“I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.” (v. 176)
David sounds much like Isaiah in 53:6, he knows the heart of man, and the wickedness of the flesh. Christ spoke of this very thing in his parable of the lost sheep, and seeking after the one that went astray, (Mt 18:12). David admitted that he was prone to go astray, and that the flesh is weak. He never forgot his place before the Lord and his own frailty. He knew that he was a sheep, helpless, and totally at the mercy of the Shepherd, only his Shepherd was the Lord of glory!
Here we have another great verse for eternal security, though he had went astray, he honored God and His commandments again. God will seek us out when we go astray, and bring us back to the fold. We may leave the fold, but we never quit being a sheep! When we do leave, in our foolishness, the Great Shepherd, the Chief Shepherd, will seek us out and draw us back to Him. Restoration is a glorious thing, and it is from the Lord. His Word will bring us back again!
What a wonderful salute to the Word of God this Psalm has been, and a wonderful legacy to our God. There is so much in It for us, restoration, cleansing, wisdom, knowledge, victory, and much, much more, all there for our benefit and betterment. “Great peace have they that love thy law…” yes, great peace indeed. Remember that Christ is the Word, and He is in every page throughout this psalm, and in nearly every verse. What an amazing tribute to an even more amazing God! Again, let me say that we ought to read this psalm often, with great anticipation, and with careful diligence to see the Lord of the psalm.
Did you ever hear the saying that “confession is good for the soul”? David knew how to confess and how to humble himself and obtain forgiveness, he had done it many times. Reading the psalms gives us a good look at the heart of this amazing man of God. We would do well to learn his heart and emulate him.
Showing posts with label psalm 119. Show all posts
Showing posts with label psalm 119. Show all posts
Psalms 119:161-168
“Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. (v.165)
This verse has been a particular problem to me in the past, or rather the mis-application of it has. In my circle, it has been used to brow-beat Christians into thinking that they were weak and unfaithful because they were offended somehow! The tragedy is that the offender goes on offending, because he is not rebuked, while the offended one is criticized and ostracized for being offended! This is a perversion of the scriptures. You see, if this verse meant what it first appears to mean, (and there are many that do not) then Jesus must not have loved God’s law either, because He was offended too! (Mt. 16:23) No, this verse does not mean that we are never to be offended if we love God’s Word, but instead, it says, that if we love God’s Word, none of it shall offend us! Nothing in it, in other words, will offend us. I cannot number the times I have heard someone attempt to shame another by telling them that if they loved God’s Word, nothing in this world, ever, would offend them. Jesus said that offences must come but He went on to say “woe unto that man by whom the offence cometh” focusing on the offender and not the offended! (Mt. 18:7) When we love God’s law, we have great peace because of it, so how could any of it ever offend us? If nothing could offend us, how could we be offended by sin? Sin ought to be an offense unto us.
David praised the Lord seven times a day! (v. 164). I wonder how our life would be if we made a habit of doing that? This is even a step further than loving the Word with all our heart, it is loving to glorify God with all our hearts. What caused David to praise the Lord so much? God’s righteous judgments. They ought to cause us to praise the Lord too. You see, they are not an offense to us, neither should they be, but we act as if they are when we fail to praise God for them. We can praise the Lord even seven times a day too, but why not do it all day, every day, even a hundred times a day?
This verse has been a particular problem to me in the past, or rather the mis-application of it has. In my circle, it has been used to brow-beat Christians into thinking that they were weak and unfaithful because they were offended somehow! The tragedy is that the offender goes on offending, because he is not rebuked, while the offended one is criticized and ostracized for being offended! This is a perversion of the scriptures. You see, if this verse meant what it first appears to mean, (and there are many that do not) then Jesus must not have loved God’s law either, because He was offended too! (Mt. 16:23) No, this verse does not mean that we are never to be offended if we love God’s Word, but instead, it says, that if we love God’s Word, none of it shall offend us! Nothing in it, in other words, will offend us. I cannot number the times I have heard someone attempt to shame another by telling them that if they loved God’s Word, nothing in this world, ever, would offend them. Jesus said that offences must come but He went on to say “woe unto that man by whom the offence cometh” focusing on the offender and not the offended! (Mt. 18:7) When we love God’s law, we have great peace because of it, so how could any of it ever offend us? If nothing could offend us, how could we be offended by sin? Sin ought to be an offense unto us.
David praised the Lord seven times a day! (v. 164). I wonder how our life would be if we made a habit of doing that? This is even a step further than loving the Word with all our heart, it is loving to glorify God with all our hearts. What caused David to praise the Lord so much? God’s righteous judgments. They ought to cause us to praise the Lord too. You see, they are not an offense to us, neither should they be, but we act as if they are when we fail to praise God for them. We can praise the Lord even seven times a day too, but why not do it all day, every day, even a hundred times a day?
Psa. 119:153-160
“Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word.” (v.154)
The cry is “Plead my cause” O LORD, and it is the prayer of a broken and defeated heart. When we get God on our side, who can stand against us? (Rom. 8:31) O that He might plead our cause before men, and bring us the victory over the world, and he will, by the way. It is amazing to me to see how fearful David seemed to be, yet how bold he was in battle so that many sang “Saul slew his thousands, David his ten thousands.” This tells me that it is not wrong to be afraid, in fact, it will lead us to a greater power, teaching us to seek Him who knows no fear. When we learn to fear enough to trust in God, we have come quite far in our life for Him, and can be “quickened” by Him. To be quickened by the Lord is to be lifted up by Him, resting in His arms, and given a new zeal, as well as life. David asks three important things here, to have the Lord to plead for him, or to intercede for him; and to deliver him; and to quicken , or revive him, all “according to thy Word.”
I believe our greatest prayers are those that are cried out of desperation, because our whole heart sees it important enough to beg God, and to cry out our need to Him. Fasting also is nothing without a certain element of sorrow. We seem to think of fasting as a remedy to get our prayer answered, and use it that way when we want something special from God, but we often make a mockery of it in so doing. Often the greatest pains produce the greatest prayers.
This particular verse sounds as if it were produced in tears, and from the chains of fear. Three times David asks the Lord to quicken him, and all three times it is according to a tenet or principle of God. The first is here, “according to thy Word”; the second is v. 156, and “according to thy judgments”; while the third is v.159, and “according to thy loving kindness”. There are many “according to’s” throughout the 119th Psalm, one would do well to study them.
This psalm ought to be read often, as it deals completely with the Word of God, and what greater subject could we seek?
The cry is “Plead my cause” O LORD, and it is the prayer of a broken and defeated heart. When we get God on our side, who can stand against us? (Rom. 8:31) O that He might plead our cause before men, and bring us the victory over the world, and he will, by the way. It is amazing to me to see how fearful David seemed to be, yet how bold he was in battle so that many sang “Saul slew his thousands, David his ten thousands.” This tells me that it is not wrong to be afraid, in fact, it will lead us to a greater power, teaching us to seek Him who knows no fear. When we learn to fear enough to trust in God, we have come quite far in our life for Him, and can be “quickened” by Him. To be quickened by the Lord is to be lifted up by Him, resting in His arms, and given a new zeal, as well as life. David asks three important things here, to have the Lord to plead for him, or to intercede for him; and to deliver him; and to quicken , or revive him, all “according to thy Word.”
