Not in the Corner


Psalm 119:41-48
41Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord, your salvation according to your promise;
42then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in your word.
43And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for my hope is in your rules.
44I will keep your law continually, forever and ever,
45and I shall walk in a wide place, for I have sought your precepts.
46I will also speak of your testimonies before kings and shall not be put to shame,
47for I find my delight in your commandments, which I love.
48I will lift up my hands toward your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on your statutes.

Have you ever been backed into a corner; stuck in that spot where there was nothing good you could say, no clear positive action you could take? We all know how that feels and can probably give details of such an event in our own lives. That was the immediate picture that appeared in my mind as I read “and I shall walk in a wide place”. The writer of this psalm knew that the Word of God keeps them out of the corner. I have known many people along the way who believe that Christianity is simply a religion filled with rules designed to keep you from living a full life. You are voluntarily painting yourself into a corner with God’s boundaries hemming you in and inhibiting your freedoms. Nothing could be further from the truth.

These eight verses declare the magnificent freedom found in a life lived within the parameters of God’s Word. It seems counter-intuitive to bind yourself to the Law of God while hoping to live a life of freedom. But that is exactly what happens. When God’s Word is my source of direction, I find that I am “walking in a wide place”. Suddenly, I am able to speak with anyone about the glory of God’s beautiful plan of salvation – including those in high places – and do so with confidence.

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