Digging In

Psalm 119 begins with declarations about those who are “blessed.”

We see here some qualities of the man who is blessed:

• His way is blameless
• He walks in the law of Yahweh
• He keeps God’s testimonies
• He seeks God with all his heart
• He does no iniquity
• He walks in God’s ways

Hmm. This isn’t exactly encouraging at first glance. My immediate reaction is realization that my way is not blameless. In fact, I was conceived in sin (Romans 5:12; Psalm 51:5).11 Romans 5:12; Psalm 51:5 — ¹²Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, so also death was passed on to all men, because all sinned. … ⁵Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me. I try to obey God’s law, but I fail regularly. I achieve similar results (more failure) keeping God’s testimonies.

I seek God, but do I seek Him with all my heart? Ouch, maybe never? I cannot obey God’s greatest commandment (Matthew 22:37),22 Matthew 22:37 — Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ and I fail regarding the second greatest (Matthew 22:39)33 Matthew 22:39 — And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’…all proof that I consistently do iniquity and do not walk in God’s ways. Interestingly enough, another word for blessed is ‘happy.’ Is it any wonder we live in a world so full of depression and difficulty? If following that list above is what brings blessedness or happiness to a man, then we’re in for a world of hurt, (and it is, and we are).

And just to make sure that no one is thinking, “Sure, none of us is perfect. God just wants us to strive for these ideals, or try really hard,” take a look at verse 4. God has ordained His precepts, that we should keep them diligently. There is absolutely no room for moral failure. Any falling short of the ideals presented results in a man being blameworthy, guilty, and ultimately, the opposite of blessed: cursed.

What About Jesus?

I have heard it said that the biggest word in the Bible is “but,” and that the most important phrase is, “but God.” Thankfully, there’s a “but God” for Psalm 119. Because when we examine the list above we start to see a picture of the “blessed man” and we notice we are nothing like him. But let’s look at the list another way.

We see here some qualities of Jesus:

• His way is blameless
• He walks in the law of Yahweh
• He keeps God’s testimonies
• He seeks God with all His heart
• He does no iniquity
• He walks in God’s ways

Yes, my dear friend, it is Jesus whose way is blameless, it is Jesus who walks in the law of Yahweh. Jesus is the only one who has ever lived or will live who sought God with all His heart. And it is all these good works of Jesus which are imputed to us through the offer of the gospel.

Oh yeah! Although neither you nor I could even pretend to walk in these virtues for a whole day, Jesus offers all of His completed work to us while simultaneously becoming a curse for us (Galatians 3:13).44 Galatians 3:13 — Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” Jesus became the opposite of blessed — cursed — that we might become the opposite (blessed) of what we deserve (cursed). Yes, we are blessed already (Ephesians 1:3)55 Ephesians 1:3 — Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. because of Christ!

Now, having realized our blessedness, we are now called to walk in that happiness. We are to walk in joy and peace as the result of His gracious salvation. We now have a desire to walk in His law, keep His testimonies and seek Him with all our heart. And, although our heart and flesh may fail, we know that He will keep us to the end (Philippians 1:6; Psalm 73:26).66 Philippians 1:6 — being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalm 73:26

Rejoice, O Blessed One!

If you are born again, then today you already are walking in God’s blessing. You have already received everything you’ll ever actually need. God has chosen you from before the foundation of the world, set His unchanging affection upon you, and loved you as if you were Christ. Your union with Jesus Christ is indivisible. God the Father can no sooner judge you (Romans 8:1)77 Romans 8:1 — Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. for your wretchedness than He could separate from Jesus. Impossible! God will not neglect the great salvation already provided on your behalf (Romans 8:32).88 Romans 8:32 — He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things? In His eyes, you do walk in His ways, not because of your own righteousness, but because of the alien righteousness of Christ.

Enjoy each moment as you drink of the unlimited cup of God’s blessings toward you. He is not like we are; He will not hold back any good thing from His children (Psalm 84:11).99 Psalm 84:11 — For Yahweh God is a sun and a shield; Yahweh gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity. He is constantly for you, and never against you (Romans 8:31).1010 Romans 8:31 — What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He is always with you (Matthew 28:20).1111 Matthew 28:20 — and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Therefore, enjoy even those sanctifying moments where you are reminded of your sin and rebellion, and seek daily to submit to Him as He conforms you to the image of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 8:29).1212 Romans 8:29 — For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.

Psalm 119:5–8 overflows with the psalmist’s love for the Lord Jesus Christ. What is remarkable is that nowhere in the first 40 verses of this glorious psalm does the term love even appear. The legalist that still resides in my dead flesh wants me to see these verses as a set of rules to follow in order that God would love me. But, thankfully, the revelation of Jesus Christ enables us to think much deeper and higher. Let’s dive in.

Love Hidden in the Verses

Alright, I told you this set of verses exhibit the psalmist’s love for God, but how do I see that? Let’s take a look at what the psalmist actually wrote:

• He desires that his ways be committed to keeping God’s statutes
• He desires to consider all of God’s commandments
• He wants to learn God’s righteous judgments
• He wants to keep God’s statutes

It looks like a list of rules. Learn God’s judgments, consider them, then keep them, right? These are certainly noble ideas, and the reason they are noble is that only someone who loves God would even desire to do these things. Jesus said in John 15:14 “You are My friends if you do what I command you.” And again John tells us that the love of God is in keeping His commandments (1 John 5:2–3).11 1 John 5:2–3 — ²By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments. ³For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, And it’s more explicit in John 14:

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. John 14:15

You see, one of the problems in our world is our tendency to separate things which we have trouble reconciling in our minds, but in reality, cannot be separated. A primary example of this is our collective inability to simply enjoy the fact that loving God and obeying God go hand in hand. We tend to think of obedience as a duty rather than a pleasure. And this is not entirely irrational—there are, in fact, a lot of things we must do which we do not want to do.

So we look around at the visible church and we see people apparently trying to obey God while clenching their teeth in anguish. We see people who appear to be fighting sin, and what they communicate is because I am a Christian I cannot do this fun thing I really want to do. But that isn’t Christianity at all. Because of the new birth, Christianity is the existence of new and changed affections. Because we love God, we actually desire to keep His statutes. We cling to His commandments, not with white knuckles like a dry drunk holding onto a sobriety chip, but we grasp His righteous judgments like a starving man would cling to a cheeseburger!

Where Is Jesus?

When we look at the virtue of the man in this portion, we see once again that this is a man who is committing to some lofty goals: keeping God’s statutes, learning His righteous judgments, rejoicing and praising God with an upright heart and maintaining an unwavering fixation on the things of God. While we, like the psalmist, ought to strive for these virtues, as we saw in the first four verses, it is only Jesus Christ who actually fulfilled all these good things on our behalf.

Yes, dear saint, Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of your faith, and the reason you will “not be ashamed” is that He fulfilled all righteousness on your behalf. The reason God will not “utterly forsake you” is that it was Jesus who “kept His statutes” in your place. Jesus was committed to keeping God’s statutes, and Jesus is the one whose focus never wavered from His Father’s perfect commandments.

Even more, it is Jesus who actually bore the consequences of our failure to praise God with an upright heart! Jesus was utterly forsaken by God (Isaiah 53:4).22 Isaiah 53:4 — Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. Despised, rejected, oppressed, afflicted, smitten, stricken, pierced, crushed, put to grief and cut off from the land of the living! (Isaiah 53) Jesus is the One who took on all the wrath of God for His people. It was ONLY Jesus who could drink that cup of God’s wrath—and drink it to the dregs He did! He had done no violence and there was no deceit in His mouth (Isaiah 53:9; 1 Peter 2:22).33 Isaiah 53:9; 1 Peter 2:22 — ⁹He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. … ²²“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.” But He did it all for you, my brethren. He did it for us!44 Not to the exclusion of His own glory! But in order that He may glorify His Father in Heaven and be glorified Himself!

After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities. Isaiah 53:11

How Then Shall We Live?

Now that we’ve established the amazing vicarious atonement of Christ on our behalf as the basis for our desire to learn about God and follow Him and obey Him, how do we apply these truths and these verses to our lives? Yes, Jesus is sufficient for your soul and your needs, but that doesn’t negate our responsibility in this life. As we saw earlier, loving Jesus means doing certain things. Now that we’ve been born again, we walk this pilgrim’s journey toward that celestial city and must represent our God and Savior well, since we cannot help but be His ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20).55 2 Corinthians 5:20 — Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God. You are an ambassador. Whether you are a faithful one or a worthless one (or probably somewhere in between), is up to you to work toward (Philippians 2:12).66 Philippians 2:12 — Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

Well, it starts with doing what the Psalm says and remembering Christ’s power to accomplish all these good things. His resurrection doesn’t just promise that you’ll be resurrected. His resurrection and the sealing of the Holy Spirit promises you power in this life to do battle with the flesh and win. Defeated Christians are the saddest of folks—but not because they’ve failed—we all fail. Defeated Christians are the most miserable of all people because they live as if Jesus doesn’t live. Read from Paul’s letter to Philippi which he wrote while in prison:

¹⁰I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death, ¹¹and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Philippians 3:10–11

Paul understood and taught that there is such a thing as resurrection power. Jesus’ resurrection guarantees your ultimate salvation, yes—but it also guarantees your current sanctification. Since Jesus cannot be defeated, a defeated Christian is one who is not faithfully drawing on the power God has already supplied! We read earlier in 1 John that our love moves us to keep His commandments, yet look at the verses following:

⁴because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. ⁵Who then overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 5:4–5

This! This, my friend, is victory over the world—freedom to resist sin. Christianity isn’t about doing all the things we hate and not doing all the things we love (a Paul Washer paraphrase). No, my friend, Christianity is about seeing that Jesus *already accomplished everything on our behalf—*and walking in that victory. Christianity is daily remembering that you are an adopted son or daughter of the King of the universe! No prince is concerned with what those outside of the kingdom are thinking of him. No, he knows His place. Know yours, my friend! You belong to Jesus.

These verses bring us deeper into this blessed Psalm and introduce a biblical term which is under-used and not often understood—purity. As we continue to study Psalm 119 and memorize it, I trust that God is causing you to meditate on His Word throughout your day.

Memorization is a tool—a good tool—but the goal of scripture memory is to know God better and to allow His Word to affect your thinking and emotions—that you may live a life which pleases God and blesses you. This requires that you not only memorize the words and the word order, but you ought to be thinking about what these verses are teaching you!

Teaching You They Are

And teaching you they are! God’s Word is not simply a collection of stories, nor is it a random array of terms—it is the very thoughts of God which have been penned to paper that we may know His Spirit (2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Corinthians 2:11–12).11 2 Timothy 3:16; 1 Corinthians 2:11–12 — ¹⁶All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, … ¹¹For who among men knows the thoughts of man except his own spirit within him? So too, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹²We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. So when we read, meditate upon, and memorize the Bible, we are learning and being taught.

And this should come as no surprise to the man or woman familiar with the New Testament. In Romans, Paul refers to the doctrine that had been taught so that the church in Rome would know how to avoid false teachers (Romans 16:17).22 Romans 16:17 — Now I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who create divisions and obstacles that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Turn away from them. He explains to the Corinthians that the teaching they receive is God-given (1 Corinthians 2:13).33 1 Corinthians 2:13 — And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. Paul reminds the Ephesian church that they “came to know Christ” (Ephesians 4:20) because they had been “taught in Him” (Ephesians 4:21), and that fact ought to result in a putting off of their old selves (Ephesians 4:22).44 Ephesians 4:22 — to put off your former way of life, your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;

So when the psalmist says in Psalm 119:12 “teach me Your statutes,” it is a request to know the living God in such a way as to fulfill the desires of the righteous man’s heart, which are:

1. to keep His way pure—accomplished by guarding it according to God’s Word—vs 9
2. that he would not stray from God’s commandments—the result of seeking Him with all his heart—vs 10
3. that he would not sin against God—promised through the power of God’s Word living in his heart—vs 11

What a blessed hope we have that knowing God’s Word actually has the power to transform us in this life. Not only is God’s Word powerful to circumcise our hard hearts and bring us to salvation in Christ, but it is powerful to the sanctifying of our souls while we battle this sin-cursed flesh until the day Christ returns or we go to Him.

About Purity

In verse 9, a question is posed: How can a young man keep his way pure? And the answer is given: By guarding it according to Your word. It’s a simple enough concept. We can stay pure by keeping watch over our way, subjecting our choices to God’s counsel in His Word.

In Ephesians 5:15–17, this sentiment is echoed when Paul writes, “Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise… Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.” Our walk is the term we use to describe the way or the path that we are following. Our path is either lit by God’s Word, providing light to know His will or it is dark and guided only by our best intuitions.

And we know that one aspect of purity is being free from the stain of sin. That is, where sin dwells, there can be no purity. So, we can be sure that avoiding sin is an essential component of purity. See verse 11—I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You. But let’s be sure we view purity comprehensively, and not just from a single angle.

Too often purity is viewed as solely the abstaining from something wicked or bad. A person who remains a virgin until marriage is an example of someone we often refer to as pure. Avoiding bad things is certainly an aspect of following God and His law. If God says “do not steal,” then not stealing is a good thing! But purity involves the positive aspects of obeying the spirit of God’s precepts in addition to the abstention from certain acts.

What I mean is that to pursue purity is more than simply to have a list of sins you won’t do. Pursuing purity involves doing all the good you ought to do every chance you have to do it. For it is the brother of Jesus who said:

Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin. James 4:17

And I can’t help but think he had Proverbs 3:27–29 in mind when he wrote the sentence above:

²⁷Do not withhold good from the deserving when it is within your power to act. ²⁸Do not tell your neighbor, “Come back tomorrow and I will provide”—when you already have the means. ²⁹Do not devise evil against your neighbor, for he trustfully dwells beside you. Proverbs 3:27–29

You see, when you ask God to keep you pure—and when you work out your own salvation with fear and trembling—it is good to remember that the very thoughts of Jesus include many positive commands which you ought to be striving for along with obedience to the commands to avoid certain things. 1 Corinthians 13:4–755 1 Corinthians 13:4–7 — ⁴Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no account of wrongs. ⁶Love takes no pleasure in evil, but rejoices in the truth. ⁷It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. contains aspects of how to love someone which are more than just not doing them any harm.

Jesus said that greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends—purity of heart dictates that you will do more than avoid really egregious sins, even more than fight heartily against respectable sins, but that you will actually strive to do justice, to love kindness and to walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8).66 Micah 6:8 — He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does Yahweh require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?

The Pure in Heart

Jesus tells us, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God” (Matthew 5:8). The psalmist tells us that he seeks God with all his heart (Psalm 119:10). This gives him hope that God will keep his heart pure so that he will follow God’s commandments. We saw this same phraseology in Psalm 119:277 Psalm 119:2 — Blessed are those who keep His testimonies and seek Him with all their heart.—the seeking of God with all the heart.

And what did we conclude then? We concluded that it is Jesus who seeks God with all His heart. It is only Jesus who is “pure in heart.” And, once again, we collide with the glorious doctrine of imputation—that Christ on the cross bore our sins, and that we are accounted as righteous because of His purity of heart and stunning resurrection. It is because Jesus really is and really was pure in heart that we have hope to see God without fear of judgment.

Everyone will, in a sense, see God. Every man is appointed once to die and then the judgment. We all have an appointment with the living God who will judge impartially according to each one’s deeds. So what is your hope? Do you hope that God will see your heart and overlook the stain of Adam’s sin on your person? Do you believe God will forget even the tiniest sin you’ve committed because of all the good you’ve done? Dear friend, our hearts are not pure, and we can no sooner purify ourselves than a grease-stained rag in an auto shop could cleanse itself.

We must be purified from the outside. That is, we are darkened and stained by sin in such a way that we are unable to wash it away from ourselves. Our very efforts to purify ourselves from our sin actually make us filthier. The futility of attempting to wash your hands with a dirty towel is the imagery I have in mind. As long as you wipe your hands with the dirty towel, the towel will stay dirty AND your hands will remain stained too.

No, dear friend, you and I need Jesus to purify us through faith in order that we might be seen as pure in heart in the eyes of God. And this is the promise that He gave to us, eternal life! God did not spare His only Son but sent Him to be the propitiation for our sins. Because the sinless Son of God died and rose again, God can and will account all those who come to Him, by faith alone, as righteous and pure of heart in His sight.

Wrapping Up

Yes, it is Jesus who hid God’s word in His heart and did not sin against God. It is Jesus who has sought God with all His heart, keeping His way pure by guarding it according to His Word. And thus, it is Jesus whom we call blessed forever, amen. Pray that He would teach you His statutes, that you may be blessed in Him.

As we’ve begun digging into the first 12 verses of Psalm 119 we’ve seen a few things:

• Only Jesus can be the true fulfillment of the psalmist’s desires.
• God takes His rules seriously!
• That only grace-begotten love-for-God can ultimately motivate us to obey His commands.
• That there is more to being good than just not doing the wrong thing.

I Do Declare…

As we move into verse 13, there is a bit of a shift of focus. Verse 15 (“I will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways”) reminds us of the same theme we’ve seen already: a laser-like focus on God’s commands and obedience to those commands. But verse 13 is a reference to proclaiming the truth about God.

One of my least favorite phrases is “preach the gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.” The absolute necessity of using words in order to proclaim the gospel is a point many good men have already undertaken, so I don’t care to belabor that point. Verse 13 is specific though—“With my lips I proclaim all the judgments of Your mouth.” In other words, the psalmist does not shy away from proclaiming the law of God. Is it possible that too often in our quest to maintain a proper law-gospel distinction that we’ve shied away from proclaiming God’s law to generations that need to hear it?

God’s law is the schoolmaster used to bring people to Christ (Galatians 3:24)!11 Galatians 3:24 — So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. God’s law, or His word, is perfect (Psalm 19:7).22 Psalm 19:7 — The Law of Yahweh is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of Yahweh is trustworthy, making wise the simple. Even the heavens themselves cannot help but praise God with words (Psalm 19:2–4).33 Psalm 19:2–4 — ²Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. ³Without speech or language, without a sound to be heard, ⁴their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens He has pitched a tent for the sun. And God’s law is a reflection of His person. That is, when we look at God’s law, we aren’t just seeing a set of rules we can’t live up to. We are enjoying a glimpse of God’s character.

Thou shalt not steal—for God is not a thief and He provides sufficiently. Thou shalt not lie—because your God cannot lie (Titus 1:2).44 Titus 1:2 — in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began. Don’t commit adultery—God is faithful…

Ultimately, we are reminded of the words of the Apostle Peter who wrote that we are “to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). Amen. We must speak of God at all times, and never fear to proclaim His law.

More Than Mere Afternoon Delight

It is here in verse 14 when this psalm really seems to get interesting! The psalmist states that he rejoices in God’s testimonies as much as in all riches! Oh! How many of us would do well to adopt a similar mindset! In God’s Wisdom in Proverbs, Dan Phillips makes an excellent point about Proverbs 2:4. That verse is in reference to wisdom and understanding and states thus: “if you seek it like silver and search it out like hidden treasure.” I don’t have a copy of Dan’s book (I’ve gifted them all, really, Dan!), but I remember the lesson well. He pointed out that if you were told there were huge amounts of riches buried in your backyard, you’d have the backyard dug up within days searching for it.

Yet God has already given us something (His Word) that is better than all riches. Yet as Spurgeon said, “There is dust enough on some of your Bibles to write ‘damnation’ with your fingers.”55 C. H. Spurgeon, “The Bible,” sermon preached March 18, 1855, at Exeter Hall, Strand. But even more than reminding you of both yours and my own failure to truly study scripture as we ought, I need to remind you that the psalmist rejoices in God’s Word as much as in all riches. And it is here that I cannot help but kneel at the feet of Christ who truly lived the life I could not live.

The One who owns everything came to a humble estate and had no place to lay His head (Matthew 8:20).66 Matthew 8:20 — Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay His head.” The King of the universe became poor for us. The Lord of lords was a servant who did not covet material gain. It is Jesus who taught us that we cannot serve God and money. It is Jesus who is the radiance of the glory of God and when we look at Him we see who God is. We see why proclaiming God’s law: ‘Thou shalt not covet’ is more than simply a command to obey. Declaring the tenth commandment is not simply a way to get kids to share or convince your cousin to quit his gambling habit. When we proclaim ‘Thou shalt not covet’ to a crooked and twisted generation, we are telling them about Jesus—what He did, and who He is. Put away your desires for riches and delight in God instead!

Rejoice Always

So we rejoice. Paul told us to rejoice always. Jesus said in John 15:1177 John 15:11 — I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. that He wanted our joy to be full! Joy is not a bad word to the Christian. True joy is experiencing the peace of God which surpasses all understanding. Godly joy may even appear as an emotional outburst as the result of meditating upon what Jesus accomplished on your behalf! It is utterly rational to be joyful if your sins have been forgiven by Christ. The Psalmist reminds us that he meditates on God’s precepts, but again, meditating on God’s precepts is the same as meditating on Christ Himself!

Thus, the meditation on the scriptures results in joy unspeakable! There is no earthly power that can steal this joy from the Christian in communion with His Christ and His God! We have a love letter from God (the Bible), and like the psalmist says, we ought not to forget it (Psalm 119:16). We are to be delighted in God, even in the trials. We ought to celebrate His glorious wisdom and holiness, even when His decree is that we suffer. We ought to trust in His unfailing love—even when it seems He is far from us.

For He is always near. Jesus said He will never cast out those who come to Him (John 6:37),88 John 6:37 — Everyone the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will never drive away. and that He is always with us (Matthew 28:20).99 Matthew 28:20 — and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Psalm 139:18 tells us, “when I awake, I am still with You.” Let us not fear that God would ever leave us. Would He who did not spare His only Son not also give us all things? This is balm for the weary soul, fellow sojourner. Lean on Christ and experience the range of emotions that come. Be immersed in His love toward you, His grace, His kindness, His mercy, and His serious care for every hair on your head. And be changed by it.

Finally…

Dear Christian, declare God through His Word. Proclaim all of it: His attributes, His works, His law…and most importantly His gospel of salvation through Christ alone. Meditate on the scripture and DELIGHT in your Savior and the Word!

Here we enter a new octet. Psalm 119:17 starts with the letter Gimel. Here is a bonus for those who memorize this psalm: when you’ve finished, you’ll know the Hebrew alphabet! This octet continues the themes we’ve already seen in this psalm and drives home a key point: the absolute necessity of God’s grace that we may understand His Word. May we all shout with the psalmist, “Open my eyes!”

Deal Bountifully

Deal bountifully with Your servant, that I may live and keep Your word. Psalm 119:17

It is with respect to God’s immeasurable riches that the psalmist approaches the throne of grace and makes his request. Spurgeon points out that in the previous octet (vs 9-16) the psalmist approaches God as a young man while here as a traveler in a foreign land. We see a progression from youth to later years, but the same struggle against sin and need for grace.

As in the last eight verses he prayed as a youth newly come into the world, so here he pleads as a servant and a pilgrim, who growingly finds himself to be a stranger in an enemy’s country. — The Treasury of David, by Charles Haddon Spurgeon [1869-85].

We, along with the psalmist need the Lord to deal bountifully with us that we may live and keep His Word. It is not a trifling matter to obey the Lord Jesus Christ’s commands. In fact, if it was not for God’s grace we would not even understand His law. God must “deal bountifully” with each and every saint.

I do not think this verse is referring to any type of monetary reward for saints. Nor is it any kind of material security the psalmist desires in order to serve his Lord. I believe the humble servant of the Lord is actually saying in this passage that the only way he will be able to live and keep God’s word is by the Lord’s gracious and abundant provision. That is, it is only by the bountifully dispensed abundant grace of God toward a sinner that any sinner can live with any kind of holiness or righteousness. Thankfully, our Lord provides!

I will sing to Yahweh, for He has been good to me. Psalm 13:6

Open My Eyes!

Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your law. Psalm 119:18

Here in verse 18 we encounter the heart of the prayer of everyone who is poor in spirit (Matthew 5:3).11 Matthew 5:3 — “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The humble address God in such a way as to glorify Him by their very request. May we all likewise call out to our Great God to open our eyes!

But what is it that the psalmist cries for? It is that he may see wondrous things from God’s law! What a testimony of the greatness of our God. It is not enough to proclaim that we require His sovereign and merciful grace that we may understand even an iota or dot of His Law. We must also acknowledge what we read here: that God’s law is just that wonderful that we want God to reveal it to us.

Oh, how often we beseech God for help with our health, our money, and our family. These are all good things, but shall we make all our requests to God based on what we desire to have that is earthly? Shall we not set our minds on Things Above Us as well? So you see, by making the request made known that we desire to see wondrous things from God’s law, we ourselves glorify Him by proclaiming the excellencies of His law and His word, and thus, Himself.

This desire to see God’s law is confirmed by the last verse in this group of four as the psalmist reminds us that this isn’t a passing fancy or simply an emotional outburst. His desire for God and His word is all-consuming. May it be said of us, as well, dear saints.

My soul is consumed with longing for Your judgments at all times. Psalm 119:20

The Truth About Sojourners

I am a stranger on the earth; do not hide Your commandments from me. Psalm 119:19

It is a common theme in the New Testament for the people of God to think of themselves as a sojourner: a person who is only staying somewhere temporarily. The Old Testament speaks of the sojourner again and again (the BSB usually says foreigner or stranger). What I want to focus on is found in Deuteronomy 10. Beginning in verse 12, you see a restatement of what we’ve already encountered in Psalm 119, which is basically to love God and keep His commandments. God reminds us that He is the sovereign owner of everything and the sovereign chooser of Israel.

And then He commands them to circumcise the foreskin of their hearts. This is equivalent to saying, “You must be born-again!” God knows that no people will be truly His people unless He replaces their hearts of stone with hearts of flesh. God knows that His commands cannot be “kept diligently (Psalm 119:4)22 Psalm 119:4 — You have ordained Your precepts, that we should keep them diligently.” without the new birth taking place first. But God, by His grace, has extended to hard-hearted sinners the gracious offer of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The promise of eternal life, sealed by the Holy Spirit and evidenced by the turning of one’s affections from that which God despises to that which God loves.

And what does God love? Well, for one thing, God loves the sojourner.

¹⁸He executes justice for the fatherless and widow, and He loves the foreigner, giving him food and clothing. ¹⁹So you also must love the foreigner, since you yourselves were foreigners in the land of Egypt. Deuteronomy 10:18–19

God’s inerrant Word reminds us of a key point of understanding—that the Israelites were themselves sojourners in Egypt. Israel’s law commanded them to be kind to sojourners. In fact, the law required that sojourners had equal rights under the law (Deuteronomy 31:12,33 Deuteronomy 31:12 — Assemble the people—men, women, children, and the foreigners within your gates—so that they may listen and learn to fear Yahweh your God and to follow carefully all the words of this law. Numbers 9:14).44 Numbers 9:14 — If a foreigner dwelling among you wants to observe the Passover to Yahweh, he is to do so according to the Passover statute and its ordinances. You are to apply the same statute to both the foreigner and the native of the land.’” This is one reason why the psalmist can say, “I am a stranger on the earth; do not hide Your commandments from me.” Sojourners are special people to God.

And why not? His own people were sojourners in Egypt, which was a type of what was to come. That is to say, God’s people, the church, are sojourners in a strange land. We are not home…yet. Our citizenship is in Heaven, and from it, we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ! Peter refers to us as exiles and foreigners in his first epistle (1 Peter 1:1; 2:11). We are only passing through. Take heart, dear Christian, God cares for you, knows your plight and will not forget you!

The Ultimate Sojourner

But of course, there is Another sojourner whom God loves in truth. God’s only Son came into the world that the world might live through Him. He was sent into the world to tabernacle (John 1:14)55 John 1:14 — The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. among us, that we might have propitiation of sins. Yes, Jesus Christ Himself is the ultimate sojourner. He is the one who left His perfect abode and took on human flesh for the sake of you, who through Him are believers in God who raised Him from the dead!

It is Jesus Christ who was treated as a sojourner when He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. It is Jesus who came not to be served but to serve and was spat on, whipped, despised and rejected, and crucified for all the world to see His shame. Jesus is the traveler who was only staying temporarily in this land and He showed us by His example how to follow in His steps.

May we all embrace that glorious truth that by imputation, Jesus Christ has already dealt bountifully with us and opened our eyes to see wondrous things because He became a sojourner on our behalf and because His soul truly was consumed with longing for God’s law and word at all times*.* What a friend we have in Jesus!

When we face trials of any kind, only the comfort of God can truly satisfy a man’s soul. Where do we find this comfort? Against what type of trials will this comfort suffice? What do we draw upon and from when the world gives us all it has? Answers are given in verses 21-24 of Psalm 119. Let’s check them out!

Curse

You rebuke the arrogant—the cursed who stray from Your commandments. Psalm 119:21

Verse 21 offers a reminder to every reader that the Lord Jesus Christ has no regard for the proud. God assures us that everyone who is arrogant (even in the heart) will not go unpunished (Proverbs 16:5)11 Proverbs 16:5 — Everyone who is proud in heart is detestable to Yahweh; be assured that he will not go unpunished.. Even “haughty eyes” are considered detestable to our holy and majestic God and Savior (Proverbs 6:16–17).22 Proverbs 6:16–17 — ¹⁶There are six things that Yahweh hates, seven that are detestable to Him: ¹⁷haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, By grace, only the humble are willing to submit to God’s commandments—for every man exalts himself above God’s law by nature.

It is here that I want to remind you dear brother or sister that Jesus actually received the rebuke of God on your behalf for your haughtiness. Every arrogant thought you’ve ever had brought infinite suffering upon Jesus. Each prideful smirk of yours was wicked enough that only the death of the Son of God could purchase your forgiveness. Only the blood of the perfect Lamb could atone for your insolent rejection of God and all that is good. But drink the cup of God’s rebuke He did! You and I strayed from God’s commandments and Jesus became accursed in our place. Praise His holy name!

Blessing

Remove my scorn and contempt, for I have kept Your testimonies. Psalm 119:22

David was the object of scorn and contempt on a constant basis. His own son betrayed him! Saul, who at one point appeared to delight in David, wanted to kill him. As you read through the psalms you see how often he was vexed by the multitude of his enemies. Yet, David was a child of God, adopted by the Father and given a new heart that really did want to keep God’s testimonies. On the basis of this innocence, he prays that God would deliver him from the scorn and contempt he was experiencing. We are not unlike David, my friends.

Oh! How difficult it is to be a child of God in this wicked world! Merely trying to live a righteous life is enough to incite the deepest hatred in insolent sinners. Abel was murdered because his deeds were righteous (1 John 3:12).33 1 John 3:12 — Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous. The prophets were killed (Matthew 5:12),44 Matthew 5:12 — Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you. the early church was persecuted (Acts 12:1–2),55 Acts 12:1–2 — ¹About that time, King Herod reached out to harm some who belonged to the church. ²He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. and we have a well-documented world history of the mistreatment of anyone who even professes the name of Jesus. And we remember the words of our Master who told us no servant is above his Master, thus reminding us that deliverance from scorn and contempt in this life is not promised.

Yet, in a sense, Jesus has provided for us in such a way as to remove God’s scorn and contempt toward us. Because Jesus propitiated God’s wrath when He paid the ultimate price for His bride, we have the hopeful expectation of reward instead of God’s scorn. As the result of faith in Christ, we heed God’s wisdom and keep His testimonies, thus avoiding being laughed at in our calamity (Proverbs 1:26).66 Proverbs 1:26 — in turn I will mock your calamity; I will sneer when terror strikes you, What a blessing and a comfort it is to contemplate that Jesus willingly took on the very scorn and contempt of God in the place of His church!

Persecution

Though rulers sit and slander me, Your servant meditates on Your statutes. Psalm 119:23

Not many readers of this book will likely experience direct antagonism from a prince, a ruler, or anyone in a similar position. But David did, and so did many other faithful saints who prefigured the incarnate Christ. Joseph was held in contempt by Potiphar (Genesis 39:20);77 Genesis 39:20 — So Joseph’s master took him and had him thrown into the prison where the king’s prisoners were confined. While Joseph was there in the prison, Daniel was plotted against by the rest of the king’s court (Daniel 6:4);88 Daniel 6:4 — Thus the administrators and satraps sought a charge against Daniel concerning the kingdom, but they could find no charge or corruption, because he was trustworthy, and no negligence or corruption was found in him. and David was a man of blood, in constant battle with men in high places. Paul couldn’t get very far without someone opposing him (Acts 25:2).99 Acts 25:2 — where the chief priests and Jewish leaders presented their case against Paul. They urged Festus Our Christian history is littered with men and women who have been opposed by folks in really high places!

And what a scary thing that is! For we are no doubt respecters of persons. We realize the power that a judge, a mayor, a prince or another official may have over our earthly lives. Few of us would be anxious if we knew a few worthless men who didn’t like us. Most of us never really encounter people of power who legitimately could take something from us. But if you find yourself in the sights of a higher up at work, or if the very prince himself opposed you, what comfort would you have in this life?

Jesus stood before Herod and Pontius Pilate and didn’t even open His mouth to defend Himself. Jesus fought slander by entrusting Himself “to Him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23). And considering His love for and knowledge of the scriptures, I have to believe that even though “rulers sat and slandered Him, He meditated on God’s statutes.” When the Devil himself (the prince of the power of the air) tempted Jesus thrice in the wilderness, Christ’s response was to quote Scripture to him (in context and with proper application no less) (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10)!1010 Matthew 4:4, 7, 10 — ⁴But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” … ⁷Jesus replied, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” … ¹⁰“Away from Me, Satan!” Jesus told him. “For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.’” He is our example that we might follow in his steps. Be comforted, dear saint, by Christ’s willingness to entrust Himself to a faithful Creator while doing good—and you yourself now strive to walk in those perfect footprints!

Comfort

Your testimonies are indeed my delight; they are my counselors. Psalm 119:24

It is of little comfort to be reminded that suffering is predicted in the Christian life. In a sense, there is not a lot of hope when we remember that Jesus was mistreated and no servant is greater than his master. The health and wealth gospel is a lie—yet God expects His people to “rejoice always” and exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, including joy! How in the world are we expected to endure immense suffering, betrayal, sickness, and maybe even persecution yet “count it all joy?” It is because God comforts us through His Word that we can persevere and even experience joy.

When a man is born again of the spirit of God, a lot more happens than just “he believes the gospel and is justified.” Our new heart comes with new affections, including a longing for the pure, spiritual milk of the Word. Just as we would be concerned for a baby that didn’t get hungry and crave milk, the Christian who can go long periods without the nourishment of God’s Word is unknown to scripture. Only dead men continue without regular nourishment. So it is with great delight that a man who has had his sins forgiven searches the Scripture to get to know this Savior.

Most people happily suffer for the sake of a greater long term benefit. It’s a rare person who is only interested in immediate gratification. (And even those people have their sober moments.) For the Christian who is setting their mind on Things Above Us the temporary aches and pains of this world are seen as not to be compared with what will one day be revealed. When our perspective is humble gratitude toward God (Ephesians 5:20)1111 Ephesians 5:20 — always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. for saving us and offering us any mercy at all, our gaze naturally transitions from our suffering to the eternal riches in Christ Jesus to which we look forward. We expect there to be a day with no more tears, therefore we can weep now as those who have hope. Because we know that our greatest problem has already been solved, we are comforted when confronted by even the worst situations this world can offer.

And when every experience we have tells us that we are not loved, God’s Word remains established and His love is abiding. When our suffering begins to make the atheistic “everything is meaningless” worldview make sense in our fallible minds, it is only the unchanging Word of God which offers comfort and delight and counsel. When the only response we can think of to the wickedness around us is to do something wicked ourselves in response, it is to our Counselor we must turn. For it is God’s precepts and testimonies that make wise the simple, comfort the afflicted, rejoice the heart, enlighten the eyes, and revive the soul (Psalm 19:7–9; 119:24).1212 Psalm 19:7–9 — ⁷The Law of Yahweh is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of Yahweh is trustworthy, making wise the simple. ⁸The precepts of Yahweh are right, bringing joy to the heart; the commandments of Yahweh are radiant, giving light to the eyes. ⁹The fear of Yahweh is pure, enduring forever; the judgments of Yahweh are true, being altogether righteous.

