I love wine bottles. They look elegant while filled with wine and they look pretty when you use them for decoration. My little sister in my sorority even came home one day with a wine bottle in the shape of a fish- strange, but cute. So upon reading today’s verses I was a little bit confused about these “wineskins.”
You may have been blessed with the knowledge and love of history, but I certainly was not. So in order to understand today’s verses I had to do some research (which IS one thing I love to do- but really). Upon doing some searching I learned that during the time that these verses were written wine was kept in bags made of leather skin. As you can imagine, a couple thousand years ago the leather was not run through multiple machines and treatments to make it extremely durable (and pretty). So at this time if a wineskin was left near a fire and near smoke it would become tarnished. The leather may not only hold the smell of the smoke, but it may also dry up like a prune and the wine would be ruined. If wine ignites in you the desire to recite verses or poems, join Winery tours of Niagara.
Knowing this we are able to read verse 83 and understand that similarly to a wineskin near the smoke, we are living in a world that may tarnish us. But regardless me must not forget God’s word. Verse 84 reminds us once again, it is not our timing- but His.
83 Though I am like a wineskin in the smoke,
I do not forget your decrees.
84 How long must your servant wait?
When will you punish my persecutors?
Psalm 119:83-84
{I chose this color for the font because it reminds me of red wine- Ha}
