Transcript

If you have your Bibles please turn with me to Psalm 119.

These words are printed inside the Testaments distributed by The Gideons International.

The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.

Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.

It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword and the Christian’s charter. Here too, Heaven is opened and the gates of Hell disclosed.

Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end. It should fill the memory, rule the heart and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure.

It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, rewards the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

Psalm 119:97-104: “O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. 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. I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word. I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.

“How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.”

The psalmist declares that he deeply loves God’s Word. It was precious to his heart. It was not to him a restraint or a burden, but his joy, his comfort, his strength in life. And because he loves it, he meditates on it and thinks on its truths “all the day” long.

Because he does this, he is armed with divine wisdom in his life and thinking, and he is thus wiser than his enemies, as “they are ever with me,” meaning God’s teachings were always with him, because they had become a part of his life (v. 98).

As Matthew Henry has said, “A believer, wherever he goes, should carry his Bible along with him, if not in his hands, then in his head and in his heart.”

With a knowledge of God’s Word, being guided by divine wisdom, the psalmist also shows how he had now even gained more understanding about life, the world, mankind, himself, than his “teachers,” who had taught him secular knowledge (v. 99).

With the knowledge and practice of God’s Word being a part of his life, obedience being the key to knowledge, he even was outshining the aged or the “ancients.” I wouldn’t recommend calling older people “ancients” as the psalmist does. Doesn’t sit well (v. 100).

His elders had the advantage of experience, study, observation and had treasured up wisdom life, but the reason he had surpassed them in understanding was because of the obedience and application of the Word to his life, “because I KEEP thy precepts.”

The knowledge of God’s Word had properly taught him to avoid a sinful course for his life, and to not depart from the wise path for His life that the Lord had taught and instructed him and guided him into through His Word (v. 101-102).

Through verses 103 and 104 we see that the nature of God’s Word is sweetness, and its effect “understanding,” wisdom.

The Psalmist exclaims that God’s words are sweet unto his taste. He’d not only heard God’s Word, but fed upon it, and found its promises, its truth, its guidance, its God, to be of indescribable sweetness.

And having gained “understanding” and wisdom and truth from the Word, he therefore hated false ways which led others away from God’s truth, away from the sweetness of God’s fellowship into sin and error. He desired that all walk in the truth of the Word.

Psalm 119:105-112: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word.

“Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments. My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law. The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.

“Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart. I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end.”

Having stated that he hated false ways, he then states how the Word had kept him in the true way, and was to him a lamp and a light.

On the pathway he was traveling through life in this dark world, the lamp guided his every step, and it lit his path, so he could see the way he should go.

It thus kept him from veering or wandering off onto the wrong path (following false teaching and error), or tripping over obstacles on the path (obstacles of sin), or from falling off the path completely (following the world, living for self).

Any who make the Word our guide, our lamp, our light for our life, are on the right path. We can then see the path God desires for our life, as we rightly divide the Word.

We’ll be able to see the way we should go, avoiding paths which will lead us astray and away from God; we will be able to see any dangers in the path which might trip us up in life, and we’ll be able to stay on the path of a life lived for God.

The Psalmist resolves to do this always in v. 106, stating that he’d sworn to always “perform it,” to live by the Word and to “keep” it.

He trusts the Word in v. 107, asking the Lord for strength through the Word, so that he might endure through his affliction.

In v. 108, he offers the “freewill offerings of my mouth.” Freewill offerings were offerings of the free will, not by any constraint or compulsion under the Law. They were expressions of gratitude, worship, and praise.

Those under the Law would bring offerings of their own free will to devote them and sacrifice them to God in response to a blessing received.

Here the Psalmist gives an offering of his own free will from his mouth, praising God, thanking Him, worshiping Him with his mouth. In return, the psalmist asks only that the Lord continue to teach him His Word, so he might know Him more.

Vv. 109,110 show the danger the writer was in. The phrase “my soul is continually in my hand” reminds us of the phrase “taking your life in your hands,” and that’s the meaning, he was in constant danger, his life was in jeopardy.

In response to this, he continues to focus on the Lord and live for Him, stating that he did not forget God’s law, and had not strayed from His precepts.

In v. 111, the psalmist sees God’s Word as “a heritage,” or an inheritance. He regarded it as one does a rich and abundant inheritance. In the Word, the writer found a wealthy possession, lasting permanent value for his life, and the rejoicing of His heart.

Therefore, as the Word has touched his life and heart, he inclines his heart to God and to do His will, even to the end of his life (v. 112).

Psalm 119:113-120: “I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love. Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word. Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.

“Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope. Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.

“Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is falsehood. Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross: therefore I love thy testimonies. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.”