Thirsty for Life?

My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to Your word. Psalm 119:25

What is brought to your mind when you read this verse? What does it mean for a soul to “cleave to the dust”? I think a good clue is in the second clause: “revive me…” David is confessing the spiritual bankruptcy of his soul and prayerfully requesting that God revive him, that is—give him life.

The soul clinging to the dust is a picture of a nomad in a dry, dry, land. The sojourner on this land (Psalm 119:19)11 Psalm 119:19 — I am a stranger on the earth; do not hide Your commandments from me. is like a man stranded in a desert, miles from an oasis. A parched land offers no satisfaction to the thirsty man, and this cursed world can do nothing to satisfy the longing of the soul of a child of God. But, like a mirage in the desert (which promises to quench the gut-wrenching thirst of anyone stuck in its hot sun but cannot), this world continually extends its hand to our souls promising to satisfy the desires of our flesh, our eyes, and pride of life (1 John 2:16).22 1 John 2:16 — For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.

Can we not all agree with David that there is something in us that continues to pull us to the ground? Are you different from Paul who could not wait to be delivered (Romans 7:15, 24)33 Romans 7:15, 24 — ¹⁵I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do. But what I hate, I do. … ²⁴What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? from this body of death and finally be able to do what he ought? Dear Christian, drink from the wellspring that is the very words of God—and be revived (Psalm 19:7).44 Psalm 19:7 — The Law of Yahweh is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of Yahweh is trustworthy, making wise the simple. God gives life, and He gives it abundantly through His Word! Prayerfully ask Him for it and search the scripture like a man digging for a well in the desert!

If You Want Life, Confess

I recounted my ways, and You answered me; teach me Your statutes. Psalm 119:26

Having established the need for God to grant life according to His word, David gives us the following advice we would do well to heed. “I recounted my ways” refers to David’s confession of sin. Notice that after David recounted his ways it is God who answered him. David understands an age-old principle: that a thirsty soul will not be satisfied apart from confession.

Although God already knows your standing and your sitting and all your sin (Psalm 139:2, 18),55 Psalm 139:2, 18 — ²You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar. … ¹⁸If I were to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand; and when I awake, I am still with You. part of your relationship with your Father is that you confess your sin. David “recounted his ways,” and I trust that meant more than a general “Lord, I know I’m a sinner; please forgive me,” type of prayer. We are to go to our Lord by the blood of the Lamb to the throne of grace and plead for His mercy on the basis of the imputed righteousness of Christ. And I believe we are to be specific about what we’ve done that has violated His perfect will.

For what is the purpose of being “taught His statutes” if we are not going to use that knowledge to acknowledge our own errors and make corrections in our paths (Proverbs 3:6)?66 Proverbs 3:6 — in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. And how do we make corrections if we don’t specifically apply any of God’s law to our own lives? The thirsty soul pants for God as a deer pants for the water, and will not let anything stand in the way of getting his thirst quenched—not even something so great as his pride! Confess to God, dear Christian. Weep and mourn for your sin (Matthew 5:4)77 Matthew 5:4 — Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. and drink of the overflowing cup of grace already granted to you in Christ alone.

Life Is Not Blind Obedience

Make clear to me the way of Your precepts; then I will meditate on Your wonders. Psalm 119:27

David has now asked twice for God to “teach him” (Psalm 119:12, 26) His statutes. But it isn’t enough for brother David to have the statutes of God taught to him. David mourns his sin. David abhors his fleshly tendencies. And David knows a key truth to happiness in the Christian life: that we have nothing good apart from the grace of God. David’s prayer is that God would make clear to him the way of God’s precepts. This is, in fact, a statement and an acknowledgment of deep theology: that a creature cannot have anything at all unless it has been granted to him (Psalm 16:2; James 1:17).88 Psalm 16:2; James 1:17 — ²I said to Yahweh, “You are my Lord; apart from You I have no good thing.” … ¹⁷Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow. Deep down inside, all true believers know this.

John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. John 3:27

Yet, like all theology, David’s theology is the impetus behind his actions. Confession is good for the soul, yes, but so is not sinning. David follows his statement of confession with a proclamation of desire to be taught God’s statutes and to have God’s precepts made clear to him. It is as if he is saying “Lord, thank you for forgiving me; now give me understanding that I may no longer sin against you!” This is the true heart of every child of God. David knew well that he had committed sins with knowledge (Psalm 19:13),99 Psalm 19:13 — Keep Your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then I will be blameless and cleansed of great transgression. but David also knew that he sinned against God in his ignorance (Psalm 19:12).1010 Psalm 19:12 — Who can discern his own errors? Cleanse me from my hidden faults.

In Spurgeon’s Treasury of David we find this sentiment with Psalm 119:27.

To obey the letter of the word is all that the ignorant can hope for; if we wish to keep God’s precepts in their spirit we must come to an understanding of them, and that can be gained nowhere but at the Lord’s hands.

Yes, saint, we rely on Christ alone for our righteousness before God, but the soul that has been forgiven meditates on the wonders that are God’s works. For it is in our study of the Christ and His works that we gain the understanding that empowers us to really follow Him. It is one thing to know “thou shalt not…” It is another thing to see why “thou shalt not …” in relation to the God you love. Children ask parents “why?” and Christians are right to investigate deeply of the fountain of God’s eternally deep revelation that they may proclaim God’s wondrous works! We talk about what we think about. Meditating on God will result in proclaiming the truth about God; may it be so in regard to you and me, dear Christian!

Strength for Life

My soul melts with sorrow; strengthen me according to Your word. Psalm 119:28

The Christian life is not without its own set of difficulties. The soul that thirsts for the pure milk of God will soon find counterfeits on display in full force—sometimes after imbibing of one! The battle between the spirit and the flesh (Galatians 5:17)1111 Galatians 5:17 — For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want. is enough to drain anyone of all strength. Like the parched man in a barren desert under the scorching sun, our soul melts with sorrow as we daily battle the forces of evil in heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12).1212 Ephesians 6:12 — For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Our soul MELTS like ice cubes on a hot day!

How can a man go from joyfully confessing his sin, commitment to following God more closely, and trusting in the promise of God’s deliverance to such a low point as to compare his sorrows to the very melting of his soul? Be reminded that our hope is in life eternal, not a modification of our temporary circumstances. We are to identify with the man of sorrows (Isaiah 53:4)1313 Isaiah 53:4 — Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. while sojourning here. And this wicked world will at times bring the pain. Where can we find the strength to endure?

Jesus promised that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be satisfied (Matthew 5:6).1414 Matthew 5:6 — Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. As He hung on the cross, He proclaimed His own earthly thirst, as well (John 19:28),1515 John 19:28 — After this, knowing that everything had now been accomplished, and to fulfill the Scripture, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” pointing to a greater thirst and a greater quenching that His resurrection would bring to many. Looking ahead to the joy set before Him, He suffered the shame and agony of becoming a man, suffering even to the point of death. I trust that He will carry you and me through our sorrows and difficulties, too, through the strengthening which comes from His Word.

Meditate on these verses and be refreshed by the living water that is Christ through His Word!

¹⁴I am poured out like water, and all my bones are disjointed. My heart is like wax; it melts away within me. ¹⁵My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You lay me in the dust of death. … ¹⁹If our hope in Christ is for this life alone, we are to be pitied more than all men. ²⁰But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. … ³⁵Jesus answered, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst. Psalm 22:14–15; 1 Corinthians 15:19–20; John 6:35

Lying Lips

Remove me from the path of deceit and graciously grant me Your law. Psalm 119:29

In the first half11 See chapter 7, “Thirst and Life.” of the Daleth octet, we saw the psalmist confess to God and ask the Lord to guide him to greater understanding, so that he might not continue to sin against God (Psalm 119:11, 26–27).22 Psalm 119:11, 26–27 — ¹¹I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You. … ²⁶I recounted my ways, and You answered me; teach me Your statutes. ²⁷Make clear to me the way of Your precepts; then I will meditate on Your wonders. Picking up on that same theme, we begin verse 29 with David’s earnest pleas to be delivered from the sin of lying.

Lying takes many forms. And because generally speaking, even the unregenerate world has little tolerance for lying, it seems less spoken of by the Church than other sins we see prevalent in our culture. Christians do a fine job (for the most part) of confronting the culture around us and exercising righteous judgment toward the sins our world embraces. We aren’t perfect at it, of course, but I think a lot of cultural confrontation is happening and simply not being broadcast. But when it comes to sins the world also condemns, like lying, I think we are more silent because, after all, that sin is already being railed against by someone.

What is notable is that David is not asking God to forgive sinners for their false ways; nor is David asking for his enemies to be smitten by God, afflicted for their deceit. David is primarily concerned with his own fleshly tendency to embrace that which is not true. God cannot lie (Titus 1:2);33 Titus 1:2 — in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began. Jesus is the truth (John 14:6);44 John 14:6 — Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. the Spirit of Truth exists in utter opposition to the Spirit of Error (1 John 4:6).55 1 John 4:6 — We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. That is how we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of deception. As fallen creatures who hold to a biblical anthropology, we must see ourselves as constantly in need of grace. We must be on guard against those hidden sins that still try to overtake us. Asking God’s help is essential to victory!

The Law Is Useful When Used Properly

I have chosen the way of truth; I have set Your ordinances before me. Psalm 119:30

I run in the path of Your commandments, for You will enlarge my heart. Psalm 119:32

And from where does help come? God’s law! Bear with me, I am not saying that the law has the power to enable you to follow it, nor am I saying that the law can make you righteous. Our help comes from the Lord, the maker of Heaven and Earth, through our Lord Jesus Christ and His indwelling Spirit, but does not the Spirit of Jesus Christ love His own law? Is it not simply a reflection of His character? By being graciously taught God’s law, the renewing of our minds is able to take effect so that we will not be conformed to the world, but be transformed. We aren’t saved or made righteous by God’s law, but the righteous desire to know God’s law because we already have a desire to obey God.

So you see, it is by grace through faith that we are saved, and it is also through faith that we are taught the way of the Lord. It is through believing what God has said (faith) that we know how to live a life that is pleasing to Him. Because God is Spirit, we need an image, if you will, to help us grasp even the tiniest bit of knowledge about Him. God’s law or His rules are manifestations of His perfections. His moral law is at least a partial description of who He is, therefore, to understand it is to know Him better. This is the understanding we need so that we might be conformed to Christ’s image.

Exposure to God’s law has the same effect on everyone: it opens their eyes to God’s holiness and their own unholiness. So it is no wonder that the law produces the opposite response in unregenerate souls and on the flesh of believers as it does in those who are led by the spirit. For it is the law that tells us about God, and it is the law that stirs the ungodly passions of the flesh (Romans 7:9–11).66 Romans 7:9–11 — ⁹Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. ¹⁰So I discovered that the very commandment that was meant to bring life actually brought death. ¹¹For sin, seizing its opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through the commandment put me to death. Setting God’s ordinances before anyone will have one of two effects, it will either drive an unrighteous person to desire to break those rules, or it will break a righteous person’s heart that he or she struggles to obey them. This is why we must preach God’s law along with His beautiful gospel. Sinners and saints alike need to hear it!

Verse 32 tells us that the psalmist will run in the path of God’s commandments, for God will enlarge his heart. This is another affirmation of God’s sovereignty over our salvation. He holds the king’s heart in His hands…using the argument of the greater to the lesser…He holds yours as well. But do not miss the affirmation of man’s responsibility (“I have chosen” vs 30, “I cling” vs 31, “I run” vs 32). We are responsible for our choices and we must preach in such a way that both the truth of God’s sovereignty and the reality of man’s responsibility is proclaimed. But truly, we will only be removed from the path of deceit, choose the way of truth, and run in the path of God’s commandments if He first circumcises our hearts of stone!

The Nature of Shame

I cling to Your testimonies, O Yahweh; let me not be put to shame. Psalm 119:31

Earlier in the psalm, we saw that God’s testimonies are the delight of the psalmist and are his counselors (Psalm 119:24).77 Psalm 119:24 — Your testimonies are indeed my delight; they are my counselors. Those who keep His testimonies are blessed (Psalm 119:2).88 Psalm 119:2 — Blessed are those who keep His testimonies and seek Him with all their heart. As we’ve worked our way through this octet, we have seen the psalmist confess, earnestly ask God to remove him from the path of deceit, and focus on God’s rules and testimonies. The prayers are all designed to lead to righteousness in order that the psalmist may not be put to shame. This is the second time the psalmist asks that he not be put to shame (Psalm 119:6);99 Psalm 119:6 — Then I would not be ashamed when I consider all Your commandments. each time he makes this request it follows adherence to God’s commands. In other words, failure to observe God’s testimonies results in being put to shame.

Shame is a word that has lost its zing. In the era of self-esteem and self-actualization and self-literally-everything, actually being ashamed is the only sin. The prophet Jeremiah mentions more than once that (Jeremiah 8:12; 6:15)1010 Jeremiah 8:12; 6:15 — ¹²Are they ashamed of the abomination they have committed? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; when I punish them, they will collapse, says Yahweh. … ¹⁵Are they ashamed of the abomination they have committed? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; when I punish them, they will collapse,” says Yahweh. when the people committed abominations they no longer knew how to blush. This is a description of the hardening of the conscience. We are not better off today; the quote below nicely sums up how our world views shame.

Shame is the most powerful, master emotion. It’s the fear that we’re not good enough. — Brené Brown1111 Attributed to Brené Brown; as quoted at BrainyQuote.

Every child of Adam will seek to eliminate or shift their shame. You and I should be ashamed of what we’ve done—even who we are. All we like sheep have gone astray (Isaiah 53:6).1212 Isaiah 53:6 — We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and Yahweh has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. We’ve all become worthless (Romans 3:12).1313 Romans 3:12 — All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” We don’t actually “fear that we’re not good enough,” as the quote above implies. We know deep down inside that we are not. But our love of ungodliness and unrighteousness demands that we suppress this truth. No child of Adam is willing to blame his own sin for his sense of shame and turn from it apart from salvation. So it abides. And it’s as if God has designed us to desire to be rid of shame. Instinctually, we hate that feeling. So we do the only thing we can, and we get rid of it. And we get rid of the shame by pretending it is not there.

Shame Shifting

We use maxims like the one above which, when taken to its logical ends, teaches us to ignore shame. Because we believe we are good enough, we are sure shame must be wrong. We seek 12-step groups, self-help books, religious exercises, even personal discipline to take on which helps us feel better about ourselves so that we might not feel the shame. We even become more religious if it fits our disposition. We are shame shifters by nature!

But only Jesus Christ lived a life of perfect obedience to God’s commands. Only Jesus lived a life completely free of shame. But that’s the point, isn’t it? Shame, the result of a conscience present within a life not lived correctly, was something that Jesus ultimately could not experience. As a perfect man, He utterly obeyed the Father in Heaven and had no reason to be ashamed. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth. And yet, as if breathing 33 years of our sin-cursed air wasn’t enough condescension, Jesus bore our shame. Jesus is a shame shifter of a different type than we are! He took on the shame of His people.

Jesus Christ, our substitute actually became the very object of shame for us. Jesus became sin—the very thing He hates the most—in order to bring us to God. He endured the cross, despising the shame (Hebrews 12:2).1414 Hebrews 12:2 — Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Why? For the joy set before Him. And what is His joy? You could say His Father and His Holy Spirit, but Jesus has always been in fellowship with them. I have to conclude that at least part of the joy that Jesus set before Himself was the joy He has in His bride: the bride of Christ, for whom He died on the cross. Yes, Jesus takes great joy in you, dear saint, today. No matter what you’ve done, all the shame you feel, the actual sin debt has been paid.

It is as if YOU have clung to God’s testimonies so that YOU will not be put to shame. That is the effect of the glorious doctrine of imputation, and Jesus takes great joy in good doctrine and His dear bride. “I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you” (John 15:11). Jesus rejoices over you with singing, as a bridegroom with His bride (Zephaniah 3:17).1515 Zephaniah 3:17 — Yahweh your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.” Dear Christian, if even the devil himself tries to make you live in shame, cling to the Savior who bore it all on your behalf! Rest in Jesus Christ alone, for only He could remove your shame.

Seek Him

Teach me, O Yahweh, the way of Your statutes, and I will keep them to the end. Psalm 119:33

As we begin the fifth octet, we find the psalmist repeating the desire to be taught by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Knowing that we have no hope apart from the revelation of our Lord is truly the beginning of wisdom. This is a prayer—as indicated by the calling out for help from Yahweh. The book of Hebrews tells us that God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6),11 Hebrews 11:6 — And without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. and so we trust that such a prayer will be answered by our gracious God. For it is God alone who can put that type of desire into our hearts in the first place.

Yet, the phrase that I find most exciting here is the psalmist’s commitment to keeping that which the Lord has committed to him “for that day” (2 Timothy 1:12). In fact, both the apostle Paul (in his second letter to Timothy) and the author of Psalm 119 have completely entrusted their perseverance in God’s strength and promise, in opposition to man’s. Yes, when we cry out to God for His statutes to be taught to us, we may have confidence that the Holy Spirit He has sent to indwell us will enable us to persevere to the end in faithfulness.

I find it to be a pernicious evil to believe that God who has adopted us as sons (Romans 8:15)22 Romans 8:15 — For you did not receive a spirit of slavery that returns you to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption to sonship, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” and given us the right to be called children of God (John 1:12,33 John 1:12 — But to all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God— 1 John 3:2)44 1 John 3:2 — Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is. could possibly let anyone be snatched from His hands (John 10:28–29).55 John 10:28–29 — ²⁸I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand. ²⁹My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. The fruit of the Spirit is faithfulness, and although this faith is given in measures, it cannot be said that our faith would ever utterly falter.

Seek Understanding

Give me understanding that I may obey Your law, and follow it with all my heart. Psalm 119:34

Again, after requesting to be taught by the Lord, David then desires a deeper understanding. We saw a similar combination in Psalm 119:26–2766 Psalm 119:26–27 — ²⁶I recounted my ways, and You answered me; teach me Your statutes. ²⁷Make clear to me the way of Your precepts; then I will meditate on Your wonders. (teach me, then make clear to me), and this sentiment, particularly its repetition, ought to be instructive for us. I suppose this is what we mean when we say somebody can be theologically astute yet fail to grasp the point of the theology they’ve learned or to understand the love of God. When we see someone who is able to academically explain the things of God, yet the way that they behave exhibits a shortcoming in their understanding we are rightly repulsed. Everyone hates hypocrisy (in others).

So, it is with an eye to obeying God’s law that the psalmist requests that God give him understanding. That is, he requests understanding as a gift from God with the ultimate goal being to follow God’s law with all his heart. Everyone knows the difference between those who outwardly obey while inwardly rebelling and those who cheerfully submit to authority. No human being desires a begrudging love, yet we, as a race, tend to give our service and affection to God begrudgingly.

We all know the difference between the guy who unhappily hops on a treadmill every January 1 “because he has to,” and the person who truly loves to run. One of those people will still be running a few months later while the man who was just doing it for the weight loss goal usually falls off. As bodily exercise profits a little, so spiritual exercises ought to be understood the same way. The Christian who does not have any natural affection for Christ, for reading His Word, for prayer, or for gathering with the saints will find these tasks wearisome before too long. May the God of mercy grant our weak-of-faith requests to understand His statutes so that we may observe them whole-heartedly.

Seek His Leading

Direct me in the path of Your commandments, for there I find delight. Psalm 119:35

In verse 35 the psalmist says that he finds delight “there”—in the path. It is easy to read the plural commandments as the thing the psalmist delights in. But his delight is in the path itself.

And it is no wonder as we observe the progression through this psalm. In verse 30, our friend chooses the way of truth, and by verse 32, he is committed to running in the path. In verse 33, he acknowledges that he must be taught the way, and his understanding is that the Lord must direct him in the path (vs 35). Yes, God’s path must be our delight and we must follow His lead.

And what a gift we have in Jesus who came and set the example for us. Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example that we might follow in His steps (1 Peter 2:21).77 1 Peter 2:21 — For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps: He is our leader, and we would do well to carefully observe the patterns He set for us in prayer, reliance upon scripture, boldness, meekness, and humility. Jesus did not look solely to His own interests, but instead to the interests of others (Philippians 2:4).88 Philippians 2:4 — Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in His mouth (1 Peter 2:22).99 1 Peter 2:22 — “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.”

It is also notable that there is a single path of God’s Commandments. God’s law is not a random array of arbitrary rules, but rather, God’s moral law is a manifestation (or exhibition) of His perfect character. This is why Jesus’ brother James tells us that if we offend the law in even one point we are guilty of all, for God’s law is, in fact, one, as He is (James 2:10).1010 James 2:10 — Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. And this is why, although some sins appear more devastating than others, and may, in fact, be more divergent perversions of God’s good gifts to us—all sin requires death and is heinous rebellion in the sight of our holy God. This is why we do not sin in order to accomplish “a greater good,” for that misrepresents God. (We don’t lie to prevent someone else from murder, for example).

Seek His Glory

Turn my heart to Your testimonies and not to covetous gain. Psalm 119:36

Here in the fourth verse of the fifth octet, we have a repetition of the true desire of the child of God. For it is the child of God who is “about his Father’s business.” Our heart’s cry is that we might glorify God in our body and not seek to gratify the desires of the flesh. But we see around us that the world even uses the Christian religion and God’s statutes to achieve its own self-gratification.

Having a form of godliness but denying its power, people who carry the name of Christ all over the world are simply using God’s precepts as devices to bring themselves personal gain. When applied, biblical principles often produce wonderful gifts such as prosperity and health (as the Lord permits). You may follow biblical guidelines for spending and working, and likely find a measure of success in business and financial areas. If you follow commands regarding forgiveness and love, even without knowing the Savior, you may enjoy an improved marriage or family relationships.

So it is our hope that God would give us the attitude which says, “I desire to obey you, Jesus, and follow your statutes because you are worthy—regardless of how it turns out for myself.” Yes, following God’s commands ought to keep you out of jail, cause you to accumulate a measure of security in your wealth, or leave an inheritance for your children. A strict letter-of-the-law adherence to God’s ways may keep you from destroying your life and the lives of others through sexual immorality or drunken behavior. But that use of God’s law is not the highest praise nor ultimate duty of man. As the saying goes, the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Pray with the psalmist that your heart would be bent towards God’s testimonies and not toward yourself—so that you may not steal His glory. If God grants you that petition you will enjoy great pleasure in your heart.

Turn My Eyes

Turn my eyes away from worthless things; revive me with Your word. Psalm 119:37

David has prayed throughout this Psalm, and particularly in the first half of the He octet, for a heart that truly delights in God’s ways (Psalm 119:5, 27, 32, 33–36).11 Psalm 119:5, 27, 32, 33–36 — ⁵Oh, that my ways were committed to keeping Your statutes! … ²⁷Make clear to me the way of Your precepts; then I will meditate on Your wonders. … ³²I run in the path of Your commandments, for You will enlarge my heart. … ³³Teach me, O Yahweh, the way of Your statutes, and I will keep them to the end. ³⁴Give me understanding that I may obey Your law, and follow it with all my heart. ³⁵Direct me in the path of Your commandments, for there I find delight. ³⁶Turn my heart to Your testimonies and not to covetous gain. But, as Jesus told us, the eye is the lamp of the body. What we set our eyes upon indicates for us what our heart truly treasures. Thus, our psalmist not only desires that God give him the right heart-desires, but also that God would direct his gaze.

And it isn’t so much that David wants his eyes turned from looking at sinful things, but even that which is vain or useless. Yes, we should all be vigilant that we don’t let our eyes rest anywhere our hand shouldn’t (Dan Phillips taught me that virtue), but the child of God understands two things in particular.

Firstly, that what we choose to set our sights on has qualitative value. We are not to be idolaters; we are to set our minds on things above us so that we don’t waste our time here on the earth. To redeem the time, God’s people have to choose to give up some things which are lawful, yet not edifying. Screens and feeds give us endless opportunities to obsess with our eyes over worthless things.

Secondly, God’s people understand that what we allow ourselves to gaze upon is actually feeding our soul. The eyes of man are never satisfied (Proverbs 27:20),22 Proverbs 27:20 — Sheol and Abaddon are never satisfied; so the eyes of man are never satisfied. and we would do well to recall that our first parents’ first sin was in part a sin of the eyes. Genesis 3:633 Genesis 3:6 — When the woman saw that the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eyes, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom, she took the fruit and ate it. She also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. begins “So when the woman saw…” John tells us that the desire of the eyes is worldliness—not from our Father who is in Heaven (1 John 2:16).44 1 John 2:16 — For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world. There is a sense that sin and temptation wear us down over time, and we can hope that God would revive us with His word, that we might not be tempted to seek it through visual stimulation which is spiritual junk food or even poison.

God’s Promise

Establish Your word to Your servant, to produce reverence for You. Psalm 119:38

Establish Your word to Your servant! This is a really neat verse because the Hebrew word translated word in verse 38 is different from the word translated word in verse 25, for example. Some translations, such as the ESV, render it promise here, so it seems those translators have tried to give us some indication that there may be a different thought behind the term. You may even say they’ve interpreted it for us by translating it as promise.

Now look ahead just a few verses to Psalm 119:41.55 Psalm 119:41 — May Your loving devotion come to me, O Yahweh, Your salvation, according to Your promise. What you see is the psalmist seeking God’s loving devotion, as evidenced by salvation according to what, exactly? Here the BSB reads “according to Your promise”—the same Hebrew word it rendered word in verse 38. The KJV and NAS read “your word,” and that’s true enough, but the term isn’t the same term that’s translated word over a thousand times in the OT. So when we start talking about salvation, we are, in fact, talking about a specific promise of God, so I can see why translators pick promise. And I won’t disagree that this implies the promise of the Messiah to come and deliver His people! You can even see how the specific idea of the promise of God fits nicely in many of the other spots in the OT where the same term is used yet is translated word.

But let’s not miss the point, whether the psalmist is referring to God’s word as a general term for all of God’s revelation or a specific promise, the fact remains that God’s servant first observes the veracity of what God has said, then properly responds with the fear of Yahweh. For our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:29)66 Hebrews 12:29 — “For our God is a consuming fire.” and it is the fear of Yahweh that is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7).77 Proverbs 1:7 — The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. In fact, the fear of Yahweh is synonymous with trusting in God for salvation (Proverbs 3:5–7).88 Proverbs 3:5–7 — ⁵Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. ⁷Be not wise in your own eyes; fear Yahweh and turn away from evil. Because God’s word and because God’s promises are confirmed and established forever, He is to be feared. He is not a God to be trifled with, bargained with, nor bribed. He is a holy being to be feared, yet it’s a reverent fear for His adopted son or daughter. For, although the terror of the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:11)99 2 Corinthians 5:11 — Therefore, since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is clear to God, and I hope it is clear to your conscience as well. is overwhelming, His love compels us to great comfort (1 John 4:17–18).1010 1 John 4:17–18 — ¹⁷In this way, love has been perfected among us, so that we may have confidence on the day of judgment; for in this world we are just like Him. ¹⁸There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love.

More Turning

Turn away the disgrace I dread, for Your judgments are good. Psalm 119:39

In Psalm 119:22–23,1111 Psalm 119:22–23 — ²²Remove my scorn and contempt, for I have kept Your testimonies. ²³Though rulers sit and slander me, Your servant meditates on Your statutes. the psalmist desired that scorn and contempt be kept far from him and that he would have a steadfastness about meditating on God’s law even amidst affliction, and again we see here in verse 39 the petition followed by the appeal to God’s goodness and mercy. The psalmist has confessed his sins; he has asked God to help him to live according to God’s ways; he has claimed his covenant promise that God will supply the sacrificial lamb one day who will take away the sins of the world (John 1:29).1212 John 1:29 — The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you, we are told by the Apostle John (1 John 3:13).1313 1 John 3:13 — So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you.

Oh, we are not surprised that the world hates us, but it is still dreadful. Jesus refers to it as persecution in Matthew 5:11–121414 Matthew 5:11–12 — ¹¹Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. ¹²Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you. when people even utter false things about us. Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me is one of the biggest lies we tell ourselves. The reproach of even God’s enemies is enough to drive us to despair. A man who does not feel the pain and sting of the reproach of others is a man who likely fails to exercise proper sensitivity and compassion when appropriate as well. God doesn’t command us to simply not care what others think or say about us. Yes, we must hold fast to the truth even amidst affliction—but I think the affliction is designed to hurt that we might seek Him (Psalm 119:67, 71, 107).1515 Psalm 119:67, 71, 107 — ⁶⁷Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now I keep Your word. … ⁷¹It was good for me to be afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes. … ¹⁰⁷I am severely afflicted, O Yahweh; revive me through Your word.

And it is precisely because God is good that we can make this request with confident hope that He will do everything according to the perfect counsel of His will. We appeal to God’s goodness when we ask Him to turn away our disgrace because we are in Christ Jesus. It is because God didn’t turn away His reproach toward our sin, but poured it out on His only Son that we can even come to Him at all. It is because He is good and merciful that we have any hope at all that the only reproach we’ll ever experience is in this life. But, like Jesus, we must say, “Yet not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39). God is glorified when He answers our prayer yes or no, so we pray most faithfully when we simply pour out our heart’s desires and accept whatever He willeth.

Behold!

How I long for Your precepts! Revive me in Your righteousness. Psalm 119:40

We complete the 5th octet with an exclamation: “How I long for Your precepts!” In Hebrew the verse opens with Behold! (as older translations render it). This Bible word is replete with implications. The idea is that we should stop and really consider what follows. It is an imperative of the highest degree, and we would do well to obey it! How I long for Your precepts! Revive me in Your righteousness. Stop and look, he says, for I desire Your precepts. Revive me, O Lord, because You are righteous, he says.

It seems that David is continuing his appeal to God for salvation. David has been bombarded on all sides. Affliction could be his middle name at this point, yet David knows that when the righteous cry for help, God hears and delivers them (Psalm 34:17, 19, 22).1616 Psalm 34:17, 19, 22 — ¹⁷The righteous cry out, and Yahweh hears; He delivers them from all their troubles. … ¹⁹Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers him from them all. … ²²Yahweh redeems His servants, and none who take refuge in Him will be condemned. David has examined himself. He longs for God’s truth, God’s precepts, God’s ways…and He appeals to God who is righteous to deliver him from death. Yes, David was a sinner, but in Christ David’s heart was pure and God is faithful and just to forgive us as well as David of all our sins (1 John 1:9).1717 1 John 1:9 — If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. It is because God is righteous that we should have great fear of His reproach outside of Christ. But it is also because He is righteous that we don’t fear condemnation in Christ (Romans 8:1).1818 Romans 8:1 — Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. He who did not spare His own Son will freely give us all things (Romans 8:32).1919 Romans 8:32 — He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things? And because we do what pleases Him we have what we ask of Him (1 John 3:22).2020 1 John 3:22 — and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight.

But this is even more glorious when we see it applied to the life of our Lord Himself. For behold, Jesus really did long for God’s precepts at all times. And yet, Jesus suffered and died as if He were a son of Adam. But Adam was not Christ’s federal head, thanks be to God! Jesus came into the world and did what Adam could not by obeying every one of God’s precepts perfectly. Jesus is the better Adam, and the better David, ad infinitum. So when Jesus prayed this psalm, it was a messianic plea to be raised from the dead. God, in His righteousness, poured out His wrath toward sinners on Jesus. But Jesus propitiated that wrath. Jesus fully satisfied the wrath of God for His elect. Thus, God raised Him from the dead (gave Him life) and gave Him glory (1 Peter 1:21).2121 1 Peter 1:21 — Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him; and so your faith and hope are in God. Believer, you can rest today because you have been raised with Christ to new life, and you no longer need to fear God’s righteousness, but you can rest in the finished work of Jesus who has sat down at His father’s side.

Promised Love, Salvation

May Your loving devotion come to me, O Yahweh, Your salvation, according to Your promise. Psalm 119:41

In the last octet, we encountered this word that is sometimes translated “promise” (Psalm 119:38); here the BSB translates it that way. Here at the beginning of the sixth octet, we are confronted by the prayer of every true saint. Saints must lay claim to God’s promised salvation—evidence of His love toward sinners. The Apostle Paul tells us that God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).11 Romans 5:8 — But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

It is here that we encounter two wonderful and glorious truths which should bring us joy and cause us to praise our Lord. First, it is the testimony of Old Testament saints that they indeed looked forward to God sending a messiah to save them from their sins. A shallow view of our Old Testament would lead one to believe that God’s dealing with people was so altogether different prior to Christ’s incarnation that we ought to unhitch from the Old Testament.22 Andy Stanley urged Christians to “unhitch” their faith from the Old Testament in a 2018 sermon at North Point Community Church. But our brother David knew very well that “the sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart” (Psalm 51:17), and that God isn’t pleased with a burnt offering or the blood of bulls and goats. Yes, David looked forward to the promised salvation of his soul and body because He knew Yahweh-Jireh would provide the perfect sacrifice.

Secondly, we are reminded that the God of the Old Testament is the same God as the God of the New Testament and that He is a God of love. But not only is God love, what is striking is that He loves me or you. It is God’s love that is on display at the cross, and David well knew that he has no hope of delighting in the path of God’s commandments (Psalm 119:35)33 Psalm 119:35 — Direct me in the path of Your commandments, for there I find delight. or keeping God’s law (Psalm 119:34)44 Psalm 119:34 — Give me understanding that I may obey Your law, and follow it with all my heart. unless God “made the first move.” We love because He first loved us! In this is love, not that we have loved God, but that He loved us and gave His Son to be a propitiation for our sins (1 John 4:19, 10)!55 1 John 4:19, 10 — ¹⁹We love because He first loved us. … ¹⁰And love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

Answering the Taunter

Then I can answer him who taunts, for I trust in Your word. Psalm 119:42

Here is where, as they say, the rubber meets the road. Theology leads to doxology and practice. We say things like “sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me.” But that’s really just a coping mechanism for most people. Because words do hurt us. Words are seriously important. Death and life are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21)!66 Proverbs 18:21 — Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. A Christian who has not faced derision and taunts from worldlings may need to get out more and become bolder in his faith!

Jesus even warns us that we will be persecuted for righteousness’ sake and includes verbal assaults in the list of attacks we’ll face.

Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Matthew 5:11

Yet while the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain against our holy God and against the visible representation of Christ on earth, His people the Church, we have the confidence of the love of God poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (Romans 5:5).77 Romans 5:5 — And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us. Yes, we are promised tribulation in this world, but it is clinging to our salvation that helps us bear the affliction. Not only that, it is the certainty that Jesus loves even us that is our motivation and fuel to continue.

For it is in our most difficult moments in this sin-cursed world that we may start to wonder if God really loves us. It is while enduring unjust suffering and all forms of persecution that our weak faith starts to tremble. And it is at those times that we must remember God’s love toward us as promised in His Word so that we might be brave and able to “answer him who taunts.” Dear Christian, since God is for you, no one can legitimately be against you!

Our Hope

Never take Your word of truth from my mouth, for I hope in Your judgments. Psalm 119:43

In order to answer the taunter, we not only need assurance of God’s love for us, but we need to know what to actually say. May we say together with David and Christ Himself (the Author of all of scripture) “Lord, never take Your word of truth from my mouth!”

Oh! How often dear Christian have you found yourself responding to evil with evil words yourself! It is such an easy thing to fall into responding in like manner to those who taunt you or goad you. Look to the Christ who always spoke with perfect meekness and boldness, kindness and truth as your example. When confronted by the Devil himself, He set an example for us by repeating, “It is written…” (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). Michael would not even bring a slanderous charge against Satan, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!” (Jude 1:9).

Because it is God’s judgments that tell us that God is righteous and just and perfect. Therefore, it is right to hope in His judgments as the Psalm says. Because we know that God will punish every sin according to His perfect standard of righteousness—either in Christ or on the sinner—we can deal with the one who taunts us, swindles us, mocks us, or even delivers up our body to be burned. Our hope is in God and His judgments, and our battle weapon is the Sword of the Lord (Ephesians 6:17).88 Ephesians 6:17 — And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Thus, Behave

I will always obey Your law, forever and ever. Psalm 119:44

So far, the psalmist has prayed for God’s loving devotion to be brought to him through God’s salvation. He has announced that God’s salvation will strengthen him to answer the taunter. And then we see a prayer for God’s Word to be kept on his lips.

