Those Who Fear You – Psalm 119:73-80

The psalmist uses a rhetorical device in fashioning this segment of his ode to God’s Word.  He uses an abcddcba pattern, with each “a” being somewhat equivalent, each “b”, etc.  I’ll label them in the passage.  The glory of God’s word elicits poetic power from the psalmist.

Yodh   

[a] Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments. [b]Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice, because I have hoped in your word. [c]I know, O LORD, that your rules are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. [d]Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant. [d]Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight. [c]Let the insolent be put to shame, because they have wronged me with falsehood; as for me, I will meditate on your precepts. [b]Let those who fear you turn to me, that they may know your testimonies. [a]May my heart be blameless in your statutes, that I may not be put to shame!  (Psalm 119:73-80 ESV)

This portion opens and closes with a request for Yahweh to teach His commandments and make the psalmist blameless in His statutes.  The second and second to the last verses are about his testimony to other believers, acknowledging on the one hand that those who see him living out Yahweh’s commands will rejoice, and asking, on the other hand, to draw other believers to himself so he might teach them.  In the middle verses he recognizes that affliction is from Yahweh’s hand as a tool to teach him and seek His comfort and he longs to learn so that the unrighteous will be put to shame for their false leadership and so that he might teach the righteous the truth.