I believe our greatest prayers are those that are cried out of desperation, because our whole heart sees it important enough to beg God, and to cry out our need to Him. Fasting also is nothing without a certain element of sorrow. We seem to think of fasting as a remedy to get our prayer answered, and use it that way when we want something special from God, but we often make a mockery of it in so doing. Often the greatest pains produce the greatest prayers.
This particular verse sounds as if it were produced in tears, and from the chains of fear. Three times David asks the Lord to quicken him, and all three times it is according to a tenet or principle of God. The first is here, “according to thy Word”; the second is v. 156, and “according to thy judgments”; while the third is v.159, and “according to thy loving kindness”. There are many “according to’s” throughout the 119th Psalm, one would do well to study them.
This psalm ought to be read often, as it deals completely with the Word of God, and what greater subject could we seek?
Psalms 119:145-152
“I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes.” (v.145)
The psalmist resorts to prayer quite often in the Psalms. Much of the Psalms is prayer-like. Here he teaches us, as he reaches out to God, that we must cry out with our whole heart unto Him. God hears these heart-felt prayers. Much is said and taught about prayer, specifically long praying, but David sees here the need for quality in our prayers, and not only quantity of prayer. Not many of his prayers seemed long, but they had a lot of power! Prayer laced with humility and repentance is powerful prayer indeed. Perhaps this is what James meant by the “fervent prayer of a faithful man” that availeth much. David cried, “Hear me O LORD,” and I am sure the Lord heard him. Spurgeon puts it best in his commentary on Psalms, “This section is given up to memories of prayer. The Psalmist describes the time and the manner of his devotions, and pleads with God for deliverance from his troubles. He who has been with God in the closet will find God with him in the furnace. If we have cried we shall be answered. Delayed answers may drive us to importunity; but we need not fear the ultimate result, since God's promises are not uncertain, but are “founded for ever.” The whole passage shows us: How he prayed (Psa_119:145). What he prayed for (Psa_119:146). When he prayed (Psa_119:147). How long he prayed (Psa_119:148). What he pleaded (Psa_119:149). What happened (Psa_119:150). How he was rescued (Psa_119:151). What was his witness as to the whole matter (Psa_119:152).”
Prayer is our in road to God, and prayer is our greatest weapon against evil. It is also our greatest defense. We need to spend much time there, but more so, spend much of our heart there, in the closet of prayer. When our life is in turmoil, we pray our best prayers; prayer that is a result of a crying heart, an aching heart, holds a lot of weight with the Lord. Why not learn to “feel” your prayers, from the heart, instead of much of the fancy and vain words we like to render publicly? Let’s learn to get hold of God in prayer.
The psalmist resorts to prayer quite often in the Psalms. Much of the Psalms is prayer-like. Here he teaches us, as he reaches out to God, that we must cry out with our whole heart unto Him. God hears these heart-felt prayers. Much is said and taught about prayer, specifically long praying, but David sees here the need for quality in our prayers, and not only quantity of prayer. Not many of his prayers seemed long, but they had a lot of power! Prayer laced with humility and repentance is powerful prayer indeed. Perhaps this is what James meant by the “fervent prayer of a faithful man” that availeth much. David cried, “Hear me O LORD,” and I am sure the Lord heard him. Spurgeon puts it best in his commentary on Psalms, “This section is given up to memories of prayer. The Psalmist describes the time and the manner of his devotions, and pleads with God for deliverance from his troubles. He who has been with God in the closet will find God with him in the furnace. If we have cried we shall be answered. Delayed answers may drive us to importunity; but we need not fear the ultimate result, since God's promises are not uncertain, but are “founded for ever.” The whole passage shows us: How he prayed (Psa_119:145). What he prayed for (Psa_119:146). When he prayed (Psa_119:147). How long he prayed (Psa_119:148). What he pleaded (Psa_119:149). What happened (Psa_119:150). How he was rescued (Psa_119:151). What was his witness as to the whole matter (Psa_119:152).”
Prayer is our in road to God, and prayer is our greatest weapon against evil. It is also our greatest defense. We need to spend much time there, but more so, spend much of our heart there, in the closet of prayer. When our life is in turmoil, we pray our best prayers; prayer that is a result of a crying heart, an aching heart, holds a lot of weight with the Lord. Why not learn to “feel” your prayers, from the heart, instead of much of the fancy and vain words we like to render publicly? Let’s learn to get hold of God in prayer.
Psalms 119:137-144
“My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.” (v. 139)
The zeal of the Lord and the fire of the Lord, are much the same thing. Those who spoke of the zeal of God, or zeal towards God, did some mighty works in their zeal. It seems that the zealous ones are those who want to call down fire from Heaven and destroy the unbelievers. David realized this in himself, a zeal to kill all those who oppose the Lord God; it was a zeal that almost controlled him to the extent that it was nearly irresistible. I believe Jesus had this zeal, but in a much more controlled manner. It is a very strong desire to promote the Lord, and deter those who would do otherwise. Websters 1828 American English Dictionary defines zeal as such:
ZEAL, n. [Gr., L.] Passionate ardor in the pursuit of any thing. In general, zeal is an eagerness of desire to accomplish or obtain some object, and it may be manifested either in favor of any person or thing, or in opposition to it, and in a good or bad cause.
Yes, a “passionate ardor” is needed today. A people who will stand for what is right, no matter what. Oh that we could say, “my zeal hath eaten me up” or “I am totally consumed in my zeal” for the Lord. The zealot will fight for what he believes, as Peter was willing to do at one time. The zealot will know boldness, the boldness of God, and will defy the enemies of God openly and eagerly. David loved the Word of God and His promises, and he was willing to be consumed in upholding them, and fight to the death to preserve them. This is what happens when the zeal of the Lord consumes us.
As we search out the word “zeal” we see that it can be applied in a good sense, as well as in an evil sense, as our definition from Webster notes. Be careful to be zealous for the Lord, and not against Him. Paul was both of these, but thank God he was converted and used his zeal for the Lord. He is, perhaps, the greatest example of zeal that we have in the New Testament, other than Christ Himself, while David is probably the greatest example in the Old Testament.
The zeal of the Lord and the fire of the Lord, are much the same thing. Those who spoke of the zeal of God, or zeal towards God, did some mighty works in their zeal. It seems that the zealous ones are those who want to call down fire from Heaven and destroy the unbelievers. David realized this in himself, a zeal to kill all those who oppose the Lord God; it was a zeal that almost controlled him to the extent that it was nearly irresistible. I believe Jesus had this zeal, but in a much more controlled manner. It is a very strong desire to promote the Lord, and deter those who would do otherwise. Websters 1828 American English Dictionary defines zeal as such:
ZEAL, n. [Gr., L.] Passionate ardor in the pursuit of any thing. In general, zeal is an eagerness of desire to accomplish or obtain some object, and it may be manifested either in favor of any person or thing, or in opposition to it, and in a good or bad cause.
