DALETH – THE TRIAL OF SORROWS – Psalm 119:25-32

The sufficiency of God's Word is featured in section four of this great acrostic psalm in light of the heavy burden of sorrow that often attends our way. The authors of scripture were blessed with a gift none of us today can boast – namely the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to record the very Word of God – they nevertheless were no less dependent on that same Word to provide necessary means to navigate their own weakness of soul. If the authors of scripture were dependent on the scriptures for their spiritual life... how much more ought we to pay heed to this necessary source of strength and resolve for our own trials. So enamored is the author with the covenant revelation of God – He deploys at least 7 terms through the course of this epic song to emphasize the indispensable speech of God. The ESV study Bible defines these terms as follows (most of which appear in each stanza including ours today): Law: Instruction – Testimonies: What God solemnly testifies to be His will – Precepts: What God has appointed to be done – Statutes: What the divine Law-giver has laid down – Commandments: What God has commanded – Rules: What the Divine Judge has ruled to be right – Word: What God has spoken. There is no ambiguity in the authors prescription of the cure, nor in his diagnosis of the soul. The psychological lexicon of the modern age oftentimes obscures these categories with clinical jargon disguising the fact that saints of old were not naive or immune to depression, debilitating sorrow, anxiety, stress, trauma, PTSD, or any number of “mental health” conditions. And for each, ultimately speaking, the prescription remains universal ...The sufficient Word of God. Let us consider its healing power in the soul of our author given his testimony in our text today...