Psalms 119:81

Psalms 119:81 aays, CAPH.  Again, the dividing letter, then verse eighty-one says, My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.  David said that even as his soul fainted due to all the oppression he was under, his hope was still in God's word and salvation.  We may sometimes feel that life is hard, but if we do, as Christians we must put our hope in God's word and His salvation of those who put their faith in Jesus Christ.  Verse eighty-two adds, Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me? David said that when he looked around, he didn't always see proof of God's word, and asked how long it would be before God comforted Him.  We as followers of Christ may sometimes ask the same thing, but we really shouldn't.  We should simply put our faith in God's salvation plan.  Verse eighty-three continues, For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes.  Matthew Henry says that this refers to a bottle being weathered and cracked when being in a smoke filled room.  David was feeling old and beaten and battered physically, but he said he still did not forget God's statutes.  No matter how beaten down we may be by life, we also must never forget God's statutes.  Verse eighty-four asks, How many are the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?  David asked how much longer he would live and how long it would be before God executed His judgment on those that persecuted him.  Today, there seems to be a lot of emphasis on the second coming of Christ with an almost joyous feeling of the wicked being punished, but I don't believe that should ever be our reason.  We should be in despair at all the people who will go away into everlasting punishment.  Verse eighty-five adds, The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy law. David said those full of self-pride had dug pits, or created traps to harm him, because they did not believe in God's law.  There are many people today who would create pitfalls for Christians, but we need not be in despair.  Verse eighty-six states, All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.  As in David's day, all of God's commandments are still faithful, and sometimes we are wrongly persecuted if we keep them, but God is always there to help us.  Verse eighty-seven adds, They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts. David said that the wicked had almost destroyed him, but he still put his faith in God's precepts.  No matter how bad things get in life, as Christians we must never forsake the precepts of God.  Verse eighty-eight continues, Quicken me after thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth. David asked God to quicken him, or make him alive, so that he might keep God's testimony.  As followers of Christ, we have been made spiritually alive, and our purpose is to follow Christ, keep God's testimony, and witness to the lost people of the world about God's salvation plan.