Psalm 119 Yodh

"Your hands made me and formed me;

      give me understanding to learn your commands.

May those who fear you rejoice when they see me,

      for I have put my hope in your word.

I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous,

      and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

 May your unfailing love be my comfort,

      according to your promise to your servant.

Let your compassion come to me that I may live,

     for your law is my delight.

May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause;

     but I will meditate on your precepts.

May those who fear you turn to me,

     those who understand your statutes.

May I wholeheartedly follow your decrees,

     that I may not be put to shame."- Psalm 119:73-80

    The tenth section of the psalms conveys the Hebrew letter Yodh, which represents creation and humility, and this section beautifully represents both of these concepts. It starts with the psalmist acknowledging that God has made him, and formed him, and that everything that comes up in life is ordained by God, both the good and the bad. I love in verse 75, the psalmist comes to the realization that even when afflictions come our way, God, in all his faithfulness, has orchestrated all things to work out for our life. "May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to the promise to your servant." This verse reminds us that we should never lose faith when trials come our way, rather God's love will always be with us, giving us peace and comfort. As hard as that sounds, God's love and righteousness is infinite and unfailing, and nothing we do or nothing that happens to us comes as a surprise to Him. He is forever in control and knows how these tribulations will shape our testimony down the road.

    The passage ends with the psalmist asking God to condemn the wicked for the things they have gotten away with, while at the same time asking God to keep them from falling into the same traps. "Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight." "May I wholeheartedly follow your decrees, that I may be put to shame." Here is where the psalmist addresses the humility of what this letter represents. 

    YODH is the shortest letter in the Hebrew Alphabet, and is sometimes skipped over when studying the Hebrew language. That should not stop us from realizing the beauty of God's creation and the humility of his creation as we marvel at the character of God and understand that we can do nothing on our own. It is only because of God's faithfulness and love that we have the desire to do anything that God has set before us. 

Adam Semple- A Young Man reading through the Psalms.