The final point in this set of just four verses is the psalmist’s commitment to keeping God’s law. John relates the same thought near the end of his epistle, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments” (1 John 5:3). For it is our desire to keep God’s law, and our steady progress in this discipline is one of the main pieces of evidence that God truly has planted the seed of faith in our hearts and given us the seal of the Holy Spirit (1 John 3:6).99 1 John 3:6 — No one who remains in Him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has seen Him or known Him. If you look forward, you see how in this same octet we have a concerted focus on keeping God’s commandments, which saints love (Psalm 119:47–48).1010 Psalm 119:47–48 — ⁴⁷I delight in Your commandments because I love them. ⁴⁸I lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love, and I meditate on Your statutes.

But while the forgiven sinner is motivated by God’s redeeming love toward him, let us not forget the Author and Perfecter of our Faith who actually did fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:15).1111 Matthew 3:15 — “Let it be so now,” Jesus replied. “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” Then John permitted Him. It is Jesus who fulfilled Psalm 119:44. And it is because Jesus kept and keeps God’s law always, forever and ever, that we can hope to be glorified one day and be conformed to His image, that we might know Him as we have been fully known.

Now we see but a dim reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:12

But I Thought the Road Was Narrow?

And I will walk in freedom, for I have sought Your precepts. Psalm 119:45

Here in the second half of the Waw octet, we hit what at first glance seems to be a startling statement. David announces that he will walk in freedom—in Hebrew, literally, in a wide place. But didn’t Jesus tell us the gate is narrow that leads to life (Matthew 7:14)?11 Matthew 7:14 — But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it. Dear Christian, as always there is no contradiction here between the wide place our psalmist walks and the narrow path that leads to life of which our Lord spoke during His incarnation.

Yes, the path to eternal life is narrow and hard! But there is a glorious truth that we must consider, and that is that the path is through Christ our Lord, Himself. We enter into the Ark through the only door provided by our gracious God and, thus, avoid the waters of His judgment. And yes, the path itself is fraught with difficulty, but whom the Son sets free is free indeed (John 8:36).22 John 8:36 — So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. The path of the saint of God is one of liberty and security. We follow a narrow path by staying our minds on Christ (Isaiah 26:3),33 Isaiah 26:3 (KJV) — Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. but the place we are set upon is wide enough for the weakest saint to stumble and stay within.

We can profess with David that we will keep God’s law (Psalm 119:44),44 Psalm 119:44 — I will always obey Your law, forever and ever. and trust that by continuing to seek His precepts (Psalm 119:45) that we will be free of the fear of condemnation. God has put us in a wide place and not even the Devil himself can knock us into a ditch—for it is Christ Himself who is our guardrail as we tread the path. What a beautiful truth that God’s law has now become dear to us in Christ. Let us recognize what Spurgeon tells us about this verse in his Treasury of David: “Those who keep the law are sure to seek it, and bestir themselves to keep it more and more,” and never slack in our efforts.

No Fear of Man

I will speak of Your testimonies before kings, and I will not be ashamed. Psalm 119:46

In verse 13 we begin to see how the psalmist ought to open his mouth to proclaim all the judgments of God’s mouth. Verses 42 and 43 are more urgings to open our mouths and testify of the Lord’s judgments and goodness. We are to speak of God and do so frequently, without fearing the reproach of man. How can someone not speak of what they have seen and heard (Acts 4:20)55 Acts 4:20 — For we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.” when it pertains to the perfection of Yahweh?

Earlier we saw that though rulers sit and slander [him, the] servant meditates on God’s statutes (Psalm 119:23).66 Psalm 119:23 — Though rulers sit and slander me, Your servant meditates on Your statutes. Now we see the next step in the process of dealing with earthly rulers—testifying to them. A man who meditates on God’s statutes is always preparing himself for whatever God has in store for Him. And some men, including David and our Lord Jesus Himself, actually stand before royalty, heads of state, princes and kings. And the man who has prepared his heart in the oven of God’s love with devotion to God’s Word will not be ashamed in that circumstance.

And why should he be? Dear saints, we have the testimonies of God in our arsenal. When we speak before parliaments or kings or any such thing, we have the words of eternal life. To whom else would we go (John 6:68)?77 John 6:68 — Simon Peter replied, “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life. Jesus did not fear Herod or Pilate, and if He did not, then how much less should we, arguing from the greater to the lesser. You may not speak of the testimonies of God before a government official, a judge, or even a police officer. But each of us has the same responsibility to proclaim the testimonies of God wherever we may go. Are they not your delight (Psalm 119:24)?88 Psalm 119:24 — Your testimonies are indeed my delight; they are my counselors. Follow the example of our Lord Jesus Christ and the man after His heart, David, and open your mouth. You will not be ashamed, but have the hopeful expectation of hearing “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25:21).

How Do You Know You Love God?

I delight in Your commandments because I love them. Psalm 119:47

Jesus said that if you love Him you will keep His commandments. And what are His commandments but a proclamation of His very goodness? To love God is to love His people and His commandments (1 John 5:2).99 1 John 5:2 — By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments. One of the clearest tests of whether you are of the faith is to take an honest look at your disposition towards God’s commandments. Do you find prayer, Bible study, memorization, or singing songs of praise to be a chore? Do you have sin in your life which you enjoy so much that you will not mortify it?

The psalmist proclaims that he will speak of God’s testimonies before kings and “not be ashamed” because he finds his delight in God’s commandments. It is as if there is no power of hell nor scheme of man which can even feign to take away the joy of the one who testifies of Christ before man. Because to speak of Christ or His law is the very delight of His saints! Jesus told us so Himself in John 15:10–11.1010 John 15:10–11 — ¹⁰If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love. ¹¹I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. God’s commandments are both for His joy and our joy. It is our joy to hear them, to proclaim them, and to obey them. And it is God’s joy to see them fulfilled.

One aspect of the atonement that is so mind-blowingly amazing is this: Jesus Christ perfectly fulfilled these verses. It was Jesus who spoke of the testimonies of God before kings and was not ashamed. He was innocent before Pilate and Herod and all mankind! Jesus found His delight in His Father and the commands of scripture, and the Father took immeasurable pleasure in His Son. So for God to smite Jesus, (the only One in whom He rightfully had any pleasure at all), in order to appease His wrath towards us who did not delight in His law is truly an amazing display of His love for us.

What Do You Do When You Love God?

I lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love, and I meditate on Your statutes. Psalm 119:48

In verse 48, notice the repetition of the psalmist’s love for God’s commandments with a little detail added. For what we find our delight in we will soon find ourselves giving our lives to. Is it not so with you, beloved, that you dedicate the most time, effort, and energy toward that which you love the most? You want to know what a man loves? Direct your attention to where he spends his money, his time, and his gaze, and you will quickly know!

A man (or woman) of God is expected to lift up his hands toward God’s commandments. There is a sense of awe or worship embedded here. It is not that God is saying “worship the commandments,” but it is more likely that we are seeing the psalmist reaching upward as an indicator of the direction he must go to grow closer to God. For we who are afar off are made to still feel afar off when we are confronted by God’s law, even after we’ve been indwelt by His Spirit. So we lift up our hands like poor beggars, expecting the promised grace to persevere to the end. And our only hope is that what we delight in aligns with God’s moral law. For it is our clear conscience during promised tribulation that is our only consolation in this world.

Finally, how else do we expect to know God’s commandments in order to delight in them or obey them unless we meditate on them? The blessed man meditates on God’s commandments day and night (Psalm 1:2)1111 Psalm 1:2 — But his delight is in the Law of Yahweh, and on His law he meditates day and night. and it is only through persistent meditation that we can expect to take every thought captive to obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).1212 2 Corinthians 10:5 — We demolish arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. We find it to be profoundly true that what we most delight in we have no problem meditating upon regularly, and what we meditate upon regularly is what we grow in affection for. Your “god,” my friend, is whatever you are most submitted to! And you can only serve one. So be sure to make your calling and election sure by setting aside time and energy for meditation upon the glorious commands of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Does God Need Reminders?

Remember Your word to Your servant, upon which You have given me hope. Psalm 119:49

The 7th of 22 octets brings us peace by reminding us again where to turn in those times we need11 See chapter 6, “The Comfort of God.” comfort. When we left the Waw octet, we saw the psalmist testifying before kings22 See chapter 12, “A Wide Place.” and answering “the taunter.”33 See chapter 11, “Answering the Taunter.” Now, he again turns to prayer.

The best kinds of prayers (from our perspective) are the ones that make requests which God is pleased to grant. Yes, we understand that sometimes God says, “No,” and we trust that is best for us when He does. But it is more exciting when we pray according to God’s will and receive that “Yes” which we have hoped for! And there is no better way to secure that affirmative response from our Lord than to pray according to that which He has promised in His Word.

Does God forget? Of course not. So when we say with the psalmist “Remember Your word to [me],” we are really reminding ourselves of those things where we have put our hope which God has promised. It is a faith-building exercise to simply name those things that God has promised to those who love Him. Things like future glorification, that He will never leave us nor forsake us, and that His love is everlasting ought to be clung to with all our might.

We find this common in the Psalms. The scripture often employs language of asking God to do that which we know we don’t need to tell Him to do (like “Remember”). It creates a model for how to pray. When we notice words or phrases such as hear, answer me and remember in scripture’s prayers, we should not be shy to pray in the same fashion (Psalm 4:1).44 Psalm 4:1 — Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved my distress; show me grace and hear my prayer.

His Promise Produces Comfort

This is my comfort in affliction, that Your promise has given me life. Psalm 119:50

And why do we cry out to God to remember that which He has promised? It is because so often the promise is future and the present looks grim. It is because sometimes, even when the promise is present, we are not experiencing the fullness of it. Are you justified today? You may say “Yes,” but do you always feel justified? Our inability to see the whole picture combined with our flesh creates the perfect storm for discontentment and faithlessness—and the natural affliction we face simply compounds these sins and provides an environment where they may grow!

Notice that David refers to affliction in such a way that we see 1) that affliction is expected and 2) that affliction is something we are to endure rather than simply escape. David speaks of affliction as a reality (as opposed to a hypothetical). He does not say “This is my comfort if I am afflicted,” but “in affliction.” Saints, we are going to be afflicted—it’s a promise (Philippians 1:29).55 Philippians 1:29 — For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him, Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation” (John 16:33). Understanding this truth and consequently expecting tribulation is a first step toward enduring trials when trials come. Where does our help come from? It comes from the Lord (Psalm 121:1–2).66 Psalm 121:1–2 — ¹I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? ²My help comes from Yahweh, the Maker of heaven and earth.

What the psalmist reminds us is that we will often not be delivered from our affliction before some pruning occurs. Psalm 34:1977 Psalm 34:19 — Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers him from them all. promises that we will eventually be delivered from our afflictions, as was Christ. And it is that promise which we hold onto when we are enduring affliction. Motivational speakers encourage athletes by saying things like, “Everyone is cold! Everyone is going to go home hurt. You might as well get the trophy!” Christian, can you accept that you are part of a world where sinners and saints alike will endure much suffering? And, if so, can you not cling to God’s wonderful promises of sanctification through your suffering (Romans 8:28),88 Romans 8:28 — And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. and ultimate glorification (Romans 8:21, 25)99 Romans 8:21, 25 — ²¹that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. … ²⁵But if we hope for what we do not yet see, we wait for it patiently. at the finish—in order that you may enjoy the divine comfort of God now?

And again, we encounter this word promise, which I think the translators got right. It is God’s promise of eternal life in Christ which gives us life. Not only does this promise give us new life in this world (Ephesians 2:6),1010 Ephesians 2:6 — And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, but it is the ultimate promise to undo the curse and give us a new body for eternity. The creation groans, and so do we…but we have comfort, even if afflicted by our own flesh—because one day we will be free from the curse of sin and death completely—and that’s worth hoping in.

Arrogant Derision

The arrogant utterly deride me, but I do not turn from Your law. Psalm 119:51

God really hates insolence. In Psalm 119:211111 Psalm 119:21 — You rebuke the arrogant—the cursed who stray from Your commandments. we see that God rebukes the arrogant who stray from His commandments. So it is fitting that the children of God do not turn from His law. The sinner is arrogant and rebellious; the saint is humble and submissive. Humility and meekness are no longer virtues in a society which has given itself fully over to antichrist worldviews, and we are constantly tempted to stop exercising these virtues. One of the primary means the world uses to coax us from these virtues is through the scoffing and derision of our God-hating neighbors.

But our Lord Himself endured more scoffing and derision than we ever will (and still does), and He deserved none of it. Jesus is the one who came to earth and humbled Himself by becoming obedient (Philippians 2:8)1212 Philippians 2:8 — And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.. If the Son of God is content to be humble and submissive, why don’t we? Our Lord is our example (1 Peter 2:21, 23),1313 1 Peter 2:21, 23 — ²¹For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps: … ²³When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. and we would do well to ignore the remarks of the world and to be more concerned about how He views us. In Peter’s second epistle he writes that scoffers will come and that our only hope will be to trust in God’s promises concerning the future and to know that He has a redemptive purpose behind His apparent inaction (2 Peter 3:3–4).1414 2 Peter 3:3–4 — ³Most importantly, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. ⁴“Where is the promise of His coming?” they will ask. “Ever since our fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has from the beginning of creation.”

And like we saw in Psalm 119:46–47,1515 Psalm 119:46–47 — ⁴⁶I will speak of Your testimonies before kings, and I will not be ashamed. ⁴⁷I delight in Your commandments because I love them. when we are confronted with the temptation to be ashamed of God or His law, our only hope is to continue to trust in God and His Word! Christian, have you ever felt the need to apologize for God? How about when nonbelievers accuse God of evil because He judges His own creation? Or when God has provisions for slave owners in His Word? What about severe penalties for seemingly minor sins in Israel’s civil law? It is precisely because God’s ways are so different from ours that the wicked scoff at Him and His ways. Flee the temptation to apologize for God and to present Him as more palatable to the unregenerate heart—do not turn from His law and His Word!

Getting Comfortable

I remember Your judgments of old, O Yahweh, and in them I find comfort. Psalm 119:52

Immediately following the affliction experienced, we are brought back to the source of our comfort: God’s judgments. We see in verse 391616 See chapter 10, “Behold God’s Promise.” that God’s judgments are good and, as a result, disgrace is turned away from us. Here we encounter the goodness of God, yet again. Because we love God, we love His judgments and find comfort in them!

It is a universal truth that any son of Adam who thinks about God’s judgments encounters the severity of God and is afflicted himself. God’s holy law is a display of His goodness and justice and holiness, and when a sinner considers these truths he cannot experience any comfort. This is why we seek comfort in sex, alcohol, drugs, money, prestige and whatever else this world offers. We all are afflicted when we experience the absolute standard of God’s holiness. But for the sinner-turned-saint, meditation upon God’s judgments—even upon God’s being—brings comfort because of the Holy Spirit whom He has given to us.

Yes, although the insolent afflict God’s people, the very balm provided by God (His judgments) to comfort the afflicted is what is used to afflict the arrogant*.* The salve of God’s judgments tells us about the person and holiness of Jesus, and those for whom Christ died cannot help but hear His voice and be made to be still and rest. When Jesus has taken your burden of sin and shame, thoughts of Him and His statutes are ever welcome. When a man or woman meditates upon the fact that Jesus was treated as if He had violated all God’s “judgments of old,” and was comforted not, peace ensues because the peace has been granted to you! When you really consider the truth that if God did not spare His own Son, will He not much more give you all things (Romans 8:32),1717 Romans 8:32 — He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things? great comfort amidst whatever this world throws at you is the result.

Every Christian is commanded to let all wrath, anger, clamor, and malice be put away from his or her life (Ephesians 4:31),11 Ephesians 4:31 — Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice. so how do we interpret the psalmist’s proclamation that “rage has taken hold of” him? Was this written for Old-Testament-Saints only? Shall we “unhitch” this verse from the modern church? Isn’t anger so dangerous that we shouldn’t even “dip our toes in that water?”

Righteous Anger?

Rage has taken hold of me because of the wicked who reject Your law. Psalm 119:53

My friend, do not neglect to embrace the whole counsel of God! If you are to be conformed to Christ (Romans 8:29),22 Romans 8:29 — For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. then you will love what He loves and hate what He hates. We don’t unhitch from the Old Testament, because what we know is that as much as David spoke these words, so does our Savior. Do you not see it? Who is it that keeps God’s law always (Psalm 119:44)33 Psalm 119:44 — I will always obey Your law, forever and ever., delights in and loves God’s commands (Psalm 119:47–48)44 Psalm 119:47–48 — ⁴⁷I delight in Your commandments because I love them. ⁴⁸I lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love, and I meditate on Your statutes., did not turn from God’s law even when derided (Psalm 119:51)55 Psalm 119:51 — The arrogant utterly deride me, but I do not turn from Your law., et al? It is Christ Himself who is righteously angry because of the wicked who reject His law. And we ought to be too!

The problem is that our battle with the flesh has so often led (even our righteous indignation) to sinful wrath or malice. God has given us great freedom in Christ, and many of us have rightly needed to repent of sinful anger. And in that quest, we have swung the pendulum so far in the direction of peace that we may have started to make peace with that which we ought not.

The goal of growing in godliness is to become more like Christ and think His thoughts after Him (2 Corinthians 10:5).66 2 Corinthians 10:5 — We demolish arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. So it is fitting that a Christian exert serious effort to put away anger. But sometimes we commit to never getting angry anymore, rather than, ensuring we are appropriately angry. In order to avoid the sinful anger we once walked in, we avoid any and all emotion which could lead there. We don’t always become more mature but simply mismanage our feelings in a different way from before.

Many become stoics out of strict pragmatism. We have traded sinful anger for sinful legalism, when what we ought to do is follow the man, Jesus Christ, who experienced all the temptations we do, yet exercised perfect anger, never sinning as the result. Avoiding anger altogether because you indulged too deeply in that sin before conversion is akin to avoiding church because you were a religious zealot before Christ. Put away the old—but put on the new.

And we find a key for examining our own anger—is your anger inspired by the fact that you are offended or that God is offended? Being honest about this is paramount! We can know God is offended by evil in our day, yet still be sinfully angry. Our anger must be proportionate to the cause, and the practical effect must still be godly living (Ephesians 4:26).77 Ephesians 4:26 — “Be angry, yet do not sin.” Do not let the sun set upon your anger, Much more can be said about this topic but for the sake of space, we’ll move on!

My Songs

Your statutes are songs to me in the house of my pilgrimage. Psalm 119:54

There are many churches that exclusively sing songs from the “Psalter.” Essentially, these folks are singing hymns that are truly inspired (2 Timothy 3:16).88 2 Timothy 3:16 — All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, We are told in Ephesians to make music in our hearts to the Lord. Effectively, we must sing God’s truth to ourselves wherever we go (Acts 16:25)99 Acts 16:25 — About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them..

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord, Ephesians 5:19

A repeated theme in Psalm 119 has been that God brings comfort to His people through His Word. The house of my pilgrimage, although certainly literally true for David and Christ, represents the reality of all the children of God. Like the Israelites in Egypt or Babylon, we are sojourners in a foreign land. Peter calls us foreigners and exiles (1 Peter 2:11).1010 1 Peter 2:11 — Beloved, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from the desires of the flesh, which war against your soul. And while we are just visiting, we need God’s statutes to fuel us to persevere.

Keeping God’s statutes in our hearts provides 3 primary graces while in the house of our pilgrimage. First, we receive comfort in our affliction. We ARE strangers in a strange land with Heavenly citizenship (Philippians 3:20).1111 Philippians 3:20 — But our citizenship is in heaven, and we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, Simply knowing God is comforting to those in whom His Spirit dwells, and we know Him through His revealed Word. Secondly, we receive instruction for how we shall live in our circumstances. In order to fulfill the command of 1 Peter 2:11, we need God to reveal His commands to us. And by the enabling grace of the Spirit of Christ, we have freedom and power to obey them (1 John 5:2–3).1212 1 John 5:2–3 — ²By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and keep His commandments. ³For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,

And finally, keeping God’s statutes in our hearts, even singing of them, provides us the necessary hope of future deliverance. The important thing to remember about pilgrimage is that it implies there is a home somewhere. And every redeemed saint ought to know that Christ will come back and take him or her home (Philippians 3:21; John 14:3).1313 Philippians 3:21; John 14:3 — ²¹who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body. … ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and welcome you into My presence, so that you also may be where I am. Cling to this hope, and you will persevere by His grace through even the roughest times this world that is passing away will offer.

Godliness Is Contentment

In the night, O Yahweh, I remember Your name, that I may keep Your law. Psalm 119:55

What a glorious thought that God would be on our minds at all times! The definition of godliness is effectively “thinking about God.” And we are sure that what we think about will translate into action. And God’s name is utterly important because His name identifies who He is. This is why you will see “Yahweh” rather than “the LORD” in the Scripture quotations in this book. God’s name, revealed in the OT, is not “the LORD,” but YHWH (commonly called the Tetragrammaton and anglicized as Yahweh).1414 See Dan Phillips, “Undisciplined Rant about Yahweh/LORD,” Biblical Christianity (blog), December 2004.

Remember that this is the 7th verse in the Zayin octet. Herein, we see the diametrically opposed forces of the righteous and the insolent. The one who loves God and keeps His commandments is starkly contrasted with those who reject His law. The psalmist sings of God’s statutes in and to his own heart, takes comfort from remembering God’s judgments, and keeps God’s law despite the derision of evildoers. Thus, it is fitting that his comfort in the night is the simple remembrance of God’s name.

And how does God’s name comfort? God’s name tells us much about Him. YHWH means “He is.” It is a proclamation of God’s simplicity, immutability, impassibility, and solitariness. Our God is not composed of part or any pre-existing stuff, He cannot change (so we can trust His promises), and He is not capricious in His decisions. This is where theology and “real life” collide. There are folks who will tell you “theology is nice, but I need practical application.” Yet the truth is there is nothing practical apart from right theology. That is, every man applies his theology to his life; the question is whether you have good theology.

It is also notable that night could imply that we remember God’s name even when we are surrounded by darkness of a spiritual nature. We ought to remember God’s name after sunset, sure, but how much more helpful is the recollection of God and His attributes when we are surrounded by the forces of evil while in this house of our pilgrimage?

It Is a Blessing

This is my practice, for I obey Your precepts. Psalm 119:56

To the unbelieving world, Christianity is a set of rules to follow. But to the Spirit-led saint, it is a blessing to be enabled to keep God’s law. We are wholly incapable of keeping God’s righteous commandments prior to salvation. Christ has swooped in and saved our souls, paying the penalty for us. And now, enabled by a new heart and the Spirit of Christ Himself, we greatly desire to follow God’s laws! Our desires are becoming more and more aligned with God’s will and ways as we tread the path of life.

Yet there is still a struggle! The Apostle Paul bemoans his own inability to keep God’s law while proclaiming his desire to do so: “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do. But what I hate, I do” (Romans 7:15). Christians remain in this corruptible flesh until receiving their glorified body—yet must endure that time with a spirit that is opposed to their flesh (Galatians 5:17).1515 Galatians 5:17 — For the flesh craves what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, so that you do not do what you want. The struggle is real! And dear friend, if you are facing that struggle that is actually an indicator that you have been redeemed.

So when we find that obeying God’s precepts has become “my practice,” we must come to the realization that this is also a blessing from God. (The Hebrew reads, literally, “This has been mine, that I have kept Your precepts,” which some translations render, “This blessing has fallen to me.”) For the branch can have no strength but that which the vine has provided (John 15:4).1616 John 15:4 — Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. Psalm 119 has many prayers of supplication (Psalm 119:8, 26, 31, 64),1717 Psalm 119:8, 26, 31, 64 — ⁸I will keep Your statutes; do not utterly forsake me. … ²⁶I recounted my ways, and You answered me; teach me Your statutes. … ³¹I cling to Your testimonies, O Yahweh; let me not be put to shame. … ⁶⁴The earth is filled with Your loving devotion, O Yahweh; teach me Your statutes. but here is a prayer of praise and thanksgiving, though it appears disguised as a simple proclamation.

Recognizing that any success in keeping God’s precepts is a gift from God ought to evoke similar praise and thanksgiving on our part. We must see our own obedience to God as a blessing, and then we will properly rise and praise Him (Psalm 119:62).1818 Psalm 119:62 — At midnight I rise to give You thanks for Your righteous judgments.

Feast on Christ!

Yahweh is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words. Psalm 119:57

What is your portion, O child of God? Where do you get your sustenance for the day? Our Lord taught us to pray “Give us this day our daily bread,” (Matthew 6:11) and told us that “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

It is a miserable man who is surrounded by friends and yet is lonely, but we can understand that phenomenon. Even stranger would be a man who starves to death in a house full of food. But the man or woman of God who isn’t regularly feasting on the Word of God, (even Christ Himself), is to be most pitied. For Christ is always there (Hebrews 7:25)11 Hebrews 7:25 — Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them. for us, and His bounty never runs out. Though you feed 5,000 others, giving them your own meager portion, you will depart with a load of grace greater than what you began with.

Now once you have digested the sweet Words of Christ, what else is there to do but to keep them? “You are what you eat” is spiritually axiomatic and produces more startling effects on our soul than junk food does on our body. For when we eat junk food it quickly passes out of our system. Ingesting spiritual junk food should bring to mind candy on the teeth: it breeds decay and leaves us craving nutrition—but we still have a hankering for the junk. Fill your soul with the honey of God’s Word, the meat of deep doctrine, and the fellowship of the saints, and you will find yourself not only willing but able to keep God’s words. Be transformed by the power of God through the renewing of your mind!

It’s Always by Grace!

I have sought Your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your promise. Psalm 119:58

As we have seen a number of times already in previous portions of Psalm 119, the psalmist follows up a commitment to faithfulness with an earnest plea to the Lord of grace to help him keep it. There is a sense of desperation in his words: “I have sought Your face,” as David knows that apart from Yahweh, he can do no good thing. It is with all his heart that he seeks the Lord’s face and asks Him to be gracious to him, and we trust that earnest prayers to God for grace will be swiftly answered.

God has told us to love Him with all our hearts, so we also pray with all our hearts and cast our cares on Him with all our hearts. God loves to give His children good gifts (Matthew 7:11),22 Matthew 7:11 — So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! and there is no greater gift than the gift of holiness. Commit to keeping God’s Word, ask Him to assist you with all your heart, and then grab hold of the grace that is certain to abound. We serve a God who has already given us His Son! Will He not also freely give us all things (Romans 8:32)?33 Romans 8:32 — He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things? Does He withhold anything good from His child? (Psalm 84:11)44 Psalm 84:11 — For Yahweh God is a sun and a shield; Yahweh gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity.

God had promised to send a messiah, a deliverer. And now we live on the other end of that promise. We have seen the Christ. We know of His glorious resurrection and ascension into Heaven. Yet we still cling to the promise of future deliverance and the promise of present help in times of trouble. We enjoy present justification, but we continue to look forward to glorification. This earthly experience gives us plenty of reason to doubt, but God is faithful and His Word has been established and is unchanging (Psalm 119:89).55 Psalm 119:89 — Your word, O Yahweh, is everlasting; it is firmly fixed in the heavens. But while we remain in this corruptible flesh, while we wait for when this corruptible will put on incorruptible (1 Corinthians 15:53)66 1 Corinthians 15:53 — For the perishable must be clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.—we enjoy the grace of victory over our sin and flesh!

It would have been enough if God simply forgave our sins and then promised a glorified body. We would owe Him infinite gratitude if that were all He delivered. But our God has promised more than that and is always faithful. He gives us present victory over the world (1 John 5:3–4).77 1 John 5:3–4 — ³For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, ⁴because everyone born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. Yes, we are free from the bondage to sin and enabled to keep His Word by His marvelous grace. We are saints in-deed.

Repentance Is Godliness

I considered my ways and turned my steps to Your testimonies. Psalm 119:59

Earlier in Psalm 119:26,88 Psalm 119:26 — I recounted my ways, and You answered me; teach me Your statutes. David confessed his sin and received forgiveness. Here David is thinking about his sin. There is a difference between fantasizing about your previous life of sin and meditating on it for the sake of repenting. While we are not to dwell on that which God has forgiven, it is a healthy exercise for the Christian to periodically recall who he once was and who he sometimes still can be.

Recalling our previous life of sin should fill us with great joy for the richness of the beauty of God’s grace toward us. As well, our temperament toward sinners should be one of humility. Christians are fallible and are apt to forget their own days of rebellion, resulting in poor treatment of our neighbor whom we ought to be compassionately reaching toward with the gospel. Yes, dear child of God, you are allowed (even encouraged) to hate sin. But do not forget that even your will to abhor that which is evil is a gift from God.

And as we consider our ways from of old, and move our minds toward today, how many sins must we still confess? How much of our lives is wasted on lawful but worthless pursuits? We have stopped all the outward sins—this is great and we ought to praise and thank Jesus for that. But we still have sin in our flesh, battling to come to the surface and enjoy itself for a season. We have no defense against this pernicious attack except to walk in God’s ways. When we look at our transgressions, we see that our steps were not turned toward God’s testimonies. We walked according to the prince of the power of the air for a time, and we cannot right our own course. But turning our walk and our gaze toward the reviving Word of God will bring us back into sweet fellowship with the dear Son of God through His Spirit whom He has poured out into our hearts.

Repentance Is Only Seen by Action

I hurried without hesitating to keep Your commandments. Psalm 119:60

Once we have turned our eyes toward God’s commands (Psalm 119:6)99 Psalm 119:6 — Then I would not be ashamed when I consider all Your commandments. and then pointed our feet in the right direction, we now must walk. It is the man who flees sexual immorality who escapes it (1 Corinthians 6:18),1010 1 Corinthians 6:18 — Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a man can commit is outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. not the man who dawdles amidst it. Remember Lot’s wife (Luke 17:32).1111 Luke 17:32 — Remember Lot’s wife! She did not hurry but hesitated to keep God’s commandments, and it spelled her doom. We exhibit our mind’s decision to follow God’s statutes and walk in His commandments when we outwardly head in that direction.

There is a sense of anxiety in our psalmist in the Heth octet. He seeks God’s face, positions his steps properly, and does not hesitate. Every parent knows that “delayed obedience is disobedience.” How much more true is that than with God Himself? We have no excuse to delay our obedience to God’s commands except to confess that we are often a stiff-necked people. The mature man or woman of Christ is quick to repent and show it outwardly. Not “in order to be seen” by others, but because so little pride remains they cannot bear the thought of public reproach on Christ because of their sin.

My friend, hasten your trust and obedience! Do not put off until tomorrow what God desires you to do today. Stop presuming upon His grace. Whether you are actively ensnared in sins of commission or omitting to do all that you know to be good, do not delay your repentance, and do not allow your repentance to be nothing more than a change of mind. If faith is not accompanied by works it is dead, and repentance apart from a change in course is fake repentance.

You would spit out foul tasting food the moment it touched your tongue. You’d remove your hand from a fire before you could feel the heat. Without planning, we rarely go more than a few hours without a meal. We naturally recoil from things we dislike and naturally crave that which will nourish us when we need it. So why is it that you are able to go so long without feasting on God’s Word? Why do you linger so long with sin and temptations to sin? Why does your mind not recoil from wicked thoughts as your hand from a hot flame? The answer is that a part of us still likes the sin, still finds enjoyment there rather than in Jesus.

Seek the face of the Lord today that He might grant you new desires and more holiness. Beg our Triune God to conform you to the image of His Son, no matter what the personal cost (Psalm 119:72).1212 Psalm 119:72 — The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.

The Ropes of the Wicked

Though the ropes of the wicked bind me, I do not forget Your law. Psalm 119:61

We have seen the psalmist proclaim the excellencies of loving God’s law even in the midst of trouble (Psalm 119:23).11 Psalm 119:23 — Though rulers sit and slander me, Your servant meditates on Your statutes. Now we find language reminiscent of Psalm 18. You see the same pattern here.

³I will call upon Yahweh, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies. ⁴The cords of death encompassed me; the torrents of chaos overwhelmed me. ⁵The cords of Sheol entangled me; the snares of death confronted me. ⁶In my distress I called upon Yahweh; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for His help reached His ears. ⁷Then the earth shook and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains trembled; they were shaken because He burned with anger. … ²⁰Yahweh has rewarded me according to my righteousness; He has repaid me according to the cleanness of my hands. ²¹For I have kept the ways of Yahweh and have not wickedly departed from my God. ²²For all His ordinances are before me; I have not disregarded His statutes. Psalm 18:3–7, 20–22

Notice the pattern is the same as we see in Psalm 119:57, 61.22 Psalm 119:57 — Yahweh is my portion; I have promised to keep Your words. The Psalmist seeks the face of God, the request is followed with deliverance from the cords of death. Ultimately, the psalmist proclaims his own devotion to God’s ways. With our God there is great deliverance. He is able to loosen the ropes of the wicked, even death itself. “No power of hell nor scheme of man can ever pluck us from His hand!” (In Christ Alone, Keith Getty and Stuart Townend)

There is much rejoicing when we realize that Christ Himself stands with us. Psalm 18 is no less than messianic. The ropes of the wicked bound Him, and He did not forget God’s law. It is Christ who hurried without hesitating to keep God’s commandments (Psalm 119:60).33 Psalm 119:60 — I hurried without hesitating to keep Your commandments. It is Christ who bore the wrath of God and was taken up to Heaven after His glorious resurrection. Jesus’s death caused the earth to shake (Matthew 27:51).44 Matthew 27:51 — At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, and the rocks were split. What we have here is a wonderful picture of the Savior who could not break God’s law. Yes, our savior is perfect and His law-keeping is imputed to our accounts by grace through faith.

Midnight Prayers and Praise

At midnight I rise to give You thanks for Your righteous judgments. Psalm 119:62

Again Jesus is our model of praying without ceasing. The psalmist declares that at midnight he rises to give thanks to Yahweh, and how many times do you recall Jesus praying at night? (Matthew 14:23; Mark 1:35)55 Matthew 14:23; Mark 1:35 — ²³After He had dismissed them, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone, … ³⁵Early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up and went out to a solitary place to pray. Yes, He frequently withdrew to pray (Luke 5:16).66 Luke 5:16 — Yet He frequently withdrew to the wilderness to pray. And we ought to follow His lead. But what kind of prayer life might we claim to have if we are never inconvenienced as the result of it? Shall we rest in our beds all night and never interrupt our sleep to commune with our God?

David knew the value of alone time with God. Christian history is replete with men and women who were pleased to rise early in the morning to pray. Men and women of God usually have very full lives. Their lives are full of activities and busy-ness which often makes for a “hit the ground running approach” to the day. Godly men and women often find themselves waking up at odd times to ensure that they get their prayer time in for the day. I remember hearing of an evangelist who I assume took this verse quite literally and set his alarm for midnight every day and prayed for a half an hour. When asked about it, he said it was hard at times but now he can’t imagine life without that time.

And what better reason have we for consistent prayer and praise than looking to God’s righteous judgments and being reminded of His perfections. When we consider God’s law we feel small and Christ appears large. God’s righteous judgments keep us turned in the right direction in our walk (Psalm 119:105)77 Psalm 119:105 — Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. and are consistent helps in our sanctification. His law was effective in our justification process to bring us to our knees exclaiming “What must I do to be saved?” And His righteous judgments even have a good effect on lost souls who, although they deny God in their heart, cannot help but try to at least outwardly follow the law which has been written on their hearts (Romans 2:15).88 Romans 2:15 — So they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them

Friend

I am a friend to all who fear You, and to those who keep Your precepts. Psalm 119:63

If you have been following along through the journey through Psalm 119, consider this: this is the first time in this psalm that there is any reference to anyone other than the psalmist, God, or the wicked. Yes, up to this verse, there is no reference to other people of God. But God has put it here for us to study and digest and that we must do.

