Psalm 119 Lesson 19 QOOF - Fairhaven Baptist Church

Psalm 119:145-152

Lesson 19

Qoof (the back of head)

Text: Psalm 119: 145-152 “ I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes. 146 I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies. 147 I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word.148 Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word. 149 Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness: O LORD, quicken me according to thy judgment. 150 They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.151 Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth. 152 Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.”

The Letter Qoof
1. The Back of the Head,
  1. The Meaning,
    1. the letter originally was drawn to resemble a mans head, focusing on the back of it,
      - it carried the meaning of just that, bet also:
        
        to surround, to make a complete circle (circuit)
        
        end of cycle, last, final or least, behind,
        
        or even dome.
  2. Some examples:
    1. Qoof- Hey- Lamed (behind, see control) Congregation
    2. Qoof- Vav- Hey (surround, secure, see) Bind together
      - this word by changing the vowel marker form qa-va to qee-va makes the word hope.
        
        Remember there were no vowel markers in the original writing.
    3. Qoof- Lamed- Lames- Hey (surround, control, control, behold) Curse
    4. Qoof- Bet- Reysh (last home of the head) Tomb
    5. Qoof- Noon- Alef (surround life with Power) Jealous
      - we can see how each of these word uses the letter Qoof to help bring light to the meaning of the word it’s self.
The Word of God,
1. The Primer On Prayer,
  1. Pray Wholeheartedly, vs.145&146
    1. throughout Psalm 119, one of the focus points has been prayer
      - that we need to seek and obey God with our whole heart,
      - John Bunyan “in prayer, it is better to have a heart without words than words without a heart”
    2. Prayer is one of the most powerful tools we have in our arsenal as Christians,
      - Ephesians 6:10&11 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”
        
        loins girt with truth, and breastplate of righteousness vs.14
        
        feet shod preparation of the gospel of peace vs.15
        
        shield of faith vs.16
        
        helmet of salvation and sword of the spirit vs.17
        
        Ephesians 6:18 “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;”
      - Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”
    3. The phrase “I shall keep thy testimonies”
      - this is not the psalmist bragging, saying if you answer my prayers then I will keep thy word,
      - rather it is the psalmist saying Give me strength to be obedient to your word no matter what the answer to my prayers may be.
  2. Pray Without Ceasing (According to the Word) vs. 147&148
    1. two important elements of prayer are pointed to here,
      - first, we must cultivate a constant attitude of prayer,
        
        both in the morning as well as at night,
        
        this is not that we must be like a monk and locked away in a room on our knees 24/7
        
        rather it is what John would write about in John 15, the idea of “abiding”
        
        As it were to have the phone off the hook,
        
        do you know in the early version of the phone system, the phone was always live, and if you wanted to get hold of someone, you would shout in the phone AHOY to get their attention,
        
        this is what the psalmist is wanting,
        
        to have a constant connection to the Lord
      - the second element of successful prayer is, prayer according to the word,
        
        it is in the word of God we know God’s will
        
        apart form the word we do not know His will
        
        this is just as important to us today to balance the word and prayer together,
        
        there are those who focus on the word, never or seldom going to the Lord in prayer,
        
        and there are those who pray often, but never open the word of God,’
        
        on this last point, how many people do we know that we ask if they are saved, and they are quick to point out “I pray every day”?
    2. Our relationship with God depends on both
  3. Pray With Your Heart, vs.149
    1. Love and Law,
      - too often people rely on prayer as an emergency effort,
        
        as Cory Ten Boom put it, our spare tire,
      - however Love is defined in the word of God as not only hearing God’s word, but doing it,
        
        John 14:15 “If you love me keep my commandments”
    2. prayer is pouring out our Love on Him, as well as receiving His love back
      - what motivates our prayer life?
        
        Is it religion, or is it a desire for a more vibrant Relationship?
  4. Pray While Being Watchful, vs.150-152
    1. as the psalmist prayed, he kept an eye on the approaching enemy,
      - watch and pray, goes back to the people of Nehemiah, where they built with one hand, and held a sword in the other,
        
        the enemy did not want the walls of Jerusalem rebuilt, so they caused problems, and threatened the people,
      - the same is true today, the enemy does not want us to pray,
        
        there is nothing we do that will be attacked as often as when we try to pray,
        
        we fight the enemy, we fight the flesh, we fight distractions, sleep, everything will run through our minds.
    2. Nehemiah 4:9 “Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night, because of them. ”
    3. Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. ”
    4. Mark 13:33 “Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. ”
    5. Colossians 4:2 “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; ”
    6. I Peter 4:7 “But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. ”
      - Watch and pray,
      - pray wholehearted, pray without ceasing and according to the word, pray as an act of love, and pray while being attentive.

Next Week: Reysh the front of the head.