Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy,
and teach me thy statutes (Psa 119.124).

Some divorces are fatal. Spiritually, that is the case when one tries to rend asunder God’s mercy and his mentoring. Those who imagine they enjoy the former and have no interest in the latter are self-deceived, presumptuous fools. Likewise, it is utter folly to fantasize about acquiring divine wisdom apart from forgiveness of sins and the gift of the illuminating Holy Spirit. God frustrates his enemies who twist grace into a license to sin, and who think to barge into his kingdom unhumbled.

This petition of the psalmist is substantially one, though two in form. Calvin’s commentary upon it is worth quoting fully, reading repeatedly, and pondering thoughtfully.

The two clauses of this verse must be read correctly; for he does not first separately desire God to deal well with him, and next desire him to be his master and teacher. He rather beseeches him in the exercise of that goodness and mercy, which he is wont to display towards all his people, to instruct him in his law. The object of the Prophet’s request then is, that God would teach him in his statutes. But he begins with the divine mercy, employing it as an argument to prevail with God to grant him what he desires. This prayer then must be resolved thus: Lord, deal gently with me, and manifest thy goodness towards me by instructing me in thy commandments. Our whole happiness undoubtedly consists in our having that true wisdom which is to be derived from the word of God; and our only hope of obtaining this wisdom lies in God’s being pleased to display his mercy and goodness towards us. The Prophet, therefore, magnifies the greatness and excellence of the benefit of being instructed in the divine law, when he requests that it may be bestowed upon him as a free gift.¹

To put it simply, all the objects of God’s covenantal mercy become the beneficiaries of his instruction, and only they do. This blessing of merciful mentoring not only belongs to Christian believers by virtue of the gospel, but on that ground is to be our earnest pursuit by importunate prayer. Every single day we may and should pray, if not in these words at least with this desire, “Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.” Let us consider each line separately.

AMAZING MERCY

The Hebrew word (cheçed, kheh’-sed) translated “mercy” may well be one of the most important words in the Old Testament, and has been the subject of scholarly debate for decades, but a clear picture of its basic sense here emerges from these etymological and biblical studies. No one English word can contain its fullness, but “mercy” is a great start. Add to that the concepts of kindness, steadfast loyalty, and faithful love, and you begin to grasp the idea.

Ḥeseḏ occurs over two hundred times, and most frequently refers to the certainty of God’s concern for people. It has been recognized as usefully translatable by the word “loyalty” in that it connotes God’s consistent (“steadfast”) reliable allegiance and willingness to do good (“love”) on behalf of another.²

The Old Testament stresses that God in general deals mercifully, compassionately, and lovingly with his creatures. “The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works” (Psa 145.9). Further, God lavishes his gracious and saving love on particular people chosen by him from the foundation of the world—his elect. Through no merit of their own, and even without condition on their part, God announces his sovereign intention to make them vessels of his mercy for the display of his glorious mercy.

The New Testament more fully reveals this gracious love of God toward his elect in the gospel of Jesus Christ. All the covenantal promises of God for blessing are contained in the gospel.
Now, when God exercises his redeeming power toward them, is this an expression of his loving and divine prerogative, or is it his loyally keeping a promise because he will not violate his word? The answer is that it is both. God intended the marriage of a husband and wife to illustrate his inviolable commitment to love his chosen people graciously and eternally. The virtuous husband chooses his wife willingly, loves her freely from his heart, and ministers to her in keeping with his holy vow. So it is with Jehovah and his wife, that is, with Christ and his church.
David prays here with appreciation of God’s love and his covenant. “Deal . . . with” translates a Hebrew word which simply means “do.” The original word for “according to” is literally, “by.” We have the expression, “Do right by me,” but here the sense is “Do ḥeseḏ by me.” Lord, do not treat me with strict justice but with lovingkindness. Do not forget that I am yours in a special way, in a covenant of grace with you, and so keep all your promises for my good. I am your “servant.” The marginal note in the 1599 Geneva Bible comments,

He boasteth not that he is God’s servant, but hereby putteth God in mind that as he made him his by grace, so he would continue his favor toward him.

If you are a real Christian, you may go beyond appealing to God’s general love for everyone when you cry out for deliverance from all dangers. Your special relationship with him is foundational to all your petitions. You can be “confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil 1.6)! Your spiritual progress and ultimate salvation is assured because of God’s amazing mercy and steadfast lovingkindness toward his beloved.

TRANSFORMING INSTRUCTION

“Teach me thy statutes.” This petition appears seven times in Psalm 119 and the connections are most interesting. Besides our text, we read, “Blessed art thou, O LORD; teach me thy statutes” (v. 12). David would have as teacher the God worthy of all praise. “I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes” (v. 26). Let the gracious Hearer of my prayers be my teacher. “Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end” (v. 33). David vows to remain committed to the Lord’s doctrine. “The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes” (v. 64). David loves the law of the God of conspicuous mercy. “Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes” (v. 68). His commandments spring from goodness, too. “Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes” (v. 135). The blessing of spiritual discipleship is a result of God’s great favor.

This last instance is nearest the sentiment of verse 124, where David prays for divine wisdom through Scripture as an expression of God’s faithful covenant love. The discerning saint craves God as Mentor, since this gospel benefit proves to be spiritually transforming and blessed.

The objective truth to be assimilated and practiced is “thy statutes,” literally, the regulations or ordinances given by the Lord: his clear, communicated prescriptions of what one ought to do. In this context the word points to sacred Scripture, the Bible.

God appointed human teachers of this law for the benefit of his covenant people. First, there was Moses (Deut 4.1, 14; 5.31; 6.1), and then other priests (Lev 10.11) and prophets (2 Kgs 17.13; Dan 9.10) and scribes (Ezra 7.6, 10). Still, their work could and often did prove ineffective, as “the best of means are but means at best.” Unless God by his gracious Spirit were pleased to teach internally the sinners of Israel who heard the outward proclamation of Scripture—unless God caused the light of his glorious word to shine within them and made them love so his law that they freely and sweetly complied with its requirements—the prophetic ministry could only provoke their ire, and come to them as a despised word of condemnation more than the sought-for word of guidance.
This internal, divine illumination of the Spirit working together with Scripture is a blessing specifically promised in the New Covenant:

But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more (Jer 31.33-34).

Sinners might apprehend intellectually the content of God’s Word and yet only be hardened by their contact with it. Within the covenant of grace, David pleads for this transforming instruction in God’s Word—a progressive, life-changing sanctification of heart and conduct by the holy revelation—for he knows that this will lead into an ever-greater intimacy of fellowship with God, David’s chief delight. God’s mercy and his mentoring are married, and saints are glad it is so. “Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.” May the Lord be able to hear this cry sincerely arising from our hearts, for then he will surely be pleased to answer through the mediation of Christ our Lord and the Holy Spirit’s powerful influence within us. Amen.

Notes:

1. John Calvin, Commentary on the Psalms, in loc.
2. ISBE, in loc.