Advent Blog Day 5 -- He' -- Psalm 119:33-40

The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the letter He' (pronounced Hey!).  The meaning of this letter is somewhat debated, but the best guess I have seen is that it refers to one's breathing and breath as you must breath out when saying this letter.  As such, it can be inferred to represent the essence of something.  It is also the Hebrew definite article "the" and is used for emphasis.  Our section of Psalms reads as follows:

         Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your laws; I will observe them to the utmost.
         Give me understanding, that I may observe Your teaching and keep it wholeheartedly.
         Lead me in the path of Your commandments, for that is my concern.
         Turn my heart to Your decrees and not to love of gain.
         Avert my eyes from seeing falsehood; by Your ways preserve me.
         Fulfill Your promise to Your servant, which is for those who worship You.
         Remove the taunt that I dread, for Your rules are good.
         See, I have longed for Your precepts; by Your righteousness preserve me.

     It is interesting that the first line begins "Teach me, Yahweh"!  How many times have we addressed God in this fashion?  For my own part, I can not think of a time I addressed the Father in this fashion!  And why shouldn't we, for He is our Father and the source of all good things.  The Scriptures again and again urge us to speak to our heavenly Father and ask for the things we need.  What could we need that is more pertinent to our everday live than a longing for God's Word such as this Psalmist exhibits.
     This thought leads to the second thing I observe: how stridently the Psalmist desires to have the understanding of, and the keeping of God's Word.  Look at the language: "I will observe the way of your laws to the utmost"; "I will observe Your teaching and keep it wholeheartedly"; "the path of Your commandments is my concern"; "I have longed for Your precepts".  It almost seems as with every breath the whole being of the Psalmist--his very essence--utterly desires to know and keep God's commands.  Would that we had the same attitude and longing!
     I think the middle verses of this stanza are extremely important to a wholeness of being that pleases God and brings Him honor: a heart that turns away from the love of gain to God's decrees and eyes that do not behold falsehood.  Being self-employed, the love of gain and opportunities for falsehood cross my path almost minute by minute sometimes.  The Bible again and again tells us to not envy the wicked but to seek after and obey God not matter the cost in this life.  These verses are a reminder for me for the purpose of this journey to begin with--to weed out what is holding me back from wholeheartedly serving and desiring Christ and getting rid of that which is not beneficial to me.  Particularly this stanza reminds us what is of supreme value for us and what we should exhale from our lives in order to inhale the Word of God.

Here is a song to go with this devotion

Jewish Publication Society, Tanakh: The Holy Scriptures (Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1985), Ps 119:33–40.