Like A Wineskin In The Smoke

“Though I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget Your statutes” (Psalm 119:83).

A careful student of the Bible acknowledges that “cultural distance” often makes it difficult to understand certain biblical words and phrases. “Cultural distance” describes the wide gap that often exists between the customs, traditions, and verbiage of an ancient document, such as the Bible, and the customs, traditions, and verbiage of the modern reader. A good example of the difficulty is found in found in Psalm 119:83. What in the world is “a wineskin in the smoke?” A couple of interpretive tools will help us understand what the original author intended.

The first tool is context. In the surrounding verses, the Psalmist is describing the struggle he is experiencing during at time in which God seems to be distant. His soul languishes as he waits for the Lord’s deliverance (v. 81). His eyes fail as he waits the Lord’s comfort (v. 82). He wonders if he will live long enough to see God bring judgment on his persecutors (v. 84). He pleads for the revival necessary to remain faithful in the midst of his struggle (v. 88). We are given a picture of someone whose body and soul is under duress. Whatever “a wineskin in the smoke” means, it is descriptive of someone in that kind of situation.

The second tool is an understanding of the culture. During the times of the psalmist, wineskins were animal skins prepared for use as containers for liquids. When properly constructed and cared for, they did their job reasonably well. But what would happen to a wineskin that spent extended time in warm and smoky conditions, such as were common in tents and houses of the day? Over time, they would become dried out, shrivelled, and covered with soot, ultimately rendering them useless. The psalmist is saying that he felt dried out, shrivelled, and soot-covered spiritually but he wasn’t giving up.

The lesson for us? When God feels distant, don’t give up!

God loves you!
Mike