Yes, a “passionate ardor” is needed today. A people who will stand for what is right, no matter what. Oh that we could say, “my zeal hath eaten me up” or “I am totally consumed in my zeal” for the Lord. The zealot will fight for what he believes, as Peter was willing to do at one time. The zealot will know boldness, the boldness of God, and will defy the enemies of God openly and eagerly. David loved the Word of God and His promises, and he was willing to be consumed in upholding them, and fight to the death to preserve them. This is what happens when the zeal of the Lord consumes us.
As we search out the word “zeal” we see that it can be applied in a good sense, as well as in an evil sense, as our definition from Webster notes. Be careful to be zealous for the Lord, and not against Him. Paul was both of these, but thank God he was converted and used his zeal for the Lord. He is, perhaps, the greatest example of zeal that we have in the New Testament, other than Christ Himself, while David is probably the greatest example in the Old Testament.
Psalms 119:121-128
“Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.” (v.124)
Falling upon the mercy of our God is the wisest thing we could ever do in any situation. His mercy is great, and “endureth forever.” Where would we be without the Mercy of God? Psalm 136 says it best:
O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:
The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:
The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:
With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:
But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.
His Mercy endureth forever, and it us new every morning. (Jer. 3:22,23)
Falling upon the mercy of our God is the wisest thing we could ever do in any situation. His mercy is great, and “endureth forever.” Where would we be without the Mercy of God? Psalm 136 says it best:
O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that by wisdom made the heavens: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that stretched out the earth above the waters: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that made great lights: for his mercy endureth for ever:
The sun to rule by day: for his mercy endureth for ever:
The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And brought out Israel from among them: for his mercy endureth for ever:
With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever:
But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him which led his people through the wilderness: for his mercy endureth for ever.
To him which smote great kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And slew famous kings: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Sihon king of the Amorites: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And Og the king of Bashan: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:
Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:
And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.
Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.
O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.
His Mercy endureth forever, and it us new every morning. (Jer. 3:22,23)
Psalms 119:113-120
“My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.” (v. 120)
There is not enough of the “fear of the Lord” nowadays, even among Christians. When we fear Him, we will respect Him, and, in fact, fear is a form of respect. To respect Him is to honor Him, and to honor Him is to obey him. Though the Christian need not fear the judgment of God as far as being condemned to an eternal hell is concerned, we need to fear His chastisement, which He will mete out as He sees the need. Whether this word “judgments” refers to His Word, as a synonym, or whether it refers to the judgments of God, literally, we do not know for sure. The word “judgments” is used in this particular psalm, beginning in v. 7, some sixteen times as a synonym for the Word of God. There are other times that it uses this word that are not too clear as to which they refer. At any rate, we need to fear God because of His judgments!
Fear is a deterrent to sin. It is the reason we spank our children, to cause pain, which they learn to fear, and thereby learn to do right. God sometimes must “spank” us, and teach us to fear so that we will be afraid to disobey Him, but if we do not fear Him, we will not often obey Him. The psalmist learned obedience by knowing God, and he knew that God put “away the wicked like dross” (v. 119). David feared so much in that he trembled at the thought of the awesome power of God, and of His judgments. David won the respect of the people, and the fear of the Philistines, when he “proved himself” faithful in the incident with Goliath, and many times thereafter when he won battles against the enemies of God. Here though, it is his turn to fear. David knew fear as all brave men do; it is not a shame to be fearful but the shame comes when we allow the fear to cause us to act contrary to the will of the Lord. I see no shame in trembling before God either, nor, at times, before men, if we still go on with the confidence that God will give us the victory. Perhaps it is the fear of the Lord that won David the honor of being a “man after God’s own heart.”
There is not enough of the “fear of the Lord” nowadays, even among Christians. When we fear Him, we will respect Him, and, in fact, fear is a form of respect. To respect Him is to honor Him, and to honor Him is to obey him. Though the Christian need not fear the judgment of God as far as being condemned to an eternal hell is concerned, we need to fear His chastisement, which He will mete out as He sees the need. Whether this word “judgments” refers to His Word, as a synonym, or whether it refers to the judgments of God, literally, we do not know for sure. The word “judgments” is used in this particular psalm, beginning in v. 7, some sixteen times as a synonym for the Word of God. There are other times that it uses this word that are not too clear as to which they refer. At any rate, we need to fear God because of His judgments!
Fear is a deterrent to sin. It is the reason we spank our children, to cause pain, which they learn to fear, and thereby learn to do right. God sometimes must “spank” us, and teach us to fear so that we will be afraid to disobey Him, but if we do not fear Him, we will not often obey Him. The psalmist learned obedience by knowing God, and he knew that God put “away the wicked like dross” (v. 119). David feared so much in that he trembled at the thought of the awesome power of God, and of His judgments. David won the respect of the people, and the fear of the Philistines, when he “proved himself” faithful in the incident with Goliath, and many times thereafter when he won battles against the enemies of God. Here though, it is his turn to fear. David knew fear as all brave men do; it is not a shame to be fearful but the shame comes when we allow the fear to cause us to act contrary to the will of the Lord. I see no shame in trembling before God either, nor, at times, before men, if we still go on with the confidence that God will give us the victory. Perhaps it is the fear of the Lord that won David the honor of being a “man after God’s own heart.”
Psa. 119: 105-112
“My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.” (v. 109)
Temptation is probably the greatest bane we face in life today. When it is ever before us, and constantly around us, is when it is the strongest, and we, the weakest. David mentions here that, in spite of death threats, and degradation, and famine and various trials, he managed to remember what was right to do, and honored it. We need to realize from this that when trials come, and temptations abound, we have a decision to make, and our very soul could depend on which way we go! Once we are saved, we can still afflict our soul with problems because of wrong decisions in our life, but if we remain faithful to the Lord we will always come out on top. Yes, in a sense, we too can say “My soul is continually in my hand” and it is up to me which way I go, and up to you which way you go. Our destiny is in our hands, will we forget God’s laws?
We need to be aware of God’s eternal presence, and be mindful of Him, (or have our mind full of Him), in order to even approach unto this position. What hope have we without His eternal presence, and our awareness of it? We must keep our minds on Christ all day, every moment, and in every way. This may not be as hard as we think. We can praise the Lord in song for a time, then spend some time witnessing for Him; we can read His Word for awhile, then we can spend some time in prayer; we can then meditate on scripture, and commit it to memory; we can look for those who need help, and give them a helping hand; we can listen to good gospel music, and take some time to thank God for all His blessings, and we can do all this while doing other things, as we go about our way! We could even spend a little time studying the Word of God and looking for great Truths. Our souls may be in our hands, in a way, as we plan our lives, and walk through this life, so when the trials come, let us be prepared by the Bible to face whatever may come our way, and not forget God’s law. Whenever temptations come our way, and they will come, we must decide if we are going to follow their lead, or do right. No one can make that decision for us, and no one will answer for it for us.
