This week, I would like to share what the Holy Spirit revealed to me, while I was asking for direction on building cultures of prayer.
Intercessors are often referred to as watchmen. I have heard that term, but I desired to know the practical duties of this title. So, I presented my question to the Lord. No sooner than the curiosity flowed from my heart, I heard, “guard the WORD”. The phrase came quickly and carried a significant punch. I knew the phrase was an instruction, so I settled in with a posture of “here I am, teach me”. I continued to sit quietly and after some time, Psalm 119 came to my mind. I opened my bible and began to read.
Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem. It consists of 22 stanzas of eight lines each. Each stanza begins with the same Hebrew letter at the beginning of every one of its eight lines, going in succession, from the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet to the last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Like the eight lines of each stanza, there are eight Hebrew words, all synonyms, used to refer to the word of God.
I have seen versions of this description in various commentaries but I’ve never actually paid attention to the meaning of the Hebrew words before each stanza. Well, when I got to Psalm 119:97-104, the Hebrew word “Mem” quickened me. I stopped to reflect and research.
The letter mem is the thirteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The Modern Hebrew name for this letter, probably from the word “mayim” means "water."
There are two forms of the mem: the open mem and the closed mem. As the Talmud explains, the open mem represents the revealed Torah and the closed mem represents the Torah’s secrets.
When I thought about the Torah’s secrets, I meditated on Jesus “THE WORD BECOMING FLESH” and reflected on the verses:
“How I love your instruction! It is my meditation all day long. Your command makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is always with me. I have more insight than all my teachers because your decrees are my meditation. I understand more than the elders because I obey your precepts. I have kept my feet from every evil path to follow your word. I have not turned from your judgments, for you, yourself have instructed me. How sweet your word is to my taste — sweeter than honey in my mouth. I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every false way.”
Psalms 119:97-104 CSB
Verses 98 through 102 reveal the advantages (or assets) of learning and guarding God’s word. I read those verses over and over. The Lord prepares a table for us in the presence of our enemies and makes us WISER than them! No evil shall befall us!! Meditating on the word gives us more insight than all of our teachers and more understanding than the elders.
Versus 103 and 104 reflect the blessings. The Holy Spirit Himself is teaching us. My mind suddenly understood my instruction to “guard the Word” much better. We don’t “try to become more like Jesus” we simply set our hearts to devour the WORD (worshipping in Spirit and Truth) and the metamorphosis happens…hallelujah, let us walk in beloved identity.
If you are comfortable with it, read aloud this declaration and claim it:
“Because I choose to be a faithful watchman, who guards and protects Your Word in my life and home; I have purposely chosen not to give the enemy a seat at my table, by accepting an attitude or thought pattern that is from the evil life path. I am not conformed to the worldview, but I am transformed by the renewal of my mind, that by testing, I may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. I have not rebelled against Your Divine Law, for I have accepted Christ as my Savior. I am one with the Lord. These choices, I willingly make, by Your Grace, because You have taught me the beauty of the living Word – Your Truth flows like water (mem) in my soul, giving me Life, Wisdom, and Instruction. I worship You, Father, in Spirit and Truth. In Jesus' name. Amen”.