诗篇119的特色是它是一首离合诗（acrostic poem），它共有22段，每一段配合希伯来文其中一个字母，而在同一段落的经节，都是以同一个字母开始。在今天这个段落中，每一节经文都是以希伯来文中第五个字母（he）开始的；这段经文还有另一个额外的特色：在希伯来文中，所有经节的第一个字都是一个命令，可见诗人正在大胆地要求神做事。
诗人向神连珠发出简短的号令，他要求神“指教他”，“赐他悟性”，“叫他遵行命令”，“使他的心”趋向神的法度等等。这些要求虽然直接和有力，但诗人并不是以傲慢的态度提出的，他乃是信靠神的应许，他的出发点乃是渴望尊祟和取悦神。
诗人要求神帮助他，因为他明白他自己的软弱和有离弃神的倾向。他恳求神使他趋向衪的法度，而不趋向他自己的好处：“求你叫我转眼不看虚假，又叫我在你的道中生活。”这个祷告反影出作者渴望能够遵行神的道而活和忠心跟从衪。
效法诗人的祷告对我们有益。惟愿我们也会渴慕神和寻求衪的帮助，去转离令我们分心离开神的事情，好叫我们能在世上荣耀衪和事奉衪。
主啊，求祢赐我悟性，帮助我跟从祢的话语，又全心全意去遵守。阿们。
诗篇 119:33-40
33耶和华啊，求你将你的律例指教我，我必遵守到底。
34求你赐我悟性，我便遵守你的律法，且要一心遵守。
35求你叫我遵行你的命令，因为这是我所喜乐的。
36求你使我的心趋向你的法度，不趋向非义之财。
37求你叫我转眼不看虚假，又叫我在你的道中生活。
38你向敬畏你的人所应许的话，求你向仆人坚定。
39求你使我所怕的羞辱远离我，因你的典章本为美。
40我羡慕你的训词，求你使我在你的公义上生活。
"Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared." - Psalm 119:38
Psalm 119 has the distinction of being an acrostic poem. It has 22 sections, one for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and every verse in each section begins with the same letter. In today’s section, each verse begins with the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet (he)—and there’s a bonus feature: all of the initial words in these verses are commands in Hebrew. So the psalmist is boldly making demands of God.
In short bursts, the psalmist demands that God “teach him,” “give him understanding,” “direct him in the path,” “turn his heart” toward God’s commands, and so on. Though direct and strong, the psalmist makes these demands not in arrogance but out of a desire to honor and please God, trusting in God’s promises.
The psalmist demands God’s help because he knows his own weakness and tendency to turn away from God. Orient me toward your statutes, he pleads, and not toward my own gain: “Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life.” This prayer reflects the writer’s desire to live God’s way and to follow God faithfully.
We do well to imitate the psalmist’s prayer. May we, too, long for God and seek his help in turning from things that can distract us from him so that we can glorify and serve God in the world.
Give me understanding, Lord, and help me follow your Word and obey it with all of my heart. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
