"Forever, O Lord,
Your word is settled in Heaven.
Your Faithfulness endures to all generations;
They continue this day according to your ordinances,
For all are your servants.
Unless your law had been my delight,
I would then have perished in my affliction.
I will never forget your precepts,
For by them you have given me life.
I am yours, save me;
For I have sought your precepts.
The wicked wait for me to destroy me,
But I will consider your testimonies.
I have seen the consumption of all perfection,
But Your commandment is exceedingly broad."-
Psalm 119:89-96
The 12th section of this psalm comes from the Hebrew letter Lamed. It is the tallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet and it resembles the shape of a shepherd's hook, or goad. In true poetic fashion, the psalmist starts each verse with this letter, all with definitions that show how God is not only our everlasting shepherd, but also a teacher. Words like Le olam, "to the age", or better translated "Forever", and Le dor, to the generations, and Le Cha-ani, to you I am, or sometimes translated, I am thine. These simply words represent the fact that God is forever, from generation to generation, and we are always in him if we choose to be.
Another side of this letter is its shape. In the same way that a shepherd would use his staff to lead and guide his sheep, God's word and his precepts are presented to us in order that we may be guided in the way that we should go to grow and mature in our relationship and knowledge in God.
Lets talk about the letter itself. ל is the tallest in the alphabet. One commentary about this passage states this is so, because as we go through life and we grow and mature, our level of spiritual maturity rises and increases. This theory is not to give us a sense of pride or boastfulness, but rather a simple understanding that as we journey through life's trials, we see different aspects of how God works and the numerous ways he provides and cares for his sheep. I like how HebrewToday wraps up this letter.
"If you pay attention, you’ll see that all the verbs in these verses(Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) begin with the letter ל except for the verbs סְפוֹד (sefod) mourn and רְקוֹד (rekod) dance. The scholars understand from this that these two are different – they are both situations that remove a person from their learning – a funeral (when one is mourning) and a wedding (when one is dancing)"
As Christians, we should always be learning and growing. In times of building up and breaking down, in times of embracing and times or releasing, a time of gathering and and time of letting go. Whatever the season we are placed in, if we aren't growing as Christians, we are missing the point of the season that God has set before us. We should never be ashamed of not knowing something in relation to God and his character, but when something comes up that we aren't familiar with, we just need to press in further to what God is trying to show us.
God's word and his commandments will never cease to grow and shape us, if we allow them to do so. Let his word and his voice guide you and direct you wherever he is leading you, for he knows the best path for us to take and the steps needed to get there. Trust the process and never stop learning.
Adam Semple- A Young Man on a Journey through the Psalms.
