I’ve been slandered unmercifully by the politicians,
but my awe at your words keeps me stable.
I’m ecstatic over what you say,
like one who strikes it rich.
I hate lies—can’t stand them!—
but I love what you have revealed.
Seven times each day I stop and shout praises
for the way you keep everything running right.
For those who love what you reveal, everything fits—
no stumbling around in the dark for them.
I wait expectantly for your salvation;
God, I do what you tell me.
My soul guards and keeps all your instructions—
oh, how much I love them!
I follow your directions, abide by your counsel;
my life’s an open book before you.
Psalm 119:161-168 (the Message)
The Hebrew letter shin ש is a shapeshifter. It is a complicated letter that has four different forms depending on if a dot is above one of the “columns”. Even the columns change – sometimes there are three, sometimes there are four. With the different forms come different meanings. Shin can mean teeth or tooth, steadfastness in one’s faith, to change for the good, return and 
year (Raskin, 2003). So where do we begin to understand Psalm 119 – Shin? Instead of trying to go through all the different forms and meanings, let’s focus on one meaning – steadfastness in one’s faith.
Indeed, the Psalmist is telling God how solid he is in his walk with God. In fact, he is extra-steadfast in that he prays seven times a day instead of the usual three times a day as most Jews. Then again, maybe that is the key to his steadfastness. He prays seven times, which according to several commentaries means, he prays all day. (Seven being a number that symbolizes completeness – thus, in this context – all day.)
The Psalmist is showing us how to live out our faith, even in a politically hostile environment. More and more, governments around the world are negatively affecting the lives of Christians. Take a look at this Open Doors article to get a better understanding of how Christian persecution is increasing https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/. We are lucky in the US in that for the most part, we are able to worship God freely. However, anti-Christian sentiment often creeps in slyly in the media. If we aren’t careful, we will become desensitized to these subtle attacks on our faith and will no longer be able to stand firm in our faith, let alone be able to discern the will of God.
When we are able to know the will of God, it is because we hear His voice. One of the interesting elements of the Hebrew letter shin is that no matter where it is placed in the body of a word, it doesn’t change the word. Raskin (2003) gives the example of the word sheep. It may be spelled either kesev or keves. Both spell sheep. When we think of the characteristics of a sheep, we know that they are followers. Once they learn the voice of their shepherd, they will come to him/her and follow their shepherd. Read Psalm 119 – Shin section again, as if a sheep is talking. I’m not really sure about sheep politics, but otherwise, this section of Psalm 119 takes on the characteristics of the relationship of the sheep to the shepherd.
And what did Jesus call Himself? The good shepherd.
“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.”
John 10: 14 & 15
The sheep played a central role in the life of the Jewish people in history. Sheep were sacrificed twice daily to God. According to Raskin (2003), the shin in the spelling of sheep in Hebrew adds a spiritual component. He even says, “The sheep (keves or kesev), humble by nature, follows its master, the shepherd. It is completely subservient to G d’s will. As a result it is used as a sacrifice on the altar to be one with G d. This is the letter shin, the letter that unites a person with G d.”
We can see this subservient spirit in the Psalmist in this shin section when he claims that his life is an open book before God. How many of us can in all honestly say that? Aren’t we trying to hide a dirty little sin of pleasure from Him? If we are to truly stand fast in our faith, we have to minute by minute lay our lives, ugly and all, before Jesus. Only then can we be used by Him for His purpose. We have to learn to not only be honest with ourselves, but be honest with God.
Jonah was a perfect example of being honest with God. God called him to preach redemption to the Ninevites. He didn’t want to, so he ran in the opposite direction, thinking God wouldn’t find him. After Jonah acquiesced to go to Ninevah, He did as God asked, telling the people that unless they changed their evil ways and repented, Nineveh would be destroyed. Lo and behold, the people, even the king repented and God did not destroy them. And what was Jonah’s reaction? He was angry! Jonah, being a good Israelite, hated the Ninevites and didn’t want them to be saved. (The Israelites and the Ninevites were enemies.) God then gave Jonah an object lesson on compassion and the book of Jonah ends. We don’t know any more about Jonah and whether or not he learned to be compassionate.
However, what we do learn from Jonah, is that he was obedient, eventually, and did as God asked, even if he wasn’t happy about it. (Sound like a sheep?) We also learn that Jonah was honest about his feelings with God. I think this is what the Psalmist meant when he said his life was an open book.
We need to be willing to share all about ourselves with God. This is so difficult because from a young age, we learn that we are vulnerable and sometimes we get hurt when we are ourselves. But if God is to work within our hearts and mature us, then we have to be ourselves before him, not what we think he wants us to be. This is when we need to stand fast not only in our faith, but the faithfulness of God. God has promised to protect us and love us unconditionally – and He does just that. He is the one who nurtures us and matures our faith, not ourselves. Because the Holy Spirit lives within us, we are able to have a steadfast faith, no matter when governments, friends, media, colleagues and even family stand against us.
I pray for a steadfast faith for you so that no matter the heartache or physical persecution, you will be able to say “It is well with my soul” because you know God has told you,
Do not fear: I am with you;
do not be anxious: I am your God.
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.
Isaiah 41:10 (NASB)
Resources:
Open Doors USA, 2020-2021. Christian Persecution. https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/
Raskin, A. 2003: Letters of Light. (audio book). Sichos Publishers.
Photo Credit: https://www.meme-arsenal.com/en/create/meme/3531596
Photo Credit for the Hebrew Letter Shin: https://ahabiblemoments.com/2017/02/11/the-hebrew-letter-shin/
