Foundation of God’s Word and Testimony

Psalms 119:73-80
י YOD

73 Your hands have made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.

74 Those who fear You will be glad when they see me,
Because I have hoped in Your word.

75 I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are right,
And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.

76 Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort,
According to Your word to Your servant.

77 Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live;
For Your law is my delight.

78 Let the proud be ashamed,
For they treated me wrongfully with falsehood;
But I will meditate on Your precepts.

79 Let those who fear You turn to me,
Those who know Your testimonies.

80 Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes,
That I may not be ashamed.

This part of the psalm about God’s word is under the smallest consonant in the language, a formative element of the other letters and therefore words as well, and often seen as the the starting point of the presence of God in all things (His omnipresence) just like in all other letters and words God spoke.  For us in this lettered part of Psalm 119, we can think of God’s presence and foundation of His word in our understanding of our creation.  This understanding leads us to desire learning from His word because we know He made all things good and tells us all which is good and right to live accordingly.  We hope then in this word we call the scriptures, from Genesis to Revelation, and that hope is walked out in the middle of life’s adversities so others may see God in us and the rightness of His words to build out or lives from, just as Yod is seemingly insignificant in its size but is a parallel to the beginning of all God’s works.  Our testimony is of God’s goodness as recorded in the scriptures, and is visible in those who believe and follow it as the foundation of all we say and do for His glory (Matthew 5:16).  It is not the testimony of our goodness or success in following God in Christ, but God’s faithfulness in the working of His word to transform in the new birth of regeneration and shape us in daily sanctification.  It is even by God’s faithfulness to do these things that He brings us to suffer adversity to demonstrate merciful kindness, as a testimony to His grace.  In faithfulness He has afflicted us.  Our comfort in these times is that goodness and kindness from His word which penetrates deep into our hearts and minds.  We delight in His word because we find life in that lovingkindness of grace, and rely on His certain working to complete us (Philippians 1:6).  When others slander us and spread lies to defame our lives lived in Christ, we can be assured that they will be ashamed before our Lord but we will not, because that is what we find in the scriptures as we meditate on all God tells us there (Matthew 5:11-12, Isaiah 50:7).  Those who then seek meaning in God’s word as He draws them will come to us for answers as they fear the one working all for good in us (Romans 8:28).  As for us, may we continue to sincerely read, hear, study, memorize, and meditate on God’s words of life (Acts 5:20, John 6:68).  There is no shame in keeping His word, only in not doing so that others may hear, see, and live.  This is the foundation of God’s word and testimony in His scriptures and working.