The faithfulness of the Psalmist is shown in his unwavering devotion to God and his sense of righteousness. He seeks to walk uprightly in the eyes of God. He always tried to live in such a way as to keep his feet free from wickedness (verse 4). He is confident of his own righteousness: “thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing” (verse 3). He relies on God for his daily walk so that he does not go astray: “Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not” (verse 5).
He sees the men of this world that they prosper (verse 14). He sees them as worldly and they set their eyes on the things of this world. But as for him, he says: “As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness; when I awake, I shall be satisfied with your likeness” (verse 15, ESV).
The men of this world seek their portion in this life, and are satisfied. But for the Psalmist, his satisfaction comes from looking at the face of God and being transformed to His likeness.
Such should be the highest desire of a godly man. While the men of the world rejoice in their worldly possessions, and while this is the first thought which they have when they wake up in the morning, the godly man wakes up and his first thought is on God. He goes to God in prayers. He desires to be in the image of God when he goes about doing the daily activities. He secures his path in God so that he does not slip (verse 5).
The Psalmist’s satisfaction is to be in God’s likeness, that is, resembles God. Man is created in the image of God (Gen 1:26). Man lost that image when they sinned. Christ came and revealed to man the image of God once again. God has foreordained that those who love God as revealed in Christ shall become Christ-like in life, and like Christ in eternity (Rom 8:29). The image of Christ is the image of God. Christ said: “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9).
The likeness spoken by the Psalmist doubtless refers to the moral character. The godly man desires to be in the likeness of God’s moral character. He will not walk in the paths of unrighteousness: “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful” (Psa 1:1).
The Psalmist speaks of waking up and be satisfied with God’s likeness. There are three awakenings for mankind. The first awakening is when he wakes up each morning from his sleep. What do you do the first thing you wake up? The first thing that comes to the mind of a godly person is God. Others may be checking their Facebook and emails but the godly man seeks God.
The second awakening is when he wakes up from a life of sin. The prodigal son “came to himself”; he finally woke up and saw how wretched he had been (Luke 15:17). He saw how he had messed up his own life and he determined to make a change. The godly man makes a change and desires God.
The third awakening is when he wakes up from the sleep of death: “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation” (John 5:28-29). It is the final awakening when men shall see God and be changed into His likeness (1 Cor 15:51-54).
What do you find satisfaction in? Is it in your achievements, success, and wealth? The Psalmist does not desire the worldly man’s prosperity. He sets his blessedness on being in the presence of God and transforming himself to that image. It should be the same desire for us who are Christians.
True satisfaction comes from knowing and seeing God. It’s the desire of a godly man. One thing for sure: When we wake up from the sleep of death, we want to see God and let Him change us into His likeness.
Indeed, woe to the person who wakes up from the sleep of death and does not behold God. What a tragic day it will be for such a person. Therefore, my brethren, if we desire to wake up on that day and behold the face of God, let us wake up each morning seeking God. Those who seek shall find (Matt 7:8).
Jimmy Lau
Psa 119:97 Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.
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