Transcript

We’re again going to be in Psalm 119 during this time in God’s Word. If you have your Bibles please turn with me there.

The following was found written in the flyleaf of Evangelist Billy Sunday’s Bible after his homegoing: Twenty-nine years ago, with the Holy Spirit as my Guide, I entered at the portico of Genesis, walked down the corridor of the Old Testament art galleries, where pictures of Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses, hung on the wall.

I passed into the music room of Psalms where the Spirit sweeps the keyboard of nature until it seems that every reed and pipe in God’s great organ responds to the harp of David, the sweet singer of Israel.

I entered the chamber of Ecclesiastes, where the voice of the preacher is heard, and into the conservatory of Sharon and the Lily of the Valley where sweet spices filled and perfumed my life.

I entered the business office of Proverbs and on into the observatory of the prophets where I saw telescopes of various sizes pointing to far off events, concentrating on the bright and morning Star which was to rise above the moonlit hills of Judea for our salvation and redemption.

I entered the audience room of the King of Kings, catching a vision written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. From there into the correspondence room with Paul, Peter, James, and John writing the Epistles.

I stepped into the throne room of Revelation where tower the glittering peaks, where sits the King of Kings upon His throne of glory, and I cried out:

All hail the power of Jesus name! Let angels’ prostrate fall; Bring forth the royal diadem, And crown Him Lord of all.

The Bible points to Christ, and lifts Him up high and shows Him to be God, the only Savior and Lord of all. It is a blessing to have this Book, and it is a blessing as Billy Sunday experienced to be able to walk through it and learn its truths and wisdom with the Holy Spirit as our Guide.

Psalm 119:33-40 says, “Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

“Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.

“Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way. Stablish thy Word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear. Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good. Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.”

The writer’s desire remains consistent, he desires that the Lord teach him and give him understanding of His Word. But he didn’t want just a knowledge of it only, he wanted to “keep it,” obey it, and live it “unto the end,” till to the end of his life.

He wanted to observe God’s Word with all his heart. This is what God wants from us too, to not only know it but to keep it and live it (v. 33,34).

The writer asks the Lord for guidance and for Him to keep him in the way, the path of His Word, and that he not turn away or look away from the path because of the sins of covetousness or vanity. He wanted his heart and mind to be focused on the Word (v. 35-37).

He desires that God’s Word be firmly established in himself, who is devoted to fearing God, to serving and worshipping only Him (v. 38).

He then asks God to “turn away my reproach.” It is obvious through the Psalm, that the writer had a fear of just reproach, that through inconsistency on his part, or falling into sin, he might be a poor testimony before the world (v. 39).

He didn’t want anyone to speak evil of the ways of God, which are “good” in every way, because of a wrong-doing he might have done, or by his poor testimony.

So he asks God in v. 40, to “quicken” him, to give him strength and life so that he might always walk in the path of righteousness.

Psalm 119:41-48 reads, “Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word. So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.

“And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments. So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever. And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.

“I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed. And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved. My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.”

The psalmist here calls upon the Lord to save or deliver him from his enemy by His mercy according to His Word. By God’s Word, he would be delivered, by having truth on his side being able to answer his enemy who was reproaching and slandering him.

He trusted the Word to do its work as he used it (v. 42). “I trust in thy Word” is a powerful statement and is what God wants from each of us.

The author asks by His mercy that God would give him the words and that the Word of truth would clearly come to mind when answering the one who was against him (v. 43). Often we need to ask the Lord for this when we speak the Word to others.

In verses 44-45, the writer resolves to do a number of things: to “keep” and obey God’s commandments continually, and to “walk” and live “at liberty,” because “I seek thy precepts.” The Word frees us and liberates us to live the life that God intended, to be what God desires us to be, and to find real meaning and joy in life.

He also says he will “speak” out boldly, speaking of God and His Word unashamedly even in the presence of kings (v. 46). He found delight in giving himself to knowing and living God’s commandments, which he loved (v. 47—he loved God’s Word).

He says in v. 48 he would lift up his hands in rejoicing at God’s Word, because he genuinely loved it. Finally, he says he will meditate and think deeply about His Word.

Psalm 119:49-56: “Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me. The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law.

“I remembered thy judgments of old, O LORD; and have comforted myself. Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law. Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.

“I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law. This I had, because I kept thy precepts.”

The writer calls on Jehovah to “remember” the promises in His Word, the promises which gave him hope and comfort, promises which “quickened” or strengthened him in life, which allowed him to bear through his affliction and not “decline” or turn aside from the Word.

He calls on God to “remember” His promises, then he reminds God that he has “remembered” God’s “judgments of old,” or His past deliverances of His people from affliction, and the writer takes comfort in God working on behalf of His people (v. 52).