So what do we see? We see the common Old Testament concept for salvation: all who fear You followed by a description of the people of God: those who keep Your precepts. Lest we forget our soteriology 101 basics, we do not keep God’s precepts in order to be justified, but we fear God and keep His precepts because we are justified. Salvation has always been by grace through faith alone, and only in Christ. But one of the promised blessings of salvation is that we are made one with Christ…and thus, one with the rest of His bride, the church. Therefore, we are friends to all who fear Him!

We have been united with Christ and every other believer in a special way which breeds love, tender-heartedness, compassion, and friendship. When your brother or sister suffers, you suffer as well (Romans 12:15),99 Romans 12:15 — Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. and to the extent that we are able we ought to be involved in each others’ lives (1 John 3:17–18).1010 1 John 3:17–18 — ¹⁷If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him? ¹⁸Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth. When Jesus departed, He told the disciples, “And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20) and “You are My friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:14). What we have is an ever-present Savior. We have a companion for life, eternity even. What a blessing!

The Loving Devotion of Christ

The earth is filled with Your loving devotion, O Yahweh; teach me Your statutes. Psalm 119:64

Although the psalmist never repeats an entire thought throughout this blessed psalm, he does repeat “teach me Your statutes.” The phrase is uttered 7 times! We must, like the psalmist frequently ask God for this grace. He will not ignore the earnest cry of His child. God hears the prayers of His people (Psalm 34:15; 1 Peter 3:12).1111 Psalm 34:15; 1 Peter 3:12 — ¹⁵The eyes of Yahweh are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry. … ¹²For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” James tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). Have you been praying like the psalmist? Solomon asked for wisdom and received a generous portion, but he asked without pretense.

⁹Therefore give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people and to discern between good and evil. For who is able to govern this great people of Yours?” ¹⁰Now it pleased the Lord that Solomon had made this request. ¹¹So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this instead of requesting long life or wealth for yourself or death for your enemies—but you have asked for discernment to administer justice— … ¹³Moreover, I will give you what you did not request—both riches and honor—so that during all your days no man in any kingdom will be your equal. 1 Kings 3:9–11, 13

Have you been tempted to pray like Solomon? That is, to ask God for wisdom, or blessings upon others, while secretly hoping He would bestow an abundance of material blessings upon you as He did with that son of David? What pernicious evil it is for us to think we can fool God in this way! Blessed are the pure in heart, we are told. Any fool can repeat a godly man’s words. But how many can pray like the Son of David, “Not My will, but Yours be done” and actually mean it? Oh, dear Christian, it is time to take more seriously the heartlessness of your prayers and beg God for mercy. Thanks be to God it is the Spirit who makes intercession for us when we don’t know how to pray!

And what motivation to know God’s statutes and to live in them but His loving devotion. God’s loving devotion equals salvation toward the elect. Our God is angry with lawbreakers daily. Look to His holy law! In reference to idolatry in Exodus 20:5,1212 Exodus 20:5 — You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, Yahweh your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on their children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, He tells us He will visit the iniquity of the fathers on the children up to four generations! God’s purpose of election will stand, and those who are born destined to disobey God are often placed providentially in these circumstances where God’s generational curses live on.

But God…oh the two sweetest words to the soul…but God shows loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments (Exodus 20:6).1313 Exodus 20:6 — but showing loving devotion to a thousand generations of those who love Me and keep My commandments. We have a repetition of standard OT phrases which simply refer to “My Elect” and therefore also, “My elect.” Yes, if you are in Christ (God’s Elect) then you are one of “God’s elect,” and you have the hopeful expectation that God’s loving devotion fills the earth. God will save a people from every tribe, tongue, and nation and it is because God is love that there is any hope at all for the whole world. He is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world—yes the earth is filled with His loving devotion which endures forever, amen!

Here is where we arrive at the meat and potatoes of Psalm 119: the Teth octet. Why do God’s people suffer affliction? Are they not to be rewarded for their love and devotion to Him? What message does it portray to the unbelieving world when God cannot even protect His own from evil and affliction? These are the questions that are tossed around by the wicked and the well-meaning. God has given us understanding in His word that we might begin to experience great comfort in the midst of trials.

God Is Good to You

You are good to Your servant, O Yahweh, according to Your word. Psalm 119:65

As we approach the eighth of twenty-two octets in this glorious psalm, we find the psalmist once again proclaiming the goodness of God. It is important that God’s people offer Him praise and there is no higher praise than to proclaim what God has revealed to us about Himself. It is God who is good to His servant according to His word!

First, take note of the posture of the prayer. The psalmist approaches God as God’s “servant.” There is no misunderstanding here between the creature and his God. We were made to serve the Lord (Romans 12:11),11 Romans 12:11 — Do not let your zeal subside; keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. and that begins with our attitude. You know whether you have a servant’s heart by how you respond when someone treats you like one. It is nearly impossible for us, in our flesh, to humble ourselves, but Christ our portion humbled Himself, even unto death on a cross (Philippians 2:7–8).22 Philippians 2:7–8 — ⁷but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness. ⁸And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross.

Next, note that the psalmist relates what he knows about God back to God’s word. See the repetition of this phrase “according to Your word” in our psalm and in reference to God’s promised resurrection of the Messiah! (Psalm 119:9, 25, 28, 65, 169; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4)33 Psalm 119:9, 25, 28, 169; 1 Corinthians 15:3–4 — ⁹How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word. … ²⁵My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to Your word. … ²⁸My soul melts with sorrow; strengthen me according to Your word. … ¹⁶⁹May my cry come before You, O Yahweh; give me understanding according to Your word. … ³For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, ⁴that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, It is not even worth evaluating your life’s circumstances if you refuse to hold them up to the perfect Word of Truth. It is the promises of Yahweh, as contained in the Bible, that we can count on. We, like David and even Jesus, cannot trust God for something He hasn’t promised. This is a root heresy of the wicked health and wealth gospel—counting on God to deliver something which isn’t promised in His Word.

Dear soul, you are still to hope for the best and pray—believing that God can do all things—but you must refuse to set God up to fail by trusting Him for something which may not be His intention to deliver. How many souls have made a shipwreck of their faith in this way? Unanswered prayer is pure soil for the seed of faithlessness unless it has been tempered by “Your will be done.” Let us plant the seed of our faith in the good soil of trusting God for that which is unseen but promised in the Bible.

Teach Me!

Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in Your commandments. Psalm 119:66

Our posture towards God, once again, is one of humility. The very first sin in the garden included not only the desire to be made wise like God (Genesis 3:5)44 Genesis 3:5 — “For God knows that in the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” but in a sense, Adam and Eve had to presume that they already knew more than God in order to disobey in the first place. The born-again child of God hungers for the good judgment and knowledge that only comes from God. As we travel deeper into the great psalm, we find an enormous amount of repetition of “teach me” (Psalm 119:12, 33, 26, 64, 68, 108, 124, 135, 171) without any complete repetition of a verse. Much could be said here about the unfathomable depth of God’s wisdom as found in the scripture!

But I will say that this is a very brave and faithful prayer! God’s teaching generally comes in one of two ways. Men seem to either believe what God has said at face value through personal study or sitting under anointed preaching, OR we are taught God’s precepts through suffering. Weak men do not put up a fight when God’s word reveals something contrary to their desires. Those who believe they are strong (for we are all weak, 1 Corinthians 1:27)55 1 Corinthians 1:27 — But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. are often brought very low in order that they might be humble enough to receive the plain teaching of God. It is axiomatic that men are either humble or they are humbled. Every knee will bow to the Lord Jesus Christ one day, the most humble of all.

Thus, this prayer is brave because it will almost certainly be answered through affliction. And it’s faithful because it is an acknowledgment that God’s ways are still best. Our psalmist is not ashamed to beg for wisdom from God, and he appeals to the fact that he believes in God’s commandments. The man who is walking in obedience to God exhibits his faith, and it is most assuredly the type of man that God will entrust with more than He has already granted him. The man who desires good judgment and knowledge that he may serve God better is much to be preferred over the man who desires these qualities for his own gain. This is why we appeal for knowledge and wisdom according to love and delight in God’s commandments.

Afflicted by God?

Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now I keep Your word. Psalm 119:67

The psalmist says that he was afflicted after going astray. He spends half the verses in this same octet defending God’s character (Psalm 119:65, 68, 71, 72).66 Psalm 119:71, 72 — ⁷¹It was good for me to be afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes. … ⁷²The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver. It’s almost as if he is taking pains to address the fact that God could’ve prevented His affliction but that God is good nevertheless. Here is one of those rubber meets the road moments in the Christian life. Do we love God because of the temporary circumstantial benefits He has afforded us or because He is worthy of all our affection? Is our devotion to Him truly rooted in the fact that we’ve been grafted into the Vine, or is our loyalty reserved for when we feel right about Him with our creaturely senses?

The correlation between going astray and being afflicted tells us that the affliction was actually sent by God for the purification of His child. The Lord disciplines those whom He loves (Hebrews 12:6),77 Hebrews 12:6 — For the Lord disciplines the one He loves, and He chastises every son He receives.” and none of His adopted sons will avoid His love! When we are found to be going astray, it is God who sends calamity (Isaiah 45:5–7).88 Isaiah 45:5–7 — ⁵I am Yahweh, and there is no other; there is no God but Me. I will equip you for battle, though you have not known Me, ⁶so that all may know, from where the sun rises to where it sets, that there is none but Me; I am Yahweh, and there is no other. ⁷I form the light and create the darkness; I bring prosperity and create calamity. I, Yahweh, do all these things. God has appointed for His saints to experience suffering and affliction because He is good and because He loves them. It is grace upon grace for a sinner to experience the forgiveness of God. How much more to be counted worthy to suffer shame because you identify with His Son (Acts 5:41; 1 Peter 4:13–14, 16)?99 Acts 5:41; 1 Peter 4:13–14, 16 — ⁴¹The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. … ¹³But rejoice that you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed at the revelation of His glory. ¹⁴If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. … ¹⁶But if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but glorify God that you bear that name.

And what is our response to this grace? Shall we sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! The response of the blood-bought sinner turned saint to God’s precious and holy law is a desire to obey. We have a new nature—we are alive in Christ and now we respond to the chastening of the Lord like a child to the rod! Finally, do not miss the picture of our Messiah here. Jesus never went astray, of course, but He was afflicted by God due to our straying, was He not? He was afflicted because we went astray (Isaiah 53:4, 6).1010 Isaiah 53:4, 6 — ⁴Surely He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. … ⁶We all like sheep have gone astray, each one has turned to his own way; and Yahweh has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all. He BECAME sin who knew no sin—for our sake (2 Corinthians 5:21).1111 2 Corinthians 5:21 — God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. Jesus suffered the affliction which was deserved by those for whom He died and always kept God’s word! All your earthly affliction is meant to remind you that He already paid the full price for you. Rather than viewing your earthly suffering as a sign of God’s dissatisfaction with you, view it as it is meant: to set your mind on Christ’s sacrifice on your behalf in order to provide you with assurance. Rest in that today!

God Is Good…So Learn!

You are good, and You do what is good; teach me Your statutes. Psalm 119:68

We have seen the affliction of the Lord exonerated by His goodness. And this is, once again, the key to our joy in this life. God is good and can do no wrong. Notice how the psalmist emphasized God’s being and doing. God is good. That is, goodness is who He is. Everything about God is good. There is no attribute of God that can be divorced from His goodness. And His intrinsic goodness means that all that He does is good. When He created, it was good (Genesis 1:10, 31).1212 Genesis 1:10, 31 — ¹⁰God called the dry land “earth,” and the gathering of waters He called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. … ³¹And God looked upon all that He had made, and indeed, it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day. When God sent plagues on the Egyptians, He was good. When God sent Jesus to die, He was good. In fact, it is a deficiency of creatures that we speak of God as if He was at all governed by time. We cannot help but use terms like “God was good,” when we speak of a past event in time. But God IS, God was, and God is to come (Revelation 1:4, 8; 4:8)!1313 Revelation 1:4, 8; 4:8 — ⁴John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from Him who is and was and is to come, and from the seven spirits before His throne, … ⁸“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty. … ⁸And each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around and within. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” He is unchangeably good.

Because God is good we once again ask to be taught His statutes. His law and His word are how we learn about His goodness. Sin is defined by James as he who knows what is good to do and does it not (James 4:17).1414 James 4:17 — Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin. We need to understand that God is good in such a way that He is more than just not bad or not wrong. Jesus didn’t just not violate the commandments, but He also fulfilled all righteousness (Matthew 3:15).1515 Matthew 3:15 — “Let it be so now,” Jesus replied. “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” Then John permitted Him. That is, every good thing that ought to have been done, Jesus did. We rest in this fact, brothers and sisters! His righteousness has been imputed to His elect, and that is our motivation for our good works that God prepared beforehand (Ephesians 2:10).1616 Ephesians 2:10 — For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.

The born-again adopted child of God desires to do good all the days of his life (1 Peter 3:10; Psalm 34:12).1717 1 Peter 3:10; Psalm 34:12 — ¹⁰For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. … ¹²Who is the man who delights in life, who desires to see good days? Just like we master a trade or a skill for our job or so that we might better enjoy a hobby, we devote ourselves to learning God’s ways in response to the grace He has already bestowed upon us. And while we do so, we humbly request that He would teach us, accepting that He is good regardless of how we are made to learn.

Smearing with Lies

Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep Your precepts with all my heart. Psalm 119:69

We’ve seen throughout Psalm 119 that the psalmist is no stranger to affliction. He is humble, honest, and strives to serve the Lord with all his heart. He proclaims this again in the second half of this verse (I keep Your precepts with all my heart). So it is no surprise that worldly men—insolent, proud, boasting, irrational beasts—smear him with lies. Indeed, it is the only way to smear the elect of God (1 Peter 3:16),11 1 Peter 3:16 — keeping a clear conscience, so that those who slander you may be put to shame by your good behavior in Christ. for God’s servants strive to live lives which are above reproach. Worldlings have no choice but to make up falsehoods (Psalm 119:78)22 Psalm 119:78 — May the arrogant be put to shame for subverting me with a lie; I will meditate on Your precepts. about God’s people when they keep His precepts with all their heart.

And Who else is the fulfillment of this but the Christ Himself? Do you recall that “many” bore false witness against Him in order that He might be crucified (Mark 14:56–57)?33 Mark 14:56–57 — ⁵⁶For many bore false witness against Jesus, but their testimony was inconsistent. ⁵⁷Then some men stood up and testified falsely against Him: God is not opposed to humble men, but to the proud (1 Peter 5:5; James 4:10).44 1 Peter 5:5; James 4:10 — ⁵Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” … ¹⁰Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you. In a pathetic retaliation against the Almighty, proud men opposed even God’s own Son. Conspiring to murder an innocent man is wicked in its own right, but to smear Him with lies in order that you may feel virtuous about your evil is unthinkable. But thanks be to God for Jesus Christ our Lord who endured cruel and unjust treatment while keeping God’s precepts with all His heart. You, dear saint, enjoy the reward for His Righteousness through imputation if you have believed.

Fat Hearts

Their hearts are callous and insensitive, but I delight in Your law. Psalm 119:70

Referring to “the arrogant,” David/Jesus cries out to God to hear him in his distress. The evildoers that seek his life have hearts that are callous and insensitive (Isaiah 6:10)55 Isaiah 6:10 — Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”—in the Hebrew, their heart is like fat. It is as if their center of emotion is so overcome by fat no senses can get to the nerves. They are merciless as they dole out punishment to God’s servant (Psalm 17:10).66 Psalm 17:10 — They have closed their callous hearts; their mouths speak with arrogance. God has put enough of a conscience in even some of the most wicked men such that the devices they torment others with seem to have some limit, but not so with David’s aggressors, nor the Lord Jesus’. Their tools and mechanisms of hate know no bounds, and they lack the ability to relate to their victims.

Our world still has a special place for psychopathic killers. Those who lack empathy and, apparently, any conscience are despised even by the heathen. Yet it is this type of person whom God describes as the oppressor of the righteous. Insolent, proud, and arrogant, men who are dull of heart crucified our Lord, and they’ll crucify His saints too, if given the chance—and your average heathen will cheer them on while signaling his or her virtue in regards to something like saving trees or animals. And a primary reason Jesus was killed is that His works were righteous (1 John 3:12),77 1 John 3:12 — Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous. and for that same reason His followers have no reason to hope for better treatment (John 15:20).88 John 15:20 — Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well. Delighting in God’s law will bring you persecution, but it is also the expected fruit of that persecution. Holding fast during times of trial provides comfort to the weary and unassured soul.

Reflections on Afflictions

It was good for me to be afflicted, that I might learn Your statutes. Psalm 119:71

James tells us to count it all joy when you meet various trials because these trials lead to your perfection (James 1:2–4)99 James 1:2–4 — ²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.. There is something about affliction that draws even the stubbornest of saints toward their God. Most of us can say in retrospect, yes I am glad that “such and such” happened because if not I would not have drawn near to God. God is gracious to always be sanctifying us; even when we don’t know the purpose of our suffering, we can be confident it is for good. Not only that it is for good—but for our good.

And what is better than God’s statutes? We have already seen the psalmist extol them throughout this wonderful psalm (Psalm 119:54, 16, 112).1010 Psalm 119:54, 16, 112 — ⁵⁴Your statutes are songs to me in the house of my pilgrimage. … ¹⁶I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word. … ¹¹²I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes, even to the very end. God’s statutes refer to His laws, commandments, decrees, and ordinances. Statutes prescribe “minimum and maximum” levels to our behavior. God’s statutes teach us both what is right to do and what is wrong to do. Conversely, God’s statutes explain what would be wrong to fail to do and what is right to avoid doing. God’s law contains commands that are positive (love your neighbor) and negative (you shall not steal). And while we receive revelation through the Bible, it seems to be statutory that God impresses these truths on our hearts and minds through the fire of affliction. We are sick with sin and God’s prescription is affliction leading to wisdom.

Nothing Compares to You

The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver. Psalm 119:72

As we move out of the furnace of affliction, we learn the true heart of a saint. David wrote of God’s judgments: “They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold” (Psalm 19:10), and here he reiterates this cardinal truth. There is no question that God’s law is valuable. But by comparing it to the greatest wealth this fallen world has to offer, David reminds us just what we must be willing to sacrifice for it. Jesus said no man is worthy of me who clings to earthly treasures rather than following me (Matthew 6:19–20; 10:37–38; Mark 10:29).1111 Matthew 6:19–20; 10:37–38; Mark 10:29 — ¹⁹Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. … ³⁷Anyone who loves his father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me; ³⁸and anyone who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me. … ²⁹“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the gospel The law of God’s mouth, His revealed Word, is similarly valuable. Jesus is the Word incarnate, and we can rightly see that His law and Word are of more value than anything this world has to offer.

This is why we must be willing to sacrifice for the gospel of our Lord Jesus. In a world of compromise, Christians who will stand firm on God’s law despite financial distress or even ruin are a breath of fresh air. Not all of us will be called to make a major sacrifice for our faith, or be sued out of house and home for refusing to cave in to a reprobate culture. But we are all daily faced with decisions to obey God in ways that will prove to be less immediately prosperous. Having integrity at your job may mean you end up passed over for a promotion or are hated by your less honest colleagues. Taking care of your family instead of investing all you can into your dream career may mean a lower salary or less prestigious position. But obeying God’s law is better than all the money in the world.

Do you seek God’s law like it’s better than thousands of gold and silver pieces? That is, do you plumb the depths of scripture and search for its meaning like you would a buried treasure (Proverbs 2:4)?1212 Proverbs 2:4 — if you seek it like silver and search it out like hidden treasure,1313 Hat tip to Dan Phillips for this analogy, from God’s Wisdom in Proverbs. Do you put as much effort into Bible study as you do into your schooling which is intended to help you make money one day? Are you as interested in knowing God and His law as you are in having financial wisdom? The way you treat God’s Word each day is your indicator light. Do a self-evaluation now, dear Christian, and decide if your check engine light is on, indicating your need to dive back into a more earnest study of God’s law and Word.

As we leave the Teth octet and enter Yodh, we see the psalmist following up a section primarily devoted to affliction with a portion expounding on the attributes of God. Everything about God is perfect and good and is our proper meditation in this life, resulting in the peace that surpasses understanding and comfort while suffering. Let’s focus our minds on who Christ is as we traverse verses 73-76.

Gracious Creator

Your hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding to learn Your commandments. Psalm 119:73

Understanding and acknowledging that God is our Creator is out of style today. We cannot suppose it was ever popular for the heathen to think this way, but if Scripture is to be our guide, a focus on God as Creator as well as proclamation of God as Creator is evident. The Bible itself speaks of God in Genesis: “In the beginning, God created…” This is what some call an undeniable presupposition. That is, apart from thinking within the framework “In the beginning, God created,” nothing we do or say will make any sense.

God Himself reiterates this point when giving the law to Moses, establishing the Sabbath Day. For in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day (Exodus 20:11, emphasis mine).11 Exodus 20:11 — For in six days Yahweh made the heavens and the earth and the sea and all that is in them, but on the seventh day He rested. Therefore Yahweh blessed the Sabbath day and set it apart as holy. When asked what God he serves, our brother Jonah replies, “I am a Hebrew… I worship Yahweh, the God of the heavens, who made the sea and the dry land” (Jonah 1:9, emphasis mine). When Paul preached in Athens it was how he introduced God: “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples made by human hands” (Acts 17:24). We have no precedent for avoiding this core doctrine of our faith in our own lives or our proclamation of Christ to the world.

What is the result of rejecting this self-evident truth? Uselessness. Paul warns us in his epistle to the saints in Rome:

¹⁸The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness. ¹⁹For what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. ²⁰For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood from His workmanship, so that men are without excuse. ²¹For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. Romans 1:18–21

Note the pattern: first men deny God as Creator, then their minds become futile. But what about those who affirm the truth of God as Creator and praise Him for it? For us, there is only grace, and we are right to call on our Lord to supply grace even to be able to learn His commandments, for unless God should reveal it to us, all knowledge is concealed from the creaturely.

Redeemed? Rejoice!

May those who fear You see me and rejoice, for I have hoped in Your word. Psalm 119:74

Spurgeon is credited with saying, “Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you’re not saved yourself, be sure of that!” It is the burden of every true Christian to take part in the Great Commission: the making of disciples of all nations. When we think of David praising God with these words: May those who fear You see me and rejoice, for I have hoped in Your word, we see a picture of the saints gathered, rejoicing in the salvation of even one soul. Jesus repeats this sentiment to His disciples in a parable.

⁵And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders, ⁶comes home, and calls together his friends and neighbors to tell them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep!’ ⁷I tell you that in the same way there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous ones who do not need to repent. Luke 15:5–7

God is glorified when sinners are saved because it magnifies the mercy of God in His forbearance, the grace of God in His forgiveness, and the justice of God in the propitiatory sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Ergo, those who love and fear God rejoice when a sinner repents; not only because a sinner was saved and trusted in God’s Word, but because God is glorified.

More than that, when we understand this verse (as well as verse 75) through the lens of Jesus being the speaker, we see a truth that cannot be denied. Those who fear God (the redeemed) shall rejoice when they see Jesus. It isn’t that they are seeing David or some unnamed sinner. It is the sight of our Lord Jesus that causes us to rejoice because He has hoped in God’s word. There was never a time Jesus didn’t uphold the authority, inerrancy, and sufficiency of Scripture…and that is cause for rejoicing. Why? Because it is the unbreakable Scripture and the perfect obedience of Christ Jesus that is our only hope.

Loving Sovereign

I know, O Yahweh, that Your judgments are righteous, and that in faithfulness You have afflicted me. Psalm 119:75

For most of my life, I have heard that Psalm 119 is “that psalm about God’s Word.” But octet after octet, this psalm proves to be just as much about the affliction of God’s people. Many are the afflictions of the righteous (Psalm 34:19)22 Psalm 34:19 — Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but Yahweh delivers him from them all. and in this world, you will have tribulation (John 16:33).33 John 16:33 — I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!” Rather than interpret this as depressing, this fact is meant to bring joy to Christians as they realize that they are not alone in this world. When you, dear saint, face overwhelming tribulation, do you not find it comforting that you are neither the first nor the last? Is it not of insurmountable sympathy that the Son of God Himself endured affliction for your sake? And so we find ourselves, once again at the crossroads of sovereignty and suffering. How we view our affliction is a direct result of our theology of God.

And it is with Yahweh and His righteous judgments that the psalmist begins this argument. There is no doubt that David, Christ, and every one of us hates affliction by nature. We are designed to desire comfort. That there will be no tears in Heaven (Revelation 21:4)44 Revelation 21:4 — ‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.” is a maxim even those who do not know Christ can sing with certainty. Only warped minds make affliction their goal. So when we encounter affliction, we must view it under the umbrella of God’s sovereignty. As we saw earlier, God is our Creator—we don’t live in a random-chance-universe. Everything that happens to you happens as part of God’s decree. So how do we reconcile bad things happening with a good God? The answer begins (at least in part) by recognizing the futility of the question itself. Psalm 119:75 and the Bible teach us that 1) God’s judgments are righteous and 2) when saints are afflicted, He is still faithful.

That is to say that it is precisely because God is good that we experience affliction. Because God is faithful to conform us to the image of Christ (Romans 8:29),55 Romans 8:29 — For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers. we must suffer. Because God is not a liar, saints will face tribulation in this world (1 John 3:12–13).66 1 John 3:12–13 — ¹²Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous. ¹³So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. As the result of the Father’s unfailing love toward Christ and His bride, those who hate Christ will also hate His Body and Bride and treat her shamefully. We, the church, are the image of the invisible God in this world, the Body of Christ. The heathen rage (Psalm 2:2–3)77 Psalm 2:2–3 — ²The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against Yahweh and against His Anointed One: ³“Let us break Their chains and cast away Their cords.” against God but can do nothing to bring Him harm. But the church, the tangible evidence of the God of Scripture is fair game. Do not be deceived, brethren, friendship with the world is enmity with God (James 4:4).88 James 4:4 — You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God. Conversely, friendship with God will result in enmity with the world! Rejoice (James 1:2)99 James 1:2 — Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, that your affliction is evidence of God’s sovereign unfailing love toward you in Christ.

Compassionate Faithfulness

May Your loving devotion comfort me, I pray, according to Your promise to Your servant. Psalm 119:76

As we near the center of the Yodh octet, the gears switch. Up to this point, this octet has been full of declarations of truth about God and reality. It was veritable praise leading to a series of supplications. It is a good thing for prayer to begin with praise to God followed by our requests. Too often we saints call upon God in our time of distress only making requests of God but not praising Him. “But God knows my heart,” you say…but out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks! Your heart’s disposition toward our Lord must always be one of recalling His righteous character and good works, and then your supplications will be proper. It isn’t that God needs to hear you praise Him as much as that praising Him is what is best for you, even when you have something you need to bring to the throne of grace*.*

So it is with that in mind that David makes his supplication. He wants comfort, and he specifically asks the Lord to let the loving devotion of God comfort him. It should be well-understood by now that suffering is appointed to the Christian (Philippians 1:29).1010 Philippians 1:29 — For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him, Affliction is not a sign of condemnation (read Romans 8), but is part and parcel of the process of sanctification. The existence of suffering requires purpose. What is the most common question we hear? “If there is a God, why is there so much suffering?” And it is here that we adopt the doctrine of sovereign love directed suffering. Saint, if you are in Christ Jesus today, your suffering is not in vain, in fact, it was designed specifically by our perfectly loving God who controls all things for your best!

Note that David doesn’t ask to be delivered from his affliction, but rather that he would be comforted such that he might endure it. It is right and good to ask for deliverance from the afflictions this world hurls at us, and God often provides an escape. But His grace is sufficient for you (2 Corinthians 12:8–9)1111 2 Corinthians 12:8–9 — ⁸Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me. even when He doesn’t (Daniel 3:17–18).1212 Daniel 3:17–18 — ¹⁷If the God whom we serve exists, then He is able to deliver us from the blazing fiery furnace and from your hand, O king. ¹⁸But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden statue you have set up.” The most fondly looked upon saints in history built themselves up in the faith (Jude 1:20)1313 Jude 1:20 — But you, beloved, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, through their own suffering which led to earnest prayer. And they, like the faithful ones of Hebrews 11, looked forward to God’s promise to His servant to endure. It is the hope of Heaven that allows weak vessels to remain faithful during suffering. It is the promise that God will not lose any of His sheep that provides the strength to do good in the midst of evil. And it is the comfort we find in God’s loving devotion toward us that motivates us to be still and know that He is God when the only hope we have is that He will do all that He has promised, even when all earthly evidence appears to the contrary.

Set your mind on things that are above us!

In the second half of the Yodh octet, we continue the series of supplications that David is making of the Lord. In Psalm 119:76,11 Psalm 119:76 — May Your loving devotion comfort me, I pray, according to Your promise to Your servant. he refers to God’s promise of salvation and his desire for the comfort of God’s loving devotion. The last four verses of that section build on that theme.

God the Merciful Lawgiver

May Your compassion come to me, that I may live, for Your law is my delight. Psalm 119:77

Verse 77 is the natural result of this progression. First the psalmist reminds himself (and us) of God’s loving devotion toward him (and us) in the forgiveness of his sins on the basis of Christ’s atonement (looking forward to messiah for the psalmist). Once any sinner has been granted such grace, the natural result is to love the grace-giver. Once we are made aware of the sacrifice it took to expiate our sins, it is natural to love the schoolmaster that first made us aware of our sins.

And what was the schoolmaster that brought us to Christ? God’s law, of course (Galatians 3:24)!22 Galatians 3:24 — So the law became our guardian to lead us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. It is through knowledge of God’s law that we realize our sinfulness and our need for a Savior, and it is through God’s law that we encounter the reality of Jesus’ perfect righteousness. The God-man who never violated God’s law is very much revealed through the study of God’s law. Think about it, you can know a lot about a man by the company he keeps. You can know even more about him when you consider the standards he aspires to, as well as those that he actually achieves. So the Christian finds his delight in God’s law (Psalm 119:47–48)33 Psalm 119:47–48 — ⁴⁷I delight in Your commandments because I love them. ⁴⁸I lift up my hands to Your commandments, which I love, and I meditate on Your statutes. because God’s law reveals Jesus to him.

And so, with our minds set upon delighting in God’s law, we request compassion. I do not think the compassion (or mercy) spoken of here is salvific mercy, but rather it’s a request for God’s continual tender mercy toward His children. The Christian has already received mercy (Titus 3:5)44 Titus 3:5 — He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. unto justification. The psalmist here is praying that God will be merciful to him as a dear child as the result of his love for his Heavenly Father’s law. John writes that “we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight” (1 John 3:22). There is a continuous relationship between the child of God and his Father which is enriched by man’s obedience to God’s commandments—a direct result of finding his delight therein.

Put the Arrogant to Shame?

May the arrogant be put to shame for subverting me with a lie; I will meditate on Your precepts. Psalm 119:78

It is the psalmist’s deepest wish that he himself not be put to shame, yet for the insolent, the proud and boasting, being put to shame is the psalmist’s prayer. When a believer is confronted with slander from God’s enemies, it is a natural response to wish to see the destruction of the prideful. Asaph lamented the prosperity of the wicked at least in part because when the wicked prosper it mars the character of God in the eyes of the heathen (Psalm 73:11).55 Psalm 73:11 — The wicked say, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?” God’s patience toward sinners is too often mistaken for a tolerance of sin (Psalm 42:3; 79:10; 115:2).66 Psalm 42:3; 79:10; 115:2 — ³My tears have been my food both day and night, while men ask me all day long, “Where is your God?” … ¹⁰Why should the nations ask, “Where is their God?” Before our eyes, make known among the nations Your vengeance for the bloodshed of Your servants. … ²Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” “Where is your God?” spew the heathen.

So it is here for the first time in Psalm 119 that we truly see what is called an imprecatory prayer. Up to this point, David has exercised great patience toward his enemies. But in the 78th verse, we see a shift. Do you notice the shift? Throughout Psalm 119, David endures his own anger (Psalm 119:53),77 Psalm 119:53 — Rage has taken hold of me because of the wicked who reject Your law. and whenever he references the proud or his enemies, the focus has been his own determination to trust in God (Psalm 119:23, 61, 69).88 Psalm 119:23, 61, 69 — ²³Though rulers sit and slander me, Your servant meditates on Your statutes. … ⁶¹Though the ropes of the wicked bind me, I do not forget Your law. … ⁶⁹Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep Your precepts with all my heart. But even the best of men are men at best, and David is a man. Even a man after God’s own heart is capable of being so full of anger that he wishes judgment on his enemies. But this is a noble thing, you say to me, because it is for God’s defense. To the extent that we wish for evil to be judged because we are concerned for God’s glory is certainly a good thing. But chances are that often our hearts are more focused on how we are affected by evil than how it makes God look.

Because our God is a God of patience. He bears with the sins of many in order to save some at the right time (2 Peter 3:9)99 2 Peter 3:9 — The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish but everyone to come to repentance.. Oh, our dear Lord Jesus may cry out may the arrogant be put to shame for He knows His sheep. But when we think to say with the psalmist may the arrogant be put to shame we often might as well cry out for our own damnation, for there was a time, (not so long ago in the grand scheme), that we were the insolent one. We have the advantage of further revelation than our pained psalmist. Now the same Holy Spirit who is from before all time inspired this text, so we don’t dispute the truth of this sentiment. But we need to properly understand it in the context of progressive revelation. David wrote this as a member of the Old Covenant. He faithfully relied on the promised messiah…but we were all once enemies of God, even the Jews (Romans 3:9).1010 Romans 3:9 — What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we have already made the charge that Jews and Greeks alike are all under sin. As Christians, we are specifically called to pray for those who persecute us (Romans 12:14; Matthew 5:44),1111 Romans 12:14; Matthew 5:44 — ¹⁴Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse. … ⁴⁴But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, and I don’t think God meant solely imprecatorily. We are to see ourselves as the insolent ones who needed to have our shame imputed to Christ…and pray the same for others.

Thank God that He may even take a prayer such as this and make someone’s enemy his friend!

At the same time, our hatred for evil and love for God can move us to pray imprecatory prayers because of the examples given in the Bible. If God should not save our enemy, may He eliminate him quickly!

To Know God Is to Fear God

May those who fear You turn to me, those who know Your testimonies. Psalm 119:79

The psalmist has asked for mercy from the Lord, that he may have life, and he has asked for God’s enemies to be punished while affirming his own commitment to meditating upon God’s precepts. Now he prays for his fellow saints. Those who fear you is synonymous with Christians. So what we see here is a request for God’s people to turn to our psalmist.

What this is saying is that “those who fear You” is synonymous with “those who know Your testimonies.” In other words, David is requesting God to permit His people to turn to him. Now when you think of David and his life of difficulty and affliction, you can see how he would have experienced times where God’s people may have given up on him. No king is without critics, and David lived at a time of great war and bloodshed. As he was plotted against by his enemies, may his people have turned away, too? What about those in his charge who were angry with him? Do you think friends of Uriah didn’t figure out what David did to him? Were not Joab and all David’s servants angry with David during these times of distress (2 Samuel 19:5–6)?1212 2 Samuel 19:5–6 — ⁵Then Joab went into the house and said to the king, “Today you have disgraced all your servants who have saved your life and the lives of your sons and daughters, of your wives, and of your concubines. ⁶You love those who hate you and hate those who love you! For you have made it clear today that the commanders and soldiers mean nothing to you. I know today that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead, it would have pleased you!

David, like any man, needs the companionship that only God’s people can offer each other. So he cries out to God for those who fear Yahweh to turn to him. They have turned away, (rightfully so at times), but David desires reconciliation and restoration that only the Spirit of God can procure. May we all be quick to forgive an erring brother who repents and turn back to him for Christ’s sake as we see the heartfelt cry of this prayer and the pain housed behind it.

No Shame

May my heart be blameless in Your statutes, that I may not be put to shame. Psalm 119:80

We complete this octet with a far more personal and humble request. After the request for enemies to be put to shame, it would appear the Spirit has reminded David of his own tendency toward pride. Pride goes before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18),1313 Proverbs 16:18 — Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. thus we must always be sure of our own footing when pointing out the sins of others. It is a humble spirit which obtains honor (Proverbs 29:23)1414 Proverbs 29:23 — A man’s pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor. so it is with knowledge of our own depravity that we come to the Lord and ask to be pure in heart. David asks in Psalm 19:14, May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Yahweh, my Rock and my Redeemer, and this is simply a reiteration of that supplication. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God, indeed!

