? Qoph

145 I cry out with my whole heart;
Hear me, O Lord!
I will keep Your statutes.
146 I cry out to You;
Save me, and I will keep Your testimonies.
147 I rise before the dawning of the morning,
And cry for help;
I hope in Your word.
148 My eyes are awake through the night watches,
That I may meditate on Your word.
149 Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness;
O Lord, revive me according to Your justice.
150 They draw near who follow after wickedness;
They are far from Your law.
151 You are near, O Lord,
And all Your commandments are truth.
152 Concerning Your testimonies,
I have known of old that You have founded them forever.

The letter “Qoph” means a coming around, a circuit of space or time, or a circular motion; and it also serves to denote the ear of an axe or the eye of a needle or the back of the head. It means to go around, compass.

We can see the meaning of this word played out over and over throughout this section of Psalm 119. See how the Psalmist starts by crying out with his WHOLE heart. This word “heart” is defined as the inner man, mind, will, heart, understanding. Think of a person using their hand and moving it in a circular motion over themselves as they say, “All of me.” With all that he has within him, the Psalmist cries out to God; and with all that he has, he will obey when given an answer. I see another “coming around” in this as well. I call out, God answers, I obey, coming full circle. 

How many times have we ourselves cried out to God, totally lost as to what to do, but dedicated to be obedient to whatever His will is? We are surrounded by people who don’t care about the Lord, or claim to cry out to God but then are unwilling to obey when He answers. We see this especially in the denominational world today—people claiming to “call on the name of the Lord” to be saved, crying out to Him to be saved, and yet unwilling to obey. When we cry out to God we are acknowledging HIS authority, HIS ability, HIS supremacy, so when He commands, why would we not submit to Him and be obedient? “It is not in man to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). In Isaiah 55:8-9, we learn that God doesn’t think the way we do. Is that not why we go to Him? Why we acknowledge our need for His instruction and His help? We know we cannot devise a plan to save ourselves, nor be “good enough” to earn God’s favor. So we cry out to God for HIS plan, and in His wisdom He decided what was needed. It’s up to us to keep the testimonies of the Lord, to do what He instructs. This is another “coming around”: we acknowledge our deficiency and our dependence on God for salvation or help, then we bring ourselves around to His will. 

This “cry” to God gets stronger as we move through the text. By the third time it’s used, the Psalmist’s cry becomes a shout for help. Now we see a “circuit of time” in verse 147 as he rises before the dawning of morning. Then, in verse 148, he is awake through the night. Early he rises to talk to God and is comforted by the hope he finds in God’s word. When he can’t sleep at night, he meditates on that word, knowing God hears him when he cries out to Him, and is revived knowing God will be perfect in His justice. This word “revive” means to give life. Is that not what God promises to those who obey Him? That life comes according to His justice? God’s justice requires punishment for sin (Romans 6:23) and yet He has provided the blood that appeases His requirement for punishment on our behalf, through Christ (Romans 5:8-11), to all those who obey Him (Hebrews 5:9).

In verses 150-152, we hear the Psalmist telling God that wickedness is all around him and getting closer. Lot was tormented day and night by the sins of the world around him, and I imagine this being the same torment here. Pressure is all around to do evil or to persecute those who are following righteousness. Does this wicked and sinful world drive us closer to God? Do we take refuge in Him and His word (Psalm 18:2)? In His promises of an abundant life (John 10:10)? In the hope that we have and in the salvation now (1 Corinthians 1:18) and the salvation to come (1 Peter 1:3-12)? Knowing that when we resist the devil, he will flee from us, because by resisting sin we are able to draw near to God, and then He will draw near to us (James 4:7-8)?

God’s word is truth (John 17:17), for He cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18), so we can depend upon them. His word has always been true and will continue to hold true. It is a firm foundation that can withstand any trial, but only for those who chose to be obedient to it (Matthew 7:24-27). This is why it can judge all men from every generation, past to present to future (John 12:48). In this we see another “coming around” or “circuit of time,”: from beginning to end, God’s word is true. Therefore, it can provide justice, hope, comfort, and life.

So let’s be as the Psalmist and cry out to God in our times of distress. Beginning with our distress over our own sin, but then also over the sin of the world around us. Let’s seek to be obedient from our whole heart and therefore able to be comforted and hopeful because God is true to His word. 

Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer.  From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Psalm 61:1-2

 

by Jena Gumpert