The psalmist hates “vain thoughts.” This phrase speaks of those whose thoughts have no direction, having empty, roving thoughts, being unstable, undecided.

It refers to the opinions of men, human theories and philosophies. The writer states that he hates any thoughts or teachings which might lead him away from the Word, and is determined to remain focused on truth, on the Word, which he loves.

Because in the Word, he finds his hiding place, or his safety, his shelter, his protection in God Himself. In the Word, he finds God as his shield, his defense (v. 114).

With the vain thoughts all around him, he ran to God and found shelter and safety. And he does so because he hopes in God’s Word, he confidently rests on its teachings.

The writer then declares his desire to depart from them who depart from God. He wanted separation from those who would teach false things and do evil, because didn’t want their influence in his life to lead him away from following the Word (v. 115).

So he turns to God and asks Him to uphold him and hold Him up according to His Word knowing there is life and safety in God (v. 116,117).

In contrast to this, knowing by the Word about God and His justice and judgment against sin, the writer declares that he trembles in fear and is afraid at the thought of God’s wrath and judgment that will fall on the wicked and unbelieving.

Psalm 119:121-128: “I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to mine oppressors. Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.

“Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness. Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes. I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.

It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law. Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.”

The writer is under oppression in this stanza. The thought in v. 121 is that he had “done judgment and justice,” or he hadn’t oppressed anyone, and so he asks the Lord that he be not crushed by his oppressors, not left to their mercy.

He asks the Lord to be his “surety,” or his security, safety, protection in the midst of this trial. His eyes were straining, waiting and longing for God to deliver him and he asks God to deal with him according to His mercy.

His eyes were straining, seeking God’s deliverance from his oppression, and they were also straining, longing for a fuller knowledge of “the Word of righteousness.”

He asks God to teach him His statutes (v. 124b), that he might be given “understanding” of them (v. 125a), and that he might “know” God’s testimonies (v. 125b).

The writer asks God these things also on the basis that “I am thy servant,” that he belongs to Him. And on this basis also, he asks God to work on his behalf (v. 126), to deliver him from those who were oppressing him and had disregarded God’s Law.

The writer speaks of his love for the Word, and how he found it to be a greater treasure than gold, even fine gold (v. 127).

He knew that ALL of God’s Word, ALL of its precepts and teachings, are right and true, and he hated the false, deceitful paths of men which lead people away from the Word.

Psalm 119:129-136: “Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them. The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.

“Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts.

“Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.”

The psalmist declares how God’s Word is wonderful. The excellence and wonderful character of the Word had led him to keep it always in his heart, his memory, in his life.

In v. 105, we learned about how the Word gives light to the external pathway of our life, here the Word gives light to the inner life of the soul.

As the Word is received and our minds are opened by the Spirit, illuminating the Word and its meaning to our heart, the Word gives light and understanding to what God would have us do, to how we should live, to what we should avoid in life.

It enlightens us to an understanding about ourselves, mankind, God Himself.

This knowledge gained by the psalmist led him to “pant” after God’s Word, as his desire for more and more understanding and light was anxious and earnest.

This leads to a 6-fold petition by the psalmist as he asks first, for God to look upon him with mercy in his life, as He does by His will with those who love His name.

Second, he asks God to direct his steps according to His Word, or to make my conduct harmonize and be in step with the teachings of the Word.

Third, he asks that sin would not have power over him. Fourth, he asks for deliverance from the oppression of men.

Fifth, he asks for God’s favor and blessing in his life, that God’s face would shine upon him. And sixth, in light of His favor, that God would teach him His Word.

In v. 136, he loves God’s Word so deeply, that the thought of others who do not love it, obey it, desire to learn it, live by it, causes “rivers of waters,” a flood of tears, to run down his eyes. He wept for those who rejected God and His wonderful Word.

Because they don’t know what they are missing, missing out on the joy, the hope, the security, the comfort, the strength, the fellowship with God.

Psalm 119:137-144: “Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments. Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful.

“My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words. Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it. I am small and despised: yet do not I forget thy precepts.

“Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth. Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights. The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.”

The writer had become conscious of the character of God through his knowledge of the Word and he knew that God is righteous.

And because God is righteous, His judgments and testimonies are upright, righteous, and very faithful. The Word of God is righteous and faithful, like its Author.

The writer’s zeal had consumed him he says in v. 139, or he was consumed with zeal for the honor of the words of Jehovah, and was both grieved and upset by man’s disobedience and forgetfulness of God’s righteous Word.

Because of the righteousness of the Author, the Word of God is pure, it is holy, clean, and because it is pure the writer loves it. It’s hard to find things in life that are pure and good. The Word is pure, and pure in its motives to only lead us toward what is right.