But no one is pure in heart, thus we are all deserving of shame. So we need a pure heart imputed to us. This is a wonderful phenomenon called the rebirth. When we are born again we are granted faith in Christ whereby His righteousness is imputed to us. When God looks on one of His children, He sees nothing but Christ’s righteousness. Our sin and iniquity was penalized on the cross, and we are wearing a new garment, we are clothed in the righteousness of the perfect Son of God. This is grace that we may fulfill the blessing of Matthew 5:81515 Matthew 5:8 — Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. and enjoy fellowship with the Father!

But it is also understood that we continue to live in the flesh even though we are led by the Spirit, while we remain in this world. For our body has not yet been redeemed and we are still susceptible to the sin that our corruptible flesh loves. As the battle wages between spirit and flesh we earnestly strive to mortify the deeds of the flesh and make our calling and election sure. But we all fall short of the glory of God and none of us can say that we are without sin. For if we did, we would make God a liar (1 John 1:8, 10)1616 1 John 1:8, 10 — ⁸If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. … ¹⁰If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us. and deceive ourselves! With this in mind, pray with the psalmist the prayers and supplications of Psalm 119:76–80,1717 Psalm 119:76–80 — ⁷⁶May Your loving devotion comfort me, I pray, according to Your promise to Your servant. ⁷⁷May Your compassion come to me, that I may live, for Your law is my delight. ⁷⁸May the arrogant be put to shame for subverting me with a lie; I will meditate on Your precepts. ⁷⁹May those who fear You turn to me, those who know Your testimonies. ⁸⁰May my heart be blameless in Your statutes, that I may not be put to shame. but especially consider verse 80 as a regular request. How horrible is the thought of sinning so egregiously as to be put to public shame and there take your Lord and Savior with you? How desirous are you of a blameless heart that you might not sin against God and that you may not bring reproach to His Holy Name? Cry out to God for sanctification in your flesh, that you may begin enjoying Him forever…immediately.

We Have No Other Hope

My soul faints for Your salvation; I wait for Your word. Psalm 119:81

The Kaph octet begins with a description of deep longing. The word translated faints in verse 81 (and fail in verse 82) is the same word used in verse 87 where the psalmist laments that the arrogant have almost wiped him from the earth—literally, made an end of him. We get the idea that the soul of our dear psalmist is fully spent waiting on the salvation of the Lord. There is nothing else to hope for. Every ounce of his soul is consumed with God’s salvation; he has hope in no other deliverer.

And why not? Is not the propitiation of God’s wrath promised throughout God’s Word? Where else would we hope? In the efforts of earthly priests? In our strength? Praise God that He providentially leads His children to a point where they have no other hope so that we might lean on Him rather than our understanding (Proverbs 3:5–6).11 Proverbs 3:5–6 — ⁵Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. It is easy for us to be excited about salvation on this side of the resurrection, but where did the psalmist place his hope?

He placed his hope in the same place we do. He trusts that through faith alone, his sin will be atoned for by a sacrifice provided by Yahweh God. He may not know all the details we know, but OT saints knew more than we give them credit for. Of course, the same Holy Spirit regenerated them prior to their faith, and that same Spirit can illuminate the scriptures for them. Consider Genesis 3:15.22 Genesis 3:15 — And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Is that not a promise that Messiah would come and crush the serpent? Psalm 110:1–2; Job 19:2533 Psalm 110:1–2; Job 19:25 — ¹Yahweh said to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” ²Yahweh extends Your mighty scepter from Zion: “Rule in the midst of Your enemies.” … ²⁵But I know that my Redeemer lives, and in the end He will stand upon the earth. are worth considering. And did you know Ruth points to Jesus?

When Will Comfort Come?

My eyes fail, looking for Your promise; I ask, “When will You comfort me?” Psalm 119:82

Not only is David’s soul consumed with waiting on God’s deliverance, but his eyes are spent. Like the psalmist, we languish with pangs as we endure the suffering of this world. We suffer from the curse, our toil is difficult and often fruitless. And we suffer from the pain of others’ sins. We are attacked on all sides. The hatred of the world is upon us. Even our own families (Luke 12:53)!44 Luke 12:53 — They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”

Our eyes are dry from shedding tears. We wait and wait and wait and often only see more suffering in this life. And even if every creature comfort could be handed to us, is not the existence of sin enough to distress any true child of God? Sure, we long for the day when we will not have so many assailants. But don’t you long for the day when you won’t be assailed by your own flesh? Is your lack of holiness enough for your eyes to fail, looking for God’s promise, His deliverance?

So we pray with the psalmist, “When will You comfort me?” But there are two obvious answers to this question. The first answer is, “In God’s perfect timing.” This is not a Christian cliché…this is biblical truth. God will glorify His saints and deliver them from any earthly struggle He intends to deliver them from when He wants to. The real question is are you learning the lessons you ought to learn during the trial? Are you trusting that the Lord is doing a sanctifying work in you while you’re waiting? And the second answer to the question “When will You comfort me?” is “Right now.” The omnipresent God of all comfort is always there. One of God’s children should no sooner ask “When will comfort come?” than he should ask when he will get air to breathe. God’s supply is abundant and when we don’t sense it, it usually has more to do with us not perceiving it than Him withholding from us. It is a good idea for you to look at how God is already comforting you when your eyes fail, looking for comfort.

Smoke & Skins

Though I am like a wineskin dried up by smoke, I do not forget Your statutes. Psalm 119:83

What does it mean to be a wineskin dried up by smoke? John Gill tells us:

Like a bottle made of the skins of beasts, as was usual in those times and countries: hence we read of old and new bottles, and of their rending, Judges 9:13; Matthew 9:17.55 Judges 9:13; Matthew 9:17 — ¹³But the grapevine replied, ‘Should I stop giving my wine that cheers both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?’ … ¹⁷Neither do men pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins will burst, the wine will spill, and the wineskins will be ruined. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” Now such a bottle being hung up in a smoky chimney, would be dried and shrivelled up, and be good for nothing; (John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible)

The difficulties of this world constantly drag us near to death: enemies, the betrayal of friends and even family, and our sinful flesh, which we still drag around like a corpse. Our soul cleaves to the dust,66 See chapter 7, “Thirst and Life.” and we cannot help but cry out with David that we are as useless as a wineskin in smoke. Instead of flexibility and strength, all that remains is rigidity and weakness. We feel as if we may burst at any time as the pressures of this life increase.

When you think of a wineskin in the smoke analogy, consider being all dried up. This should bring to mind the prophecy that Jesus fulfilled on the cross when He said, “I am thirsty” (John 19:28). Psalm 22:15 says, “My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth. You lay me in the dust of death.” Like Psalm 119:25, 28,77 Psalm 119:25, 28 — ²⁵My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to Your word. … ²⁸My soul melts with sorrow; strengthen me according to Your word. there is a real sense of death in the analogy. But Our Lord tasted it for us. When a Christian gets to this point of suffering, it is a comfort in and of itself to be identified with Christ (Philippians 3:10).88 Philippians 3:10 — I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to Him in His death, Considering that Jesus never forgot God’s statutes while tasting a death He didn’t deserve motivates us to cling to God’s law through thick and thin.

Dear saint, do you feel dried up and useless? Has your flesh and this world brought you to such despair you feel as if you cannot go on? Cling to Jesus as your hope, God’s Word as your nutrition, and the thought that, like the psalmist, your suffering may be used of God to bring empathy and comfort to a future pilgrim.

Are We There Yet?

How many days must Your servant wait? When will You execute judgment on my persecutors? Psalm 119:84

As we near the middle of the Kaph octet, we see the primary motivation behind the psalmist’s distress. He is experiencing persecution and wondering how long he must endure it. We know that God is a God of justice…so when He exercises His great patience we tend to mistake that for injustice. It is perfectly reasonable for the righteous to hate evil. And there is no sense in which persecution is to be seen as something enjoyable in and of itself. When we are told to count it joy, it is always in reference to a promised future deliverance. It is innately human to wonder how long we will have to endure affliction or even this trial-filled life. And it makes sense that our God and Father would swoop in to protect His children from evildoers – wouldn’t you for your own dear child?

But the fact of the matter is that there is only one man who has ever lived who can truly ask these questions with a pure heart. For each of us was at one time one of the persecutors. Every servant of Christ was at one point an enemy of God and His gospel, and God’s dear children. It was God’s patience that led to your salvation. How many servants of God may have prayed this prayer about you and had it been answered you’d have died in your sin? Yes, only Jesus can truly cry out to His Father such a righteous prayer. Only a sinless savior is qualified to call down judgment on His fellow man.

We who are elect but cannot see the “E” stamped on the foreheads of others must live with the tension that the very people we would most like to see judged are the same people we are called to love (Matthew 5:44).99 Matthew 5:44 — But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, We adore our Lord and His statutes so we are righteous to be glad for God’s justice to be done, but we are to take heed when we think we stand, for we still carry the stain of Adam’s nature on our flesh, and there have been many who for a time judged evildoers only to be found among that number themselves (Philippians 3:18; 1 Corinthians 10:5–6).1010 Philippians 3:18; 1 Corinthians 10:5–6 — ¹⁸For as I have often told you before, and now say again even with tears: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. … ⁵Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness. ⁶These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did. Do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly (Micah 6:8)1111 Micah 6:8 — He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does Yahweh require of you but to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? is our formula. You cannot do justice without humility and there is no true kindness without justice. These attributes are one in God and we are to imitate Him as beloved children (Ephesians 5:1).1212 Ephesians 5:1 — Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children,

If you want to know when God will judge those who persecute you, pray for their salvation earnestly. Then if they become born-again you’ll know the exact time they were judged—about two thousand years ago at Calvary.

Arrogant Pits!

The arrogant have dug pits for me in violation of Your law. Psalm 119:85

There is a principle which plays out in the life of every true Christian. And that is the world will hate you because they hated your master, Jesus. The Father in Heaven will forgive all manner of sin, yes, but God expresses a particular disdain for the proud—the arrogant, or insolent. And is not pride the first step of every sin? A truly humble person wouldn’t endeavor to sin, but the insolent man trusts in his own goodness and cannot obey God’s laws. So God opposes him (1 Peter 5:5).11 1 Peter 5:5 — Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

Now the insolent cannot actually do anything to God, so he harms God’s visible Body. The Body of Christ, made up of individual Christians (1 Corinthians 12:27),22 1 Corinthians 12:27 — Now you are the body of Christ, and each of you is a member of it. is the insolent man’s target. It usually starts with derision (Psalm 119:42, 51),33 Psalm 119:42, 51 — ⁴²Then I can answer him who taunts, for I trust in Your word. … ⁵¹The arrogant utterly deride me, but I do not turn from Your law. moves onto slander or various persecutions (Psalm 119:69–70, 78),44 Psalm 119:69–70, 78 — ⁶⁹Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep Your precepts with all my heart. ⁷⁰Their hearts are callous and insensitive, but I delight in Your law. … ⁷⁸May the arrogant be put to shame for subverting me with a lie; I will meditate on Your precepts. and finds its ultimate end in so much hatred that even murder becomes an option. The arrogant have dug pits for me implies a cunning and sneaky attempt to cause the Christian to fall while he walks with the Lord. There is no face to face confrontation, cowards cannot endure the infallible reasoning of the man who relies on God’s Word. No, once the Christian shows that he will endure the scorn and derision, the slander and minor offenses, the only retaliation for the God-hater is to try to trap him.

How many times have you found yourself maligned because you refuse to join in the debauchery (1 Peter 4:4)?55 1 Peter 4:4 — Because of this, they consider it strange of you not to plunge with them into the same flood of reckless indiscretion, and they heap abuse on you. They will try to trap you in some sin so that they may feel better about their own. But take heart! Jesus told us that when the blind lead the blind they both fall into a pit. We can trust that the very trap evildoers set for the child of God will ultimately be used for his own judgment (1 Peter 4:5).66 1 Peter 4:5 — But they will have to give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. And if you should find yourself caught in a trap made by the insolent, do not excuse yourself or proclaim your own goodness. It is a humble opportunity to remind yourself and your adversary that you are saved by grace because you yourself cannot perfectly live according to God’s law either.

The Surety of God’s Commandments

All Your commandments are faithful; I am persecuted without cause—help me! Psalm 119:86

David begins the next verse by continuing the previous thought. They act in violation of God’s law, but all of God’s commandments are faithful. God’s commands are faithful to us, in that they exhibit God’s righteousness to us when we meditate upon them. We do not have to fear those who do not believe in God’s commandments. Instead, we should trust that God’s commandments, although they are rejected by His enemies, are the very tools we should use to confront the insolent. The Christian who attempts to change the culture any other way is de facto rejecting the value of God’s sure commands!

As a parent, do you teach your child God’s commands even before he or she has been born-again? Do you hold your child to that standard? God’s commands are sure and faithful—therefore, they are the proper tools even for training your unregenerate child. And they are the correct tools for correcting your wayward son or daughter, as well as the means by which God convicts sinners so that He may lead them to Christ as Savior. We must make no apology for the strictness of God’s commands when we consider obeying them nor the broadness of their scope in application (they affect every area of life). Rather, we trust that God knows what is best for every man.

And what a blessing it is to have God’s sure Word when our enemies are willing to lie and deceive to attack us. David cries for help because he was persecuted without cause—literally, with falsehood. How hard it is to be derided when people hate us for truth! But it is just as difficult to deal with false accusations, especially public ones. But herein we see, once again, how David (and others like Naboth – 1 Kings 21:13)77 1 Kings 21:13 — And the two scoundrels came in and sat opposite Naboth, and these men testified against him before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king!” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death. gives us a picture of the Christ who was also persecuted with falsehood (Matthew 26:60).88 Matthew 26:60 — But they did not find any, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward So take heart. You do not have to defend yourself against every false accusation (Acts 8:32).99 Acts 8:32 — The eunuch was reading this passage of Scripture: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before the shearer is silent, so He did not open His mouth. And you can trust that even if some believe the falsehood about you, God knows the truth.

Though Forsaken, We Forsake Not

They almost wiped me from the earth, but I have not forsaken Your precepts. Psalm 119:87

As the persecution advances, our psalmist can see that he is near to death. The wicked will never be satisfied (Proverbs 13:25)1010 Proverbs 13:25 — A righteous man eats to his heart’s content, but the stomach of the wicked is empty. with just a little injustice. The depraved heart of God’s enemies, if turned over by God to the evil it lusts for, will always want more. There is no satisfying our evil lusts. We can only feed them and see them grow, or starve them and watch them die. Therefore, the child of God may experience a taste of death at the hands of the proud. Our family history is flooded with the blood of martyrs—with Christ as the centerpiece (Matthew 5:12; Acts 12:1–2).1111 Matthew 5:12; Acts 12:1–2 — ¹²Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you. … ¹About that time, King Herod reached out to harm some who belonged to the church. ²He had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. The number of saints who have been near unto death is probably many times greater than those who were killed, (Philippians 2:27, 30)1212 Philippians 2:27, 30 — ²⁷He was sick indeed, nearly unto death. But God had mercy on him, and not only on him but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. … ³⁰because he nearly died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for your deficit of service to me. as God so frequently allows His children to suffer.

But we know that our suffering is for a purpose because our God is sovereign and has decreed all that will come to pass. There is no fear that your affliction is somehow outside of God’s control, and thus, we can even count it all joy when we face various trials (James 1:2–3).1313 James 1:2–3 — ²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. It is precisely because these trials test our faith and produce steadfastness in us that we rejoice. When we are tested, we shall come out like gold (1 Peter 1:7)1414 1 Peter 1:7 — so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. and be provided with gracious assurance that our calling and election are sure (2 Peter 1:10)!1515 2 Peter 1:10 — Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things you will never stumble, It is our commitment to righteous living that is evidence that our faith in Christ is legitimate.

One of the primary ways we experience this assurance is by noticing that when confronted by persecution, we do not forsake God’s precepts. The man or woman of God is tempted in all ways but succumbs not. We are persecuted on all sides, and we, like Jesus, do not turn aside from God’s precepts, but rather, we trust them to be our provision. Drink from Paul and consider his responses to each affliction faced and heed the admonishment.

¹¹To this very hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. ¹²We work hard with our own hands. When we are vilified, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; ¹³when we are slandered, we answer gently. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world. ¹⁴I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. 1 Corinthians 4:11–14

Give Us Life, O Lord!

Revive me according to Your loving devotion, that I may obey the testimony of Your mouth. Psalm 119:88

The psalmist completes this section with a plea to God for life by virtue of God’s love in order that he might obey the testimony of God’s mouth. Firstly, notice that the psalmist relies wholly upon God for life. There is no room for a man to rely on himself for life. You did not bring yourself into this world. You cannot even heal the smallest ill in your own body by your will. So it is a full reliance upon God that is necessary for our daily bread. But there is also a greater spiritual truth being pointed to by this physical talk. Life also refers to eternal life. And we only receive eternal life as a gift from God. It is not the result of works, or else we would be like the insolent and boast (Ephesians 2:8–9).1616 Ephesians 2:8–9 — ⁸For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast.

Secondly, the gift of life is that which is the result of God’s loving devotion. God’s loving devotion (His steadfast love) is always used in reference to His people, the church. It is God’s loving devotion that is the basis for His salvation (Romans 5:8)1717 Romans 5:8 — But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. and we should not shy away from appealing to it. If you are elect, then you may lay claim to God’s abiding, eternal, steadfast love. Because God’s love is steadfast, it can never change. This is why election must be from *eternity past—*because God has loved us since then (Jeremiah 31:3).1818 Jeremiah 31:3 — Yahweh appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with loving devotion. We may come to God beggar-poor and unworthy of His love, but the fact that He has set His love upon us and torn the veil demands that we appeal to His gracious love when making our requests. And we can trust His perfect will whether He grants our supplication or not. But if you have been granted life in Christ, know that God loves you and will never leave you.

Finally, we see the heart of the true child of God when we observe what that child intends to do with God’s blessing of life toward him. We ought not ask God for physical life, eternal life, or anything at all, except that our request be made with an eye to how we will use it for His glory. It is a righteous thing to desire new life so that you may obey the testimony that springs forth from God’s mouth. An unselfish prayer like that is sure to be answered by the God who enables men by His Holy Spirit to love and keep His law (Psalm 119:34).1919 Psalm 119:34 — Give me understanding that I may obey Your law, and follow it with all my heart. Those who have been given grace unto life ought to be the most humble, and most observant of God’s precepts, because they are motivated by God’s love toward them. We would do well to employ the same motivation to others, (bestowing love upon them), when we are in a position to demand obedience.

Firmly Fixed

Your word, O Yahweh, is everlasting; it is firmly fixed in the heavens. Psalm 119:89

It is hard to believe we are starting the second half of Psalm 119. Anyone who has come this far in meditating on or memorizing this psalm has undergone several changes already. But while we change, God’s Word does not. The psalmist is happy to proclaim that God’s word is firmly fixed. We get the impression that it is settled and unchanging. In fact, God’s Word never changes because God never changes and never makes mistakes. God cannot change His word because He cannot ever speak anything which requires correction since He is ever-perfect. And His Word is always perfect as the result.

And what comfort this is during times of affliction (Psalm 119:85, 95)!11 Psalm 119:85, 95 — ⁸⁵The arrogant have dug pits for me in violation of Your law. … ⁹⁵The wicked wait to destroy me, but I will ponder Your testimonies. The Hebrew word translated word in this verse is also translated as manner or matter elsewhere. So it is possible to read this verse as referring to the whole of God’s ways having been settled from eternity past. And is not this what we read in the rest of the Bible? God has decreed all that shall come to pass (Psalm 2:7)22 Psalm 2:7 — I will proclaim the decree spoken to Me by Yahweh: “You are My Son; today I have become Your Father. and no purpose of His will be thwarted (Job 42:2).33 Job 42:2 — “I know that You can do all things and that no plan of Yours can be thwarted. Psalm 119:5044 Psalm 119:50 — This is my comfort in affliction, that Your promise has given me life. tells us “This is [our] comfort in affliction, that Your promise has given [us] life,” and we see this to be true for us as for the Psalmist. Our comfort comes from God’s promises, promises that were made in the mind of God, according to the perfect counsel of His will, from eternity past. Promises settled in the heavens. Firmly fixed are they! And when we face persecution, nakedness, famine, sword, and various trials, we can assuredly count it all joy because of our promised deliverance which is firmly fixed and can never be changed.

An Example for Us

Your faithfulness continues through all generations; You established the earth, and it endures. Psalm 119:90

If the Bible says it, we ought to believe it. God’s Word is sure enough that we have no reason to question any of His decrees or promises, no matter how bleak the outlook may be. But our God is a compassionate and understanding God. Our God, Jesus, became a man! This is what separates Christianity from false religions. Ours is the only religion where our God retained His divinity while taking on human form. So we have a great high priest who can sympathize with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15).55 Hebrews 4:15 — For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. God in Heaven does many things for our benefit. One of those things being that He teaches us truths in ways we can understand them. So we should believe that God will make good on His promises that we cannot see (for such is faith, Hebrews 11:1),66 Hebrews 11:1 — Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see. but God has given us ample reason to trust in Him by providing examples for us to cling to when we lose faith and struggle with doubt.

His faithfulness continues through all generations, yes, and this is evidenced by the fact that He established the earth which still stands today! In Genesis 8:22 it is written, “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night shall never cease.” And it is no wonder that this is followed shortly by another covenant:

And I establish My covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.” Genesis 9:11

God has given us tangible experiences (we can see the day and night, sense cold and heat, and observe seedtime and harvest continue) which establishes in our minds that He will make good on His promises in order to build up our faith that He will do things we don’t perceive. In other words, God has continually made good on promises regarding the physical world and its cycles so that we will know that He is faithful—and therefore, will remain faithful to promises which appear most difficult to fulfill.

In human terms, we call it trust-building. We give someone an opportunity to be faithful and as they come through we trust them more and more. Although God doesn’t need to prove His faithfulness, we need to see it established. It is our lack of faith and our inability to take God at His Word that requires trust-building. And God is kind to do so for our benefit. Blessed is the man who believes without seeing (John 20:29)!77 John 20:29 — Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” May we all cling to the promises of God and, when we begin to doubt, remember His faithfulness to generations past and present. All of God’s promises come true (Joshua 21:43–45; Jeremiah 29:11; Philippians 1:6)88 Joshua 21:43–45; Jeremiah 29:11; Philippians 1:6 — ⁴³Thus Yahweh gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their fathers, and they took possession of it and settled in it. ⁴⁴And Yahweh gave them rest on every side, just as He had sworn to their fathers. None of their enemies could stand against them, for Yahweh delivered all their enemies into their hand. ⁴⁵Not one of all Yahweh’s good promises to the house of Israel had failed; everything was fulfilled. … ¹¹For I know the plans I have for you, declares Yahweh, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a future and a hope. … ⁶being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. and we need to be patient to wait upon the Lord.

God Is Supreme

Your ordinances stand to this day, for all things are servants to You. Psalm 119:91

We continue in this wonderful doxology about God’s sovereignty and supremacy. God’s ordinances—His decrees and words—stand to this day by His divine appointment. They are the words referred to in Psalm 119:89, “Your word, O Yahweh, is everlasting; it is firmly fixed in the heavens.” Indeed, whatever stands today stands by God’s decree or appointment and all things exist to serve Him. There is no one greater, and everything is under His power and dominion.

How to Endure

If Your law had not been my delight, then I would have perished in my affliction. Psalm 119:92

And now we return to some focus on the psalmist himself. He has spent three verses extolling the greatness of God and His Word and now we see a very practical application of meditating on God’s law and making it our delight: perseverance through affliction. Blessed is the man…who meditates on God’s law day and night (Psalm 1:2; 19:14; 119:97).99 Psalm 1:2; 19:14; 119:97 — ²But his delight is in the Law of Yahweh, and on His law he meditates day and night. … ¹⁴May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Yahweh, my Rock and my Redeemer. … ⁹⁷Oh, how I love Your law! All day long it is my meditation. God’s law is weak to save us, but it is a powerful salve for the ailments of the child of God. For the circumcised of heart, God’s law is a reminder of His virtue, and thus, the virtue of our Lord Jesus Christ. By delighting in God’s law we experience a few tangible graces.

First, we experience the sheer delight in getting to know our Lord and Savior. God is not subject1010 God is not subject to His law in the sense that God is not subordinate to anything at all. He is supreme. But that is not to say that God would ever act contrary to His law, either. Although not subject to His law, God’s character, perfectly reflected by His law would never violate His law. In other words, God cannot nor would not break His law because to do so would go against His nature. to His law, but His law is a reflection of His character. So when we meditate on God’s perfect moral law, we see God. You can get to know a man by observing the company he keeps. The same could be said about the rules He keeps and values. Drink from the fountain of God’s law and get to know the character of the perfect son of God, Jesus Christ, who obeyed it willingly and delighted in it from His youth!

Second, when we meditate on God’s ceremonial law, in particular, we see the prefiguring of the Christ who would come. We are reminded of God’s promise to send a messiah and all the pictures He drew for us in the Old Testament (Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:6).1111 Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:6 — ⁴For everything that was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures, we might have hope. … ⁶These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did.

Third, we see how needy we are for forgiveness. When we meditate on God’s law and delight in it, we see how far short we fall from fulfilling it. Yet Jesus fulfilled it on our behalf (2 Corinthians 5:21)1212 2 Corinthians 5:21 — God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. and so we ought to receive grace in the form of more dependence upon Him and more gratitude for Him. When we sin against God (break His law), we should recognize the beauty that Christ never did. When we are tempted to make excuses or consider that our sin could not have been avoided, delighting in God’s law will quickly break us of this selfish and foolish mindset and remind us that Jesus fulfilled all righteousness even under the most difficult circumstances. This is not to make us feel bad, per se, but rather to bring us to our knees in worship of the One who died in our place and rose again victorious.

We Remember

I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have revived me. Psalm 119:93

One of the most depressing themes of scripture is the frequency and ease with which the people of God tend to forget what He has said. The Scripture is replete with reminders (1 Corinthians 15:1; Jude 1:5, 17; 2 Timothy 1:6; Hebrews 13:7; 2 Peter 1:12).11 1 Corinthians 15:1; Jude 1:5, 17; 2 Timothy 1:6; Hebrews 13:7; 2 Peter 1:12 — ¹Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, and in which you stand firm. … ⁵Although you are fully aware of this, I want to remind you that after Jesus had delivered His people out of the land of Egypt, He destroyed those who did not believe. … ¹⁷But you, beloved, remember what was foretold by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ … ⁶For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. … ⁷Remember your leaders who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. … ¹²Therefore I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are established in the truth you now have. Our proclivity to sin is so deeply ingrained that our brains, affected by the fall, will even forget the very precepts of the God who saved us. For the weak and immature this creates an excuse to sin. “I did not know that God has said not to do this or that,” they may say, “for I had forgotten.” But ignorance and poor memory are no excuse. According to Psalm 119:93, we have been revived by God’s precepts, and that should be enough for us to remember them.

The term precepts is used interchangeably with statutes or commandments and represents God’s entire law. Strikingly, outside Psalm 119 the term appears in only three other psalms (and, in the BSB, twice in the Gospels for “the precepts of men”). Psalm 19:822 Psalm 19:8 — The precepts of Yahweh are right, bringing joy to the heart; the commandments of Yahweh are radiant, giving light to the eyes. tells us that the precepts of Yahweh are right causing rejoicing in our hearts. Psalm 111:733 Psalm 111:7 — The works of His hands are truth and justice; all His precepts are trustworthy. provides assurance that God’s precepts are sure and trustworthy. But Psalm 103:18 introduces us to the idea of remembering. Those who remember God’s precepts are those who have been granted salvation. Who else is described with the phrase “those who fear Him,” to whom the loving devotion of Yahweh extends “from everlasting to everlasting”?

¹⁷But from everlasting to everlasting the loving devotion of Yahweh extends to those who fear Him, and His righteousness to their children’s children— ¹⁸to those who keep His covenant and remember to obey His precepts. Psalm 103:17–18

Beloved, none but Jesus could live out this commitment perfectly, for we will all forget from time to time this side of glory. But commit to the Lord that you will not forget His precepts because by them He has revived you. In your heart, change your attitude from apathy to one of firm resolve to remember God’s precepts.

Seek

I am Yours; save me, for I have sought Your precepts. Psalm 119:94

God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).44 Hebrews 11:6 — And without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. The logical next step to committing to remember God’s precepts is that the child of God would seek them. How are you to recall that which you do not know? And how will you know it if you do not seek for it? Jesus, in Matthew 7:8,55 Matthew 7:8 — For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. tells us that those who “seek” will “find.” And there is no doubt that seeking God’s precepts will be fruitful.

First, God’s precepts are readily available. God has written His law on our hearts (Romans 2:15)66 Romans 2:15 — So they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them and has revealed it to us through His Word. Even the pagan has easy access to God’s law and can understand it plainly. Secondly, God is pleased to be sought after and thus, will satisfy that longing. There is none who seek after God (Romans 3:11)77 Romans 3:11 — There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. apart from regeneration, but once a man is changed by the Holy Spirit, seeking God is natural. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. A man or a woman who is parched and starving for righteousness will soon encounter those precepts which define it for us.

And finally, there is a sense of belonging we feel when we seek God’s precepts. The psalmist is assured of his own standing before God by the output of his new nature. “I am Yours,” he says, “for I have sought Your precepts.” Jesus said, “You are My friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:14). And John wrote, “By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments” (1 John 2:3). So if you are a child of God today, your adoption is manifested by an affection for righteousness which will exhibit itself in a desire to know what God wants you to do. And you thus have the right and privilege to approach God on the basis that you are His and implore His help in time of need, not only in the affliction of this life but for your ultimate glorification. When the psalmist says, “save me,” he isn’t praying a sinner’s prayer for salvation. It is the cry of a justified man to be delivered from his corruptible body of death and to be delivered from God’s enemies who lie in wait to destroy him.

Our Focus Is Always God

The wicked wait to destroy me, but I will ponder Your testimonies. Psalm 119:95

David and our Lord Jesus were no strangers to the devices of the wicked. The wicked wait to destroy me implies that these wicked men were not simply swept up by momentary emotions, but possessed a premeditated evil. Nor can they be considered good men who were somehow manipulated. No, the wicked who waited upon David, our Lord Jesus and all of God’s people are pernicious enemies of God and His children. Think of the Jews in John 5:18: “Because of this, the Jews tried all the harder to kill Him,” or in Matthew 12:14: “But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.” These are not men ignited by sudden passions temporarily losing self-control and making poor decisions as we all do. These are men with hearts that devise wicked plans (Proverbs 6:16, 18)88 Proverbs 6:16, 18 — ¹⁶There are six things that Yahweh hates, seven that are detestable to Him: … ¹⁸a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, and are abominations to God.

But the saint of God is not so. As we follow in the footsteps of our Savior (1 Peter 2:21–23),99 1 Peter 2:21–23 — ²¹For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps: ²²“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.” ²³When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly. our charge is never to be much concerned with what the wicked do. We are charged with faithfulness regardless of the circumstances. Even while rulers sit and slander a king (Psalm 119:23),1010 Psalm 119:23 — Though rulers sit and slander me, Your servant meditates on Your statutes. the blessed man meditates on God’s law all day (Psalm 1:2; 119:97).1111 Psalm 1:2; 119:97 — ²But his delight is in the Law of Yahweh, and on His law he meditates day and night. … ⁹⁷Oh, how I love Your law! All day long it is my meditation. There is a contrast here that we must not miss. The wicked wait to destroy. In the same sense as the blessed man, their goal is their meditation all the day. While the wicked are considering ways to stun or catch the righteous, the righteous are busy doing their Father’s work (Luke 2:49 KJV).1212 Luke 2:49 (KJV) — And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?

So often, we are instructed to avoid being anxious because that which makes us anxious isn’t even a reality. This is a good exhortation. But, dear child of God: be not anxious for the things of this world, even those things which you have a justified belief will come to pass or are coming to pass, such as a wicked man’s attempt to destroy you. Ponder God’s testimonies. Meditate on His precepts. Contemplate His wondrous works. Fix your eyes on His commandments. God sees your labor of love and knows the deeds of the wicked and will have justice in His timing. It may even be that your testimony of meekness will be used to bring your very enemies to their conversion!

Limited Perfection?

I have seen a limit to all perfection, but Your commandment is without limit. Psalm 119:96

The theme of the Lamedh octet has been that we can endure affliction by focusing on God’s law and attributes. Because God is perfect, we can have contentment and peace, even in the midst of suffering and injustice. And here we find an interesting phrase, “I have seen a limit to all perfection.” The perfection spoken of here are those things in this creation which are truly wonderful and splendid. The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims His handiwork (Psalm 19:1).1313 Psalm 19:1 — The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. We are right to be in awe of the vastness of the universe and even the beauty of something so simple as lilies in a field (Matthew 6:28–29).1414 Matthew 6:28–29 — ²⁸And why do you worry about clothes? Consider how the lilies of the field grow: They do not labor or spin. ²⁹Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his glory was adorned like one of these. We have no shortage of beauty to behold in our great God’s creation, but even the most perfect thing in all of creation is limited. Nothing in this world is truly perfect in the sense of total completeness. We all fall short of the glory of God, and so does every created thing.

“But Your commandment is without limit,” we read. And here is where we find a place where we can truly rest our hope. Earthly perfection is limited. God is unlimited. Earthly perfection falls short. God’s perfection is the standard. And God’s law and commands are also sure and perfect. There is no higher authority to which our God appeals! He is the standard of righteousness by which all men will be judged and Jesus Christ, the God-man, was able to fully satisfy all the righteous demands of this limitless command. Jesus Christ has no limit, for He is God in the flesh and is able to obey the law perfectly. And so, when you consider where to place your hope, the God whose character is the standard of righteousness is the only logical conclusion.

Have you broken God’s commandment? Are there parts of God’s righteous law you aren’t even aware of and are likely guilty of? Have you ever truly been able to keep God’s law with your whole heart and soul and mind and strength? No son-of-Adam can, for we are all sinners. But Jesus kept the law on behalf of His people. Jesus fulfilled every righteous requirement and will come again to judge the living and the dead. He suffered the penalty guilty sinners deserve even though He knew no sin (2 Corinthians 5:21),1515 2 Corinthians 5:21 — God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. and rose from the dead after three days in fulfillment of the Scriptures. Trust in Jesus today for your own righteousness instead of trusting in yourself, because you will never keep God’s commandment on your own strength, but Jesus carries that burden for His chosen people.

What’s Your Meditation?

Oh, how I love Your law! All day long it is my meditation. Psalm 119:97

The book of psalms starts out with Blessed is the man who delights in God’s law and meditates on it day and night (Psalm 1:1–2).11 Psalm 1:1–2 — ¹Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, or set foot on the path of sinners, or sit in the seat of mockers. ²But his delight is in the Law of Yahweh, and on His law he meditates day and night. That recurring theme is not lost on us as we begin the Mem octet. The Psalmist loves God’s law! The law of God tells us as Christians how we ought to act to be pleasing to our Lord. Why shouldn’t we love it? Rather than seeing God’s law as a list of restrictions from fun things, the child of God recognizes that God’s law is a kind revelation which shows us what is, in fact, good for us!

When the natural man indulges in the passions of the flesh, God’s law stands in opposition and judgment to his very soul, so the natural man hates God’s law (Romans 8:7). A soul that has tasted the regeneration of the Holy Spirit of God thirsts for the fountain of truth revealed by God’s law. Like a warning label on a bottle of chemicals, God’s law reveals to God’s people how to safely walk this narrow path. And in order to take every thought captive to obey Christ, we must regularly meditate on God’s law!

