August 25

Psalm 119:125 says, “I am your servant; give me understanding that I may know your testimonies.” This is a compelling and profound request. It virtually turns servant-hood on its head. When we think of a servant in the traditional sense of the word, the image of one at the beck and call of another comes forth.

Though we have not perhaps been in the post of a servant, we have been in the position of an employee. We know what it’s like to be given and to receive orders and to endeavor to carry them out well. A servant must be about the business of satisfying the one being served.

In this verse of scripture, however, the psalmist is putting a different spin on his servant roll. He is acknowledging that he has the duty to serve the Lord, but he is desirous of according Him more than mere accommodation. The devoted servant of the Lord is asking for understanding that does not simply enable him to satisfy the desire of the One being served but that embraces the essence of Who He is. We, too, should desire to grasp a full measure of understanding of the testimonies of the Lord.

Such understanding, we are told in Psalm 19:7, “…will make wise the simple.” To extrapolate beyond the yearning of the psalmist to please the Master, is His desire to perfect us through our understanding of Him! We know Him and are blessed beyond servant-hood when we drink in the knowledge of the One we serve. In fact, we become a reflection of Him as we study His Word. Ultimately, we shall be like Jesus when one day we see Him as He is, when our understanding will have been perfected.