Eighteenth Strophe—Psalm 119:137-144
137 Righteous are you, O Lord , and your laws are right. 138 The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy. 139 My zeal wears me out, for my enemies ignore your words. 140 Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them. 141 Though I am lowly and despised, I do not forget your precepts. 142 Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true. 143 Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands are my delight. 144 Your statutes are forever right; give me understanding that I may live.
Zealousness is usually considered a bad thing. In our culture we have so many examples of those who are over-zealous, or their zealousness is devoted to the wrong cause. It is radical over-zealousness to blow up abortion clinics—though the cause of ending the slaughter of innocent babies is right and just. The right and Biblical zeal is guided by the righteousness of God.
The writer of Psalm 119 is “zealous” for “righteousness”. Five times, he uses this same root word (tsadik) for “righteousness”. Verse 142 literally reads, “Your righteousness is righteous forever!”
When we are zealous, but “forget” (v.141) God’s Word—which the Psalmist vows not to do—we stray from the true cause and lose sight of God’s righteousness. But, when we are zealous and “delight” (v.143) in God’s commands—as the Psalmist does—our zeal is good and beautiful and healthy and productive.
Being zealous for God’s righteousness can also create “enemies” (v.139). It can bring “trouble and distress” (v.143). Most people couldn’t care less about God’s righteousness and when we try to do things God’s way we can tick people off. They’ll call us zealots or radical or extremist. Usually because a zealous stand for righteousness challenges their unrighteous choices—choices that violate God’s standard of righteousness.
Too often, God’s people—real believers—will refuse to be zealous for God’s righteousness. They’re okay with God’s righteousness as long as its theory taught from a distance. But when they are admonished to conform their lives to that right standard, they get offended. They look for a church where they can be anonymous—where they won’t be challenged to change and grow in righteousness.
We need to take our cue from the Psalmist: We need to “love” God’s “promises” (v.140). We need to “not forget (God’s) precepts” (v.141). We need to “delight” in them (v.143). We need to pray that God will help us understand His righteousness and “live” it out (v.144).
