The Greatness of God's Word

The next-to-the-last letter in the Hebrew alphabet is the letter shin. The theme of this prayer section is the greatness of God’s word. It is a prayer without a request. Confession of truth is the entirety of this prayer. This is instructive if you are willing to learn to pray from God. Prayer is not primarily getting your requests before God, it is first and foremost getting to know the One who knows what you need before you ask, and becoming more and more like Him as you learn of Him from His word. This begins with praying His word and allowing His word to shape your prayers.

The psalmist compares God’s word to several images in this section to show its surpassing wealth and strength. The first image is of being falsely accused by powerful political figures, “Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words.” When you are falsely accused, the first reaction is fear, which expresses itself in a flurry to defend yourself and to prove your innocence. But this prayer trumps that reaction with something more powerful than the fear of trying to prove your innocence, which is to stand in awe of God’s words. The false words of powerful men quickly dissolve in light of the truth of God’s words.

The phrase “stands in awe” is the Hebrew word pawkad, which is a powerful word for worship, for trembling in fear, for a growing fear of God. In most places in the Bible, bowing before the Lord is descriptive of worship and fear of God. But in this word you see the rising aspect of worship, of something welling up within you. This is what Jesus was communicating to the woman of Sychar beside Jacob’s well (John 4:14), when He said, “…The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” Rather than the fear of man rising up as a result of a false accusation, the fear of God and truth of His word will rise up within you with bold confidence that God will take care of you. You can trust Him.

The next line, 119:162, declares a great truth, “I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil.” The word “rejoice” is the Hebrew word soos, which describes the joy and exhilaration of a party. The word “great spoil” is the Hebrew word shalal, which means the spoils of war. This is pictured in the New Testament in the parable that Jesus told in Luke 15:11 – 32, known as the prodigal son. When the son returned home with nothing, the father ran out to meet him and took back what the world, the flesh, and the devil had stolen and threw a party! Everyone in the father’s house was rejoicing except the fatted calf and the older son, but the party was on! When the truth of God’s word is found, you take back what the enemy had stolen, and find the great joy and wealth in that victory! Hallelujah!!!

Another powerful truth is declared in 119:165, “Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.” The word “peace” is the Hebrew word shalom, which means wholeness, soundness, strength, fulfillment, a restored relationship. It was and still is a greeting in Israel, shalom! The promise of shalom is given to those who love God’s instructions, and the blessing of shalom is the fact that you will not stumble. The Hebrew word mikshole, means to trip and fall, to be offended. God’s word will keep you from the sin of an offended spirit. An offended spirit has caused more people to drop out of following the Lord in the fellowship of believers than anything else.

When the Father sees that you see the surpassing wealth and strength of His word by declaring it to Him in prayer, it pleases Him. This is what it means to worship the Father in spirit and truth.