point responsible for the deaths of thousands of his fellow Israelites on both sides, and richly deserved death. However, in slaying Absalom against the king’s orders, Joab was (for a change) legally just but (as usual) lacking in mercy.

God is always both. In the matter of salvation, he is both “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus”. His mercy is great, but he plays by the rules he has established, even when he has to pay the price himself.

Psalm 119:157-158 — Unswerving vs. Faithless

“Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, but I do not swerve from your testimonies. I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your commands.”

“Faithless” is literally deceitful or treacherous — one whose word cannot be trusted. Proverbs compares such a man to a bad tooth or a foot that slips. We all know how unpleasant such events can be. Once we have established a person is characteristically faithless, avoiding him is the only remedy. He may be on our side nine times out of ten, but that tenth time is always far too costly.

In contrast, the ESV’s “swerve” is really “turn aside”, as a traveler might do at night to pitch his tent. The temptation to leave the highway might not be an evil diversion. It could be a perfectly natural impulse arising from physical or emotional need. Our righteous psalmist never gives in to such urges. The fact that it might be easier to stop and have a bite to eat and a nap does not tempt him from his goal. He has a destination to get to, and he stays in his lane. He does not swerve from the Lord’s testimonies.

Psalm 119:159-160 — Adding It Up

“Consider how I love your precepts! Give me life according to your steadfast love. The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.”

The Sum of Your Word

“The sum of your word is truth.” I memorized this as a child, and always found it an odd turn of phrase. We might say, “Your word reflects reality from top to bottom.” Not coincidentally, the word translated “sum” is also rosh, meaning chief or beginning, all the same consonants as the letter of the Hebrew alphabet that heads this stanza. Again, that’s not unintentional.

Life and Love

Here we have the psalmist’s final appeal to “give me life”, both in this stanza and in the entire psalm. This time the basis for his claim is the steadfast love of the Lord: “It’s consistent with the way you are.” If you’re coming to the end, best to finish strong. It’s no wonder he loves the precepts of God. They were all given in unchanging love.