I have put my hope in your word. (Ps. 119:114)
Expanded Passage: Psalm 119:113-120
The view was impressive. We were awestruck by the size of Niagara Falls. As we observed the waters cascading, we talked about what it must have been like for Nik Wallenda to cross the Niagara Falls, walking on a tightrope. We imagined him watching his steps, seeing the tumultuous waters below. We envisioned him being hit by mist and wind, while holding his balancing pole. What were his distractions? How was he able to focus?
In this section of Psalm 119, we can see the psalmist walking his own tightrope. He is aware of his surroundings. Instead of raging waters, the poet sees evildoers. They are described as double-minded, wicked, and departing from God’s law. They seem to be a distraction, but he must not put his eyes on them. Under his feet, he can feel the support. It’s the law of God. It is enough. The psalmist feels sustained, upheld, untouched by the evil that wants to make him stumble. He finds balance in God’s Word.
Some people wonder why acrobats risk so much to walk on a tightrope. Others may call into question the devotion to God expressed by people like this poet. Is it worth the risk? Only acrobats can say, “We have set foot where no one else has.” Only people like the poet can say, “We have walked with God.”
Remember with gratitude a time when God helped you in your walk.
Luigi Peñaranda is the former director of graduate programs in Spanish at Wesley Seminary at Indiana Wesleyan University (IN).
© 2026 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
