When You Feel Like A Stranger: Hope From Psalm 119

Photo Credit: Bekah St Clair

February 25, 2026

Dear Praying Friends,

Have you ever visited another country and sensed the distance between you and others because of a language barrier? Or been invited to an executive dinner as a guest and felt out of place because of your social status? Or perhaps been on a long hike through unfamiliar territory and suddenly realized how far from home you truly are? 

This is how the psalmist felt as he wrote the next section of Psalm 119.

The next Hebrew letter in our series is Gimel, from Psalm 119:17–24 (NIV):

Be good to your servant while I live, that I may obey your word. Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law. I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me. My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times. You rebuke the arrogant, who are accursed, those who stray from your commands. Remove from me their scorn and contempt, for I keep your statutes. Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees. Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.

Central to this stanza is the psalmist’s acknowledgment that he is a foreigner — a pilgrim, a resident alien — whose sole guide is the Word of God. The word stranger conveys the idea of a guest who enjoys certain privileges of the land but not those associated with birthright. Whether he is living in the land or merely passing through, he is not a full citizen and therefore feels a sense of distance from those around him.

Interestingly, this is how both Paul and Peter describe the believer’s identity in the New Testament. To the Philippians, Paul writes, “Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20). 

To scattered believers across the Mediterranean world, Peter writes, “Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11).

The sojourner of Psalm 119 not only recognizes his status, but also his dependence on God and His Word: “Be good to your servant while I live, that I may obey your word. Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law” (Psalm 119:17–18). 

There is a deep awareness that he cannot navigate life by his own wisdom. He prays for grace to obey God’s Word and for eyes to see the beauty contained within it.

This is also the reality for believers living in the present world. Without the beauty of God’s Word and the glory of the One who fills its pages, we would seek pleasure and fulfillment in things that ultimately harm us. 

If His commands were hidden from us, we would lose our way. True progress and stability are found in our desire for the truths of Scripture to saturate our thoughts and shape our lives.

The psalmist also reminds us that the pilgrim journey will not be easy. We will face hostility, unkindness, and opposition from the proud and arrogant (vv. 21–23). Tragically, those in positions of authority and power are sometimes the very ones responsible for treating others with scorn and contempt.

So what do we do when we experience the unkindness of others? 

We turn to the LORD and seek His help. The psalmist shows us the way: first, he chooses to meditate on God’s decrees; second, he finds his delight in God’s statutes. The Word of God cleanses our thinking. It purges bitterness and hardened attitudes. It steadies our hearts and guides our steps as we navigate the difficult terrain of life.

As we pray today for our prodigals and for revival among us, let us not forget that we are pilgrims and strangers who are heaven-bound.

Warmly in Christ’s name,

Bryan and Rachel