Psalm 119: Taw

Hebrew Letter Taw

Psalm 119:169-176 in Hebrew

Who are His sheep?

John 10:24–29 ESV

24 So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me, 26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. 27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

Who are His sheep?

Those who are given to Jesus by God

Those who are held in His hands

Those who hear his voice

Those whom He knows

What are His sheep like?

Isaiah 53:6 ESV

6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way;

We turn to our own way. We are his, we know his voice, and we still blunder, stumble about, and get led off in every direction by our own ideas, our own pride, our own desires.

In my pride I don’t submit my plans to the Lord.

In my arrogance I believe my way will work this time.

In my selfishness I want to do what pleases me.

This is the topic that the Psalmist turns to as he finishes this psalm. The reality that we all go astray, even those of us who pursue God.

Psalm 119:169–176 ESV

169 Let my cry come before you, O Lord; give me understanding according to your word! 170 Let my plea come before you; deliver me according to your word. 171 My lips will pour forth praise, for you teach me your statutes. 172 My tongue will sing of your word, 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 my soul live and praise you, and let your rules help me. 176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.

What are the actions taken by those who seek God?

We depend on God

Psalm 119:169–170 ESV

169 Let my cry come before you, O Lord; give me understanding according to your word! 170 Let my plea come before you; deliver me according to your word.

We worship God

Psalm 119:171–172 ESV

171 My lips will pour forth praise, for you teach me your statutes. 172 My tongue will sing of your word, for all your commandments are right.

We trust in God

Psalm 119:173–175 ESV

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 my soul live and praise you, and let your rules help me.

We fail God

Psalm 119:176 ESV

176 I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.

Come find me

Come lift me out of this mess

Come pick me up

Come carry me

Notice that this is not an enemy of God but one of his sheep.

How is it, that we can . . .

. . . Depend on God

. . . Worship God

. . . Trust God

and still fail Him?

If this is our state of existence then how do we fix it?

Isaiah 53:1–6 ESV

1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. 4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

The answer is we can’t fix it. Only God can.

So what do we do?

We ask God to find us, forgive us, and save us.

We trust Him.

We worship Him.

and We depend on Him.

Ephesians 2:8–10 ESV

8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.