But in the same thought he is filled with “horror” because of the “wicked” and their conduct (v. 53). It horrified him to see God’s Word being forsaken, dishonored and disobeyed, and cast aside as unimportant, and people putting themselves in danger of God’s judgment.

But as for him the Word had been his song (v. 54). He sang the Word around his home. He calls it “the house of my pilgrimage,” or the house he lived in for now as he knew he was just a pilgrim passing through this world.

Speaking of his home, in v. 55, he also tells the Lord that he “remembered” Him “in the night,” or in the night while on my bed. While others slept, and I was awake, I thought of you Lord, your Person, your actions, your Word, you (personal moment).

The writer says in v. 56: “This I had, because I kept thy precepts.” He had hope of God’s promises, comfort in his affliction, remembrances of God’s workings, horror at the wicked, power to sing, all because he’d observed God’s Word, and loved it and lived it.

Psalm 119:57-64: “Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words. I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word. I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.

“I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments. The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law. At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments.

“I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts. The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes.”

The psalmist exclaims “Thou art my portion, O Lord,” the great and glorious Jehovah God of the universe is all his own. To him, God was all in all, and he needed nothing else, and asked for nothing else (same is true of us). He is our Provider and Sustainer.

In light of this statement, because God is his portion, the writer states therefore “I will keep Thy words.” This shows us the importance of God’s Word.

Clinging to God as our portion is not done independent of His Word, because God is our portion we must grip His Word, and as we learn it, grow in it, we find Him to be our all-sufficient Portion and our Strength.

The writer says “I have said that I would keep thy words,” and then he recalls his past in turning to the Lord. He had desired the favor of the Lord with his whole heart, asking Him to be merciful to him according to His Word (v. 58).

Then realizing his life and ways did not match with God’s Word and ways, he turned to God and His ways, and did so with “haste” and “delayed not” with that decision (v. 59-60).

He did not forget God’s law, and His Word, even after being robbed, and instead he lifted up praise and thanksgiving to Him at all times, even “at midnight” (v. 61-62).

He knew he was part of a fellowship of all God-fearing Bible lovers, “I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts” (v. 63). That’s a great thing to be a part of and to know that there are many others who love the Word.

The writer then rejoices in the greatness and vastness of God’s mercy: “The earth…is full of thy mercy.”

And the psalmist wishes then to grow in his knowledge of that mercy when he says: “teach me thy statutes.”

Psalm 119:65-72 says, “Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.

“Thou art good, and doest good; teach me thy statutes. The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart. Their heart is as fat as grease; but I delight in thy law.

“It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes. The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.”

The psalmist is thankful for how the Lord had worked in his life. He asks that the Lord teach him “good judgment and knowledge” (v. 66). That’s a good prayer.

In v. 67 the psalmist states that before he faced affliction in his life, he had strayed from God. His prayer that the Lord teach him good judgment and knowledge is in this light, so that he might not stray from God in life.

But the writer says now it was different in his life, he’d strayed before he was afflicted, but now the psalmist had learned that this adversity was God’s means to draw him closer to Himself and learn the faithfulness of God’s Word.

And he could even say in v. 71: “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”

He remarks that God is good in v. 68. God is good all the time. He’s always good, all He does is good. Then again he says “teach my thy statutes.” He desired to grow in his knowledge of God’s goodness by the Word.

The writer had enemies who had created a lie about him and propagated it, and in spite of this the psalmist determines to keep his focus on God’s Word for strength (v. 69).

He states his enemies’ hearts were “as fat as grease,” another way of saying they were prosperous materially, but their hearts were insensitive to spiritual things (v. 70).

While they were insensitive to God’s Word, the writer was very sensitive to it, and delighted in it, finding true joy and fulfillment in spiritual things.

He rejoices in his affliction and he rejoices in God’s Word, which to him is greater in value gold or silver, something those whose hearts were “fast as grease,” could not say.

Psalm 119:73-80: “Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments. They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.

“I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.

“Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight. Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.

“Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.”

The psalmist begins this section by recognizing that he is the workmanship of God. And since he was formed and fashioned by God, since God is his Maker, logically and wisely the writer looks to Him for how he should live his life (us too).

And in looking to Him for understanding of his Maker’s ways, of the purpose for which he’d been made, and for how he should live, he looks to God’s Word.

He had so grown in his life and faith in God, that it was a joy to other believers to be around him (v. 74). Other believers were happy to see him coming! His life had changed for the better, it was transformed, and his kindness, joy, love was evident.

He’d also grown to “know” that everything God does and has said in His Word is “right” (v. 75). And he’d learned that in His faithfulness to him, God sometimes allowed trials in his life for his own personal good, to draw him closer to Himself.

Then the psalmist makes five petitions: “Let, Let, Let, Let, Let.” First, he asks that God’s merciful kindness would be there for his comfort and encouragement, “according to thy Word,” which promises God’s comfort and gives God’s comfort (v. 76).