Note the language in the New Testament (emphasis mine)

⁵Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh; but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. ⁶The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace, ⁷because the mind of the flesh is hostile to God: It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Romans 8:5–7

Where you focus your mind will lead your actions. Are you focused on God’s Word and His law? Are you meditating on Christ? Where are your thoughts? What would your use of your cellphone, Xbox, Netflix or tv tell someone about what you focus your mind on regularly? Those who love Christ will naturally love His law and direct their attention there. May it never be said of us that the distractions of this sin-cursed world snagged our attention more than Jesus!

Wiser Than Enemies

Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are always with me. Psalm 119:98

Now we see the practical outworking of love for and meditation upon God’s law: they are always with me. The psalmist is saying he has committed God’s Word to memory. Do you recall when our Lord was tempted in the wilderness how He refuted the schemes of the devil with scripture? He did not have a scroll or a Bible app to search. Jesus our Lord had hidden God’s Word in His heart (Psalm 119:11).22 Psalm 119:11 — I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You. And when we do that, we have more wisdom than our enemies.

The enemies of God and His people have the wisdom of this world at their disposal. But compared to the wisdom of God it is nothing more than foolishness (1 Corinthians 1:19).33 1 Corinthians 1:19 — For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” As a result, those of us who have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16)44 1 Corinthians 2:16 — “For who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ. are wiser than even the most worldly-wise man. There was no cunning of the devil that could trick Christ into sinning, and we have the same Spirit today. Through the Word of God, His Spirit strengthens His children for battle with the powers of darkness. The serpent who deceived Eve is unable to ultimately overcome God’s elect.

When Paul admonishes us to take the Sword of the Spirit as the only offensive weapon in our battle with the spiritual forces in heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12, 17)55 Ephesians 6:12, 17 — ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. … ¹⁷And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. he is simply proclaiming what God’s elect have always known, that we are strengthened for the battle through meditation on God’s commandment and His Word. This is the means of grace by which sanctification is most commonly wrought, and we would do well to keep it always with us through a commitment to scripture memory.

Wiser Than Teachers

I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. Psalm 119:99

This verse is reminiscent of the young Jesus being found in the temple a few days after the Feast of the Passover:

And all who heard Him were astounded at His understanding and His answers. Luke 2:47

The man of God, even the young man of God, not only has more wisdom than his enemies, but he may surpass his own teachers if he continues to meditate on God’s Word. Jesus, our perfect example as always, caused amazement in adults while He was yet a child. In the only story we have of our Lord’s youth, the emphasis is on His understanding of His mission and His mastery of the written revelation of God. What an inspiration and example to us!

Although God’s law does specifically refer to his rules and ordinances, the use of the various terms commandment, testimonies, and precepts in verses 97-100 seem to indicate the psalmist is also referring generally to the Scripture as our point of meditation. When we resolve to be students of God’s Word, commit to memorizing large passages, and dedicate ourselves to gaining understanding, it isn’t prideful to recognize if you have surpassed your teachers. We must be discerning and at times that will mean realizing that even those you once looked up to for teaching are not subjecting all things to Scripture.

When Martin Luther stood in opposition to the teaching of the Roman Catholic Church, he was de facto claiming to have more insight than all his teachers. But Luther gave us an example to follow. He did not claim to have more understanding because of anything in himself, but rather he boldly and stubbornly held fast to the revealed Word of God, anchoring his very life in its veracity and its power to convey its own meaning sufficiently to all who hear it.

Wiser Than Older Men

I discern more than the elders, for I obey Your precepts. Psalm 119:100

There is an unmistakable progression here which we cannot miss. First, we love God’s law. Second, we meditate upon it. As the result, we are told we will become wiser than our enemies, our teachers, and ultimately, wiser even than older men and women. It is a general principle that men and women grow in understanding as they age. Even the heathen parent has learned a thing or two that they can pass on to their children. In all walks of life, elders are respected because they have more experience than the rest of us. Most people would sooner take marriage advice from a couple who has stayed together 20 years than newlyweds.

But once again, God’s precepts are not only a great equalizer, but they allow His Spirit-led child to surpass the wisdom of the aged. Young Christian men and women everywhere exhibit wise qualities which folks decades older than they still do not possess. For not all wisdom is gained through experience, but some wisdom is granted by grace through the fear of Yahweh (Proverbs 1:7).66 Proverbs 1:7 — The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. “You are wise beyond your years,” we tell someone who keeps God’s precepts but is still considered a youth. Young people are notorious for wandering and rebelling, and the young person who fights to keep God’s precepts is seen as wise by anyone with understanding.

Many an older man wishes he could tell himself all the wisdom he had to learn the hard way. And those who have been saved later in life may lament our earlier ignorance and foolishness. But there is always someone older than you. Be respectful of your elders and glean what wisdom you can from their experiences, but constantly focus on your own need to keep God’s precepts if you want to truly have understanding in the eyes of Jesus!

How’s Your Walk?

I have kept my feet from every evil path, that I may keep Your word. Psalm 119:101

A repentant sinner will hunger and thirst for righteousness (Matthew 5:6).11 Matthew 5:6 — Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. David, our elder brother in the faith, confesses his heart’s desire to obey God’s righteous precepts when he says he has kept his feet from every evil path. The ultimate end of godly discipline is to be pleasing to the Lord (1 John 3:22)22 1 John 3:22 — and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight. and enjoy the peace that accompanies keeping His word. When the endgame is righteousness, God’s commandments are not burdensome. May we all strive for righteousness for God’s sake!

David says, “I have kept my feet from every evil path.” This language produces a few illustrations which are worth mentioning. First, this proclamation is written in the first person. “I have kept my feet” is a statement of personal discipline on the part of brother David. Always reliant on the grace of God, (Psalm 119:32),33 Psalm 119:32 — I run in the path of Your commandments, for You will enlarge my heart. David nevertheless works out his own salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12).44 Philippians 2:12 — Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now even more in my absence, continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling. Men and women of God ought to have regular practices of godly discipline to aid in the battle with sin. Secondly, David keeps his feet. We are reminded that we are walking with the Lord every day. It is a good thing to make commitments to righteous living in our hearts, but the man who keeps his feet from taking him in the wrong direction (Psalm 119:59)55 Psalm 119:59 — I considered my ways and turned my steps to Your testimonies. will do well in reaching his goals.

Finally, David’s repentance and commitment to goodness are complete. He has kept his feet from every evil path. God’s children not only abandon big bad sins, but they want to be rid of even respectable sins. There is no sin so small that Christ wasn’t crushed for it in your place. Thus, no evil path exists from which we may not keep our feet. Thanks be to God for Jesus who fully fulfilled this verse on our behalf.

The Good Teacher

I have not departed from Your ordinances, for You Yourself have taught me. Psalm 119:102

Having kept his feet from every evil path, our psalmist also is careful how he is turned. Our very posture tells us a lot about our hearts. Where are you turned today? Is your body positioned toward God’s ordinances or have you departed from them? Do not depart from God’s ordinances, dear Christian! “But we are under grace, not law,” you will say to me. Nay, you are under grace so that you may love God’s law. The antinomian says there is no law. But the senseless Christian gives lip service to God’s law while living like an antinomian, by departing from the law in practice.

From where does our strength come for the day of battle? It is the Lord who has taught us His ordinances. Not only has He told us His ordinances, but Jesus came in the flesh and taught us by example. The disciple whom Jesus loved wrote, “Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked” (1 John 2:6). Unlike the teachers whose wisdom we may surpass by our own careful study of the Word (Psalm 119:99),66 Psalm 119:99 — I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. the Lord Jesus is the ultimate good teacher (Luke 18:18).77 Luke 18:18 — Then a certain ruler asked Him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” How can we desert His ordinances? How can we do anything but honestly ask What Would Jesus Have Us Do? We are indebted to Him and His life is an example to us in every respect (1 Peter 2:21)88 1 Peter 2:21 — For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps: because He was tempted yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15)!99 Hebrews 4:15 — For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin.

Sweeter Than Honey

How sweet are Your words to my taste—sweeter than honey in my mouth! Psalm 119:103

The man who chews on God’s Word will digest it and get the most nutrients out of it. God has provided us with an abundance of nutritious foods, and He has found it fit to make them good to the taste. One of the most telling stories about humanity is that our federal head ate from the forbidden tree while simultaneously having his pick of every other tree (Genesis 2:16).1010 Genesis 2:16 — And Yahweh God commanded him, “You may eat freely from every tree of the garden, The best of us wasn’t content with what God had provided.

And herein we see the goodness of God. He has given us something even greater than earthly sweetness to chew on: His Words. Honey is naturally sweet and never goes bad. God’s Word is the greater honey. When we feast upon the scriptures we taste and see that the Lord is good (1 Peter 2:3; Psalm 34:8).1111 1 Peter 2:3; Psalm 34:8 — ³now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. … ⁸Taste and see that Yahweh is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! Honey is never bitter or sour, and neither is the Bible to the adopted child of God. We taste it, take it within ourselves, and then come back for more. But like honey, it has to be searched for and found, then extracted from its comb. Honey doesn’t come from Heaven in jars. There is danger and peril in taking the fruit of the bee, and we also must be willing to endure trial when we dig into God’s Word. You may even get stung!

Now examine yourself, dear friend. Is Bible reading your habit? Do you find it to be a chore? Would you rather check your notifications or read your favorite blog than open the Word? Why is that? Do you not find it sweet to your taste? Has your affection waned for the God who became man and died on your behalf? Turn back to Him through the sweetness of His Words to your mouth. Man shall not live on bread alone (Matthew 4:4).1212 Matthew 4:4 — But Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

Righteous Hate

I gain understanding from Your precepts; therefore I hate every false way. Psalm 119:104

Intersectionality is the vice du jour, but here we see the glorious intersection of righteousness and indignation. The psalmist has already been clear that God’s precepts are the means by which he hopes to have life everlasting and even walk in the ways of Yahweh in this earthly tabernacle. And now see him re-iterate that it is by God’s Word that he gains knowledge and understanding. The man of God must be fully equipped unto all good works (2 Timothy 3:17),1313 2 Timothy 3:17 — so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work. and only heartfelt meditation on God’s Word will do that (2 Timothy 3:16).1414 2 Timothy 3:16 — All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, We are called to prove God’s will by being transformed by the Holy Spirit (Romans 12:2).1515 Romans 12:2 — Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. And Jesus said we are sanctified by His Word (John 17:17).1616 John 17:17 — Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth.

It is the precepts of God that give us discernment so that we can know right from almost right (Hebrews 5:14),1717 Hebrews 5:14 — But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained their senses to distinguish good from evil. and even though discernment isn’t popular today, we are still called to practice it. And this is where good doctrine gets hard to swallow for some. Because he gains understanding from God’s precepts, our psalmist hates every false way. This is language that seems too strong for some, but we are students of the Word so we must examine it honestly and believe it despite our sinful tendency not to.

First, we have to admit that there is nothing in the context that limits this hatred of false ways to “Oh, that’s just about David.” Nor do we see any implication that this hate was abhorred by God. This is a righteous hatred, repeated shortly thereafter (Psalm 119:128)1818 Psalm 119:128 — Therefore I admire all Your precepts and hate every false way. and thus, it ought to be imitated. We are children of God and therefore imitators (Ephesians 5:1).1919 Ephesians 5:1 — Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children, Second, our hatred for falsehood is not restricted to a subset. Again, we see the word every is used to describe the scope of the action. We hate every false way. And of course we do! Our dear Savior is the Truth (John 14:6)2020 John 14:6 — Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. and He is love. Hating that which is opposed to Jesus is a duty and a pleasure if our hearts are right.

And finally, if we receive our understanding and knowledge of God through His true precepts, and if we are empowered to walk in His ways of righteousness because of the true way, then we may rightly conclude that false ways lead people to misunderstandings and false knowledge of God. It is a brutal fact that false ways lead people to death, despair, misery, and destruction. What is there to like about them? No reasonable person would praise a sweet-tasting poison for making his loved one happy for a moment if it soon killed him. In the same way, we also hate every false way because of the ultimately destructive impact it has on our fellow man, even if that false way seems sweet for a season.

God’s Word Lights the Way

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Psalm 119:105

The 14th octet of this great psalm begins with this oft memorized declaration about God’s illuminating Word. The psalmist notes that God’s word is a lamp to his feet. David lives in a world dominated by darkness (as do we!). Thus, he needs a source of light even to see his own feet. This light enables him to observe his walk. Paul commanded the Corinthians to examine themselves to see if they were of the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5).11 2 Corinthians 13:5 — Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Jesus Christ is in you—unless you fail the test? It is by shining the light of God’s law and God’s gospel on our feet as we walk that we may do this with any accuracy.

There is no source of truth in this world so trustworthy as God’s Word. In fact, every other source of truth our world offers must steal light from God to shed any light in the first place. We do not say that there are no helpful books or counselors in the world. But we do maintain that anything that isn’t in accord with God’s Word (which is Truth) is useless or even detrimental to our walks. Although many lamps are stationary, there are lamps that you carry with you to light the way. Similarly, we must not only shine the light of God’s law on our feet, but we must bring it with us everywhere we go so that we can keep shining it. Hide it in your heart (Psalm 119:11)22 Psalm 119:11 — I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You. and carry it with you that you may take every thought captive (2 Corinthians 10:5).33 2 Corinthians 10:5 — We demolish arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

God’s Word not only shines on our feet, but it also lights our path. Dear sojourner, have you ever walked in darkness with a light for your path? Did you notice that the light only illumines so much? Much of the path remains in darkness, but by taking the next step you find you will arrive at your destination! So it is with God and His Word. The future is safely in God’s hands. Your responsibility is to take the next step of obedience. God’s Word always sufficiently lights our path that we may do so. We need not worry what is around the next corner or even five years down the road. If we light our paths with God’s Truth and step where the light indicates, we can trust we will reach our destination and our Lord will be with us as we travel.

Oaths and Such…

I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep Your righteous judgments. Psalm 119:106

Swearing oaths gets a bit of a bad rap sometimes. Our dear Lord Jesus said, “I tell you not to swear at all” (Matthew 5:34), and some people miss the point of that sermon. But we see here that our psalmist was not afraid to confirm that his words were sincere and commit himself to righteous living. And isn’t that what each of us is saying when we get saved? When we believe that Jesus is Lord, are we doing anything other than committing to obedience to Him? Why call Him Lord if you do not at least plan to do what He has said?

Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but do not do what I say? Luke 6:46

We should follow in the footsteps of the faithful saints of old who made commitments and kept them. There is nothing wrong with swearing an oath to keep God’s righteous judgments. Job said, “I have made a covenant with my eyes. How then could I gaze with desire at a virgin?” (Job 31:1) Do you not see the righteousness in making such a wise vow? To men who lack integrity, a vow is meaningless. But to the man of God who walks in his integrity (Psalm 26:11)44 Psalm 26:11 — But I will walk with integrity; redeem me and be merciful to me. a vow aids us daily. Temptations to sin surround us. A vow regarding some discipline is sure to be brought to mind more readily when temptations do come. We are told not to vow hastily or dishonestly, that is, without intending to keep it. But we are not prohibited from making promises to follow Jesus’ way (Psalm 119:8, 16)!55 Psalm 119:8, 16 — ⁸I will keep Your statutes; do not utterly forsake me. … ¹⁶I will delight in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.

And where else do we see the fulfillment of this than in the life of Jesus Christ? He is the One who kept God’s righteous judgments. Every one of them! Praise Jesus! We know that He keeps His commitments and all that He does is righteous. Therefore, we know that we never need to fear keeping God’s judgments—for they are righteous. There will be times that our flesh tries to tell us that it would be more righteous to do something other than what the Word commands. Mortify this thinking and follow our perfect example: Christ. Commit to your own sanctification and watch it work out with fear and trembling.

Yup: More Affliction

I am severely afflicted, O Yahweh; revive me through Your word. Psalm 119:107

If Psalm 119 is about God’s law, then its secondary topic is affliction. Verse after verse we see references to suffering and affliction. The health and wealth gospel folks would do well to give this psalm a thorough study! But to the saint of God, affliction is an odd comfort. God pulls His people through the fires of affliction to purify them and test them (1 Peter 1:7).66 1 Peter 1:7 — so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Our affliction is a source of joy (James 1:2)77 James 1:2 — Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, when viewed through the lens of Scripture. This is because affliction is intended by God for several purposes which God regularly achieves.

First, affliction is provided to draw us nearer to God. We are rarely so prayerful as when we are afflicted. While suffering and feeling out-of-control we tend to rely on the Lord more than during times of peace. We forget to put on the whole armor of God when we don’t sense the war waging! But once a flaming dart of the evil one makes contact with our skin, we run to the only One we know can help.

Secondly, hardship is meant to give us assurance of our faith. The testing of our faith through affliction gives us the assurance we need that God really loves us in Christ.

Finally, affliction is a gift to us so that we might receive grace to endure it and pass that on to others.

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3–4

When fellow exiles in this foreign land are suffering and you are able to console them and give them understanding because you have been there too it is a good thing! How many hells would you pass through if it meant you could help your dear loved one who is struggling in theirs? We read that Jesus was afflicted, despised, and rejected by men yet He opened not His mouth. But His mouth is open now through His infallible Word which is able to give us comfort by allowing us to identify with the sufferings of Christ when we ourselves are afflicted.

Count it all joy, brothers and sisters!

Free What?

Accept the freewill offerings of my mouth, O Yahweh, and teach me Your judgments. Psalm 119:108

As we near the center of the Nun octet, we find this strange and often misunderstood term: freewill. For the man who despises God’s sovereign plan of salvation, this verse is the ace in the hole! There it is, right there in the text: FREEWILL, right? Now I do not want to lead anyone away from accepting simple understandings from the Bible. God revealed His Word in such a way that most of the scripture is plain to the learned and unlearned through ordinary means (LBCF 1.788 Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (1689), chapter 1, paragraph 7.). Having said all that, there are portions of Scripture where we must shine the light of more clear scripture onto them in order to properly interpret them.

Freewill is an interesting term because no matter who uses it, they always mean it within some limitation or context. No one believes we have the freewill to defy gravity—no matter how much we will to do so. All concepts of freewill, (even God’s freewill), are governed by that being’s nature as well as any more powerful outside forces (if they exist). In other words, no person can do that which defies his nature. Even God doesn’t have the freewill, as it were, to lie (Titus 1:2).99 Titus 1:2 — in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began. And as in the example of “defying gravity,” every being except God is limited in the exercise of their will because of more powerful outside forces. Gravity is more powerful than my will to fly. We are not omnipotent.

When the psalmist speaks of his freewill offerings, he is speaking of the Old Testament freewill offerings brought to God. This term refers to the heart of the person bringing the offering. The idea is that it is not by compulsion that the offering is brought, but by the desire of the heart of the offerer (Exodus 35:29).1010 Exodus 35:29 — So all the men and women of the Israelites whose hearts prompted them brought a freewill offering to Yahweh for all the work that Yahweh through Moses had commanded them to do. God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:5, 7)1111 2 Corinthians 9:5, 7 — ⁵So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to visit you beforehand and make arrangements for the generous gift you had promised. This way, your gift will be prepared generously and not begrudgingly. … ⁷Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver. and accepts praise from His children. When a person’s heart has been changed by God by the work of the Holy Spirit, they possess the will and power to freely offer praise to God Almighty for all His perfect works and wondrous judgments! God is worthy to be praised and, rather than demand it by extortion or compulsion, He motivates His people by grace to freely offer praise to Him from their hearts. We call on Him by name (O Yahweh) and entreat that He would imprint on our new hearts His judgments because our praise is acceptable to Him through Jesus our Lord.

The Antidote to Sorrows

I constantly take my life in my hands, yet I do not forget Your law. Psalm 119:109

David was no stranger to danger. He was constantly threatened, yet refused to forget God’s law. He wrote, “I constantly take my life in my hands…” and this is a reference to the ever-present danger his enemies presented to his very life. The king of Israel could hardly have laid down his head to sleep without knowing that at any time an attack could come. It would have even been difficult to trust his own servants to protect him. It is part of our Adamic nature to be traitorous. But David gives us the necessary picture of our Lord. Yes, the King of Israel had no place to lay His head. Jesus Himself was threatened with death far more often than we sometimes think (John 10:31, 39).11 John 10:31, 39 — ³¹At this, the Jews again picked up stones to stone Him. … ³⁹At this, they tried again to seize Him, but He escaped their grasp.

The Apostle Paul was familiar with hardship, too (2 Corinthians 4:11).22 2 Corinthians 4:11 — For we who are alive are always consigned to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal body. Yet it was he who wrote Romans 13:9.33 Romans 13:9 — The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” (Though Paul was afflicted, he still wrote about God’s law and loved it.) There is peril for the child of God in this world. It is not our home. We should expect to be bombarded on every side by effects of the curse, the wickedness of our enemies, the failures of our friends, and even our own flesh. We cling to life with all our remaining strength (Psalm 119:25)44 Psalm 119:25 — My soul cleaves to the dust; revive me according to Your word. and entrust our souls to a faithful Creator (1 Peter 4:19).55 1 Peter 4:19 — So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should entrust their souls to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. Should we expect to be carried to Heaven on flowery beds of ease when our Savior was a man of sorrows who ultimately paid with His life?

A mature and reasonable expectation of sorrow does not necessarily make it easier to withstand, though—that can only take away the shock. But God gives us the antidote to our vexation and anxiety. Do not forget His law. We are told not to be anxious in Philippians 4:6,66 Philippians 4:6 — Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. then we are instructed, “…whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things” (Philippians 4:8). What is excellent, true, and pure? The incarnate Word: Jesus Christ. And He is revealed to us through God’s Word and God’s law. Hide God’s law in your heart and draw upon it for refreshment during times of failed strength. Even when you despair of life itself!

How to Avoid Snares

The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from Your precepts. Psalm 119:110

As we make our way through Psalm 119, we see a few themes. One of these themes is the cowardliness of the enemies of God. Cowards are slated to inherit the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:8),77 Revelation 21:8 — But to the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and sexually immoral and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their place will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur. This is the second death.” so it is no wonder that the heathen rage against God’s people, but in a sneaky way. The wicked have set a snare for me is reminiscent of verse 95 (the wicked wait to destroy me). The implication is clear! The enemies of God’s children hardly have the courage to confront them in a fair manner. Traps are laid in hopes that a saint will simply fall into one of them.

Do you see the traps? You don’t have to go far. Billboards advertising sex line our streets. Entertainment and media vie for attention we should be giving to God and to our families and jobs. Youth sports encompass every night of the week and even Sunday mornings. Men are praised for achievements whether they earned them honestly or not, and our very livelihoods are threatened if we don’t go along with it all. There are ditches to the right and to the left of the narrow road we walk and we must be wise as serpents and innocent as doves if we are going to remain on the straight path.

So we trust in Jesus Christ with all our heart and acknowledge Him in all our ways (Proverbs 3:5–6).88 Proverbs 3:5–6 — ⁵Trust in Yahweh with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. This means we do not stray from His precepts. When we take every thought captive to obey Christ, we are committing to doing things God’s way. There is no snare nor trap which the wicked can lay which will capture the man who isn’t walking in the path of the wicked. You can’t step in a trap laid by the side of the road if you stay on the road. The wicked may lay all the snares they want, but they are prohibited from the paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:3).99 Psalm 23:3 — He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name. Christian men who fall into sin always have a trail of compromises that led up to that fall.

The sign says “Do not swim,” yet they dip their toes in the water.

²⁶Make a level path for your feet, and all your ways will be sure. ²⁷Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil. Proverbs 4:26–27

Our Heritage

Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart. Psalm 119:111

John told us that to all who believed in Jesus, He gave the right to become children of God. We are all conceived in Adam. Adam, our federal head, failed to maintain his status as God’s son (Luke 3:38).1010 Luke 3:38 — the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. Thus, we all have a heritage (an inheritance) from Adam: original sin. We are conceived in sin (Psalm 51:5).1111 Psalm 51:5 — Surely I was brought forth in iniquity; I was sinful when my mother conceived me. This isn’t saying that the act that brought about our conception is sin, but rather, this is a statement of our inherent sinfulness from the moment of that conception. For God saw fit to cause all men to be represented by Adam. It can rightfully be said that Adam was the best of us. But he failed in Eden, and he passes down a heritage of enmity with God which issues from a deceitful heart we cannot even understand (Jeremiah 17:9).1212 Jeremiah 17:9 — The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?

But God also saw fit to elect countless men to be represented by Christ instead of Adam. Through faith, God imputes Christ’s righteousness to His people in the same way Adam’s unrighteous act was imputed to us. And when God calls someone to Himself in this way, He also tells us that He adopts them as sons. We inherit a new nature and a new heritage. We are no longer sons of the Devil but are sons of God. And we then have a rightful claim on God’s testimonies. They are bequeathed to us through the death of Christ and are irrevocable. Yes, His testimonies are our heritage forever! Nothing can separate us from the love of Christ or the comfort of His Word.

And so our heart sings for joy in response to them! What can be more beautiful than the testimony of a good master who has freed someone from slavery? You were bought with a price, the blood of the Only Son of God—therefore His testimonies should be sweet to your taste (Psalm 119:103).1313 Psalm 119:103 — How sweet are Your words to my taste—sweeter than honey in my mouth! John wrote that he has no greater joy than to see people walking in the truth. It is grace-wrought obedience to God’s precepts which indicates for others that you have been redeemed. And it is finding joy in God’s ways that motivates us to follow those precepts. Even the heathen can perform a task they hate or work for an employer they care little for. What sets a Christian apart is the joy of the Lord which is their strength. It is the desire to obey God’s commands while seeing them not as burdensome (but rather, as a gift, because Christ has taken your yoke upon Himself)1414 Matthew 11:29 — Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. that distinguishes a believer from the damned.

Incline Your Heart

I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes, even to the very end. Psalm 119:112

This Nun section begins with poetic language about God’s perfect Word and a commitment to keeping His statutes, and it ends with continued steadfastness even after the mention of much affliction. We say the psalmist and we also say David, but we must remember that our Lord is pictured here as well (John 5:39).1515 John 5:39 — You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me, Our hearts are deceitful and wicked prior to regeneration, but not the heart of Jesus. When incarnate, His heart was perfectly inclined to perform God’s statutes. He never threw a fit as a child nor disobeyed His earthly mother, Mary. He didn’t cheat in school and never lied. He could not even so much as covet that which wasn’t provided by His Father. His devotion to God was perfect in every sense, and it flowed from a heart inclined toward God.

He is our example, and we must realize that our heart is the source of many troubles. It is not what goes into a man that defiles him but what comes out of a man which defiles him (Mark 7:15).1616 Mark 7:15 — Nothing that enters a man from the outside can defile him; but the things that come out of a man, these are what defile him.” We cannot so much as cure ourselves of the slightest ailment, so we need to wait upon the Holy Spirit for regeneration, but the action that God commands of us is that we are to guard our hearts and incline them toward God. An incline provides direction. It is a simple machine that can move big things long distances, so incline your heart in the right direction. God, in His wisdom, doesn’t sanctify people as rapidly as we would. We are always in a hurry, but God has patience beyond measure, and characteristically moves His people slowly toward glorification. We should trust His wisdom and this should be a lesson in dealing with others!

But the glorious truth we can all profess together is that we will perform His statutes “even to the very end”—in the Hebrew, FOREVER. Hallelujah! The great joy of our heart is the ability and willingness to perform God’s statutes. But the confidence that we will persevere literally forever is awe-inspiring beyond comprehension. As long as the reprobate will endure in Hell, we will be glad in Heaven. The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable, and we should never forget the infinite price Jesus paid to earn this reward for us. Only He could take on the terrible wrath of God toward sinners and drink the cup of justice, but drink it He did, right down to the dregs! Praise Jesus!

Double-Mindedness Is Evil

The double-minded I despise, but Your law I love. Psalm 119:113

Our God is not at all shy about using strong words like hate and neither ought we be, (in the right circumstances). The Samekh octet begins with harsh words for those who are double-minded. These are those who have one foot in the church and one foot in the world. The world is full of pagans who exult in their sin and unrighteousness. But there seems to be an even greater population of those who desire to be identified with Christ…or at least the benefits of Christianity while never putting to death the old man.

The Psalmist has suffered affliction for his faith. He is attacked from every direction and has no safe place to rest from the snares of the wicked. His very life is at stake regularly. Thus, it is no wonder that he has such disdain for half-hearted Christians. Those who are of “two minds” are ready to profess Christ when the immediate benefits thereof are evident. And the double-minded man, unstable in all his ways, will quickly espouse the doctrines of the world when he sees suffering or affliction for Christ around the corner. No reasonable Christian would trust an unredeemed sinner with his heart, but how often have we poured out our hearts to a brother or sister who turned out to be double-minded and then realize that their counsel was not biblical? Profuse are the kisses of the enemy. He will shower you with Christian clichés and sayings, never having any real Truth for your soul. The double-minded are altogether useless (1 Kings 18:21)11 1 Kings 18:21 — Then Elijah approached all the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If Yahweh is God, follow Him. But if Baal is God, follow him.” But the people did not answer a word. and in need of rebuke.

We ought to be wary of our own double-mindedness as well, then. Before you are too critical of others, be sure you are not disqualified. One of the ways you can make your calling and election sure is by growing in your love for God’s law. God’s law is the cure for double-mindedness! His law does not have the power to save, but it has the power to show the Christian his faults that he may know the direction he must head to grow in grace. God’s law is a Great Separator of the righteous from the unrighteous. There is no equivocation with God’s law, so by observing it and loving it, we will see that our double-mindedness fades away, as His commandments are always sure (Psalm 119:86)!22 Psalm 119:86 — All Your commandments are faithful; I am persecuted without cause—help me!

My Shield Is God!

You are my hiding place and my shield; I put my hope in Your word. Psalm 119:114

When David cries to God, “You are my hiding place,” this is very likely a reference to his salvation. He uses the same phrase in Psalm 32:733 Psalm 32:7 — You are my hiding place. You protect me from trouble; You surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah immediately after extolling being forgiven by God of his iniquity. David has already expressed hatred toward the double-minded and love toward God’s law, so it is appropriate to put to pen a reminder of from where our help comes. It is God alone who is our hiding place. Only in Christ can we hide from God’s wrath. But anyone hidden in Christ is perfectly hidden from God’s wrath. We can feel safe in the arms of God and live out our calling as exiles in a foreign land because we have a hiding place.

Not only is God our hiding place, but He is our shield. He is our defense against everything hurled toward us by the enemy. There is no condemnation from God for those who are in Christ Jesus, the hiding place, but the condemnation of the world is in ample supply. God does not promise that His people will avoid attacks from evildoers. But He acts as our shield. It is God who takes the brunt of the punishment when we are accosted for our faith (Acts 9:5).44 Acts 9:5 — “Who are You, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” He replied. With a shield, we will still feel the impact of the blows and experience the heat of the battle, but we will not receive a fatal blow until the Shield determines it is time.

And is not Christ also our shield toward the condemnation of the Father? Did He not take on the full punishment we deserved for our sin? Christ is our shield, protecting us from the wrath of God, perfectly withstanding all the indignation and penalty. And where do we read of this great exchange? In His Word! Our hope is not in that which could be revealed by the light of nature or through human intuition. Our hope comes from trusting what God has revealed from Genesis 3:1555 Genesis 3:15 — And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” onward. We know that Jesus is our hiding place and our shield because the Bible tells us so.

Depart from Me

Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may obey the commandments of my God. Psalm 119:115

For the first time in this great psalm, the psalmist addresses evildoers in the second person. Throughout this psalm, he has spoken directly to God about the insolent, but now he addresses the wicked directly. His tongue bids them thence depart from him. The child of God desires separation from the world, separation from evildoers, and separation from his former self. Many modern translations render this verse “that I may keep” (the BSB: “that I may obey”), but the good King James reads “for I will keep the commandments of my God.” We may desire for the wicked to depart because we think that will make obeying God’s righteous commands easier for us. And we may be assaulted by fewer external temptations if that be the case, but we are called to holiness regardless of our circumstances.

It seems more likely that the intent of the author or Author here is a warning to the wicked. It is as if he is saying, “Depart from me BECAUSE I am going to keep the commandments of my God and you are not going to like it.” How often the Christian finds himself deserted by others because of his stand for God’s laws. The wicked cannot help but feel conviction when they are around a righteous man (1 John 3:12).66 1 John 3:12 — Do not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did Cain slay him? Because his own deeds were evil, while those of his brother were righteous. So we warn those around us that they must either adhere to the Truth to which we adhere, or they would be happier to depart from us.

There is a sense in which we excommunicate those who in their double-mindedness express a desire to be with us while we perform the duties of the Lord while they simultaneously dwell in tents of wickedness. To the man who thinks himself a Christian, yet lives in worldly lusts of the flesh we say, “Depart! That we may obey the commandments of God.” Judgment begins at the household of God and we need to be careful how we worship Him. There is no room for evildoers in the solemn worship of Christ. I do not say that we cannot worship Christ if evil is present, but rather that we do try to ensure the church is pure, for the sake of everyone in it. Will not the Lord Himself say to many, “Depart from Me” (Matthew 7:23)?

Our Hope and Prayer

Sustain me as You promised, that I may live; let me not be ashamed of my hope. Psalm 119:116

Having made an enemy of everyone who opposes God, the psalmist remembers his own weakness and God’s strength. God needs no reminders when He has made a promise, but men make much of reminding themselves of God’s promises when they cry out to Him for help. When the righteous cry for help, Jesus hears him and delivers him (Psalm 34:17)!77 Psalm 34:17 — The righteous cry out, and Yahweh hears; He delivers them from all their troubles. His ears are open to our cries (Psalm 34:15).88 Psalm 34:15 — The eyes of Yahweh are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry. So do not neglect to call out God’s promises back to Him in your prayers, dear saint. It is for your own sake that God has modeled this method of prayer in the Bible.

And what is God’s promise? This is the promise that He made to us, eternal life (1 John 2:25).99 1 John 2:25 — And this is the promise that He Himself made to us: eternal life. We must cling to what God has actually promised in order to have our faith built up. David prays to be sustained as God promised, so that he may live and so that he will not be ashamed of his hope. Hope puts us to shame when that hope is not realized. But hope from God never puts us to shame if it is hope in things actually promised. Consider:

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us. Romans 5:5

Our hope in Christ alone does not put us to shame because we have the Holy Spirit who manifests God’s love in our lives. We know that we have an eternal heritage because the Holy Spirit bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God. And we can face adversity in this world (with hope) because we believe there will be an ultimate deliverance. There is an end to all the evil: “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). So we ask God to edify that hope that dwells within us by the power of His Spirit so that we might press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus!

Safe with God

Uphold me, and I will be saved, that I may always regard Your statutes. Psalm 119:117

One of the common traits all children of God share is that of weakness. It is only the humble who come to God in the first place (James 4:10),11 James 4:10 — Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will exalt you. the poor in spirit have no room for boasting (1 Corinthians 1:29).22 1 Corinthians 1:29 — so that no one may boast in His presence. So is it any wonder that the cry of our hearts is “Uphold me”? We have no power or strength of our own. It is God who holds us in His hands (John 10:29),33 John 10:29 — My Father who has given them to Me is greater than all. No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand. not the other way around.

Note the purposes for which David beseeches the Lord to uphold him. And I will be saved. Firstly, David recognizes the creature-Creator distinction. His very being is completely dependent upon the sovereign Lord. David’s safety from enemies, affliction, snares, and even disease and sickness are all in the hands of His God. We pray for safety even though we know it isn’t necessarily promised because that is part of our human nature. We are made in God’s image and by nature we desire life. God is Life. He gives life and it is a rare man or woman who doesn’t do all they can to preserve their own. For all the riches in the world, most natural men would trade just five more minutes if they knew their end was coming.

Secondly, David desires to be safe from even himself. No one knows their own sin better than a redeemed man who still recognizes the need to battle his flesh (Romans 7:20).44 Romans 7:20 — And if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. We are bombarded on all sides, but the enemy from within is the one we loathe the most and have the least success putting off. We can tell evildoers to depart (Psalm 119:115),55 Psalm 119:115 — Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may obey the commandments of my God. but the most offensive evildoer will always be with us while we are on this side of Heaven. Thus, we pray with King David that we would be upheld by our most powerful and holy God that we may always regard His statutes. Our sinful flesh desires to sin continually, why should we take a break from mortifying it? May God give us minds and hearts that grow in holiness and give us a footing of assurance we can stand upon!

