Psalm 119 - Samech

Samech (S)

Psalms 119:113-120

113)  Supercilious thoughts I hate: but thy law do I love.

114)  Shielding me, you are my hiding place: I hope in thy word.

115)  Stubbornly will I keep the commandments of my God, therefore depart from me, ye evildoers:

116)  Support me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.

117)  Safety I will have, as you hold thou me up: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.

118)  Stamping down on all them that err from thy statutes, you know their deceit is falsehood.

119)  Shoving away all the wicked of the earth, you treat them like dross: therefore I love thy testimonies.

120)  Shuddering with fear, my flesh trembleth; and I am afraid of thy judgments.

Meaning of Samech

The root of the word Samekh means “to lean upon”, “to uphold”, or “to support. It is amazing how this theme is also mirrored in this stanza. Vs 116. “Uphold me ...”, vs 117. “Hold thou me up...”, and the contrary for evil doers, vs 118. “Thou hast trodden down...”, vs 119. “Thou puttest away...”.

Samekh is also the letter for Sukkah indicating that God’s omnipresence is our support and shelter, again reflected in vs 114.

A hiding place

The first five verses therefore run with this theme of support, protection and safety in Christ. How badly do we need this sort of succour from our Lord?

Psalms 119:113-117

113)  I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.

114)  Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.

115)  Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.

116)  Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.

117)  Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.

Throughout the psalmist remains focused on the word of God. he loves it, hopes in it, keeps it, lives by it, and respects it. From this focus arises the shield of God.

Psalms 28:7

7)  The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

2 Samuel 22:31

31)  As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

God is our shield, yet we also have to use that shield.

Ephesians 6:16

16)  Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

And how does faith grow?

Romans 10:17

17)  So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

We could find much in scripture about how God is our refuge in times of trouble. The important thing is that this is only known if we read the word.

Remember, throughout the psalmist remains focused on the word of God. he loves it, hopes in it, keeps it, lives by it, and respects it.

The wicked

Psalms 119:118-120

118)  Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is falsehood.

119)  Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross: therefore I love thy testimonies.

120)  My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.

The contrast is with those who do not have that faith in God, that trust in his word. God is on a clean up job.

What is dross? When you melt metal, a scum of impurities rises to the top and is skimmed off and discarded. The bible speaks of impurities being burnt up.

1 Corinthians 3:12-13

12)  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

13)  Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.

We think mainly of the things which are burnt off, but what also of the impurities in the metal. Even our imperfect work can be melted down to a pure substance of use to God.

Revelation 20:11-15

11)  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.

12)  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

13)  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.

14)  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

15)  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

That is a terrible judgement. Are you ready for it?