Category Archives: Psalm 119

Standard

Posted by

Posted on

January 15, 2016

Posted under

Bible, Pastoral, Psalm 119, Sanctification

Psalm 119:14~The Treasure of Obedience

The heart of man is drawn to the riches of this world. Many of us spend large amounts of time and energy acquiring and keeping our wealth. Even those of us who are not wealthy will let our lives be dominated by the desire for wealth or jealousy over those who have it. I grew up in rural Mississippi among some of the poorest folks in this country. Money and how they could get more was the dominant theme of their lives. I have also seen those making six or seven figures worry without end about their money. Do they have it invested wisely? How can I get more? How can I keep more? We believe money will bring happiness, thus we pursue it with all our might.


But for the psalmist all the riches in the world cannot compare to the gold that is mined from the law of God (Psalm 119:14).  He rejoices in the law of God as if God had given him all the wealth in the whole world.  The word “way” is a synonym for the how one lives or his conduct. The psalmist is not just delighting in reading God’s law. The pot of gold is not his daily quiet time. True riches are found when he learns to walk in God’s ways. Obedience to God’s word is what he really longs for. Obedience is his treasure. 

For many of us obedience to God’s Word is a duty. It is like punching the time clock at work or stopping at a red light. Do this or we will get in trouble. But we should aim higher than an obedience which comes from duty. Our goal should be an obedience which comes from delight.  Obedience should be a want to, not a have to. A love for God and his Word and a belief that only in obedience is there true joy should drive us to walk in the way of His commandments.

Why doesn’t obedience to God’s Word delight us more than riches?

We love our sin. This is the most obvious reason the joy of God’s Word is blunted. Many of us want our sin and the Bible at the same time. But it does not work that way. We cannot simultaneously love God’s Word and love our sin. Are you clinging to a sin that might be keeping you from loving obedience? 

We love the world. We treasure this world more than the next. We horde things that rust, die, and rot instead of treasure in heaven. We account for every dime and nickel. Does the world have your devotion, affection, and loyalty instead of God’s Word? Watching your life would men know that you love obedience to God’s Word more than your stuff? 

We are distracted and busy. We do not settle down to think on and consider God’s Word. We do not take time to examine our lives and see if we are obeying. We flit from thing to thing. Days will go by, maybe weeks, and we have seriously thought about our walk with God. Obedience requires a deliberate disciplined life where God’s Word and how to apply it to our lives is meditated on (Psalm 1:2). Could it be that you do not rejoice in obedience to God’s Word because your life is whirlwind? Could it be that you have traded a flurry of activity for the riches of God’s Word? 

What gets our blood pumping more, a six figure income or obedience to the Word? Is God’s Word our delight? Do we long for it more than riches? Does obedience to it bring us joy?  If not, we need to repent and work and pray for the day when we rejoice more over obedience than a raise or bonus. 

Other Posts on Psalm 119
Psalm 119:2-4
Psalm 119:7
Psalm 119:9
Psalm 119:11
Psalm 119:13
Standard

Posted by

Posted on

December 4, 2015

Posted under

Bible, Pastoral, Psalm 119, Sanctification

Psalm 119:13~Bible Shaped Speech

The psalmist has memorized God’s Word (Psalm 119:11) and he prays to God to teach him the word (Psalm 119:12). But he is not content with memorization and understanding. He must declare the law of God (Psalm 119:13).  One commentator thinks this refers to speaking to himself God’s Word. Most commentators think this refers to telling others the judgments of God. Either way, the Word of God does not remain in his heart, but overflows into his speech.  Jesus says that our speech reveals our hearts (Matthew 15:18-19). God’s Word has filled up the psalmist’s heart. He has stockpiled God’s Word.  So God’s Word is what comes out of his mouth.

The psalmist is not declaring his opinion or his idea, but the very words of God.  Our own thoughts are of little consequence. The question at the bottom of all questions is what does God think? That is why the declaration of God’s Word to those around us is essential.  Our words are to reflect God’s statutes. His interpretation of events, actions, emotions, and thoughts is to be our interpretation of them. Too often we see things through our eyes instead of through God’s Word. 