Temptation is probably the greatest bane we face in life today. When it is ever before us, and constantly around us, is when it is the strongest, and we, the weakest. David mentions here that, in spite of death threats, and degradation, and famine and various trials, he managed to remember what was right to do, and honored it. We need to realize from this that when trials come, and temptations abound, we have a decision to make, and our very soul could depend on which way we go! Once we are saved, we can still afflict our soul with problems because of wrong decisions in our life, but if we remain faithful to the Lord we will always come out on top. Yes, in a sense, we too can say “My soul is continually in my hand” and it is up to me which way I go, and up to you which way you go. Our destiny is in our hands, will we forget God’s laws?
We need to be aware of God’s eternal presence, and be mindful of Him, (or have our mind full of Him), in order to even approach unto this position. What hope have we without His eternal presence, and our awareness of it? We must keep our minds on Christ all day, every moment, and in every way. This may not be as hard as we think. We can praise the Lord in song for a time, then spend some time witnessing for Him; we can read His Word for awhile, then we can spend some time in prayer; we can then meditate on scripture, and commit it to memory; we can look for those who need help, and give them a helping hand; we can listen to good gospel music, and take some time to thank God for all His blessings, and we can do all this while doing other things, as we go about our way! We could even spend a little time studying the Word of God and looking for great Truths. Our souls may be in our hands, in a way, as we plan our lives, and walk through this life, so when the trials come, let us be prepared by the Bible to face whatever may come our way, and not forget God’s law. Whenever temptations come our way, and they will come, we must decide if we are going to follow their lead, or do right. No one can make that decision for us, and no one will answer for it for us.
Psalms 119:97-104
“Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.” (v.104)
Oh the truth of this verse. We truly do get understanding through His precepts, specifically the keeping of them. There are three verses in this passage that are rather outstanding, and astonishing, they are, 98, 99, and 100.
“Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.”
Do you see what keeping His commandments can do for us? Look to Job 28:28 and we see the definition for wisdom and also for understanding.
“And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.”
To have understanding is to keep His Laws. By these, and by doing so, we are made wiser than our enemies, with the ability to outsmart them; we are of better understanding than our teachers, and even know more than the ancients, because we keep God’s commandments. His Word will teach us to “hate every false way” and we will walk in a way that is pleasing to Him. We will live our lives victoriously, honestly, and Holily before Him and thereby reap a multitude of blessings. All this through the Word, or by His Word, in which we live and breath and have our being. Finally, look at 1 Jn. 3:22:
“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.”
Oh, the wondrous Word of God, how could we be without it?
Oh the truth of this verse. We truly do get understanding through His precepts, specifically the keeping of them. There are three verses in this passage that are rather outstanding, and astonishing, they are, 98, 99, and 100.
“Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.”
Do you see what keeping His commandments can do for us? Look to Job 28:28 and we see the definition for wisdom and also for understanding.
“And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.”
To have understanding is to keep His Laws. By these, and by doing so, we are made wiser than our enemies, with the ability to outsmart them; we are of better understanding than our teachers, and even know more than the ancients, because we keep God’s commandments. His Word will teach us to “hate every false way” and we will walk in a way that is pleasing to Him. We will live our lives victoriously, honestly, and Holily before Him and thereby reap a multitude of blessings. All this through the Word, or by His Word, in which we live and breath and have our being. Finally, look at 1 Jn. 3:22:
“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.”
Oh, the wondrous Word of God, how could we be without it?
Psalms 119:89-96
“Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.” (v.90)
The Lord is faithful to all peoples, everywhere, who call upon Him in Truth. He is there for us, unto the third and forth generations, and further, even unto all generations. Paul put it this way in Rom. 8, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (v. 31), and, who indeed? His faithfulness is toward us, and He will never let us down. I cannot even imagine my God letting anyone down that has truly and fully trusted in Him, He cannot do it! Most people would be reluctant to disappoint someone who was desperately depending on them, let alone a loving and merciful God. Why then do we fail to trust Him in all things, and at all times? He has established the earth after all, and is more than capable of handling any and all problems that it might bring forth. I only wish we were as faithful to Him as He is to us.
This is one of only five verses that does not contain a direct reference to the Word of God in this entire Psalm. There are nine different words used for God’s Word, and nearly every verse in this huge psalm (176verses) contains at least one, and some two. This psalm is an excellent tribute to the Word of God, and what it means to mankind; it should be read often and carefully, as well as prayerfully. He has established, or settled His Word, and the earth, as we see here. He has established his Word in the earth, through His Son, Jesus, Who is the Word incarnate; the very God of gods, and Lord of lords. It is, then, a tribute to Jesus. Read it carefully, and with great awe, and see the Lord of the Psalms, in Christ. Laws, ordinances, precepts, testimonies, commandments, etc., all are about Jesus. Read on, and note these synonyms and be reminded that Christ is everywhere in the Bible, walking through it’s pages, and hiding Himself in every page. Praise the Lord for this wonderful fact.
The Lord is faithful to all peoples, everywhere, who call upon Him in Truth. He is there for us, unto the third and forth generations, and further, even unto all generations. Paul put it this way in Rom. 8, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (v. 31), and, who indeed? His faithfulness is toward us, and He will never let us down. I cannot even imagine my God letting anyone down that has truly and fully trusted in Him, He cannot do it! Most people would be reluctant to disappoint someone who was desperately depending on them, let alone a loving and merciful God. Why then do we fail to trust Him in all things, and at all times? He has established the earth after all, and is more than capable of handling any and all problems that it might bring forth. I only wish we were as faithful to Him as He is to us.
This is one of only five verses that does not contain a direct reference to the Word of God in this entire Psalm. There are nine different words used for God’s Word, and nearly every verse in this huge psalm (176verses) contains at least one, and some two. This psalm is an excellent tribute to the Word of God, and what it means to mankind; it should be read often and carefully, as well as prayerfully. He has established, or settled His Word, and the earth, as we see here. He has established his Word in the earth, through His Son, Jesus, Who is the Word incarnate; the very God of gods, and Lord of lords. It is, then, a tribute to Jesus. Read it carefully, and with great awe, and see the Lord of the Psalms, in Christ. Laws, ordinances, precepts, testimonies, commandments, etc., all are about Jesus. Read on, and note these synonyms and be reminded that Christ is everywhere in the Bible, walking through it’s pages, and hiding Himself in every page. Praise the Lord for this wonderful fact.
Psalms 119: 81-88
“All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.” (v. 86)
Yes, all His commandments are faithful, and we can count on them through all trials, at all times. God never changes, and His Word never changes, so why do we doubt? If we can’t rely on the Word of God, we are of “all men most miserable.” David seems to be crying out to the Lord and asking for His help against those who “persecute” him wrongfully. The proud have digged pits for him, they have sought to destroy him, but he retained his integrity, and trusted in the Lord. This is what the Word of God does for us, it protects us, and gives us favor with God.
We are as a bottle in the smoke (v.83), hidden and blending in with our environment, and very hard to find. The psalmist realizes his place before the Lord, and it humbles him greatly. Humility gets God’s attention, and is a rare thing for a noble warrior to acquire. David, who slew Goliath, and many Philistines, had a humble heart. How hard it is for us, when the battle is over and the victory is won, to remain humble; in fact, humility is a rare thing among any man! A humble man will truly rely on the Lord, because he knows his own frailty.
