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Psalm 119:169–176, The Shepherd Who Seeks His Wandering Sheep
Show Summary
In this episode of Walking Through the Psalms on the Servants of Grace podcast, Dave Jenkins walks through the final stanza of Psalm 119 (verses 169–176). After 21 stanzas of longing, delighting, clinging, wrestling, hoping, praising, and persevering in the Word of God, the psalmist closes with a prayer that combines desperation, dependance, and devotion.We see a man who has been shaped by Scripture crying out for understanding, deliverance, worship, and sustaining grace. He acknowledges his proneness to wander, yet clings to the Shepherd who never loses His sheep. This passage reminds believers that true maturity is not independence from God but deeper dependance on His grace.Audio Player
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Episode Notes
Passage
Text: Psalm 119:169–176Outline
- A Cry for Understanding (vv. 169–170)
- Humility is the doorway to biblical clarity.
- The psalmist knows, loves, and obeys the Word, yet still asks for more understanding.
- We never outgrow our need for a deeper grasp of God’s Word and grace.
- Praise as the Fruit of Learning (vv. 171–172)
- “My lips will pour forth praise, for you teach me your statutes.”
- Theology leads to doxology: doctrine fuels devotion and worship.
- True worship flows from the truth God has revealed in Scripture.
- Dependance Under Pressure (vv. 173–174)
- Choosing God’s precepts does not remove the need for God’s help.
- Longing for salvation and delighting in God’s law can coexist.
- God’s finished work in Christ is the ground of our hope and obedience.
- A Confession of Need and the Shepherd’s Pursuit (vv. 175–176)
- “I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant.”
- This is not proud rebellion but humble acknowledgment of weakness.
- Sanctification is not self-rescue; it is daily dependance on the Good Shepherd.
Theological Themes
- Prayerful Dependance – The psalmist cries out for understanding, deliverance, and help.
- Praise Shaped by Revelation – God’s teaching produces heartfelt worship.
- God’s Help and Human Obedience – Our choice to follow God’s ways increases, not decreases, our reliance on Him.
- Longing for Salvation – Present delight in God’s law and future hope in His salvation meet together.
- The Shepherd’s Pursuit – We are prone to wander, but Christ, the Good Shepherd, seeks and restores His own.
Application
- Self: Confess your weakness and ask God daily for understanding from His Word.
- Others: Encourage weary or wandering believers with the promise that the Shepherd seeks His sheep.
- Practice: Begin each day with a simple prayer: “Lord, give me understanding according to Your Word, and keep me close to You.”
- Memorize: Psalm 119:176 – “I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments.”
Further Study
- Psalm 23 – The Shepherd who leads and restores.
- John 10:1–18 – Jesus the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep.
- Hebrews 13:20–21 – The God of peace who equips His people.
- Isaiah 53:6 – “All we like sheep have gone astray.”
Call to Action
If this episode encouraged you, please share it with a friend and leave a review on the Servants of Grace podcast to help others find Christ-centered, Scripture-saturated teaching.
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