Though the writer is regarded as small and insignificant and is despised of men, he takes comfort that he still has God’s Word. And he does not forget it (v. 141).

In v. 142, the writer states that God’s righteousness is everlasting, and in v. 144, the righteousness of God’s Word is everlasting. God’s Word again, like its Author, is absolutely right; it is truth (v. 142b), free from error, and wholly dependable.

Psalm 119:145-152: “I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes. I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies. I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word.

“Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word. Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness: O LORD, quicken me according to thy judgment. They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.

“Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth. Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.”

The writer is again in distress, and cries to the Lord in prayer that he might be saved from his enemies, so he might be able to live by God’s Word (v. 145,146).

During this trial, he was rising before dawn to pray and he also found himself awake in the middle of the night often, so he meditated on God’s Word (v. 147,148).

The prayer of his heart was that the Lord would hear his plea and refresh and strength him according to His loving-kindness, and by the Word (v. 149).

He states that his enemies who wished to do him wrong were very close, enemies who were very far from God’s Word (v. 150). But he had the comfort of knowing that the Lord was always very near to him as the Word of truth taught him (v. 151).

In v. 152, he states that he had “known of old,” he had long ago become convinced to trust in the Word, which God had founded from eternity and for eternity. Therefore, he was steadied in his life, by God’s faithfulness to His eternal Word (v. 152).

Psalm 119:153-160: “Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law. Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word. Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.

“Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments. Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies. I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.

“Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness. Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.”

The plea for deliverance continues in this stanza. He says in v. 154, “plead my cause,” or undertake my cause, or fight my fight, and rescue me, and then “quicken” or strengthen me by your Word.

He states that “salvation is far from the wicked,” because they were far from God, self-reliant, and despised God and His Word, and did not seek it (v. 155).

He takes comfort in the greatness of God’s tender mercies toward him which the Word reveals, and asks for strengthening by the Word.

He resolves to never turn away from the Word, he is resolved to stay on the path with the Word guiding him, moving forward, and to not turn and run because of the enemies which were near and numerous as he walked on the path.

When he thought of his oppressors which wronged him and transgressed God’s law, he was saddened, “grieved,” because they didn’t obey God’s Word. God’s Word gives us a burden for the unbelieving. And in contrast to those who did not keep the Word, the writer says, “Consider how I love thy precepts.”

In his love for the Word and dedication to learning it and applying it, he discovered with conviction that God’s “Word is true from the beginning” or it is true in its entirety, from beginning to end, and all of it is righteous and it shall stand eternally.

Psalm 119:161-168: “Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word. I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil. I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.

“Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments. Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.

“My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly. I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.”

The psalmist states that princes and rulers have persecuted him without a cause.

He did not stand in awe of their high position as princes. He stood in awe only of the majesty of the Word of God. His heart did not tremble at the words of these rulers, but they did tremble before the Words of Almighty God.

He stands in awe of the Word in v. 161. He rejoices at it in v. 162. He rejoices like a person who discovers great “spoil” or treasure. True riches and great wealth and treasure for the soul and spiritually are found in God and His Word.

His knowledge of the Word taught him to hate sin and love righteousness, and this he did as he hated lying, but loved God’s righteous standard, the Law (v. 163).

“Seven times a day” in v. 164 means indefinite, many, often. Frequently, repeatedly throughout each day, the psalmist says he praises God, because of His righteous Word.

The psalmist found his heart filled with “great peace” as his life was governed by God’s Word.

And as He lived for the Lord and knew his Word, he knew full well that all his “ways are before thee,” that the Lord was looking upon him, that nothing was hidden from Him, and that God is omniscient and omnipresent.

Psalm 119:169-176: “Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word. Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word. My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes.

“My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness. Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts. I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.

“Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.”

In the final stanza, the writer again petitions the Lord in his need.

As he gains a greater and deeper understanding of God’s Word he states that he will praise God, then tell others, about God’s righteous Word (v. 171,172).

Then he asks for the Lord’s help, for Him to be ever ready to help him as he has cast aside all other helpers & has placed his faith in God chosen to follow His Word.

He then longs for God’s deliverance from his enemies, all the while delighting in God’s Word. He desires life that he might praise Him. And in his life and service he realized he would always need God’s Word to “help” him.

In his humanity, the Psalm closes speaking of how the writer had gone astray for a time “like a lost sheep” and he desires the Great Shepherd to seek him and bring him back onto the path he should go, which he had not and would never forget.

It’s a remarkable Psalm all about God’s Word. It’s an encouragement to us to love and live the Word like the writer did, and in doing so we will find great strength, peace, and joy.