God Rejects All Who Stray

You reject all who stray from Your statutes, for their deceitfulness is in vain. Psalm 119:118

“Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters himself that he shall escape it.” Jonathan Edwards66 Jonathan Edwards, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” (1741).

God’s holy hatred for sinners is pure and so much more terrifying than we tend to want to think about. The KJV says, “Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes,” and the sense is truly terrible. There is no mercy for the wicked when God’s judgment comes. Therefore, we must all the more earnestly tell sinners of the mercy of God which can be found today. And we must never diminish the terror of the Lord. The heathen will rage (Psalm 2:1)77 Psalm 2:1 — Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? and the weak of heart will accuse us of fear-mongering, but there can be no compromise when we preach the wrath of God because to tone down God’s hatred for sinners has the practical effect of diminishing Christ’s love for sinners, as well.

If God’s wrath is anything but infinitely terrifying, then Christ’s sacrifice is no big deal. In fact, why punish the Son of God in such a bloody and shameful manner (Isaiah 53:5, 10)88 Isaiah 53:5, 10 — ⁵But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. … ¹⁰Yet it was Yahweh’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of Yahweh will prosper in His hand. if sin isn’t so bad after all? God rejects ALL who stray. There will be a final rejection, and no sinner will escape His judgment unless he or she is found hidden in the Christ who suffered as a propitiation by His blood. Even the most cunning of God’s enemies will ultimately be found and judged, and their sentences will be executed.

But sin and Satan lie to the pagan mind which is blinded by the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4).99 2 Corinthians 4:4 — The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. Consider Psalm 36:1–2: “An oracle is in my heart regarding the transgression of the wicked man: There is no fear of God before his eyes. For his eyes are too full of conceit to detect or hate his own sin.” And 2 Corinthians 11:3 (emphasis mine): “I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ.” Cunning and deceit are never spoken kindly of in scripture, and we need to be prepared to avoid them: “Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful ways. We do not practice deceit, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by open proclamation of the truth, we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God” (2 Corinthians 4:2, emphasis mine). Deceitfulness will be the ultimate vanity (Psalm 119:118). It’s the worst type of pragmatism, as it fails to even achieve the desired end it promises.

The Wicked Are Like Dross

All the wicked on earth You discard like dross; therefore I love Your testimonies. Psalm 119:119

God rejects and treads upon His enemies, but ultimately discards them like dross. Notice the scope of His judgment: “All the wicked on earth.” The eyes of Yahweh are in every place, observing the evil and the good (Proverbs 15:3, emphasis mine).1010 Proverbs 15:3 — The eyes of Yahweh are in every place, observing the evil and the good. There is no escaping the Omniscient One!

The psalmist is speaking of God’s purification. He will one day rid the world of all evil, the curse will be lifted, and His righteousness will be established.

⁴Remove the dross from the silver, and a vessel for a silversmith will come forth. ⁵Remove the wicked from the king’s presence, and his throne will be established in righteousness. Proverbs 25:4–5

The dross refers to the impurities which obscure the true beauty of the gold or silver. As the elements are put to the fire, the pure remains while the dross is brought to the surface (1 Peter 1:7).1111 1 Peter 1:7 — so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. The wicked flee when no one pursues; how much more when the heat is on? As the silversmith has no need for dross and casts it aside like garbage, so will the Lord discard the wicked.

How then should we live? Therefore I love Your testimonies. When we consider the ultimate end of the wicked, we turn aside from worldly goods and pleasures and turn to the objective testimonies of God. We trust in His Word and we love it. Dear Christian, you must resist the temptation to apologize for God! How many times have we heard well-meaning Christians try to explain God’s testimonies prefaced with an “I’m sorry”? Too many! We are obligated to believe everything God has said, and when we find God’s ways not sitting well with us, we can be sure that the problem lies with us. Everything God does is pure, righteous, holy, good, wise, and perfect. His judgment for sin, although it seems severe to the sinner, is an exhibition of His splendid and blemish-free love for holiness and purity. Search your heart to see if there is any evil way in you. When you find yourself reluctantly accepting a revealed truth, beg God to be merciful to you and open your eyes that you may see wondrous things from His law with a godly heart.

Fear God

My flesh trembles in awe of You; I stand in fear of Your judgments. Psalm 119:120

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad. Therefore, since we know what it means to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is clear to God, and I hope it is clear to your conscience as well” (2 Corinthians 5:10–11). When we consider the greatness of God and His righteous judgments, a sober mind will respond with fear and trembling. There is nothing cozy about the destruction of sinners. We may understand academically that all the wicked must be discarded like dross and that all those who stray from his statutes are to be rejected, but these truths strike fear in our hearts for a few reasons.

Firstly, we are reminded that our own sin separated us from God prior to our conversion. Although salvation is granted to us, we are never to take it for granted. There is a sober-mindedness we are commanded to have, and regular contemplation of the condemnation we deserve is the right dose of medicine to cure us of the temptation to think of God as too chummy. Secondly, we recognize that apostasy happens, and we are never in a good place if we think of ourselves as beyond it. The heart is deceitful and desperately sick and is apt to convince sinners that they are already justified, if given the chance. This is why we make our calling and election sure, working out our salvation with fear and trembling.

Finally, our flesh trembles in awe of God, and we stand in fear of His judgments, because we love our neighbor (Matthew 22:39).1212 Matthew 22:39 — And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Our hearts are made new by the Holy Spirit and one of the primary effects is that we now possess a genuine love for our fellow man. Although marred by sin, we can see the imago Dei in even the most wicked of our brothers-in-Adam, and we humbly desire to see him made into our brother-in-Christ. God’s judgments are terrifying, and even though we have had those judgments diverted by His Son, we fear for our children, our parents, our neighbors, coworkers, and even our friends from church. We should tremble at the thought of God executing justice on sinners and do all we can to snatch them out of the fire (Jude 1:23; 1 Corinthians 9:22).1313 Jude 1:23; 1 Corinthians 9:22 — ²³save others by snatching them from the fire; and to still others show mercy tempered with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh. … ²²To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. May we have the courage to act before it is too late.

The Cry of the Righteous

I have done what is just and right; do not leave me to my oppressors. Psalm 119:121

One of the most pernicious effects of the social justice movement of the early 21^st century is that it skews the truth about oppression. David knew what it meant to be truly oppressed, as did our Lord Jesus and all who follow in His steps. Oppression certainly occurs in areas outside the Christian faith, as well. But all too often our view of oppression is reduced to “anything that keeps me from freely doing whatever I want.” Knowing the distinction will help us minister to those who are truly hurting as the result of oppression and properly deal with those who just have a wrong view of how they deserve to be treated.

Our psalmist begins with a declaration of his own righteousness. I have done what is just and right, he says. The Christian has no righteousness of his own, but an alien righteousness as the result of the imputation of Christ’s righteousness to him. But that imputation is always followed by holy living. The man or woman of God who cannot say, “I have done what is just and right,” has no right to expect God to answer his or her prayer to be delivered from oppression (1 John 3:22).11 1 John 3:22 — and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight. When we come to God as the psalmist does here, we are appealing to God’s attribute of justice. Because we have done what is just and right, our oppression is unjust. This is a cry for an end to evil like what we saw in Psalm 119:84.22 Psalm 119:84 — How many days must Your servant wait? When will You execute judgment on my persecutors?

But a servant is not greater than his Master (John 15:20)!33 John 15:20 — Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well. If they persecuted the Lord of Glory who literally only did what is just and right, will they not also persecute you? Yes, Jesus suffered in our place, and the penalty He suffered under the wrath of God was for sin and unrighteousness (our sin, of course!). But the oppression Jesus suffered at the hands of men was for righteousness’ sake (Matthew 5:10).44 Matthew 5:10 — Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. If God did not deliver the righteous Jesus from the hand of those who hate those who do what is just and right, we can be sure that we ourselves are still under God’s blessing whether we are delivered or not (Matthew 5:11–12).55 Matthew 5:11–12 — ¹¹Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. ¹²Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets before you.

Deliver Us from the Arrogant

Ensure Your servant’s well-being; do not let the arrogant oppress me. Psalm 119:122

The fact that we must expect tribulation and even oppression in this world does not at all preclude us from asking to be delivered from it. No reasonable person enjoys pain and affliction, and God is glorified when we cry out for His aid. Our very weakness points to His perfect strength when it moves us to prayer.

Thus, when the psalmist asks God to “ensure [His] servant’s well-being”—literally, to be surety for His servant for good—he is asking God to be his surety. Those who love God are aware of their own sinfulness and inability. Do you remember Psalm 119:32?66 Psalm 119:32 — I run in the path of Your commandments, for You will enlarge my heart. It is only after God does a work in us that we are able to be good. And God gives us this pledge in His Holy Spirit, does He not? The Spirit of God comes to dwell in the hearts of believers, sealing them for eternity and promises them “good.” The sense is not so much that we ask God to promise good to us, but that we need Him to pledge to make us to be good. God cannot help but be good to His own. Thus, we ask to be made holy by His grace.

Everyone who is proud in heart is detestable to Yahweh; be assured that he will not go unpunished. Proverbs 16:5

And we know that every suffering we face in this world is part of His sovereign plan. When the righteous cry for help, Yahweh hears and delivers them. But that deliverance is rarely immediate. For many believers that deliverance has come at the end of great trial, and only through their death! So we cry to our God because He hears. We cry to Him because He hates the insolent and the proud (Psalm 119:21).77 Psalm 119:21 — You rebuke the arrogant—the cursed who stray from Your commandments. And we cry to Him because it exhibits our dependence upon Him.

We Long for Glorification

My eyes fail, looking for Your salvation, and for Your righteous promise. Psalm 119:123

We walk by faith and not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7),88 2 Corinthians 5:7 — For we walk by faith, not by sight. but that faith is a hopefulness that we will one day see what we are looking forward to. Faith isn’t the end-all of the Christian walk. It is the instrument by which we persevere unto glorification. It is said that we “are saved,” “are being saved,” and “will be saved.” Inasmuch as we rejoice in our justification and sanctification, our ultimate rest will come at glorification. David’s eyes fail, looking for the salvation promised to him: the deliverance from this cursed flesh. While Christ is a sympathetic high priest because He was tempted in every way (Hebrews 4:15),99 Hebrews 4:15 — For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. David is an example of a sinner who effectively sinned in every way. While Christ gives us hope because He resisted every temptation, David gives us hope because, well, “if God can save David, He can save me too.”

Not only are we promised deliverance from our own cursed flesh, but we are promised freedom from the evil of this world. We long to see the day when all of God’s enemies are finally made a footstool (Hebrews 1:13)1010 Hebrews 1:13 — Yet to which of the angels did God ever say: “Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet”? so that we might be delivered from them! Our suffering and oppression, although ordained by God and granted by God (Philippians 1:29)1111 Philippians 1:29 — For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him, is nevertheless something we naturally want to avoid. We long for the time and place where God will wipe away every tear (Revelation 21:4),1212 Revelation 21:4 — ‘He will wipe away every tear from their eyes,’ and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away.” where there will be no more pain and no more death. Suffering and pain are results of the curse, and all creation groans to be delivered—ourselves included (Romans 8:22–23).1313 Romans 8:22–23 — ²²We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time. ²³Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. It is this meaningful focus on future deliverance that strengthens the child of God for every circumstance in this world. We are not promised health and wealth now, but when we inherit all the rewards earned by the Christ, we will be glad we traded none of them for temporary comfort!

So while our eyes fail, looking for what we have the conviction of (Hebrews 11:1),1414 Hebrews 11:1 — Now faith is the assurance of what we hope for and the certainty of what we do not see. we rest in the fact that God’s promises are righteous and will be fulfilled. This isn’t a hopefulness like the love-smitten teen who hopes the girl will go out with him. This is a sure hopefulness. God’s promises are a sure thing, and if we lack faith, He has given us an abundance of examples in the Scripture of fulfilled promises. We see the preservation of the line of Judah to Jesus (Genesis 49:10).1515 Genesis 49:10 — The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the staff from between his feet, until Shiloh comes and the allegiance of the nations is his. We see the Israelites in their land (Joshua 21:43–45).1616 Joshua 21:43–45 — ⁴³Thus Yahweh gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their fathers, and they took possession of it and settled in it. ⁴⁴And Yahweh gave them rest on every side, just as He had sworn to their fathers. None of their enemies could stand against them, for Yahweh delivered all their enemies into their hand. ⁴⁵Not one of all Yahweh’s good promises to the house of Israel had failed; everything was fulfilled. We have the promised son of Abraham in Isaac (Genesis 17:16).1717 Genesis 17:16 — And I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will descend from her.” Space will not permit us to even scratch the surface. But the point is clear. God is absolutely trustworthy with His promises. We would do well to know them, keep them in our focus, and proclaim them to others.

God’s Love Toward Us

Deal with Your servant according to Your loving devotion, and teach me Your statutes. Psalm 119:124

Although no verse of Psalm 119 repeats itself, the phrase “teach me Your statutes” is a repeated theme. Seven times the psalmist prays, “Teach me Your statutes.” Consider the following:

¹²Blessed are You, O Yahweh; teach me Your statutes.
²⁶I recounted my ways, and You answered me; teach me Your statutes.
⁶⁴The earth is filled with Your loving devotion, O Yahweh; teach me Your statutes.
⁶⁸You are good, and You do what is good; teach me Your statutes.
¹²⁴Deal with Your servant according to Your loving devotion, and teach me Your statutes.
¹³⁵Make Your face shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes. Psalm 119:12, 26, 64, 68, 124, 135

We are to learn God’s statutes because God is blessed and good forever (Psalm 119:12, 68; Romans 1:25).1818 Psalm 119:68; Romans 1:25 — ⁶⁸You are good, and You do what is good; teach me Your statutes. … ²⁵They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen. His statutes are necessary for our confession and repentance to have any usefulness (Psalm 119:26).1919 Psalm 119:26 — I recounted my ways, and You answered me; teach me Your statutes. And God displays His love toward His dear children by teaching them His statutes! His face shines upon us. By teaching us His statutes, God provides us with the instruction we desperately need. Our consciences are not strong enough to guide us in the way of holiness; we will eventually encounter a situation where we are unsure. But God’s statutes are never wrong and always provide needed direction if we will learn them. Law is not grace, but the provision of God’s law to us is gracious.

So we see the progression in Psalm 119 in the verses listed above. God teaches us His statutes because He is blessed and good—and because we need to be taught. His statutes are given at times of confession that we may properly confess and learn to follow Him more closely. The teaching of His statutes is an indicator of His loving devotion toward His people. Rather than seeing these rules as limitations to our pleasure, we understand them more to be like a high-voltage sign warning us of fatal danger. And finally, when we understand these things, we respond with praise to the Almighty.

My lips pour forth praise, for You teach me Your statutes. Psalm 119:171

Being a Servant Requires Humility

I am Your servant; give me understanding, that I may know Your testimonies. Psalm 119:125

It is a blessing to “know one’s place,” and for the child of God, we have obtained many roles in relation to our Lord. We are joint-heirs with Christ, sons of the Father, and called saints throughout the New Testament. Because our sinful tendencies are likely to lead us toward pride as we assume these roles, it is good that we remember that we were bought with a price (1 Corinthians 6:20).11 1 Corinthians 6:20 — you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body. We are servants, or to say it better: we are slaves to Christ.

Spiritual privilege is not easy for a humble man to deal with. Most of us cannot honestly say we are “the humble man.” How much harder is it for those of us who still feed our indwelling pride to kill it? We have the disease and God’s Word is the medicine. Kill your pride by reminding yourself of the truth that you are nothing more than an unworthy servant (Luke 17:10).22 Luke 17:10 — So you also, when you have done everything commanded of you, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’” Cast the idea that God is lucky you chose Him far from your mind and serve Him like you owe Him everything and you’re happy to try to pay Him back.

And what is the cry of a servant’s heart? It is to know the master’s will. No servant will do anything worthwhile if it is not the will of his master. Can you imagine a queen wanting a glass of tea and one of her servants fetching her a bowl of delicious ice cream? No matter how well-meaning the servant nor how excellent the frozen dessert, the fact remains that the servant has acted as if he knows better than his master. This is not servanthood! Much more should we cry out to God for understanding of His testimonies and His ways so that we might worship Him in Truth through our good service by the strength that He supplies (1 Peter 4:11).33 1 Peter 4:11 — If anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the words of God. If anyone serves, he should serve with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

Lawbreakers Break Christian Hearts

It is time for Yahweh to act, for they have broken Your law. Psalm 119:126

Christian servants love their Master, Jesus Christ. Although we fail to love Him as we ought, our lives should be are marked by our devotion to Him and nothing else (Matthew 6:24).44 Matthew 6:24 — No one can serve two masters: Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. One of the ways you know that you love God is that you love His commandments (1 John 5:3).55 1 John 5:3 — For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, To keep His law is to love His law, and is the duty of every Christian. We are justified by grace through faith apart from works of the law, yet the regenerate soul cries out with David that God’s law is our love and delight (Psalm 1:2; 119:97).66 Psalm 1:2; 119:97 — ²But his delight is in the Law of Yahweh, and on His law he meditates day and night. … ⁹⁷Oh, how I love Your law! All day long it is my meditation.

For the man or woman who has been transferred from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of His marvelous light, the standard pagan practice of breaking God’s law is horrid. Again, reminders of who we once were are much needed to quell our pride. We should never have so much disdain for sinners that we forget the line drawn by God’s grace alone which we are now on the right side of. But for a Christian to wink at God’s law being violated or to be completely indifferent is unknown to the holy scripture. Christians are law-keepers by nature (1 John 3:9),77 1 John 3:9 — Anyone born of God refuses to practice sin, because God’s seed abides in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. having been made into new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17),88 2 Corinthians 5:17 — Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! and are being conformed into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29).99 Romans 8:29 — For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.

Because we love what is righteous we hate what is evil. Therefore we cry out with David, “It is time for you to act, Lord!” It is one thing to count it all joy when we encounter various trials (James 1:2),1010 James 1:2 — Consider it pure joy, my brothers, when you encounter trials of many kinds, but we can do that while still despising the sin and shame around us. We beckon the Lord Jesus to return for His bride and take us home—delivering us from the presence of evil and lawlessness. You may also interpret this as a call for Spirit-wrought revival. Because God’s law has been broken, it is time for God to act—because God alone can do what is necessary to fulfill the requirements of His law (Galatians 3:13).1111 Galatians 3:13 — Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”

God’s Law > Fine Gold

Therefore I love Your commandments more than gold, even the purest gold. Psalm 119:127

A similar sentiment to the one found in Psalm 119:72,1212 Psalm 119:72 — The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver. verse 127 reminds us that the things that have the greatest value from an earthly perspective are worth nothing compared to the value of God’s Word. Even God’s commandments which are too weak to justify a man or make him righteous are of greater value than the finest gold.

David is a helpful example for us. He was rich with earthly possessions and yet saw that it was all worthless when compared to God’s commandments. David, with all his wealth, could not make a sacrifice pleasing to God unless it came from a heart that had been broken by God’s law (Psalm 51:17).1313 Psalm 51:17 — The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. And it is David’s love for God’s commandments which motivates him to open his mouth to tell transgressors God’s ways.

⁴⁶I will speak of Your testimonies before kings, and I will not be ashamed. ⁴⁷I delight in Your commandments because I love them. Psalm 119:46–47

Think of it this way, if you were really, really wealthy, do you believe you would be happy to share that wealth? Wouldn’t you feel obligated to be charitable, especially to those who are severely less fortunate than you? Well—you are wealthy if you know Christ today (Ephesians 3:8; Philippians 4:19; Colossians 2:3).1414 Ephesians 3:8; Philippians 4:19; Colossians 2:3 — ⁸Though I am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, … ¹⁹And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. … ³in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. You have something of far greater worth than earthly treasure. How can you keep your mouth closed to declare the praises of the One who blessed you with such a blessing! Maybe you do not truly value Christ and His Word as you ought to. Maybe you value earthly possessions, status, and creature comforts above the eternal, unchanging Word of God. If this is you, turn back to the God of all grace today and drink from His wellspring of hope in Christ that you may be strengthened for this battle.

Start with God, Then GO…

Therefore I admire all Your precepts and hate every false way. Psalm 119:128

One of the most important trademarks of God’s Word is that it is inerrant. How can we trust a God who either lies or makes mistakes? A god like that is foolish, and nothing more than the result of man’s wicked imagination. We fancy a god who is just like we are (Psalm 50:21).1515 Psalm 50:21 — You have done these things, and I kept silent; you thought I was just like you. But now I rebuke you and accuse you to your face. But our God never learns. There is no room for improvement in any of His perfections. Therefore, He is always right, and whatever He says is right. This is a terror for the evildoer, but a great comfort to the forgiven child of God.

When we begin with God’s precepts as the absolute standard, we have rational hope that we may righteously judge the world around us (John 7:24).1616 John 7:24 — Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.” Modern pagans will tell you it is not right to judge at all. Let them all learn the Heimlich maneuver that they may save each other from choking on the irony of their own unrighteous judgments! We all judge; it is our nature because we are made in God’s image (Isaiah 61:8; Psalm 37:28).1717 Isaiah 61:8; Psalm 37:28 — ⁸For I, Yahweh, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity; in My faithfulness I will give them their recompense and make an everlasting covenant with them. … ²⁸For Yahweh loves justice and will not forsake His saints. They are preserved forever, but the offspring of the wicked will be cut off. Our problem lies in our refusal to employ God’s standards for our judging.

Thus, David begins the end of this octet with the proclamation that he admires all God’s precepts—in the Hebrew, that he counts them all right. All of them! And thus it follows that every other way is false and therefore worthy of disposal. It is not enough for the Christian to say “I believe what I believe but I won’t judge someone else for their beliefs.” This is as hateful as letting a child play with a fork near an outlet or allowing him or her to walk through a parking lot with his or her hand unheld. When you love someone, you do what you can to protect them while they are weak, teach them how to protect themselves so they’ll grow, and warn them of the very real dangers they are ignorant of.

“Oh no!” says the so-called christian who will not declare God’s law to sinners loves not sinners, but himself alone. When we hate every false way because of our love for God’s ways, that hatred for evil manifests itself when we open our mouths. We’d call a national emergency if we knew the water had been poisoned, but to tell people they’ll burn for eternity if they don’t come to Christ is too offensive. Let us start with the perfect precepts of God, let them strike the blows they’ll strike in our neighbors’ hearts, then offer the healing salve of the Gospel to those who have ears to hear.

Meditation Leads to Practice

Wonderful are Your testimonies; therefore I obey them. Psalm 119:129

David is a man after God’s own heart, and we would do well to follow in many of his steps. One of the ways that David is a model for our own prayers is his consistent exaltation of God and His Word. Too often the Christian prayer is something like this:

Oh Heavenly Father, grant such and such that I want. Help me today. Thanks for the food, too. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

But when we consider the constant prayer that is Psalm 119, we see repeatedly that praising God and exalting His Word is the theme. And why shouldn’t it be? God Himself has exalted His name and His word above all things (Psalm 138:2).11 Psalm 138:2 — I bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your loving devotion and Your faithfulness; You have exalted Your name and Your word above all else. So, dear Christian, make your requests known to God (Philippians 4:6),22 Philippians 4:6 — Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. but do so with thanksgiving in your heart and prayerful praise to God and His word.

And when we begin to pray that way, we see the promise of Philippians 4:7–933 Philippians 4:7–9 — ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things. ⁹Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me, put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. manifest in our lives. Because when we understand that God’s testimonies are wonderful we will meditate on them. And when we think about things above us we will begin to live them out, and practice them (Philippians 4:9). But it starts with the humble confession that “Wonderful are Your testimonies” before we can arrive at “therefore I obey them.”

Out of Darkness into the Light

The unfolding of Your words gives light; it informs the simple. Psalm 119:130

Ephesians 5:844 Ephesians 5:8 — For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, tells us that at one time we were darkness. It is not only true that we were in darkness, but we were darkness before Christ converted us to light in the world. And it is through the washing of water with the word that we are cleansed from our sin and delivered from the domain of darkness into His marvelous light (Ephesians 5:26; Colossians 1:13–14; 1 Peter 2:9).55 Ephesians 5:26; Colossians 1:13–14; 1 Peter 2:9 — ²⁶to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, … ¹³He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, ¹⁴in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. … ⁹But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. The psalmist reminds us that the revelation of God gives light. Without God’s Word, we would be completely in the dark.

Darkness is a spiritual force in the heavenly places designed to deceive us. It has the power to blind the eyes of men (1 John 2:11).66 1 John 2:11 — But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness. He does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes. But God, who is rich in mercy can enlighten the eyes (Psalm 19:8)77 Psalm 19:8 — The precepts of Yahweh are right, bringing joy to the heart; the commandments of Yahweh are radiant, giving light to the eyes. by His commandment! He is the one who delivers from darkness and draws us to the light. And isn’t bringing light into darkness the very first work of God that we read about in Genesis 1:2–3?88 Genesis 1:2–3 — ²Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. ³And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. He is literally in the “shining light on the darkness” business!

And His words inform the simple. Wisdom from God is our goal. You may say, “No! Being conformed to the image of Christ is our goal.” But what is wisdom if not the person of Jesus? When we learn Christ, we learn wisdom; when we learn wisdom, we learn about Christ. And not only that, but we are made wise instead of simple. Not many of us were wise, but God chose what is foolish in this world to shame the wise (1 Corinthians 1:26–27).99 1 Corinthians 1:26–27 — ²⁶Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. There is a corollary implication here. It isn’t only true that God’s word gives understanding to the simple, but that those who are wise in their own eyes will never be able to gain wisdom from God. It is solely a humble spirit that receives understanding from God’s words.

Excited About God’s Word Yet?

I open my mouth and pant, longing for Your commandments. Psalm 119:131

Now we get to the crux of where every man, woman, and child needs to be. Having established that God’s testimonies are wonderful (Psalm 119:129), that the revealing of them delivers from darkness and makes wise the simple (Psalm 119:130), the reasonable result is that the child of God would desire them. David is so desirous of God’s commandments that he has literally lost his breath. The excitement of being forgiven and brought to the light overwhelms him. The promise that he will have understanding as to how to obey God is too much to take sitting down. He pants!

Dear believer, do not misunderstand. We (as David was) are justified by grace through faith alone in the finished work of the resurrected Jesus. But our salvation doesn’t end there. That is the beginning of our new-creaturehood. That is the inception of our lives as children of God. And, as children who call God Father, we are to be conformed to His ways and not our former ones.

¹⁴As obedient children, do not conform to the passions of your former ignorance. ¹⁵But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do, ¹⁶for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” ¹⁷Since you call on a Father who judges each one’s work impartially, conduct yourselves in reverent fear during your stay as foreigners. 1 Peter 1:14–17

And how do we know God’s plan? How do we know our Father’s will? It is through His Word. When we wake up in the morning and, in our flesh, are unsure how to live, we should be excited to have an instruction manual. Do you find yourself longing for God’s commands today? Is your heart’s fire for obedience to God a smoldering wick, or is it a burning flame? Is insight from God what you long for today?

It’s All Grace

Turn to me and show me mercy, as You do to those who love Your name. Psalm 119:132

And how are we supposed to receive God’s Word? We receive it by faith. Faith has been said to be “taking God at His Word,” and we have no hope of doing this if not for grace. Every good and every perfect gift is from above (James 1:17),1010 James 1:17 — Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow. and understanding the Bible is no exception. So we pray with the psalmist that God would show us mercy—that He would be gracious toward us. Yes, we have already received an abundance, but humble spirits need more! And why not? Our God is able to supply according to His infinite riches in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).1111 Philippians 4:19 — And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

From His fullness we have all received grace upon grace. John 1:16

God is glorified by His giving of more and more grace. It magnifies God’s benevolence and kindness in the eyes of creatures when He expresses pity on them and blesses them with still more grace. Oh, how many Christians will go to Heaven and only realize there that there was more grace available in this life had they only asked? God will never run out and you can never exhaust His grace! Too often we don’t ask for more grace because we don’t feel we deserve it.

We never deserve it. That’s why we call it grace. It is not earned. It’s granted by a good and merciful Savior.

So what is our confidence and hope? It is that God shows mercy to those who love His name; graciousness is His way with them. Because Yahweh is immutable, He can do nothing but be gracious to the elect—those creatures whom the Father chose, for whom Christ atoned, and to whom the Holy Spirit applied the blood of Jesus, the sacrificial lamb of God. If you are in Christ today, God’s disposition toward you is and can be nothing except divine love. The Father can have no ill will toward the Son, and that includes His body, the church. His treasure trove of graces is infinite; do not fear to come to Him today for more!

Humility Desires Grace

Order my steps in Your word; let no sin rule over me. Psalm 119:133

David has a healthy fear of his own sinfulness. This is a necessary humility for a man who is going to oppose evil because we must watch over ourselves lest we too are tempted (Galatians 6:1).11 Galatians 6:1 — Brothers, if someone is caught in a trespass, you who are spiritual should restore him with a spirit of gentleness. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.

• In Psalm 119:10422 Psalm 119:104 — I gain understanding from Your precepts; therefore I hate every false way. and Psalm 119:128,33 Psalm 119:128 — Therefore I admire all Your precepts and hate every false way. he declares his hatred for false ways.
• He desires deliverance from arrogant men in Psalm 119:122, 78, 21.44 Psalm 119:122, 78, 21 — ¹²²Ensure Your servant’s well-being; do not let the arrogant oppress me. … ⁷⁸May the arrogant be put to shame for subverting me with a lie; I will meditate on Your precepts. … ²¹You rebuke the arrogant—the cursed who stray from Your commandments.
• Evildoers and “the wicked” are consistently derided throughout this prayer.

If we sons of Adam are good at anything at all, we’re good at judging. We often employ the wrong standard when we judge, and sometimes we are quick to judge, enjoying the way it feeds our self-righteousness. There is little in this world that is more exciting for our flesh than to see our fellow man fall in some way. But David recognizes his own sinfulness and prays to God to guide him in his daily walk. “Order my steps in Your word” is a plea to be kept on the narrow road (Matthew 7:14).55 Matthew 7:14 — But small is the gate and narrow the way that leads to life, and only a few find it.

God justifies us by grace through faith alone, and that faith is followed by good works (Ephesians 2:10).66 Ephesians 2:10 — For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life. God doesn’t just forgive sinners and leave them in their sin; He promises them help along the way (Proverbs 3:6).77 Proverbs 3:6 — in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. That is His promise to us. God provides us with new affections and desires. But in our unredeemed flesh, we still must wage war with sin. Confessing our weakness, we ought to pray with the psalmist, “Let no sin rule over me!” It is good and right to plan on not sinning, but we humbly request God to be the power that enables us to walk in newness of life. A healthy fear of the power of sin is essential to avoid it. It is those who think they stand who are in most danger of falling (1 Corinthians 10:12).88 1 Corinthians 10:12 — So the one who thinks he is standing firm should be careful not to fall. Humbly acknowledge your need for His grace today.

Freedom to Worship

Redeem me from the oppression of man, that I may keep Your precepts. Psalm 119:134

Along with the daily snares of temptation we face as sojourners in this wicked world, we must face the oppression of wicked men! “Redeem me from the oppression of man, that I may keep Your precepts,” is another petition to God for help so that the child of God can live out God’s commands. The idea here is not that we cannot be obedient to God while we are oppressed in the sense that somehow sin becomes excusable, but that often oppression prohibits us from performing the positive commands of worship. When you think of this phrase, think of the Israelites in Egypt.

Then Yahweh said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and tell him that this is what Yahweh says: ‘Let My people go, so that they may worship Me. Exodus 8:1

It isn’t that slavery in Egypt excused the Israelites to break God’s law. But the oppression they faced kept them from being able to truly worship the Lord as they desired. Our world is full of churches that must function in secret. Believers around the world are suffering (1 Peter 5:9)99 1 Peter 5:9 — Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. persecution in ways that prohibit them from regular fellowship, singing songs with a local church, or participating in the ordinances. We who are free from such oppression ought to remember our brothers and sisters in prayer who are suffering such oppression (Hebrews 13:3)!1010 Hebrews 13:3 — Remember those in prison as if you were bound with them, and those who are mistreated as if you were suffering with them.

And even if the persecution you face is only green persecution, is that not still suffering for righteousness’ sake? Should we who live in countries peaceful to Christianity be thought to have no share in the suffering of the Righteous One? How many of you have lost home and family or suffer greatly at their hands? Who has lost a job, or a spouse, or even children (Mark 10:29–30)1111 Mark 10:29–30 — ²⁹“Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the gospel ³⁰will fail to receive a hundredfold in the present age—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. because of your stand for Christ? Has your livelihood been destroyed or your good name in business dealings, all because you will not keep quiet about our Great King? You also should beseech the Lord for mercy and deliverance by this same earnest prayer.

Servants Desire (Their Own) Faithful Obedience

Make Your face shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes. Psalm 119:135

There is no greater joy to God’s servants than to know that He is pleased with them. When God looks down on the children of men He finds none who are worthy of His love (Psalm 14:2–3).1212 Psalm 14:2–3 — ²Yahweh looks down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if any understand, if any seek God. ³All have turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. God’s anthropomorphic1313 Anthropomorphic means describing God in human terms, as having a face or eyes. face appears angry when we consider the blight that humanity is on His creation. David is naked and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom he will give an account (Hebrews 4:13),1414 Hebrews 4:13 — Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. so it is no wonder that he wants God to hide His holy face from David’s sins (Psalm 51:9).1515 Psalm 51:9 — Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.

But in the predetermined counsel of God’s will, there is a promise that men will be reconciled to God. Because of the imputation of our sin to the messiah and the imputation of Christ’s righteousness us-ward, we can have a confident hope that God is smiling as He looks upon us (Zephaniah 3:17).1616 Zephaniah 3:17 — Yahweh your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.” Our God is in the Heavens and He does all that He pleases (Psalm 115:3),1717 Psalm 115:3 — Our God is in heaven; He does as He pleases. so you can be SURE that He didn’t save you begrudgingly. And since there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1),1818 Romans 8:1 — Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. you can be certain that He isn’t mad at you today, either. His joy is in us (John 15:11)1919 John 15:11 — I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. because we are hidden in Christ Jesus, the beloved Son in whom the Father is well-pleased (Matthew 3:17).2020 Matthew 3:17 — And a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!”

The love of God has been manifested to us through the gospel. Because Christ died and rose for us, we have an abundant life. And because we know that Christ died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3),2121 1 Corinthians 15:3 — For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, we want to be extra careful to try to live righteously—thus we need to be taught God’s ways. God’s pleasure in Christ overflowing onto us causes us to cling to God’s testimonies as our direction in this life! His statutes are the basis for our self-evaluation (Galatians 6:4);2222 Galatians 6:4 — Each one should test his own work. Then he will have reason to boast in himself alone, and not in someone else. the standard by which we find the need to confess (Psalm 119:26);2323 Psalm 119:26 — I recounted my ways, and You answered me; teach me Your statutes. the pure and true things we think upon (Psalm 119:27; Philippians 4:8);2424 Psalm 119:27; Philippians 4:8 — ²⁷Make clear to me the way of Your precepts; then I will meditate on Your wonders. … ⁸Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things. and descriptors of the perfections of Christ our Lord. We desire to know them and to obey them because we are motivated by God’s love (1 John 4:18–19).2525 1 John 4:18–19 — ¹⁸There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. The one who fears has not been perfected in love. ¹⁹We love because He first loved us.

Do You Weep?

My eyes shed streams of tears because Your law is not obeyed. Psalm 119:136

If Psalm 119 is a psalm for the Christian life, verses 131 and 136 are for the mature. Many of us can say with confidence that we have been angry with wickedness (Psalm 119:53),2626 Psalm 119:53 — Rage has taken hold of me because of the wicked who reject Your law. that we want to know more of God’s law (Psalm 119:64),2727 Psalm 119:64 — The earth is filled with Your loving devotion, O Yahweh; teach me Your statutes. that we believe God’s promises (Psalm 119:50),2828 Psalm 119:50 — This is my comfort in affliction, that Your promise has given me life. and that we’ve experienced persecution (Psalm 119:85).2929 Psalm 119:85 — The arrogant have dug pits for me in violation of Your law. But how many of us have actually had a flood of tears because other people forsake God’s law? When we are surrounded by the floodwaters of sin it seems most of us dip our toes or dive in with sinners or react with fierce anger—maybe because we fear that the garment will be stained by the flesh (Jude 23).3030 Jude 1:23 — save others by snatching them from the fire; and to still others show mercy tempered with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh. So we join sinners or we disdain them and their deeds, but do we ever pity them? And how often are we simply moved to tears because God’s law is broken?