David knew his frailty. He knew that his victory over Goliath, the champion of the Philistines, was actually a God-given victory, and not his own doing. Paul was teaching us this in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, and topped it off with the last verse in the chapter, “That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” That is our goal, and God’s goal for us, that we might glorify Him, and ourselves “glory in the Lord.” God indeed chooses the weak things to confound the wise, the problem is that we get all puffed up, and think ourselves strong! We then become weak, in a useless way.
Yes, all His commandments are faithful, and we can count on them through all trials, at all times. God never changes, and His Word never changes, so why do we doubt? If we can’t rely on the Word of God, we are of “all men most miserable.” David seems to be crying out to the Lord and asking for His help against those who “persecute” him wrongfully. The proud have digged pits for him, they have sought to destroy him, but he retained his integrity, and trusted in the Lord. This is what the Word of God does for us, it protects us, and gives us favor with God.
We are as a bottle in the smoke (v.83), hidden and blending in with our environment, and very hard to find. The psalmist realizes his place before the Lord, and it humbles him greatly. Humility gets God’s attention, and is a rare thing for a noble warrior to acquire. David, who slew Goliath, and many Philistines, had a humble heart. How hard it is for us, when the battle is over and the victory is won, to remain humble; in fact, humility is a rare thing among any man! A humble man will truly rely on the Lord, because he knows his own frailty.
David knew his frailty. He knew that his victory over Goliath, the champion of the Philistines, was actually a God-given victory, and not his own doing. Paul was teaching us this in 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, and topped it off with the last verse in the chapter, “That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” That is our goal, and God’s goal for us, that we might glorify Him, and ourselves “glory in the Lord.” God indeed chooses the weak things to confound the wise, the problem is that we get all puffed up, and think ourselves strong! We then become weak, in a useless way.
Psalms 119: 73-80
“They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.” (v. 74)
Twice in this passage we see the importance of fellowship with the people of God. We need each other, as well as the guidance of the love of God. To see someone that is serious about serving the Lord is always a blessing to me, and who do you think I ask to pray for special needs? Those who I know walk with the Lord. The prayer of the psalmist is that God’s people will “turn” unto him, and unite with him in the service of the Lord. We have much in common, after all, and ought to act as if we do. Romans 12:10 tells us, “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;” so even Paul tells us to prefer, or desire the company of our brothers and sisters in Christ. (Emphasis is mine.)
I am reminded of my army days, and of the camaraderie that is found among soldiers who suffer the same fates. Many times, through suffering together, we “bond” with others who have struggled with us. It seems that there is a closeness, because they understand each others’ fears, and joys, and sorrows. Often, when we were off duty, we sought out those “buddies” who we had been through much tribulation of some sort or another with, and we became good friends. It is the same in the bus ministry, by the way. Bus workers understand the heart of a bus worker, and they all sacrifice together, and “suffer” if you will, the same “afflictions”. This brings them closer together, many times, so that “They that fear thee will be glad when they see me” as our text verse says, and all because we have, together, “hoped in” His Word.
Let’s desire the companionship of one another, as brothers and sisters in Christ. Let’s “honor” one another, and be kind to one another, and “prefer” the company of one another, and we will please the Lord in that one thing at least.
Twice in this passage we see the importance of fellowship with the people of God. We need each other, as well as the guidance of the love of God. To see someone that is serious about serving the Lord is always a blessing to me, and who do you think I ask to pray for special needs? Those who I know walk with the Lord. The prayer of the psalmist is that God’s people will “turn” unto him, and unite with him in the service of the Lord. We have much in common, after all, and ought to act as if we do. Romans 12:10 tells us, “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;” so even Paul tells us to prefer, or desire the company of our brothers and sisters in Christ. (Emphasis is mine.)
I am reminded of my army days, and of the camaraderie that is found among soldiers who suffer the same fates. Many times, through suffering together, we “bond” with others who have struggled with us. It seems that there is a closeness, because they understand each others’ fears, and joys, and sorrows. Often, when we were off duty, we sought out those “buddies” who we had been through much tribulation of some sort or another with, and we became good friends. It is the same in the bus ministry, by the way. Bus workers understand the heart of a bus worker, and they all sacrifice together, and “suffer” if you will, the same “afflictions”. This brings them closer together, many times, so that “They that fear thee will be glad when they see me” as our text verse says, and all because we have, together, “hoped in” His Word.
Let’s desire the companionship of one another, as brothers and sisters in Christ. Let’s “honor” one another, and be kind to one another, and “prefer” the company of one another, and we will please the Lord in that one thing at least.
Psalms 119:65-72
“It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.” (v. 71)
Strength often comes through adversity. When a man lifts weights to increase his strength, he puts his body under much pressure and stress, but in the end, he is made stronger. Such is the way of adversity. We tend to not welcome adversity but we can see the long range affect of it, and how much we need it to mature us, and teach us patience. (Rom. 5:3). For this reason, we can “glory” in tribulation. Yes, when we are afflicted, and endure it, especially on Christ’s behalf, with patience, the “Spirit of glory and of God” are upon us (1 Peter 4:14).
Here though we see something even more special, and more peculiar. We see that affliction teaches us! The psalmist learns more about the things of God, especially the Word of God, through affliction. It is, therefore, good for us to have been, and to continue to be, afflicted. We see also the affliction can set us on the right path, “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.” (v. 67). Yes chastisement teaches us to do right. God uses affliction for His purposes, as we have seen, therefore, we can rejoice in our afflictions.
Perhaps a part of the affliction was that others had lied against him, and caused him much trouble, (v. 69), and in v. 70, it is clear that he is going to do right in spite of what others do. We too need this kind of tenacity; we need to determine to do right, no matter what. I used to tell my kids, “No matter what anyone else does, you do what’s right” I said it so much that they often finished the quote with me, but they got the point. Folks, we need to do right, and stay in the Word, no matter what comes our way. Afflictions will come, but God can make the most of them for His glory. We need to see them through, and realize that, somehow we will be made better through the trials.
Strength often comes through adversity. When a man lifts weights to increase his strength, he puts his body under much pressure and stress, but in the end, he is made stronger. Such is the way of adversity. We tend to not welcome adversity but we can see the long range affect of it, and how much we need it to mature us, and teach us patience. (Rom. 5:3). For this reason, we can “glory” in tribulation. Yes, when we are afflicted, and endure it, especially on Christ’s behalf, with patience, the “Spirit of glory and of God” are upon us (1 Peter 4:14).
Here though we see something even more special, and more peculiar. We see that affliction teaches us! The psalmist learns more about the things of God, especially the Word of God, through affliction. It is, therefore, good for us to have been, and to continue to be, afflicted. We see also the affliction can set us on the right path, “Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.” (v. 67). Yes chastisement teaches us to do right. God uses affliction for His purposes, as we have seen, therefore, we can rejoice in our afflictions.
