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A Just Prayer for Help

Psalm 119:85,86

    Although thus far they did not succeed, the enemies of the psalmist were trying to kill him. He states this in Psalm 119:85, 86 in these words: "The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after Thy law. All Thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully: help Thou me."  

From these words we learn that the enemies attack him under the guise of punishing a sinner. Falsely they accuse him OF A SIN WORTHY OF DEATH. Nevertheless the punishment is not called for by God's law; and they persecute him wrongfully. That law, the psalmist points out, is good. He calls it faithful. Our versification presents it this way (PRC Psalter):

    The proud, disdainful of Thy law,
    Entrap me wrongfully;
    O Thou, whose law is just and true,
    Help and deliver me.

    Here that law, and correctly so, is called just, for it rightfully calls for punishment upon sin. And the pits which the enemies digged were designed to entrap him, that is, make him seemingly to fall into sin. In that way they will seem to be innocent when they punish him with death.

    All this is prophetic. For this exactly pictures the death of Christ. The wicked Jews caught Him in the garden as though He were an evildoer, brought Him to trial before the high priest, then before Pilate they accuse Him of threatening Caesar's throne. They called for a punishment God's law calls for upon those who obey not their authorities and intend to overthrow their king.

    We can expect the same thing in the days ahead of us. The antichrist will demand on our right hand or forehead a sign of loyalty to him. That requirement will be our pit which he digs, and will call for death, because we object to his reign of hatred against God and His Christ. We will be accused of breaking the fifth commandment. But that will be wrongful, sinful treatment. For it is to defend breaking the first commandment, namely, having a god before Jehovah the one, true God.

    Pray then for help from God. His law is faithful because He is faithful, and through Christ's unjust crucifixion our sins are blotted out.

Read: John 19:1-18 
Psalter versification: #331:3 

Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism

Song for Meditation: Psalter #247
Why not sing along??

Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:

Job 23 ; Job 24 ; Job 25 ; Job 26 ; Job 27:1-23 
II Corinthians 1:12-24 ; II Corinthians 2:1-11 
Psalm 41:1-13 
Proverbs 22:5-6 
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Quote for Reflection:

    Charles D. Alexander: "It is sure from this figure of the Church hidden in the wilderness, that she is not an earthly, visible institution decked in all the pomp and pride of a kingdom of this world, as the Roman error teaches and practices. She is hidden, invisible, heavenly, and known only by the preaching of the Word and by her worship' in spirit and in truth'" Revelation Spiritually Understood, p. 307).

Last modified on 26 August 2019

Additional Info

  • Date: 27-August
Heys, John A.

Rev. John A. Heys was born on March 16, 1910 in Grand Rapids, MI. He was ordained and installed into the ministry at Hope, Walker, MI in 1941.  He later served at Hull, Iowa beginning in 1955.  In 1959 he accepted the call to serve the South Holland, IL Protestant Reformed Church.  He received and accepted the call to Holland, Michigan Protestant Reformed Church in 1967.  He retired from the active ministry in 1980.  He entered into glory on February 16, 1998.