This recap of the prior weeks' lessons emphasizes the necessity of God's grace in repentance. Many believers unfortunately don't avail themselves of God's grace to repent, because they're unaware that God honors sincere prayers that say something like, "Lord, I confess this sin, but I honestly don't want to repent..can you help me?" The primary casualty of such a prayer is human pride, and God gives grace to the humble honest petitioner who acknowledges that even though he knows about God's ways, he can't honestly embrace them as his own. The grace to repent, is consequently God's answer to the psalmist's first petition in verse 5: "that my ways be established to keep your statutes." The psalmist rests his hope on God's grace to repent in verse 32: "I will run the way of your statutes, for you will enlarge my heart." God establishes the psalmist's "ways" by enlarging his heart and helping him to repent.
Grace to Repent
In addition to describing the psalmist's dependence on the grace of God to repent and embrace God's way, this episode addresses the underlying struggle to repent. We depend on the grace of God to repent because, based on our fleshly sympathies, we really don't believe that God's ways are better. 1 John 5:3 states that God's commands are not burdensome. This is utter nonsense to the flesh since "commandments" restrict "freedom." The voice of the flesh understands freedom as the ability to do whatever pleases the flesh without incurring negative consequences. We consequently need God's grace to enlarge our hearts (32) to consider "commandments" as the path of true freedom. When we come under the commandments we discover true freedom: "I will walk at liberty for I seek your precepts." (45) And, with the grace of God, we see the destructive nature of "libertine" freedom. The flesh promises the world but conceals a harvest from hell. One application of Psalm 119 to NT Christian life is the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit, Who applies grace to our lives to assist us in repenting. We discover that God's commandments are NOT burdensome and that sin amounts to slavery. "Everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin." (John 8:34)
The Mirror of God’s Law
Citing Psalm 119:104, this episode highlights how God gets us to change our ways. "From your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way." God's precepts, one of the eight expressions of God's way and law used in Psalm 119, act as a mirror to show us where we have missed the marked. They reveal the psalmist's false way (and those of others) and he sees the obvious disconnect. Confession and repentance should be the response, and we observe this in Psalm 119:59: "I considered my ways and turned my feet to your testimonies." God's law reveals sin, and ideally the response is confession and repentance. The psalmist then reconsiders the law, here God's testimonies, and sees its inherent beauty. At one point the psalmist's petitions God: "Open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things in your law." (18) This positive encounter with God's law is largely contingent upon the initial response to God's law where we confess and repent. The law consequently for NT believers is therefore very useful if we would become more like Christ.
“Lord, Show Us the Way!”
This episode addresses the means by which God would establish the psalmist's ways to keep His statutes. (5-6) These verses capture the goal of the entire psalm. On the road to receiving God's assistance, the psalmist acknowledges his faulty ways and repents: "I consider my ways and turn my feet to your testimonies." (59) This statement indicates repentance and directs the psalmist's to God's testimonies. Throughout Psalm 119 eight expressions of God's way (way, law, precepts, ordinances, commandments, testimonies, word, statutes) become the central focus of the psalmist. The more the psalmist reflects on God's testimonies, statutes, etc., the more the way of God is established in his life. In like manner, NT believers are called to consider God's testimonies, i.e., His kindnesses, and the reflection leads to repentance. (Rom. 2:4) The more we reflect on all the spiritual blessings we have in Christ, the Son Himself Who is the Way, becomes our way of life. God establishes our way as we abide in the Way.
God’s not through with You
This episode largely addresses the simple response to overcoming past failures in order to be used by God. Nehemiah confessed his sin and that of his people and implored God to use him to rebuild Jerusalem. God gave him favor, even gaining the blessing and resources of king Artaxerxes to return to Jerusalem. He and countless others in Scripture were used mightily by God after dire failures. The Biblical response to failure, the silver lining from Genesis to Revelation is the same: repentance and renewed commitment to the will of God
Stuck in Confession without Repentance?
This episode spells out the challenge of making progress in sanctification when one is unwilling to repent. Based on previous episodes, the uncovering of the glory of Christ is the means of transformation, but a veil to this glory often descends when we don't turn to the Lord, i.e., repent. So what do you do when the principal avenue of transformation, beholding the glory of the Lord, is cut off because you're obstinately on the wrong road and unwilling to make a U-turn? You simply don't want to repent. Navel-gazing and fixing yourself is not the answer, turning to the Lord WHERE YOU CAN is the solution. Romans 2:4 states that the kindness of the Lord leads to repentance. Believers stuck in confession without repentance are encouraged to reflect on God's abundant kindnesses. This mediation on God's work, echoing "I believe, help my unbelief," engenders honest confession and partial repentance, leading to more openness to making an about-face and embracing the straights paths of the Lord. The veil lifts more and more, we see our rebellion in light of God's glory, and we fully repent from the heart.
“Lord I believe, Help my Unbelief!”
Building off of 2 Cor. 3:14-16, this episode highlights the role of the Holy Spirit in uncovering the numerous veils of unbelief in our lives, addressing the root problem behind all sin, which is a failure to trust Christ (John 16:9). This refusal to trust Christ in certain areas corresponds to a veil of unbelief which blinds us to the glory of Christ. The solution, of course, is to turn to Christ and the veil is lifted. But we can't simply make ourselves believe God in everything. So believers are encouraged to go forward in the spirit of "Lord I believe, help my unbelief." As we confess the sin of unbelief (1 John 1:9 ) and consume God's Word, the Holy Spirit "strengthens us with power in the inner man so that Christ may dwell in our hearts through faith." (Eph 3:16-17) When we do our part, the Holy Spirit comes alongside and uncovers the glory of Christ and the veil of unbelief comes tumbling down. When we cooperate with the Holy Spirit and respond positively to His convictions, we progress towards the beatific vision.
Repentance and the Roadmap of Sanctification
This final episode presents the typical roadmap of sanctification in which believers typically prioritize "sin" issues in their walk, eventually leading to a crisis point in which they discover they can't live the Christian life in their own power. The options are then to double down on the power of the flesh to live the Christian life (the Galatian error), or abandon all hope in the flesh and completely depend on Christ's resurrection power to live the Christian life. Repentance from dead works should ultimately result in repentance from the old self itself.