The world is often what shapes our words instead of God’s Word. The movies we watch and the songs we listen to mold our hearts so that we think and feel as the world does. If we find ourselves unable to converse easily about things like sin, salvation, redemption, Christ, the Church, grace, etc. then we should go back to verses 11-12 and begin internalizing God’s Word. If the language of the Bible is foreign to you then it has not taken root in your heart yet. 

But often we know God’s Word and still refuse to declare it.  We might refuse to declare God’s Word because we are cowards. We keep God’s Word in our hearts so no one will think the less of us or make fun of us. We want to be thought of as respectable and cool. Therefore we are quiet and God’s Word is left at our desk and never brought into the workplace, the dining room, the living room, the park, or the family reunion. We might refuse to declare God’s Word because we do not want to look “holier than thou.” This is a legitimate problem. But God does not give us the option of being silent. We must learn to declare God’s Word without being pompous or proud. There are probably other reasons we do not talk about God’s Word as we ought to.

Our speech reflects our hearts. If God’s Word is not on our tongue then it might be because it is not in our hearts. Or it might be in there, but instead of glorying in it we are ashamed of it.

Other Posts on Psalm 119
Psalm 119:2-4
Psalm 119:7
Psalm 119:9
Psalm 119:11
Standard

Posted by

Posted on

November 25, 2015

Posted under

Bible, Psalm 119, Sanctification

Psalm 119:11~Stockpiling God’s Word

Psalm 119:11 has long been a key verse for memorizing Scripture. The psalmist says he hides God’s Word in his heart. By memorizing the Word he wages war against sin. The ESV translates hidden as “stored up.” The psalmist stockpiles God’s Word like a crazed end of the worlder stockpiles food. He has verses to fight fear. He has verses to fight anger. He has verses to remind him to be holy. He has verses to remind him of God’s character. If the enemy confounds him, he runs to God’s Word to find verses so he is not defeated again. By hiding up God’s Word, he is like a well equipped soldier, prepared to enter battle.  


However, this verse does not simply mean that we should memorize Scripture. “Heart” in the Old Testament encompasses the entire life of a man, not just the mind. God’s Word is to be internalized by us. It is to become part of who we are. It is to flow through our veins.  We should memorize particular verses and passages. But we should also become familiar with all of God’s Word. We should read it over and over again until it becomes “deeply seated in our hearts” (John Calvin). We grow in obedience to God’s Word so that we are able to discern good and evil.  We talk about God’s Word with other Christians. We listen carefully to sermons and teaching by our pastors and elders. The goal is not memorization. Memorization is the means. The goal is a life governed by the Word of God.

This verse teaches us that Old Testament saints were supposed to have God’s Word in their hearts. Many Christians believe the OT was focused on the outward rituals, such as washings and sacrifices, while the New Testament is now focused on the internal. Our passage here, as well as many others, cuts down this idea. The OT saints were expected to love God from their heart. Psalm 37:31 says that the righteous man has the law of God in his heart. There are differences between the OT and the NT, but focus on the heart is not one of them.


If we drink deeply of God’s Word sin will find it difficult to take root in our hearts and lives. We should want the soil of hearts to be hard to sin and soft to the Word and righteousness. We cannot expect to avoid sin if we do not know God’s Word. God’s Word defines sin, tells us how ugly it is, and gives us strategies to put it to death in our lives. If we do not have God’s Word in our minds and in our bones then we will be easily deceived by Satan and drawn into all kinds of traps, snares, and pits.  If we do not have God’s Word on our tongues then our words will reflect the world and her priorities. If we do not have God’s Word in our hearts then our emotions and feelings will lead us astray. God’s Word is our primary weapon in our fight against sin.

The application of this verse is simple: Read, study, memorize, pray, sing, and obey the Scriptures with the aim that your entire life, heart, mind, emotions, and will, are shaped by God’s Word.  Make sure you well stocked in your fight against sin. 

