Today’s reading is Psalm 119 (vss. 129-144).
What Makes Me Cry?
The final line of the PE section forces a question upon me. What makes me cry?
Just the other day, I was in a group chat in which someone asked if a particular book made people cry. I think about videos, stories, songs, shows, movies that make me cry. Honestly, every time I read or hear that kids’ book “I’ll Love You Forever,” the water works turn on. The older I get, the more that prompts me to cry. However, I have to admit, I fall short of our psalmist’s statement.
My eyes shed streams of tears,
because people do not keep your law.
Psalm 119:136 (ESV)
I live in a world full of sin. Sadly, I’ve contributed my own fair share of it myself. I do often shed tears over my own sins. There are some particular people, family, friends, loved ones whose sins prompt tears. However, I rarely cry just over sin around me in general.
I either ignore it. Or it makes me angry. Granted, the psalmist is angered by sin as well (see vs. 113). I don’t have to feel guilt about being angered by sin. At the same time, I am moved to considered the psalmist’s response of sadness.
The psalmist doesn’t explain the exact motivation of his sadness. Yes, he is sad because people do not keep God’s law. However, he doesn’t say if his sadness is directed toward the law or the people. Is he sad because God’s law is worthy of keeping? God is worthy of obedience. It makes the psalmist sad to see God so ill-treated by those who ignore His will. Or is he sad because he knows what disobedience to God’s law means for the people who disobey? He knows disobedience corrupts and enslaves those who disobey. Sin leads people away from being the good kind of people we all want to be. Ultimately, of course, sin leads to judgment and condemnation. The psalmist cries as he considers the outcome of their disobedience.
Perhaps the psalmist doesn’t delineate between the two because both issues motivate his tears. The world is full of disobedience and of the disobedient. Can you think of anything more sad than that?
With that said, let us commit to be no cause for those tears. May we be those who bring joy to the psalmist, to the Spirit who inspired him, and to God who listened to his pleas. May we commit to keep God’s Law.
Today’s reading is Psalm 119 (vss. 129-144).
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PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family
How does Psalm 119:129-144 admonish you?
Read the Bible 