Psalm Meditation 494
Second Sunday of Advent
December 6, 2009

Psalm 119:161-176
161 Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words.
162 I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil.
163 I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law.
164 Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous ordinances.
165 Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.
166 I hope for your salvation, O LORD, and I fulfill your commandments.
167 My soul keeps your decrees; I love them exceedingly.
168 I keep your precepts and decrees, for all my ways are before you.
169 Let my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word.
170 Let my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise.
171 My lips will pour forth praise, because you teach me your statutes.
172 My tongue will sing of your promise, for all your commandments are right.
173 Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.
174 I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight.
175 Let me live that I may praise you, and let your ordinances help me.
176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek out your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.
(NRSV)

If I remember correctly, this psalm is made up of 22 groups of verses with the first word of the group beginning with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each set of 8 verses has something good to say about God’s law. In a time when it is commonplace to make fun of laws and lawyers it seems out of place to actually praise any kind of law. We may have gotten so used to having laws and folks who do their best to enact and enforce laws fairly that we forget how important those laws can be. I know there are people in all parts of the world who deal with laws that are used as weapons of oppression rather than as tools of freedom so I am grateful to be among those who see laws in a fairly positive light.

Among those who are oppressed by human law it is good to know that God treats people with justice and fairness and tempers those with mercy. God actually bothers to teach us the laws rather than waiting for us to discover what the laws are by breaking them and being punished for the transgression. When kings rule with absolute power and make up laws to suit their particular wants and needs there is great comfort in laws that apply equally to all persons regardless of their economic and political situation. While there are consequences for breaking God’s laws the psalmist continually finds that God is willing to seek us out and bring us back into the protection of the very laws we transgress.

As we complain about the numerous silly, unpopular and unhelpful laws we find on a regular basis we do well to remember that there are many people around the world and in our own communities who do not have the luxury of complaining about the laws and the how and the if of their enforcement. We might also take comfort in knowing that even as human laws are enforced differently depending on the folks involved in any given situation the laws of God are “my delight.”

© November 30, 2009