Shriveled, dried up and useless.

Psalter Psaturday #42

Psalm 119:83-84

Vs. 83 I have become like a wineskin in the smoke. 84 How many are the days of Your servant? When will You execute judgment on those who persecute me?

Jars? Bottles? Cans? Canteens? No, drinking containers in ancient times were leather, Just bags made of animal skins. The bags were strong, flexible, and could carry quite a burden. When the wineskin “bottles” had outlived their usefulness as a water or wine vessel, they were often placed over fires in tents. The skin would act as a filter, absorbing the smoke for long periods. Eventually, the skin would become stiff, shriveled, and dried out by the heat. The smoke and soot would turn it black, and it would soon be discarded. This was a stark transformation for the skins, once strong and useful, now dried, shriveled, and worthless.

The psalmist uses this graphic picture to describe how his ongoing persecution had impacted him. He has lost his strength and usefulness. Once a resilient man of diverse skills and longevity, he finds himself weak and hardened, darkened by the constant persecution of his enemies. He laments his condition and asks, “how many are my days?” The suffering was taking a significant toll on him to the point where he felt his life was ending. Imagine being this distraught. What would you do? The writer turns to Scripture by recalling the promises of God. God will prevail, the wicked will be punished, and the righteous restored and exonerated.

These are the promises that renew the hearts of the persecuted. Truth brings life into hearts darkened by affliction. While clinging to the rock-solid assurance of God’s word, he sees no hope for his flesh. He believes he is dried up and wasted, useless, yearning for comfort while waiting on the Lord, yet all the while, obedient and faithful.

When we wait on the Lord, we must not lose faith or abandon obedience. Richard Wurmbrand, whom we read about last week, wrote, “A faith that can be destroyed by suffering is not faith.”  True faith is strong and will carry us through our most difficult days. In the psalmist’s case, he not only yearns for relief but takes some comfort in God’s righteous judgment.

What gets us through trials? What gets you through victimization or ill-treatment? Do you turn your anger and frustration toward another? Do you turn it toward the Lord? We must focus our energy on identifying what God desires to accomplish in us through our trials. This is righteousness. Allow God to execute judgment in his time and in his way. Release yourself of the burden of vengeance, and rest in the promises of God.

Meditation Points

1.     Describe how you felt after a long period of suffering, fear, grief, or worry. Can you relate to the psalmist who needed total rejuvenation, like a dried-out wineskin?

2.     During trials, how do you ease your emotional pain, nervousness, and discomfort?

3.     From God’s perspective, what is the correct way to bring comfort to your thirsty soul?