Perhaps a part of the affliction was that others had lied against him, and caused him much trouble, (v. 69), and in v. 70, it is clear that he is going to do right in spite of what others do. We too need this kind of tenacity; we need to determine to do right, no matter what. I used to tell my kids, “No matter what anyone else does, you do what’s right” I said it so much that they often finished the quote with me, but they got the point. Folks, we need to do right, and stay in the Word, no matter what comes our way. Afflictions will come, but God can make the most of them for His glory. We need to see them through, and realize that, somehow we will be made better through the trials.
Psa 119:57-64
“At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.” (v.62)
When was the last time you attended, or even heard about, and all-night prayer meeting? They are a rarity nowadays, but perhaps more desperately needed than ever before. I know I have never attended an all-nighter, in my 33 years of serving the Lord (at the time of this writing). Why not? Because praying just doesn’t seem important enough anymore, or so it seems. At “midnight” there are usually no interruptions; it is just us and the Lord. It may be the best time to really get hold of God. Late at night, or, (as I prefer) early in the morning are truly special “quiet times” with the Lord, in which we can spend some quality time with Him. So, not only is it important to read the Bible daily, but to have a time of prayer daily is indeed a precious thing.
I like to rise early, before anyone else is up, and read my Bible, and meditate and pray, in fact, I really look forward to it every morning now. An important part of prayer is thanksgiving; it may be the most important part, if we could put one element above the other. Prayer is definitely an integral part of our Christian life, and ought to be done “without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17).
Many ask “What is prayer”? I believe it is simply talking with God. Many of my prayers that obtained the most results were when my heart desperately cried out unto the Lord, either in sorrow or anxiety, or even from rejoicing greatly, each prayer must be motivated by some emotion. I consider these times the real quality prayers that moved God to action, and, after all, isn’t that why we pray? Try waking up early, or in the middle of the night, and spend some quiet, “quality” time with God.
When was the last time you attended, or even heard about, and all-night prayer meeting? They are a rarity nowadays, but perhaps more desperately needed than ever before. I know I have never attended an all-nighter, in my 33 years of serving the Lord (at the time of this writing). Why not? Because praying just doesn’t seem important enough anymore, or so it seems. At “midnight” there are usually no interruptions; it is just us and the Lord. It may be the best time to really get hold of God. Late at night, or, (as I prefer) early in the morning are truly special “quiet times” with the Lord, in which we can spend some quality time with Him. So, not only is it important to read the Bible daily, but to have a time of prayer daily is indeed a precious thing.
I like to rise early, before anyone else is up, and read my Bible, and meditate and pray, in fact, I really look forward to it every morning now. An important part of prayer is thanksgiving; it may be the most important part, if we could put one element above the other. Prayer is definitely an integral part of our Christian life, and ought to be done “without ceasing” (1 Thess. 5:17).
Many ask “What is prayer”? I believe it is simply talking with God. Many of my prayers that obtained the most results were when my heart desperately cried out unto the Lord, either in sorrow or anxiety, or even from rejoicing greatly, each prayer must be motivated by some emotion. I consider these times the real quality prayers that moved God to action, and, after all, isn’t that why we pray? Try waking up early, or in the middle of the night, and spend some quiet, “quality” time with God.
Psa. 119:49-56
“Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.” (v.54)
The Lord gives us a song in our hearts, and we are to sing praises unto Him. How many songs do we know that are actually scripture verses? The psalmist says here that the Word is his song, and sang the song unto the Lord. Actually, the psalms were songs, and often were sung in the worship of the Lord. David played the harp, and wrote many of them himself, and probably sang them as he was tending the sheep. Other psalms were sung as the priests approached the temple stairs, while ascending up into the temple. Many were written for various victories, and for obtaining the blessings of God in certain areas of their lives. The Lord would, no doubt, enjoy hearing us sing scripture to Him, more than any song written by man.
Look at the 100th psalm:
Psa 100:1 (A Psalm of praise.) Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Psa 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Psa 100:3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Psa 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Psa 100:5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
We are to come before His presence with singing, and not with a long face. We are to serve Him with gladness, and enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. That is what we do in song. We also come before Him in prayer, as if we were right there submitting our requests, but we are to come with singing and joyful hearts. Psalm 100 is an excellent approach to prayer, as if we were entering the gate of the Tabernacle, and approaching the Holy of Holies, to fall before the throne of our God. Let us all Make God’s statutes our song.
The Lord gives us a song in our hearts, and we are to sing praises unto Him. How many songs do we know that are actually scripture verses? The psalmist says here that the Word is his song, and sang the song unto the Lord. Actually, the psalms were songs, and often were sung in the worship of the Lord. David played the harp, and wrote many of them himself, and probably sang them as he was tending the sheep. Other psalms were sung as the priests approached the temple stairs, while ascending up into the temple. Many were written for various victories, and for obtaining the blessings of God in certain areas of their lives. The Lord would, no doubt, enjoy hearing us sing scripture to Him, more than any song written by man.
Look at the 100th psalm:
Psa 100:1 (A Psalm of praise.) Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Psa 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Psa 100:3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Psa 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
Psa 100:5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
We are to come before His presence with singing, and not with a long face. We are to serve Him with gladness, and enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. That is what we do in song. We also come before Him in prayer, as if we were right there submitting our requests, but we are to come with singing and joyful hearts. Psalm 100 is an excellent approach to prayer, as if we were entering the gate of the Tabernacle, and approaching the Holy of Holies, to fall before the throne of our God. Let us all Make God’s statutes our song.
Psa. 119:41-48
“And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.” (v. 45)
There is liberty in the Word of God. Those who keep His precepts do walk in liberty with Him. Jesus said “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32), and He went on to say, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (Jn. 8:36) This Liberty is found in Christ, The Truth. (Jn 14:6) The psalmist seeks God’s precepts, and in so doing, he walks in liberty with all men, and from all snares of the devil. He has the liberty to answer freely those who ask of the hope that is within him (v. 42); He asks for God’s mercy (v. 41), and vows to always walk in His laws (v.44), therefore, he can truly say, he is at liberty to do those things that God would have him to do. He shall not be ashamed, (v. 46). So, through meditation (v. 46), obedience, dedication to the Lord’s commandments, we too shall walk in liberty, free from the clutches of the devil.
Seeking God’s precepts, or commands, or whatever word we use to describe seeking the Lord, will always bring victory in our lives. It is God’s promise to bless those who seek Him; it is His prerogative. If we will seek His precepts, and love them, and desire them as a very precious gem, we too will be at liberty, with ourselves, and with our God. We must consider it a worthy venture, and deem it to be important enough before we will even attempt to seek Him and His statutes. When we consider His mercies upon us, even His salvation (v. 46), then we can begin to see that it is important, it is matter of life and death! It is time to get serious about our commitment to the Lord, and to His Word. Do we spend time with Him every day? Do we walk in His will? Do we abide in His Word? If not, why not? Why not get started today in a regular program and practice of a daily time of prayer, meditation, and Bible reading. When we pray, we talk to God, when we read the Bible, He talks to us; when we meditate on His principles and precepts, we have two-way communion with Him.
