A Look at Psalm 119:88

Psalm 119:88 “Preserve my life according to Your love, and I will obey the statutes of Your mouth.”
 

Throughout this whole section of Scriptures, we see David’s life being drained from him. In the previous verse, he described how he was almost wiped out from the earth. Now through a simple prayer, his whole situation changes. It is important to note that his enemies were not done away with. Those who persecuted him were still around, but now it no longer mattered because of this simple prayer, “Life me,” (preserve my life) according to Your mercy.”
 

Satan’s name means, “destroyer.” Jesus means “preserver.” In the last seven verses David’s life was being destroyed. In this verse, his life was being renewed when Jesus came in as the preserver. “Preserve me, quicken me, life me,” all mean the same thing. Everything God does, He does unto life. He is the author of life. Therefore, any work of God within us is a work unto life.
 

David had been going through a judgment. The judgment of God separates evil from good. Therefore, judgment is not negative, it brings life. God judges us unto life. To pray, “Life me Lord,” is to ask God to remove everything that brings us to death.
 

David mentioned the proud people who are persecuting him many times. Sometimes the Lord permits people to do outrageously mean things to us, just to get us down (humble ourselves); and if we don’t get down, then we don’t go through. God did not want David to be a proud man. He wanted him to be humble. In the same way, our life is to be so low that the only life we have is Jesus. It is then that we experience newness of life. Rex Andrews once said, “We are to get so small that we could go through the eye of a needle with plenty of room on each side.” 

Meditate – chew on this verse – let it soak into your heart. Then ask God to “Life you.” Ask Him to bring the very life of Jesus into your soul.   

Continued