Second, he asks for God’s tender mercies to come unto him that he might live, and live abundantly by continuing to live by the Word, because it was his delight (v. 77).

Third, he asks God that the “proud,” the adversaries who’d treated him wrongly “without a cause,” that they would be brought to shame (v. 78).

Fourth, he asks that his witness would be used by the Lord, that God would use it to strengthen the faith of others (v. 79).

Fifth, he asks God that his heart be sound or blameless in His Word. He desired a faultless, unwavering adherence to God’s instruction in His Word so he would not be ashamed, by falling away from the Word or into sin (v. 80).

Psalm 119:81-88: “My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word. Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me? For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes.

“How many are the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me? The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy law. All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.

“They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts. Quicken me after thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth.”

In this section, we see the humanity of the writer. His circumstances are once again dark. He’d become very weak in his soul, his “soul fainteth” as he is anxiously awaited God’s deliverance from this trial.

But he still declares his trust in God’s Word and promises, and by this he is sustained. Samuel Rutherford said this about trials, “Believe under a cloud, and wait for Him when there is no moonlight nor starlight.”

“Mine eyes fail for Thy Word” (v. 82) speaks of the writer’s anxious looking, straining his eyes, as it were, watching for the Lord and His deliverance and comfort, and he honestly asks: “When wilt thou comfort me?”

He states that he’d become weakened by his sorrow like a wineskin in the smoke becomes dried up and shriveled, but even in the midst of this hardship he still has his trust in God, as he does not forget God’s Word (v. 83).

The psalmist wonders if his days are numbered and if it is his time to depart from this life and he asks the Lord when He will execute judgment on his persecutors (v. 84).

The psalms are prophetic and have a far fulfillment in the future Tribulation period. In that day, believing Israel will be persecuted by the Anti-Christ. And prayers like this in that day will be appropriate, and they will find hope in God’s Word then too.

He explains that the proud, which do not follow God’s law and thus were unbelievers at that time under law, had dug pits, or laid traps, made plots for his destruction (v. 85).

Yet he knows God’s Word is faithful, and that His commandments are trustworthy and worthy to be relied on fully.

He appeals to God how those who persecute him are doing so wrongfully, and then you can feel the psalmist’s desperation in his words: “help thou me” (v. 86).

Then he says, “They had almost consumed [or made an end of] me upon earth.” It was almost curtains for him; but even in this time, being near his own death, the effect of the persecution did not drive from his God, or lead him to abandon his hope and trust in Him, but rather as he says, “but I forsook not thy precepts” (v. 87).

The writer asks the Lord to: “Quicken me after thy lovingkindness,” to restore him, strengthen him, so that he might continue to “keep” and follow His testimonies (v. 88).

Psalm 119:89-96: “For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth. They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.

“Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction. I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me. I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts.

“The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I will consider thy testimonies. I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad.”

It’s been said regarding this stanza that: “After tossing about on a sea of trouble the Psalmist here leaps to shore and stands upon a rock.”

The writer states that God’s Word is “settled,” or it stands firm, it is fixed, sure, immovable. It is “settled” in heaven completely out of the reach of men.

This world is restless and always changing, but the Word is sure and unchanging. In spite of any and all efforts to destroy it, the Word is eternal and fixed in heaven.

God’s Word stands as firmly as the heaven in which it dwells and from where it came. It has heaven-like eternal stability.

Because it is eternal, though generations of people change and pass away, God’s Word is faithful unto all generations, it meets the needs of all men of all time.

In v. 90, the psalmist shows that God’s Word is firm and stable as the ground we stand on. God established the earth and it “abideth” or stands. And the Word of God stands.

The stability of God’s Word and faithfulness is also likened to the constancy and order of the creation, in the heaven and earth, which functions according to the ordinances and laws which He established it with, and is all under His sustaining control (v. 91).

Without the eternal, stable, unchanging Word of God, his joy, the Psalmist says I would have never made it through my affliction, as the strength and comfort he drew from God’s Word saw Him through his trial (v. 92).

The writer resolves then to never forget God’s Word, which gave him the life and strength he needed in his trial (v. 93).

And the psalmist declares that he is God’s, “I am thine,” all that he was and all he had belonged to God. The Word teaches this. He asks for God’s deliverance from his enemies, while he continues to seek God’s precepts.

And though his enemies were lying in wait to capture and destroy him, the psalmist says that instead of paying attention and worrying about this, I will rather “consider,” I will pay attention to your Word and focus on it.

Then the Psalmist writes that in this world he’d “seen an end of all perfection,” that as far as man is concerned, in their moral character, and in any and all things he’s observed in this world, he finds imperfection. There is a limit to all other perfection he had seen.

But as far as God’s Word is concerned, it is “exceeding broad,” i.e., it is unlimited, measureless in its perfection. He declares that God’s Word is absolute perfection.