Other Posts on Psalm 119
Psalm 119:2-4
Psalm 119:7
Psalm 119:9
Standard

Posted by

Posted on

November 19, 2015

Posted under

Men, Pastoral, Psalm 119, Sanctification

Psalm 119:9~Guarding Your Way With the Word

Is there any segment of society more notorious for their sins than young men? They are often headstrong and willful. Rarely can they see the downstream effects of their actions. They fail to listen carefully to advice thus making foolish and ignorant choices. The psalmist knows this. In fact, he was probably a young man himself. Psalm 119:9-16 begins with something that sounds like a word of despair:

How can a young man cleanse his way?

Or as the ESV says:

How can a young man keep his way pure? 

“Lord, I am a young man. The world is filled with pits and dangers. My heart is filled with sin. There are lusts that wage war on my soul. There are temptations to greed, anger, bitterness, lust, and disrespect all around and I give in to them too often. Lord, how can I stay clean in a world like this with a heart like mine?”

Is that not a cry for help?

The word for “cleanse/pure” points to morally purity. Asaph uses it in Psalm 73:13 where it looks like the wicked are winning. He thinks he has been morally clean for no good reason. David pleads with God to cleanse him from his sins in Psalm 51:7. Here we see that the word does not just point to action, but also to our hearts. David is asking the Lord to clean his heart. Micah 6:11 says that those who cheat others out of money cannot be counted as “pure.” In Psalm 119:9 the emphasis is on how we live, how we walk.

How can I live a pure life in the midst of this wicked world?

The first thing we should note is humans do not change, no matter how much time has passed. Young men in 600 B.C. are the same as young men in A.D. 2015.  Their hair may be different. They carry cell-phones instead of spears. They shop at Wal-Mart instead of hunting for antelope or growing corn. But inside nothing has changed. The temptation to sexual immorality is the same. The desire to get rich while being lazy has not changed. The tightening in the throat when they are told what to do by parents or employers has not changed. Therefore the Bible remains relevant at all times, in all places, and for all men because it is given by the one God who does not change to address the fundamental needs of mankind who does not change. Despite being over 2,500 years old Psalm 119:9 still speaks.


The answer to the young man’s cry is simple. “Take heed/guard [his way] according to God’s Word.”  A young man is to watch his path and his heart. When he sees himself wandering from God’s Word he is to come back. His thoughts, deeds, words, and desires are to be fenced in by the Word of God. God’s Word keeps us from heading down the path of destruction. 

We don’t like this answer. We want something new. We want something magical. And let’s be honest, we want something easy. But the path of holiness is obedience to God’s revealed Word. It always has been and always will be.  The only way a young man can stay clean in this world is to read, study, memorize, and obey the Bible.  The Scriptures are the primary tool for sanctification. If you do not use this tool then you cannot expect victory. There are no short cuts around God’s Word for righteous living. 

The psalmist is telling young men to watch out for “big” sins, such as sexual immorality. But he is talking about much more than that. A young man whose way is guarded by God’s Word will be a man of prayer and repentance. He will be a man whose faith in God grows day by day. He will learn to sacrifice for those around him. He will put off temporary ease for long term gain. He will love his neighbor. He will protect the weak and cast down the proud. He will love to sit underneath God’s Word every Sunday. He will treat women with respect. He will work hard and give generously. His close friends will be those who love Jesus. Be careful about thinking of a pure/clean life only in terms of sexual sin. It includes that of course, but there is much more to “cleansing our way” than avoiding porn. 

The battles young men fight with lust, anger, pride, laziness, disrespect, and apathy are not new battles. They are as old as Genesis 3.  The way to win these battles has always been the same; believe and obey God’s Word. Young men if you are losing the battle against sin you can be sure your failure to believe and obey God’s Word is the main problem. Do you know the Word? Are you reading it regularly? Are you memorizing verses or passages? Do you humbly listen to your pastor every Sunday? God has given all you need to grow in holiness. Are you using what He has given?

