KAPH – THE TRIAL OF PERSECUTION – Psalm 119-81:88

The 11th stanza of the greatest song in literature marks the half way point in the Hebrew alphabet and this acrostic poem. The presenting trial is persecution and the 91st reference to covenant revelation adds further weight to the great theme applied to the author's hardships. Stanza 11 proclaims: the Word of God is sufficient for the trial of persecution. Our title today was chosen in the interest of consistency, but several came to mind. “Smoke Damaged Wineskin” is an evocative and fitting metaphor for the psalmist's plight as he cries out to God in his depleted condition (v83). “Help Me!” – the desperate interjection of verse 86 captures the vulnerable tone of the psalmist's entreaty. A 4th title might be: “Joseph's Stanza”, as his life circumstances illustrate the psalmist's anguish so dramatically including literal pitfalls illuminating verse 85. Joseph, however, is not the perfect subject for the Kaph stanza. In the final analysis, there has been only one figure in scripture whose life and ministry corresponds to Ps 119:81-88 without exception. Jesus, as the suffering servant and spotless Lamb, perfectly obeyed the law of God even as He suffered unjustly more than any other at the hands of sinful men. The passion of Christ is the messianic anticipation of the Kaph stanza. The sufferings of Christ are foreshadowed throughout the Psalter and Jesus Himself quotes Psalm 22 as He is crucified. While this section contains great application value for our own struggles as believers, its prophetic weight should not be over looked. Furthermore, as we have drawn encouragement from Peter's instructions to the early church, we can add to our prayer and worship vocabulary as we draw inspiration from the themes and structure of Psalm 119. Let us consider the 11th stanza in light of our call to Christian faithfulness as we look to Jesus and His Word.