169 O LORD, listen to my cry; give me the discerning mind You promised.
170 Listen to my prayer; rescue me as You promised.
171 Let praise flow from my lips, for You have taught me Your decrees.
172 Let my tongue sing about Your word, for all Your commands are right.
173 Give me a helping hand, for I have chosen to follow Your commandments.
174 O LORD, I have longed for Your rescue, and Your instructions are my delight.
175 Let me live so I can praise You, and may Your regulations help me.
176 I have wandered away like a lost sheep; come and find me, for I have not forgotten Your commands.
In this final section of Psalm 119 we can see many of the elements of the psalmist's plea all being stated together.
In v.169 he is crying out to God and leaning on His promises. In v.171 he acknowledges that it is God who teaches us about His decrees. In verses 172-175 the psalmist desires to praise God for His wonderful truth. In verse 173 the writer has made the commitment of his will to "chose to follow" God's commands, and in 176b he has "not forgotten" His commands.
In the final verse of a very long psalm, the writer ends on a note of humble, trusting, dependence,
"I have wandered away like a lost sheep; come and find me,"
Thank God for our Shepherd, who is willing to seek and save the lost!