Other Posts on Psalm 119
Psalm 119:2-4
Psalm 119:7
Standard

Posted by

Posted on

November 11, 2015

Posted under

Bible, Pastoral, Psalm 119, Sanctification

Psalm 119:7~Study Should Lead to Praise

What is the end of studying God’s Word? Where should it lead us? Naturally, we respond that studying God’s word should lead us to Christ. But what then? What is the goal of coming to Christ? Is the end our holiness? But that is not right either. We should never walk around trumpeting our own holiness. The goal of our salvation is not our own glory. The termination point of all our lives is God. Studying his word is no different. The study of God’s word should lead to God. More precisely it should lead to praise or God. Time spent over Scripture should end in praise given to the Author of that Scripture.  The Psalmist makes this connection several times in Psalm 119.  

Psalm 119:7  I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules. 

Psalm 119:62  At midnight I rise to praise you, because of your righteous rules. 

Psalm 119:164  Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous rules. 

Psalm 119:171  My lips will pour forth praise, for you teach me your statutes. 

Psalm 119:175  Let my soul live and praise you, and let your rules help me.

As the Psalmist ponders God’s word he ends with praise. All those laws, all those commands, all those passages about sacrifice and entrails end with him lifting his voice in thanksgiving to the Lord. In the darkness of midnight he praises God for His rules. Seven times a day, the number of perfection or completeness, he praises the Lord for his mighty word.  The proper study of God’s word will lead to the praise of God. But we do not always get there. Many times our study of God’s word becomes an exercise in drudgery, a box to check before we get to Facebook, work, or the kids. Instead of ending our study with praise we end it with a thank goodness that is over. Why?


First, we forget God’s word is personal. We have to be careful here. God’s word is not a love letter written by a smitten man to his lady. Nor is it a book where we can go and find answers for each individual problem in our lives. It is not a moralistic grab-bag for 21st century Christians. But it is book written by a personal God to his people to address their most pressing needs. It was and remains God’s living, infallible, word to His people. It does not become alive. It is alive, full of the Spirit. When we read the Spirit breathed word we encounter God directly. 

But too often we study God’s word like we study a map or the Constitution. There is no person who is making the Constitution come alive for us. A map may some exciting parts, but we would never describe it as breathing. Or we study the word so we can judge the world around us. We study it so we can win theological debates or evangelize better. If we teach or preach, we might study God’s Word so we can teach or preach well. While some of these aims of studying are good, none are primary. The Psalmist’s great concern is his relationship to God.  His primary aim in learning God’s judgments, precepts, and statutes is personal. He is not asking questions in the third person: Am I obeying God’s Word rightly? Is my heart in line with God’s Word? He is asking those types of questions, but in the 2nd person. Have I transgressed Your word? Are my beliefs about this world, sin, and redemption shaped by Your word? For the psalmist the Word of God is a word from God to him.  When we read God’s word this way it ends in praise. We praise him for his wisdom and power. We praise him for the forgiveness or our sins promised in that word. We praise him for freedom we find in his word. If God is in our reading of Scripture then he will be the one we praise when we are done. 

The second reason our study of God’s Word does not end in praise is that we are lazy. We read God’s word in a casual, sloppy manner. Over a recent break my father in law and I built a table. This took hard work. We planned. We took numerous trips to the hardware store. We spent money. We measured, cut, and sanded and sanded and sanded. We put on several coats of stain and polyurethane. It took us several days. But when we were done, what a delight it was to sit at that table with my family. When we dig into and work at God’s word we get rewarded. The greatest joys in life usually come from the hardest work. But when it comes to God’s word we expect great treasure to come easily. We want to clock in a few sleepy eyed minutes and get struck by Holy Spirit lightening. We don’t chew on it. We don’t memorize. We don’t seek to apply it in various ways. We don’t ask the Scriptures hard questions and then try to find the answers.  We don’t take verses and roll them over time after time. We might read it, but the hard study of it is foreign to us.

When God’s Word is a treasure to be dug out, water to a thirsty man, then the final outcome of our study will be praise. As we learn God’s Word, believe God’s promises, marvel at his character and works, confess our transgressions of his law, seek to obey it with our whole heart, we will find that the praise of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit comes naturally. 


When you finish reading, studying, meditating on your passage for the day, pull out something to praise the Lord about. Don’t stop at reading. Push on to thanking him. Only then has the word done it’s deepest work.