There is liberty in the Word of God. Those who keep His precepts do walk in liberty with Him. Jesus said “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:32), and He went on to say, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (Jn. 8:36) This Liberty is found in Christ, The Truth. (Jn 14:6) The psalmist seeks God’s precepts, and in so doing, he walks in liberty with all men, and from all snares of the devil. He has the liberty to answer freely those who ask of the hope that is within him (v. 42); He asks for God’s mercy (v. 41), and vows to always walk in His laws (v.44), therefore, he can truly say, he is at liberty to do those things that God would have him to do. He shall not be ashamed, (v. 46). So, through meditation (v. 46), obedience, dedication to the Lord’s commandments, we too shall walk in liberty, free from the clutches of the devil.
Seeking God’s precepts, or commands, or whatever word we use to describe seeking the Lord, will always bring victory in our lives. It is God’s promise to bless those who seek Him; it is His prerogative. If we will seek His precepts, and love them, and desire them as a very precious gem, we too will be at liberty, with ourselves, and with our God. We must consider it a worthy venture, and deem it to be important enough before we will even attempt to seek Him and His statutes. When we consider His mercies upon us, even His salvation (v. 46), then we can begin to see that it is important, it is matter of life and death! It is time to get serious about our commitment to the Lord, and to His Word. Do we spend time with Him every day? Do we walk in His will? Do we abide in His Word? If not, why not? Why not get started today in a regular program and practice of a daily time of prayer, meditation, and Bible reading. When we pray, we talk to God, when we read the Bible, He talks to us; when we meditate on His principles and precepts, we have two-way communion with Him.
PSALMS 119:33-40
“Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.” (v.39)
God’s judgments are good, though we often do not see them in that light. God is a God of mercy, but He is also a God of judgment. We need the judgment as much, and perhaps more than, we need the mercy. He is the “Judge of all the earth” (Gen. 18:25), and will take vengeance on those who dare to oppose Him and deny the sacrifice of His Son on Calvary. “Our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29), and the world will see His great wrath in the last days. His judgments are good in the sense that they are righteous judgments, and not biased or prejudiced, but always true, and terrible. The Lord turns away our reproach, by His grace, but be assured that judgment will come for us all. Christians will stand before the Lord for their works, and the unsaved will stand before God for their sin in rejecting Jesus Christ as Savior. We need to ask the Lord, as the psalmist did, to turn our eyes from “beholding vanity” and avoid the place of judgment.
In this passage the psalmist repeats a few of his supplications to the Lord. He asks God to “quicken” him twice, and repeats his longing for God’s Word, and his delight in it. Again, the psalmist mentions serving with his whole heart, and cries unto the Lord from a heart of desperate love. Oh, that we might have a heart for the Lord and His Word as this psalmist had, and that we might seek God as he sought Him, and we might “hunger and thirst after righteousness” as our Lord taught us we should. Until we learn to hunger, we cannot be filled; until we truly thirst after Him, we cannot slake our thirst. Seek after the Word as the Proverbs teach us to seek after wisdom, whose price is far greater than rubies, or fine gold. How do we develop a love for the Bible that meets these requirements? By “abiding” in His Word, living in it all the time, on a regular basis.
God’s judgments are good, though we often do not see them in that light. God is a God of mercy, but He is also a God of judgment. We need the judgment as much, and perhaps more than, we need the mercy. He is the “Judge of all the earth” (Gen. 18:25), and will take vengeance on those who dare to oppose Him and deny the sacrifice of His Son on Calvary. “Our God is a consuming fire” (Heb. 12:29), and the world will see His great wrath in the last days. His judgments are good in the sense that they are righteous judgments, and not biased or prejudiced, but always true, and terrible. The Lord turns away our reproach, by His grace, but be assured that judgment will come for us all. Christians will stand before the Lord for their works, and the unsaved will stand before God for their sin in rejecting Jesus Christ as Savior. We need to ask the Lord, as the psalmist did, to turn our eyes from “beholding vanity” and avoid the place of judgment.
In this passage the psalmist repeats a few of his supplications to the Lord. He asks God to “quicken” him twice, and repeats his longing for God’s Word, and his delight in it. Again, the psalmist mentions serving with his whole heart, and cries unto the Lord from a heart of desperate love. Oh, that we might have a heart for the Lord and His Word as this psalmist had, and that we might seek God as he sought Him, and we might “hunger and thirst after righteousness” as our Lord taught us we should. Until we learn to hunger, we cannot be filled; until we truly thirst after Him, we cannot slake our thirst. Seek after the Word as the Proverbs teach us to seek after wisdom, whose price is far greater than rubies, or fine gold. How do we develop a love for the Bible that meets these requirements? By “abiding” in His Word, living in it all the time, on a regular basis.
PSALMS 119:25-32
“Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.” (v. 27)
When we really grasp the wonders of God, we will share the blessing with others. Our testimony ought to always be about how great He is, and what The Lord has done for us. When I think of the way the Lord has nurtured me along all these years, I am amazed, dumbfounded, to say the least. I hope to shout it from the housetops, for all eternity, the amazing grace of God, and His wonderful Love toward me and mine. Oh that we could all say that, and see the hand of God at work in our lives for many years. The psalmist knew where his strength was, in v. 28, and he sought God’s Word for it. Yes, there is strengthening in His Word. The power to do right; to glorify the Father, we all have the power and ability to do so, but shamefully we fail in the task.
This passage contains the words “according unto thy Word” two times, the first in v. 25, where he asks to be refreshed, or “quickened” by the Word of God, and the promise of it, and in v. 28 where we see him asking for the strength that comes through the Word. The real strength comes from God Himself, and in Him “making us” to understand His Word, and to His way, as the text verse clearly implies. Understanding is defined in Job 28:28, as is wisdom, “And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” Holiness is the key to happiness. We need to ask, with the psalmist, that the Lord would deliver us from lying, (v. 28), and from all evil (Mt 6:13).
Will we “Run the way” of His commandment, as the psalmist said he would do in v. 32? If so, God will “enlarge” our heart for us, and our life will be an abundant life, filled with the grace and blessing of God Almighty.
When we really grasp the wonders of God, we will share the blessing with others. Our testimony ought to always be about how great He is, and what The Lord has done for us. When I think of the way the Lord has nurtured me along all these years, I am amazed, dumbfounded, to say the least. I hope to shout it from the housetops, for all eternity, the amazing grace of God, and His wonderful Love toward me and mine. Oh that we could all say that, and see the hand of God at work in our lives for many years. The psalmist knew where his strength was, in v. 28, and he sought God’s Word for it. Yes, there is strengthening in His Word. The power to do right; to glorify the Father, we all have the power and ability to do so, but shamefully we fail in the task.
This passage contains the words “according unto thy Word” two times, the first in v. 25, where he asks to be refreshed, or “quickened” by the Word of God, and the promise of it, and in v. 28 where we see him asking for the strength that comes through the Word. The real strength comes from God Himself, and in Him “making us” to understand His Word, and to His way, as the text verse clearly implies. Understanding is defined in Job 28:28, as is wisdom, “And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.” Holiness is the key to happiness. We need to ask, with the psalmist, that the Lord would deliver us from lying, (v. 28), and from all evil (Mt 6:13).
