The 4th letter of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet
Dalet
ד
Represents lowliness and the consciousness of possessing nothing of one's own, as a door symbolically represents the to open ourselves to the hope of our dreams or to remain closed of or alienated
V25 - My soul clings to the dust , give me life according to your word.
The psalmist is depressed to the point of death, it is ongoing (clings), but he knows the only way to joy (hope) is through God's word, His promises.
The psalmist knew what he needed. “One would have thought that he would have asked for comfort or upraising, but he knew that these would come out of increased life, and therefore he sought that blessing which is the root of the rest. When a person is depressed in spirit, weak, and bent towards the ground, the main thing is to increase his stamina and put more life into him; then his spirit revives.” (Spurgeon)
V26 - When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statues.
Declare everything to the Lord, your sin and your anxieties. Nothing is hidden from Him , but still we need to bring it all to Him
“Can each one of us now say, in this sense, ‘I have declared my ways’ to the Lord? For this should be done, not only at our first coming to him, but continually throughout the whole of our life. We should look over each day, and sum up the errors of the day, and say, ‘I have declared my ways,’ – my naughty ways, my wicked ways, my wandering ways, my backsliding ways, my cold, indifferent ways, my proud ways.’” (Spurgeon)
V27 - Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wonderous works.
We need wisdom and knowledge from the Holy spirit so we can start to comprehend the awesome Holiness of God , this knowledge we cannot gain by ourselves
“It is concerned with a deep understanding, one that goes beyond a mere understanding of the words to a profound understanding of what they reveal about the nature of God, the gospel, and God’s ways.” (Boice)
V28 - My soul melts away from sorrow, strengthen me according to your word.
The psalmist is weighted down with grief but the Lord's word lifts him (strengthens) up from sorrow.
“This melting heaviness has not wrought its work, until it has bowed us before the throne of grace with the pleading cry of faith – Strengthen thou me!” (Bridges)
V29 - Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law.
Help me not to speak lies and even more so not to believe satan's lies , show me (pity, direction, favour) in following your ways
The verb translated graciously “…actually has the sense of ‘graciously teach,’ a single word. The full thought is, If we are to be kept from sin, it must be by the grace of God exercised through the teaching of his Word.” (Boice)
V30 - I have chosen the way of faithfulness, I set your rules before me
In his sorrow, when his soul clings to dust , he chooses faithfulness. Faithfulness in any situation.
“Men do not drop into the right way by chance; they must choose it, and continue to choose it, or they will soon wander from it.” (Spurgeon)
V31 - I cling to your testimonies, Oh Lord; let me not be put to shame!
"In the beginning of the section, he is clinging to the dust (verse 25); by the end he is clinging to God’s word. In the beginning he is laid low; now he is joyfully running with all his strength in the race God’s word sets before him". (Guzik)
Let me not sin against you oh Lord and hang my head in shame.
V32 - I will run in the way of your commandments, when you enlarge my heart
Because we cling to the Lord and He lifts us up from the dust, our whole being (hearts) grows more eager to seek after God (enlarges) and as such we are more eager (run) to follow His commandments, all is provided by the Lord.
"He has moved in a beautiful progression, from confessing to choosing to clinging to running" (Guzik)
“The remedy therefore is in that enlargement, which embraces a wider expanse of light, and a more full confidence of love…. He does not say – I will make no efforts, unless thou work for me; but if thou wilt enlarge – I will run. Weakness is not the plea for indolence, but for quickening grace…. The secret of Christian energy and success is a heart enlarged in the love of God.” (Bridges)
** God is the only way, grace provided through the redemptive work of out Lord Jesus Christ. Proverbs 3:6 "Seek Him in all your ways , and He will make your path straight."
It is Him who provides the way, It is Him whom makes the heart willing, it is Him whom guides us along the way, it is Him whom brings us back on the path when we go a' stray.
All Glory to God! **