Discovering the Promised Salvation

Scripture:
I have done what is just and right;
do not leave me to my oppressors.
Guarantee your servant’s well-being;
do not let the arrogant oppress me.
My eyes grow weary looking for your salvation
and for your righteous promise.
Deal with your servant based on your faithful love;
teach me your statutes.
Psalm 119:121-124

Observation: Throughout Psalm 119, the writer petitions for the Lord's protection from those who oppress him. His claim for protection over and over is his own faithfulness, born out by how well he obeys the precepts and statutes of the Law. Here again, in this section titled Ayin, the writer begins (and ends) with a similar claim. However, he has a bit of variation, as he finally has another idea ... that the Lord brings salvation not as a response to our work, but as a promise he previously made, poured out as a result of his own love. And with that realization, the psalmist goes from declaring that he has "done what is just and right" because he knows the Law, to "teach me your statutes" because there are things he does not know.

Application: I do believe there is deep subtlety in this very long psalm, and the naming of the sections after Hebrew letters is part of it. Ayin has two interesting qualities. The first is that, in Hebrew, it is a vowel that is generally silent, and instead of making a noise on its own it alters the sound made by the adjacent consonant.  In modern spoken Hebrew, this has become a glottal stop, like the ' in Hawai'i. The second interesting quality is that, when translating Hebrew, Ayin is usually translated as an O, and thus when Hebrew is translated to Greek Ayin becomes Omega.

Let's put all this together.

In this section, the writer realizes that he is oppressed despite his compliance with the Lord's commands. He therefore looks for another source of the Lord's salvation ... a fulfillment of the Lord's own righteous promises, and in such he desires for the Lord to deal with him not on the quality of his works under the Law, but simply based on the Lord's faithful love. With that, the psalmist could begin to truly learn the Lord's statutes and purposes. And this change of perspective (even if it is only briefly stated in a couple verses) occurs in the Omega ... the completeness of all things claimed by Jesus Christ himself. It is also a concept that stands alongside another - creating a new understanding and relationship with that other thing - just as the Messiah came into the world to stand alongside Yahweh, and thus create a new relationship for mankind's salvation.

Yes, I believe that in this passage, the psalmist is declaring an understanding that complying with the Law is insufficient for salvation, and perfect compliance is in fact impossible. He therefore knows there must be another source of salvation, and that source comes directly from the loving promises of God to bless all nations by the Jews, and to establish the permanent global rule of the line of David.

Prayer: Lord, your word is deep and complex, yet simple and loving. Your message is permanent and consistent, and it is that you love us all and desire a relationship with us. May I turn to your as my father today, adopted by my faith in Jesus. Amen.