Will we “Run the way” of His commandment, as the psalmist said he would do in v. 32? If so, God will “enlarge” our heart for us, and our life will be an abundant life, filled with the grace and blessing of God Almighty.
Psalms 119:17-24
“Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” (v.18)
God gives great wisdom through the study of His Word. Those who seem to get more out of the Bible are those who have whole-heartedly sought after Him. What joy it is to discover little “jewels” of scripture as we read God’s Word. Many things are revealed when we “diligently seek Him” and we seem to have better judgment in decisions we must make. Oh, the wondrous things we see from His Law, and the blessing it is in our lives. David said “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.” (119:10).
Have you ever traveled to a distant land, or even in our own land, been in a far-away, and strange seeming place? I believe the psalmist captured that attitude in this world, and he knew he was a stranger here, and needed God’s comfort and direction in life. He said, “I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.” How often I have heard some claim that they are pilgrims and strangers in this world, but then they seek after its delicacies with a zeal that is unmatched in the Christian realm. If we think ourselves to be sojourners here, we have no desire, nor business running the world, do we? If I were to come to your home, and begin to run your business, you would resent it, but we do the same thing when we seek after this world so vehemently; we do it to Christ. Jesus put it this way, to one of His followers, “Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” (Mt. 8:22). Yes, there is great wisdom in following our Lord, but we need to let go of this world to fully appreciate His blessings. Seek out the Lord in all thy ways, my friend, and find the wisdom and the comfort of it in Christ, and Him only. Remember 1 John 2:15-17, and especially v. 15, where we see that “the love of the Father is not in him”. We must all ask ourselves, “Do I look to the Lord for my peace? Do I seek comfort in Him, or in some organization or person? What about my economic security, who do I trust for that?” There are so many ways that we violate these verses that one cannot mention remember all—and as humans, we usually find them quite easily.
God gives great wisdom through the study of His Word. Those who seem to get more out of the Bible are those who have whole-heartedly sought after Him. What joy it is to discover little “jewels” of scripture as we read God’s Word. Many things are revealed when we “diligently seek Him” and we seem to have better judgment in decisions we must make. Oh, the wondrous things we see from His Law, and the blessing it is in our lives. David said “With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.” (119:10).
Have you ever traveled to a distant land, or even in our own land, been in a far-away, and strange seeming place? I believe the psalmist captured that attitude in this world, and he knew he was a stranger here, and needed God’s comfort and direction in life. He said, “I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.” How often I have heard some claim that they are pilgrims and strangers in this world, but then they seek after its delicacies with a zeal that is unmatched in the Christian realm. If we think ourselves to be sojourners here, we have no desire, nor business running the world, do we? If I were to come to your home, and begin to run your business, you would resent it, but we do the same thing when we seek after this world so vehemently; we do it to Christ. Jesus put it this way, to one of His followers, “Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.” (Mt. 8:22). Yes, there is great wisdom in following our Lord, but we need to let go of this world to fully appreciate His blessings. Seek out the Lord in all thy ways, my friend, and find the wisdom and the comfort of it in Christ, and Him only. Remember 1 John 2:15-17, and especially v. 15, where we see that “the love of the Father is not in him”. We must all ask ourselves, “Do I look to the Lord for my peace? Do I seek comfort in Him, or in some organization or person? What about my economic security, who do I trust for that?” There are so many ways that we violate these verses that one cannot mention remember all—and as humans, we usually find them quite easily.
Psalms 119:9-16
“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word” (v.9)
We see, first, the cleansing power of the Word. Oh what joy there is in total cleansing, few things feel better to us when we are weary, than a nice hot bath or shower. A young man finds cleansing here, as the young seem to get the dirtiest, but there is a cleansing for all of us at any age in the Word. Where is the cleansing found? In v. 11, by hiding God’s Word in our hearts. Oh that we would realize the power of the Word of God, and allow It to do Its wonderful work in us.
Notice the psalmist repeats his zeal in v. 10, and in the whole-hearted seeking. This cannot be emphasized enough. A heart totally given to the Lord’s will, is one that has already hid Him in it, and will walk accordingly, and has learned to rejoice in Him, “as much as in all riches”, (v. 14).
In Psalms 138:2 we see that God magnifies His Word even above His Name! This seems like an amazing thing to us, but it shows how important God’s Word really is to Him. The psalmist in Psalms 119 treats the Word of God much the same way that God does, he “delights “ in It, (v.16); he meditates on It, and has respect unto It, (v.15), and it is no wonder that that he can hide It in his heart, and is afraid to sin against God! Folks, that Bible you hold in your hand is a very precious Book, let’s take care of it and respect it, and obey it. First we need to read It, then we need to heed It! We sometimes respect the American flag even more than the Word of God! We throw our Bible on the floor, or in a closet, but proudly display the flag, and forbid it to touch the ground even! Shame on us! When we learn to love the Lord with all our hearts, we will learn to treat His Word with the great respect It deserves. Let’s get our priorities right!
“Blessed art thou, oh Lord: teach me thy statutes” (v.12). The Lord will teach us, if we will learn of Him. The Word will cause us to bless the Lord too. We will appreciate His goodness, and His graces. We will desire to know Him better, and to get closer to Him. The joy He gives us through His Precious Word, will guide us through the storms of life with confidence in Him, if we can learn to delight in Him.
We see, first, the cleansing power of the Word. Oh what joy there is in total cleansing, few things feel better to us when we are weary, than a nice hot bath or shower. A young man finds cleansing here, as the young seem to get the dirtiest, but there is a cleansing for all of us at any age in the Word. Where is the cleansing found? In v. 11, by hiding God’s Word in our hearts. Oh that we would realize the power of the Word of God, and allow It to do Its wonderful work in us.
Notice the psalmist repeats his zeal in v. 10, and in the whole-hearted seeking. This cannot be emphasized enough. A heart totally given to the Lord’s will, is one that has already hid Him in it, and will walk accordingly, and has learned to rejoice in Him, “as much as in all riches”, (v. 14).
In Psalms 138:2 we see that God magnifies His Word even above His Name! This seems like an amazing thing to us, but it shows how important God’s Word really is to Him. The psalmist in Psalms 119 treats the Word of God much the same way that God does, he “delights “ in It, (v.16); he meditates on It, and has respect unto It, (v.15), and it is no wonder that that he can hide It in his heart, and is afraid to sin against God! Folks, that Bible you hold in your hand is a very precious Book, let’s take care of it and respect it, and obey it. First we need to read It, then we need to heed It! We sometimes respect the American flag even more than the Word of God! We throw our Bible on the floor, or in a closet, but proudly display the flag, and forbid it to touch the ground even! Shame on us! When we learn to love the Lord with all our hearts, we will learn to treat His Word with the great respect It deserves. Let’s get our priorities right!
“Blessed art thou, oh Lord: teach me thy statutes” (v.12). The Lord will teach us, if we will learn of Him. The Word will cause us to bless the Lord too. We will appreciate His goodness, and His graces. We will desire to know Him better, and to get closer to Him. The joy He gives us through His Precious Word, will guide us through the storms of life with confidence in Him, if we can learn to delight in Him.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)