Tav
“Let my cry come before you!
Yahweh!
Give me understanding
According to your word!
Let my supplication come before you!
Deliver me
According to your word!
My lips will pour forth praise.
Because you teach me your statutes.
My tongue will sing of your promise.
All your commandments are right.
Let your hand be ready to help me!
I have chosen your precepts.
I long for your salvation.
Yahweh!
Your law is my delight!
Let me live!
Thus I may praise you.
Let your ordinances help me!
I have gone astray
Like a lost sheep.
Seek out your servant!
I do not forget your commandments.”
This long psalm concludes with the last or twenty-second consonant letter of the Hebrew alphabet, Tav. This psalmist wanted to live and be saved. He, on his part, would not forget the commandments of Yahweh. He wanted his cry to come before Yahweh. He wanted to understand the word and law of Yahweh. He, on his part, would give praise to Yahweh with his lips and tongue. He will sing of his praises because Yahweh has taught him his statutes and commandments. All he wanted was help in salvation. He delighted in the law. Thus his ordinances would help him. However, the psalmist admitted that even though he had gone astray like a lost sheep, he still had not forgotten Yahweh’s commandments. Thus we have a fitting end to this long psalm about the importance and beauty of the law.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 