Pursued, Betrayed, Connected

I was born and raised in the desert region of southern California and lived there for a total of 23 years. The particular corridor I’m most familiar with is Interstate 15. Before moving to South Dakota, I drove along Interstate 15 twice a day for work, about an 80 mile round trip commute. Every day I passed right through a mountain section of interstate that’s beautiful in its own right. A winding highway through the mountains. When you live in a desert region, there’s a rare natural phenomenon called a super bloom.

In order for a super bloom to take place, there needs to be the exact right ingredients all happening in succession of one another. First, in order for a super bloom to take place, there cannot have been a super bloom in recent years. Second, there needs to be a very wet early spring season. Rain is generally uncommon in the desert, but a super bloom needs a particularly rainy start to spring. Third, late spring needs to have mild temperatures with occasional rain.

Most of the time, late spring feels more like the middle of summer, with a dry heat that can eclipse 90 or even 100 degrees. All three of these circumstances blend together to result in a build up of dormant seeds in the dirt, wet soil ideal for growing, and the ability to not dry out the ground or the flowers that make up the super bloom.

A super bloom is when fields of wild flowers grow so thick and throughout so many acres, that one can hardly even see the ground. In particular dominance is the state flower, the poppy. I have grown up seeing poppies grow in gardens and in the wild for my entire early life. I have witnessed from a distance a super bloom take place.

My whole life I have traveled down local roads and driven along the freeway as the mountains burst with the deepest, smoldering orange of the poppy that your eyes could behold.

Believe it or not, it took until my last spring season to be first time that I have ever seen a large hill lit up with a super bloom of orange poppies and intentionally exited the freeway to get out and be among this beautiful part of creation.

You know what shocked me? After seeing hillsides and fields beautifully displaying the most beautiful orange color it wasn’t until I got up close that I could appreciate what was really going on.

I drove by this exact spot twice every working day. I lived in this area my whole life and have witnessed super blooms a few times. But it wasn’t until my very last spring in California when I got out and hiked up a mountain that I realized it wasn’t just orange.

When I looked closer I could see the smallest white flowers speckled among the poppies. Yellow mustard flowers. Purple thorny flowers. Silver sage. The scene is straight from a painting, but better.

The most advanced and expertly produced computer graphics couldn’t mimic the beauty that exists when we spend our time enjoying and taking a closer look.

Psalm 119 is similar in a way. It’s the chapter of the Bible with the most verses—a total of 176! Psalm 119 is split into 22 different sections, each associated with a different Hebrew letter. Each of the 22 sections are split into our Bibles in 8 verses.

Each of these verses, representing a different line, start with the same letter as the section is named. If the section is titled “A” or it is titled “B,” then the first letter of the first word of each line will begin with “A” or “B.”

Except instead of English letters, they are Hebrew letters. This poetry was carefully and craftily created with common themes strung throughout each of the 22 sections.

Themes such as a devotion and love for God’s word and teachings given to humanity in the form of the Bible. One of the themes is developed through the progressing story about the Psalmist and how he has been detested, betrayed and ultimately pursued for his life.

We could spend hours reading Psalm 119 and dissecting it for its themes and poetic design.

We could spend years learning Hebrew to have the reading experience be richer with rhythm and rhyme as we read the poetry.

But this morning is not quite the time to get the grand view of God’s word in this Psalm. Today we will look at one section and see the intricate beauty that can only be seen when we take our time to value and appreciate a text.

Our passage for today is Psalm 119:161-168. This is section 21 of 22 and is given the name “Shin” in association with that Hebrew letter. Here’s how the passage reads,

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 rules. 165 Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble. 166 I hope for your salvation, O Lord, and I do your commandments. 167 My soul keeps your testimonies; I love them exceedingly. 168 I keep your precepts and testimonies, for all my ways are before you.

(First Problem)

Psalm 119 is bright with conflict. David, the author of the Psalm, was an important man in the kingdom of Israel, and he poetically expresses how he was challenged and fought throughout his life.

The problems began even before the story of the Bible picks up to show David’s life. What we know is that he was the youngest of his brothers,and was unexpectedly to be anointed as king of Israel.

King Saul sought to kill David for this fact.

After David rose to the throne, his own son sought to kill him.

Early on in Psalm 119 And now in our passage we see the end of a progression where David is now actively pursued by enemies.

It starts at verse 23 when the princes were only sitting together speaking against David. They didn’t yet pursue him.

Interestingly, even when David’s trouble with these princes first began at verse 23, his reaction has remained consistent, though increased with intensity. His reaction was to say, “Though princes sit together speaking against me, Your servant will think about your statutes.”

(First resolution)

Compare David’s statement from verse 23, “I will think about your statutes” to his reaction in verses 161-162, “Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words. I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil.” David has learned over time to place greater emphasis upon the Lord, and less time dwelling on those who would see him end.

The attack, the discouragement, the heartache is an ever-present force in David’s life.

The princes bring hardship and problems to his life, even going so far as to make him unsafe and in fear for his life.

It can feel shattering, but David does not buckle.

His response to this situation is what?

Be in awe of God’s words and to rejoice, not thinking about how he has lost so much,

but he would rather understand that God’s commands and his statutes and his word are like great riches that make the nature of his surroundings dull in comparison to the wonder.

(Second problem)

What about a scenario when it’s not the people you distrust that pursue you, but the people you love who betray you? Who tell you false things?

David didn’t buckle when his enemies were after him.

After all, he expected that—wouldn’t you? It is understandable in a weird way that you enemies would want to harm you.

But what about when non-enemies pursue you? What about when it’s friends who do? What about when rumors are spread? When people lie and speak falsehood?

How discouraging! I can expect my enemies to lie, but suppose your closest friend?

That’s too much! Where’s the rest and comfort now? Pursued and betrayed, what next?

(Final Resolution)

TP: Enemies may pursue, you may be betrayed, but the truth of God’s word is a never-failing source of comfort, instruction and growing connection to the Lord.

The next thing for David the Psalmist, after being pursued and battling lies was praise.

Compare falsehood to the word of God and you’ll see how good He is. Let David’s words ring through your mind and come out of your mouth as if they are your own.

Let your praise be (165-168) “Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble. I hope for your salvation, O Lord, and I do your commandments. My soul keeps your testimonies; I love them exceedingly. I keep your precepts and testimonies, for all my ways are before you.”

David’s love for the Lord grew through strife and trial. After each negative experience he didn’t buckle, but he built up and praised the Lord for his words and remained connected.

(Conclusion)

After each encounter in this small portion of the Psalm, the resolution is the same, but the emphasis becomes greater.

The hills I drove by in Southern California were the same every day, but when I finally got out and took a closer look there was greater detail.

At first in verse 1 we see the princes pursuing The Psalmist. That’s the first verse, and it’s only one verse detailing how David is pursued. compare that with five verses of David, rejoicing in the wonderful nature of God’s holy words. I wonder if we spend our time in the same way.

Do we only spend one small amount of time about how we’ve been pursued or betrayed, but five times as much praising the Lord?

One of the worst things we can do when we feel attacked and alone is to disconnect— whether it’s from church, or the Bible or from your relationship with the Lord.

So remember: Enemies may pursue, you may be betrayed, but the truth of God’s word is a never-failing source of comfort, instruction and growing connection to the Lord.

The longer we spend time admiring Him through the thick and thin, the greater and more precious His words are to us and the closer we walk with Him.

Go home today and love His Word–the Bible–and appreciate His teachings and use them to grow in your walk with the Lord.

Pursued, Betrayed, Connected

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(First Problem)

(First resolution)

(Final Resolution)

(Conclusion)