Psalm 119 is about loving God’s Torah, His statutes, commands and precepts. It is broken up into sections with strange looking words or letters which are the Hebrew alphabet. In the Hebrew Scriptures, each line of each section starts with a word beginning with this letter. This is called an acrostic poem. Each Hebrew letter also has a word picture associated with it giving greater meaning and symbolism to each line of the specific letter-ed section.
כ Kaf – Open Palm, Wing
To Allow, Open, Cover
“I am dying to know your salvation; my hope is in your word. My eyes fail from watching for your promise; I ask, “When will you comfort me?” For I have shriveled like a wineskin in a smoky room; still, I don’t forget your laws. How long can your servant stay alive? When will you bring judgment on my persecutors? The arrogant have dug pits for me to fall in; this is not in keeping with your Torah! All your mitzvot [show your] faithfulness; they are hounding me with lies; help me! They have nearly ended my life on earth, but I have not abandoned your precepts. In keeping with your grace, revive me; and I will observe your spoken instructions.”
God allows persecution from others in our lives so that we will trust in His salvation and put our hope in the promises in His Word. Persecution doesn’t come because we are unfaithful, but because we are holding fast to God’s Torah which angers God’s enemies. When we feel like “a shriveled wineskin in a smoky room,” we need to remember God’s eternal promises and that He will render true justice. He is faithful to deliver us from the pits that have been dug for us or the lies that are being told about us. We may not see God’s judgment with our physical eyes because His justice deals with the heart. No matter how we feel, we must never abandon our faith in God and in His covering we will find empowering grace to continue -– revived.
“I have engraved you on the palms of my hands” (Isaiah 49:16).
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