Ths Psalmist who wrote Psalm 119 concluded this amazing psalm with a passionate reminder to himself and a emboldened series of declarations to God regarding the truth and power of God’s Holy Word.
“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.” Psalm 119:169-176 NKJV
The psalmist lays bare the desires and condition of his heart as he uses words such as “cry“, “plea“, “praise“, “chosen“, “long for” and “sing“. He concludes this longest psalm with a simple but poignant petition to God, admitting his own lostness and desperate need to be found by his Lord. At the end of the psalm he writes “I do not forget your commandments.” Despite going astray and being in need of a shepherd to come and find him, he remembered the commandments of God.
Fast-forward centuries to the days of Christ and the apostle Paul. We read the words of Paul in Ephesians 6 telling us of the spiritual battle that all true believers are engaged in each and every day of their life here on earth. In that text, Paul writes that we are to “Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth…” The term “fastened“, is sometimes translated “gird” or “girded“. The Greek word implies that the belt is an equipping of the Word of God, to be fastened securely, and an ever-present necessity to engage in spiritual battle.
When the psalmist wrote in verse 176 that he would “not forget” God’s commandments, he was conveying the importance of internalizing and personally applying the Word of God. Much like the psalmist, in the midst of our trials, our lostness at times, Paul commends us to endure all of the the battles that God permits to happen in our lives, with the belt of truth “fastened” firmly in our heart and the Word of God not forgotten, but remembered, desired and applied.
Gird…not a common word today. The image and purpose of a belt is most powerful. A belt does not have any gaps. It is drawn tightly and securely. It fully surrounds the body, holding fast those things that might otherwise fall down or fall off. It serves as a foundation form which other weapons and defenses can be placed and used. As we are girded with the belt of truth, we encompass ourselves with the entire truth of God. There is no part of our life that is not surrounded by the truth of God. Nothing is beyond the equipping of His truth. The truth is not only preparatory for battle, it is also foundational and assuring to us as we can have confidence in the faithfulness of God to work in and through His truth in our lives as we abide in Him and live for Him.
Gird yourself with His truth. Do not forget His truth. Cry out to Him knowing that His truth, His commandments, are good. Choose His truth. Praise Him for His truth. When you wander, as you abide, do so with the belt of His truth securely fastened and petition Him for His shepherding care.
In Christ
1 Thessalonians 5:11 "Therefore encourage one another and build up one another..." 