I knew a man who was an evangelist with a healthy head on his shoulders. He saw a man getting in trouble with the police while a crowd gathered to watch the commotion. I was looking on as well; there was a spectacle being made. I remember my friend turning to me with tears in his eyes, saying, “that poor man.” I was struck by the compassion and the pity this evangelist had on a lawbreaker. There was a love in his eyes that said, “I love you, neighbor.” May God grant us all softer hearts; hearts that are ready to share in the suffering of our neighbor—soft hearts that are more concerned that God is offended by His laws being broken than how we are personally affected by sinners. May we never forget the One who is ultimately offended by each transgression (Psalm 51:4).3131 Psalm 51:4 — Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge. Even Lot was vexed by Sodom, how much more should we who have so much more revelation (2 Peter 2:7–8)?!3232 2 Peter 2:7–8 — ⁷and if He rescued Lot, a righteous man distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless ⁸(for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)—

Dear believer, pray that God would grant you eyes to see how short you have fallen of this standard. Then get up and do the first works! Love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself and you will begin to see your thoughts taken captive to obey Christ, and you will have emotions that are aligned with the righteousness and compassion of God. Pray that God would give you feet and hands to serve the church and your fellow man with. Pray for a nose that detects the aroma of Christ in your midst. And finally, pray for ears to hear the cry of those who do not know Christ, and a tongue to proclaim His law and gospel wherever you go.

Righteousness of God

Righteous are You, O Yahweh, and upright are Your judgments. Psalm 119:137

The Tsadhe octet is the “righteous” octet. Half the verses in this set speak of righteousness. And it starts where righteousness starts: with the Lord Himself. God is righteous and worthy to be praised for it. David is a prayerful man with many needs, but he follows the pattern that Jesus taught by bringing praise to the Lord. Hallowed be Your name, we cry out before requesting our daily bread (Matthew 6:9–11).11 Matthew 6:9–11 — ⁹So then, this is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. ¹⁰Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. ¹¹Give us this day our daily bread. So what does it mean that the Lord is righteous?

When we speak of righteousness or of being righteous, we cannot help but describe someone as conforming to a standard. That is, when we call a person righteous, we are usually saying that the person lives up to a standard of excellence or goodness that is a really high standard. But when we say God is righteous we are saying that God is the standard. It isn’t that God thinks stuff and does stuff and then we compare what He did to some standard and realize “Wow, God did that well!” It’s that the very concept of righteousness doesn’t exist apart from God. God simply is righteous. All other forms of righteousness are compared to Him as the standard. In Him, there is no sin nor blemish (1 Peter 1:19).22 1 Peter 1:19 — but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot. There is no shadow of turning (James 1:17).33 James 1:17 — Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow. He cannot improve nor degrade (Malachi 3:6).44 Malachi 3:6 — “Because I, Yahweh, do not change, you descendants of Jacob have not been destroyed. He just is and what He is is essentially righteous.

Therefore, it naturally follows that all of God’s judgments are upright as well. God cannot do anything wrong. Everything He does accords with His perfect, immutable nature and thus, everything He does is right. So when God tells us about His judgments or His law, we can be sure any tension we sense is a problem with us, not God’s ways. This is why David proclaims in Psalm 51:455 Psalm 51:4 — Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight, so that You may be proved right when You speak and blameless when You judge. that it was against God alone that he had sinned, so that God may be blameless in His judgment. It is our sinful nature to accuse God of unrighteousness when we are in sin. May God have mercy. God is the standard to which we must conform, and He reveals that standard through His judgments, His law, and ultimately His dear Son, Jesus (Hebrews 1:2).66 Hebrews 1:2 — But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.

Righteousness and Faithfulness

The testimonies You have laid down are righteous and altogether faithful. Psalm 119:138

Though God is the Creator of the world and everything in it, the heathen rage and plot vain things against Him (Psalm 2:1–2).77 Psalm 2:1–2 — ¹Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? ²The kings of the earth take their stand and the rulers gather together, against Yahweh and against His Anointed One: One of the weapons of Satan’s warfare is the theory of evolution. With evolution, men claim that the world and everything in it came about from (at least some level of) chaos. But evolution does not only attack God’s physical creation, but it is also an attack on the objective morality appointed by God. God-haters have plotted in vain for millennia how to “dethrone God,” and they rightfully attack the foundations of Christian belief in their attempt. If God isn’t the One who has appointed all things, including His righteous testimonies, then to whom is man even accountable at all? There is no morality without God having appointed it. Objective morality cannot arise ex nihilo or as the result of evolutionary processes.

But God did lay down His testimonies, and they are righteous. First, it is important to note that it is God who laid down His testimonies. They didn’t arise naturally or derive from something in creation. God’s testimonies are eternally established in His perfect mind according to the wisdom of His will. Second, there is no blemish or spot on the perfections of God’s testimonies. Our inability to obey or even grasp God’s righteous law has no bearing on the objective moral goodness of His law. When God’s law isn’t clear or seems “off,” it is our duty to throw ourselves ever the more into study, always beginning with the presupposition that we are wrong and God is right.

Finally, God’s testimonies are altogether faithful. God is faithful even though every man is a liar. Romans 3:488 Romans 3:4 — Certainly not! Let God be true and every man a liar. As it is written: “So that You may be proved right when You speak and victorious when You judge.” refers to Psalm 51:4 and is a reminder that God does not need to be justified for His own sake, but He exhibits His righteousness and faithfulness for our sake. He is righteous and faithful and His faithfulness isn’t something we evaluate or are led to by evidence. Instead, His faithfulness is the standard to which we turn! It is because He has promised something that we should believe it, not necessarily because we’ve seen sufficient evidence. God has and will send us help for our faith, but that is not to prove Himself, it is to help us due to our fallible faithfulness. But God is to be believed regardless of what we sense; this is our only comfort (Psalm 119:50)!99 Psalm 119:50 — This is my comfort in affliction, that Your promise has given me life.

Zeal for God with Knowledge

My zeal has consumed me because my foes forget Your words. Psalm 119:139

When we consider the truths of God contained in the scripture, and the Holy Spirit illumines our minds, we are armed with knowledge that translates to action. We cannot simply learn truthful things about God without applying what we’ve learned to our thinking and deeds. This is why we are undone (Isaiah 6:5 KJV)1010 Isaiah 6:5 (KJV) — Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts. when we encounter the righteousness of God. We have no righteousness of our own to boast in nor establish. But Christ has become to us wisdom from God (1 Corinthians 1:30),1111 1 Corinthians 1:30 — It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God: our righteousness, holiness, and redemption. and thus, we can understand the gospel: that Christ died for the ungodly (Romans 5:6)1212 Romans 5:6 — For at just the right time, while we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. and was raised so that they may be accounted righteous (Romans 4:25).1313 Romans 4:25 — He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification.

In Romans 10:2–4,1414 Romans 10:2–4 — ²For I testify about them that they are zealous for God, but not on the basis of knowledge. ³Because they were ignorant of God’s righteousness and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. ⁴For Christ is the end of the law, to bring righteousness to everyone who believes. Paul criticizes the Israelites for having a zeal for God but not according to knowledge. It is not that they didn’t know who God is or that they worshipped the wrong God. No, Paul’s admonition is that the Israelites knew God, but didn’t comprehend His righteousness. Thus, they didn’t submit to it, nor were they grasping their need for Christ’s righteousness to cover them. But the Israelites could not blame the psalmist. For centuries before the incarnation, Psalm 119 was telling the people of God’s righteousness and His faithful promise. Thus, the psalmist is consumed with his own zeal for God’s righteous testimonies. He is consumed with zeal for God’s faithful promise as a contrast to the ignorance of his enemies.

For he laments, “my foes forget Your words.” The enemies of God are faithful to their own false religious system. Our world system demands one’s whole life be dedicated to it (all gods do). This is why some of the most biblically illiterate people you meet are “ex-Christians.” We forget God’s law when we let sin dull our hearts. When we actively deny what we know to be true, even that which is self-evident (Romans 1:18),1515 Romans 1:18 — The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness. we bear the mark of those who hate the Way, the Truth, and the Life. As men’s hearts and consciences are hardened, we should be encouraged to greater zeal for the truth, because it is only zeal with knowledge that leads us in the right direction (Proverbs 19:2).1616 Proverbs 19:2 — Even zeal is no good without knowledge, and he who hurries his footsteps misses the mark.

God’s Servants Trust Him

Your promise is completely pure; therefore Your servant loves it. Psalm 119:140

And here is the heart of the matter. God has promised to redeem a people for Himself. He promised from the earliest time (Genesis 3:15)1717 Genesis 3:15 — And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” that a messiah would come and that He would save His people from their sins. This promise has endured since the beginning and to the time of David. The promise persisted through the murder of Abel (Genesis 4:25).1818 Genesis 4:25 — And Adam again had relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another seed in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” It remained steadfast when Abraham and Sarah were beyond child-bearing years (Genesis 15:2).1919 Genesis 15:2 — But Abram replied, “O Lord Yahweh, what can You give me, since I remain childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” It never wavered when Abraham was committed to offering Isaac as a sacrifice (Genesis 22:2).2020 Genesis 22:2 — “Take your son,” God said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah. Offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.”

When judge after judge rose and fell short of finally delivering God’s people, God’s promise never changed (Judges 2:1, 16).2121 Judges 2:1, 16 — ¹Now the angel of Yahweh went up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, “I brought you up out of Egypt and led you into the land that I had promised to your fathers, and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you, … ¹⁶Then Yahweh raised up judges, who saved them from the hands of those who plundered them. When the Israelites took things into their own hands and demanded a king (1 Samuel 8:6),2222 1 Samuel 8:6 — But when they said, “Give us a king to judge us,” their demand was displeasing in the sight of Samuel; so he prayed to Yahweh. God’s promise was unaltered. When David, God’s anointed King who most resembled the one who would ultimately give Israel the victory they needed fell woefully short of God’s righteousness (2 Samuel 11:4)2323 2 Samuel 11:4 — Then David sent messengers to get her, and when she came to him, he slept with her. (Now she had just purified herself from her uncleanness.) Then she returned home. God’s promise actually shined even brighter (Psalm 51:2).2424 Psalm 51:2 — Wash me clean of my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Because God’s promise that He will dwell among His people is greater than any physical deliverance or plot of land that we could imagine. God’s promise to tear down the dividing wall between Himself and sinners is the greatest news ever, and its light is magnified when seen against the backdrop of our sin and darkness (Ephesians 2:16).2525 Ephesians 2:16 — and reconciling both of them to God in one body through the cross, by which He put to death their hostility. When its fulfillment appears bleakest, the promise is most cherished.

It is when God’s promise is against all odds that it is most visible to us. When God made Gideon take a smaller army we see His power magnified (Judges 7:2).2626 Judges 7:2 — Then Yahweh said to Gideon, “You have too many men for Me to deliver Midian into their hands, lest Israel glorify themselves over Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me.’ Edmund Clowney used to say that God is always destroying His own credibility because He promises things that are so much greater than we can even imagine. But that is our God! He is the one who is able to do exceedingly and abundantly more than we could ask or even think (Ephesians 3:20)!2727 Ephesians 3:20 — Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, His promise is completely pure—refined, tested, well-tried. Christ came and fulfilled all righteousness (Matthew 3:15)2828 Matthew 3:15 — “Let it be so now,” Jesus replied. “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” Then John permitted Him. and is seated at the right hand of the father (Colossians 3:1).2929 Colossians 3:1 — Therefore, since you have been raised with Christ, strive for the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. We believe and love God’s promise because it is from God. And praise Him for He has given us tangible evidence to help us in our unbelief through His continued faithfulness to His people (Acts 17:31).3030 Acts 17:31 — For He has set a day when He will judge the world with justice by the Man He has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising Him from the dead.”

Despised

I am lowly and despised, but I do not forget Your precepts. Psalm 119:141

David is no stranger to persecution. He is lowly, which conjures an image of weakness. He needs the Lord to fight his battles for him. He is despised. Do not be surprised that the world hates you, we are told (1 John 3:13),11 1 John 3:13 — So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. for a servant will not be treated better than his master. But not being surprised and being hurt are not exclusive. You may expect to be hated but it still stings! Dear saint, know that those who have gone before you are equally familiar with the contempt you feel in your own life. You are not alone, even when it seems that way.

But doesn’t verse 141 remind you of our Lord Jesus?

²He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him. ³He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Isaiah 53:2–3 (emphasis mine)

What more comfort do you need in your weakness than to know he also was made weak in order to save you and make you his bride?

But He did not forget God’s precepts and neither ought we!

⁹He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. … ¹¹After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities. Isaiah 53:9, 11 (emphasis mine)

Follow the example of Christ who suffered as a righteous person but didn’t succumb to temptation Himself (1 Peter 2:21–22).22 1 Peter 2:21–22 — ²¹For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps: ²²“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth.”

Eternal Righteousness

Your righteousness is everlasting and Your law is true. Psalm 119:142

Christ’s excellencies are of such a perfect and infinite nature that it is often hard to speak of them. How can the creature, (especially a sinful one), ever use language to adequately describe the infinite? So we come up with a phrase that seems obvious like “Your righteousness is righteous”—which is what the Hebrew says, literally (the BSB renders it “Your righteousness is everlasting”). But let’s dig deeper into this mine and see what gems we can find here!

First, we note the extent and duration of God’s righteousness. It is righteous forever. There is no other being of whom that can be said. God is eternal and unchanging. Thus, His righteousness is forever righteous. What a comfort to know that our God will not change and will forever be righteous. Secondly, we note the quality of God’s righteousness. His righteousness is righteous. While this seems obvious, it bears remarking that God describes our righteousness in very different terms. Isaiah 64:6 reminds us that “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind.” God’s righteousness is contrasted with ours in that His righteousness is eternal and unblemished righteousness. There is no stain on God’s righteousness and it isn’t pushed about by winds of change. Praise Him!

Finally, because God is righteous and eternal, His law is true. We often make an unfortunate distinction in our lives which is unsupported by scripture or sound reason. That distinction is that we say that we believe God is righteous and good, but then we question His law or commands toward us. We subtly ask ourselves in the idol of our heart “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1) in reference to what has been clearly written down for us. For many, it is not so subtle, but we presume upon the grace of God (1 Samuel 15:23)33 1 Samuel 15:23 — For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of Yahweh, He has rejected you as king.” when we know we are in violation of His Truth. May God be merciful to us that our walk would match our calling (Ephesians 4:1).44 Ephesians 4:1 — As a prisoner in the Lord, then, I urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling you have received:

Delight in God’s Commandments

Trouble and distress have found me, but Your commandments are my delight. Psalm 119:143

Again we see in the experience of David a foretaste of our own Christian experience. Following Christ is costly for everyone (Matthew 19:27).55 Matthew 19:27 — “Look,” Peter replied, “we have left everything to follow You. What then will there be for us?” And for some, it comes with mountains of anguish. How many of you are the first and still only of your family to have been adopted as a child of God? How many are vexed like Lot over the state of your culture (2 Peter 2:7)?66 2 Peter 2:7 — and if He rescued Lot, a righteous man distressed by the depraved conduct of the lawless Has your profession caused discord in your life where there was previously peace (Matthew 10:36)?77 Matthew 10:36 — A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ A Christian’s newly sensitive conscience to God’s commandments may be like sandpaper to his friends and family.

But again, we see here a picture of the suffering of the Lord Jesus. He is the one of whom it is written, “After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied” (Isaiah 53:11). It is the trouble that Jesus endured for our sake that delivers us from the domain of darkness into His marvelous light. Are you willing to endure anguish for His sake for a time that will not even be comparable to the glory that is stored up for you one day? When the trouble comes, is your temptation to abandon God’s commandments?

Our experience is this: most people will leave us alone about our religion as long as we keep it to ourselves. It is when we want to impose the will of God onto others through preaching or godly legislation that the pagan usually replies “believe what you want but don’t push it onto me.” But who hides a light under a basket? Yes, we can get along with people in this world more easily if we ignore their sin. We can have some temporary peace with people if we use the words they want us to use, laugh at the jokes they tell, and keep any talk of God’s commandments away from their hearing, but why would we? It is God’s commandments that are David’s delight, not false peace with men. Thus it is fitting that we should do that which brings us delight and adhere to, proclaim, and celebrate God’s commandments.

Assurance of Perseverance

Your testimonies are righteous forever. Give me understanding, that I may live. Psalm 119:144

We finish this octet with praise to God for His testimonies. When we testify we provide an account of what we have witnessed. The omniscient God’s testimonies are thus perfect and eternal. Men require two or three witnesses to establish an account (Deuteronomy 19:15; 2 Corinthians 13:1),88 Deuteronomy 19:15; 2 Corinthians 13:1 — ¹⁵A lone witness is not sufficient to establish any wrongdoing or sin against a man, regardless of what offense he may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. … ¹This is the third time I am coming to you. “Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” but God is One and He needs no other authority to confirm what He testifies to (Galatians 3:20).99 Galatians 3:20 — A mediator is unnecessary, however, for only one party; but God is one. Thus, when we look at the witness of God we peer into that which is righteous and eternally unchanging.

This is why we trust God’s account of creation rather than the corrupt imaginations of men. God is a witness to the events of creation, thus, we believe in them. We believe the testimony of historical events in the Bible even if there is no external corroboration because God is trustworthy and a witness. God is righteous. That is His nature, therefore, when He recounts events or predicts them we can know with certainty that He is to be trusted. Since God is the source of all that we can know, we beseech Him for understanding. We cannot know anything if God doesn’t reveal it to us, so with humility, we come to God in prayer and ask Him to give us understanding that we may not only know how to live but that we may have life itself in Jesus.

Dear Christian, do you see how God’s righteous and eternal testimonies are your greatest assurance of your election? It is precisely because we can trust God that we have hope that we’ll persevere. Consider:

¹⁸Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth. ¹⁹And by this we will know that we belong to the truth, and will assure our hearts in His presence: ²⁰Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and He knows all things. 1 John 3:18–20

John wanted the church to know that the hearts of true believers will still try to condemn them. Our heart is regenerated but maintains some stain of our Adamic nature. So it has a tendency to deceive us…or at least try to. But when our heart condemns us, we turn to the manifold witness of our Triune God and cry “Abba, Father,” by the power of the Spirit of Christ. God’s testimonies are righteous forever. Believe Him, dear Christian, when He says there is therefore now no condemnation (Romans 8:1).1010 Romans 8:1 — Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Crying for Help

I call with all my heart; answer me, O Yahweh! I will obey Your statutes. Psalm 119:145

The psalmist begins the Qoph octet with a prayer from the heart. He says, “I call with all my heart!” The previous octet (Tsadhe) was all about how righteous God and His law and His ways are, so it is no wonder that a mere man has little choice but to cry out to God for help. When the righteous (by grace) cry for help, God hears and delivers them (Psalm 34:17)!11 Psalm 34:17 — The righteous cry out, and Yahweh hears; He delivers them from all their troubles.

And it is with all his heart that he calls out to Yahweh for an answer. There is no holding back in this prayer. David knows the Lord and understands that only total devotion to God is what is expected of him. We spend our lives holding back from God. Oh, how often we fail Him in thought, word, and deed on a daily basis! But it is most convicting when we realize how much we do not even pray with all our heart. We find it is even a struggle to stay focused on Him and devoted to Him in our private moments when it is only us and Him! It’s understandable that we would fail to keep God first amid the distractions and temptations of this world, but when we realize that the problem comes from within us and, thus, is present when we pray alone as well, we should cry with the psalmist that we shall pray with all our heart!

And our prayer and our commitment ought to be the same—that we might keep God’s statutes. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled (Matthew 5:6).22 Matthew 5:6 — Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. We cry for help from the One who is Blessed forever so that we might enjoy the fruit of living in obedience to Him. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments (1 John 5:3)!33 1 John 5:3 — For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, When we find obeying God to be a struggle our response ought to be to be suspicious of our own hearts and to cry for help through prayer that we would have our affections redirected to be aligned with His will. And committing to observing God’s law isn’t legalism; this is simply how a Christian ought to direct his or her thoughts and prayers.

Deliverance

I call to You; save me, that I may keep Your testimonies. Psalm 119:146

Continuing with the same theme as we saw in Psalm 119:145, David goes a step deeper and calls for God to save him that he may keep His testimonies. David acknowledges here that it will require an act of God for him to learn obedience to God’s testimonies. But he also exhibits the human responsibility to seek after God. Thankfully, He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).44 Hebrews 11:6 — And without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

We must keep in mind the context of this passage (and every passage). David believes in Yahweh God and has trusted in the promise (see Psalm 119:148) that God would send a messiah to save His people from their sins. When he calls to God to save him, this is the cry of a righteous man who wants deliverance from earthly foes and enemies who are distracting him from his true desire, worshipping God in spirit and in truth. Believer, do you not experience the same affliction in this sin-soaked world? Are you not constantly bombarded with news reports of evil and politicians diverting culture from goodness? Do you notice it is difficult to walk through a mall without being accosted by immoral photos plastered on the wall? Do family obligations and work in this cursed world take you away from things you want to do for God?

These circumstances are all part of the decree and plan of God. So while we despise evil, we love those who are yet-to-be-saved. While we loathe the degradation of culture, we hold out hope that God will redeem some people out of it. And while we suffer affliction by the will of God, we call on Him who has afflicted us to save us from it (1 Peter 4:19; Philippians 1:29).55 1 Peter 4:19; Philippians 1:29 — ¹⁹So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should entrust their souls to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. … ²⁹For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him, It is for His glory that you will be delivered as the result of your prayer to Him. May we remember to thank Him for every victory!

Wake Up, O Sleeper!

I rise before dawn and cry for help; in Your word I have put my hope. Psalm 119:147

The psalmist declares here that he rises before dawn to cry for help. There is a theme in our scripture of righteous men and women getting up early in the morning to serve the living God (Joshua 6:15; Nehemiah 4:21).66 Joshua 6:15; Nehemiah 4:21 — ¹⁵Then on the seventh day, they got up at dawn and marched around the city seven times in the same manner. That was the only day they circled the city seven times. … ²¹So we continued the work, while half of the men held spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out.

Satisfy us in the morning with Your loving devotion, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days. Psalm 90:14

I am certain there are exceptions to this, but it seems to be a general rule that we are naturally inclined to sleep in and stay up late. The discipline of waking up early to start one’s day is something that must be taught and must be disciplined. Very few people live without alarm clocks (at least in this writer’s experience). So it is part and parcel of our love for God that we would wake up early to start our day with prayer and devotion to God because it doesn’t come naturally to our flesh. Jesus taught us to pray “Give us this day our daily bread” (Matthew 6:11), and this prayer makes more sense to be prayed before the day than near the end of it. We are creatures on a 24-hour cycle and Christ is the Lord of all of it. Thus, it is fitting to begin each day with supplication to our God for help. The man or woman who makes time to beseech the Lord’s favor before the day’s activities begin will find great benefit therein.

She rises while it is still night to provide food for her household and portions for her maidservants. Proverbs 31:15

David adds a declaration of his devotion to God by saying he has put his hope in God’s word. He rises before dawn and devotes time to God and God alone because he believes in God’s words. If God was not, we would have no reason to wake early for prayer and study. We could live like the pagans who take no Sabbath rest from work and have all the more time to devote to their own pursuits because they are not busy with their Father’s business as we Christians ought to be. But our hope is in the very words of God, written for us in the Bible so that we can do that which is revealed by God to be good for us. We can stop to pray during emergencies and on our busiest days because we hope in God and His words by faith, and not solely in what man can see.

Direct Your Thoughts to Christ

My eyes anticipate the watches of night, that I may meditate on Your word. Psalm 119:148

And so, we awake while it is still dark and meditate on God’s word—His promise, as this Hebrew word is often rendered (see chapter 10). What is God’s promise? What are we to meditate upon? David meditated on the coming messiah; the hope that God would send a deliverer to save Israel, God’s people. David’s meditation was on the promise that in Abraham all the nations would be blessed and that the seed of the woman would crush the serpent.

I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed. He will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 12:3; 3:15

The promise we have received is no different, but we have received more revelation. We meditate on the aspects of that promise which are already fulfilled: that Jesus Christ has come into the world. He was born of the virgin, conceived without the stain of sin by the Holy Spirit, and was perfectly righteous before the Father in every respect, although He was tempted by Satan (Hebrews 4:15).77 Hebrews 4:15 — For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. He was delivered to death and suffered the wrath of almighty God for sinners, (Isaiah 53:11),88 Isaiah 53:11 — After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities. was buried, and on the third day rose from the grave (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4).99 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4 — ³For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, … ⁴that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, THIS is what we meditate upon, and all its implications: that we are wretched sinners, that Christ is a kind and gracious and all-sufficient savior, and that only by grace through faith can salvation be accomplished (among others)!

And furthermore, we meditate on the as yet to be fulfilled aspects of God’s promise. God doesn’t only promise to forgive our sins and give us a new, cleansed heart in this world. God promises to one day deliver us wholly from this body of death and this world of sin and The Curse (Romans 8:18, 23, 24).1010 Romans 8:18, 23, 24 — ¹⁸I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us. … ²³Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. … ²⁴For in this hope we were saved; but hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he can already see? When affliction comes, remember that one day you will be glorified. When you endure suffering for the cause of Christ, meditate on God’s promise that He will lift the curse. Dear Christian, even when you yourself sin against the God you love, cast your cares fully on the One who will give you a new and perfect body (Philippians 3:21).1111 Philippians 3:21 — who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.

And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified. Romans 8:30

We Pray Because of Union with Jesus

Hear my voice, O Yahweh, according to Your loving devotion; give me life according to Your justice. Psalm 119:149

The psalmist repeatedly teaches us to call for God to hear us (Psalm 4:1; 17:1).11 Psalm 4:1; 17:1 — ¹Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved my distress; show me grace and hear my prayer. … ¹Hear, O Yahweh, my righteous plea; listen to my cry. Give ear to my prayer—it comes from lips free of deceit.

Hear my prayer, O God; listen to the words of my mouth. Psalm 54:2

And we should take note of the reason given here in verse 149. It is according to God’s loving devotion that David expects the Lord to listen to his cry. We should be so bold as well if our confidence is in Christ. For the Father’s loving devotion is His love for Christ Himself, and if you are hidden in Him, you are beloved by the Father as well. You have been loved since before time (Jeremiah 31:3)22 Jeremiah 31:3 — Yahweh appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with loving devotion. and cannot be separated from His love (Romans 8:38, 39).33 Romans 8:38, 39 — ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, … ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Cry to the Lord and, by faith, trust that He hears your prayers because the veil has been torn (Matthew 27:51)44 Matthew 27:51 — At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, and the rocks were split. as the result of His love demonstrated (Romans 5:8).55 Romans 5:8 — But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

David also asks God to give him life according to God’s justice. It is a fearful thing to consider God’s justice. Because we are all guilty before Him of breaking His Holy Commandments, justice would mean a terrible eternity in Hellish torment. So we must remember His loving devotion toward us has already abated His wrath: Jesus drank the full cup for His people. So when David (or we) cry for God’s justice we are asking God to give us life because if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins (1 John 1:9).66 1 John 1:9 — If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Because Jesus paid it all, the only justice God can give a believer is a new life. Additionally, while we are guilty before a holy God of sin, there are still times in this world where we are truly victims of evil and it is good and right to cry for justice. Is your life threatened by a God-hating world? Appeal to God’s justice to grant you life. He will do what is right.

Evil Draws Near

Those who follow after wickedness draw near; they are far from Your law. Psalm 119:150

We see in this octet that David is in constant prayer and supplication to the Lord. He wakes up early in the morning and throughout the night. Could it be the daily anxiety of having so many enemies? He is constantly under persecution from enemies, so it is no wonder that he appeals to God’s justice (Psalm 119:149) and is comforted by the nearness of the God of the Bible (Psalm 119:151). Sandwiched in between these cries for help and those words of comfort to himself is a proclamation of what he is dealing with: persecution from evil-minded men.

Christians ought to be ready for persecution because we are told it will come. In the Western world today it is expected that someone will hurl insults at us when we preach Christ or stand for righteousness in the public arena. The BSB renders this verse, “Those who follow after wickedness draw near” (compare the KJV: “They draw nigh that follow after mischief”). It seems to be a rule that the wicked are not content to do their wickedness in secret or in their own space. They demand total acquiescence to their lifestyles and malign you when you do not join them (1 Peter 4:4).77 1 Peter 4:4 — Because of this, they consider it strange of you not to plunge with them into the same flood of reckless indiscretion, and they heap abuse on you. And there is a sense that they try to draw close. It isn’t enough for them that you do your thing and they do theirs, but they must proselytize you to their ways, even if only by drawing nigh that they may corrupt you through bad company (1 Corinthians 15:33).88 1 Corinthians 15:33 — Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

Does this not bring to mind the betrayal of our dear Lord Jesus? Who was it that finally betrayed Him but His “friend” Judas (Matthew 26:50).99 Matthew 26:50 — “Friend,” Jesus replied, “do what you came for.” Then the men stepped forward, seized Jesus, and arrested Him. Judas drew near our Lord and was in a special position to profit from his betrayal as the result. We must be wise as serpents, understanding that we will not be treated better than our Master (Matthew 10:16, 25).1010 Matthew 10:16, 25 — ¹⁶Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. … ²⁵It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household! We should strive for unity and love with all those in the church. After all, it is not our job to separate the wheat from the tares (Matthew 13:29).1111 Matthew 13:29 — ‘No,’ he said, ‘if you pull the weeds now, you might uproot the wheat with them. But we should not be surprised when those we once labored alongside depart the faith (Philippians 3:18; 1 John 2:19).1212 Philippians 3:18; 1 John 2:19 — ¹⁸For as I have often told you before, and now say again even with tears: Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. … ¹⁹They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us. Draw from the same fountain of life the psalmist does and do not fear those who follow after wickedness and draw near, but instead call on God to protect you and be comforted by His immanence.

God Is Near!

You are near, O Yahweh, and all Your commandments are true. Psalm 119:151

It is easy to be anxious in this world. We are surrounded by difficulty even when we are not being chased down by evildoers. A Christian’s comfort must begin with God. And the only way we can find comfort is with a God who is near to us. Other religions brag of completely transcendent gods. Some religions have gods who are so much like us that it’s impossible to discern what makes them gods in the first place. But our God, the God of Heaven and Earth, is near to us. He is omnipresent so we always have access to Him through Jesus Christ who shed His blood for us then rose again and ascended into Heaven. There is no place we can go to avoid His presence (as if we’d want to!).

Consider:

⁸If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. ⁹If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle by the farthest sea, ¹⁰even there Your hand will guide me; Your right hand will hold me fast. ¹¹If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light become night around me”— ¹²even the darkness is not dark to You; … ¹⁵My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. ¹⁶Your eyes saw my unformed body; … ¹⁸… when I awake, I am still with You. Psalm 139:8–12, 15–16, 18 (emphasis mine)

We can “Fear God and Nothing Else (Spurgeon)” because when we believe the scriptures we see there is no choice! He is always there and is more terrifying than anything this world offers. And even the most frightening things in this world are subject to His authority (Psalm 119:91).1313 Psalm 119:91 — Your ordinances stand to this day, for all things are servants to You. We do not have to fear anything that is frightening when we trust Him (1 Peter 3:6).1414 1 Peter 3:6 — just as Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him lord. And you are her children if you do what is right and refuse to give way to fear. Be comforted in your affliction today because God is NEAR to you and because His commandments are true! We have confident hope that God is Who He says He is because His commandments reveal His nature to us truthfully. We do not fear a mutable God because we don’t have mutating morality in His commandments. We have hope in rock-solid promises because they are founded upon the Rock!

Eternal Truth

Long ago I learned from Your testimonies that You have established them forever. Psalm 119:152

God’s truths abide eternally (Psalm 119:89).1515 Psalm 119:89 — Your word, O Yahweh, is everlasting; it is firmly fixed in the heavens. And the psalmist knows from reading the testimony of God’s witness that His words have been established forever. There is no variation or shadow due to change in God (James 1:17)1616 James 1:17 — Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow. and so there can be no variation in what He testifies to. He knows the end from the beginning not only because He is omniscient but because He authored the whole story. There isn’t a nook nor a cranny of this creation that isn’t under His rule and dominion…and nothing comes to pass unless He first decreed it.

⁸Remember this and be brave; take it to heart, you transgressors! ⁹Remember what happened long ago, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me. ¹⁰I declare the end from the beginning, and from ancient times what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and all My good pleasure I will accomplish.’ ¹¹I summon a bird of prey from the east, a man for My purpose from a far-off land. Truly I have spoken, and truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, and I will surely do it. ¹²Listen to Me, you stubborn people, far removed from righteousness: ¹³I am bringing My righteousness near; it is not far away, and My salvation will not be delayed. I will grant salvation to Zion and adorn Israel with My splendor. Isaiah 46:8–13

This is one of the most hated doctrines by many because they want to rescue God from being somehow responsible for sin. After all, if He decreed all that would come to pass, then God decreed sin, right? And sin is bad and so folks want to rescue God by somehow avoiding these hard, biblical truths. But God doesn’t need our help. We need to repent and trust Him. Look at the verses that follow God’s declaration that it is His counsel that stands and will come to pass: “Listen to Me, you stubborn people.”

No, our God needs no defense nor apology, but simply that His righteousness be proclaimed. He is worthy of all praise and honor and glory whether you understand His ways or not. And before any of us starts whining about how we don’t like God’s decree because such and such bad thing happened to us, let us always remember the death of the only holy man who ever lived was by the definite plan of God’s will (Acts 2:23).1717 Acts 2:23 — He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. God has plainly stated that WE are responsible for our sin and hardness of hearts, but that all those who call on His Son’s name for salvation will be granted eternal life. Do not waste another day, repent and come to Him now!

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the entire Bible. It’s longer than several entire books. I imagine that due to our propensity to read to the end of the chapter, a good number of people read Psalm 119 in one sitting when they get to it in their Bible reading plan. While there is nothing wrong with this, I am afraid we may end up with a tendency to get tired near the end. Many people begin Psalm 119 with zeal, meditating upon what they are reading, but fly through the last 32 verses or so just to get finished. Let me encourage you to avoid this pitfall and be sure to meditate on the last portion as you did the first. While many themes are repeated which we’ve already encountered, ALL of God’s Word is breathed out by Him and profitable (2 Timothy 3:16).11 2 Timothy 3:16 — All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, May the God of all mercy permit us to treat it that way.

Affliction & Deliverance

Look upon my affliction and rescue me, for I have not forgotten Your law. Psalm 119:153

As we begin the third-to-last octet in this beautiful poem, we are reminded of (at least) four great truths. First: that we will be afflicted in this life. Paul tells the Philippians in Philippians 1:29 that “it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him.” Jesus promises His followers tribulation in this world (John 16:33).22 John 16:33 — I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!” You don’t need to be a Bible scholar, though, to believe in affliction. Ask anyone who walks in this cursed world, it’s a shared human experience to know things aren’t quite right. The second great truth we encounter here is that God sees our affliction. This is our comfort! Had God promised and sent affliction in some abstract impersonal manner we’d all be hopeless. But we find comfort in the knowledge that God sees. Thus we pray that He would turn His eyes toward us.

Third, we realize this comfort through the promise of future deliverance (Psalm 119:50).33 Psalm 119:50 — This is my comfort in affliction, that Your promise has given me life. Affliction would be unbearable but for hope. It is the hope that we may be temporarily delivered from affliction in this life that gives us the strength to endure it. And it is the sure hope that we will be delivered from our affliction on the day of Jesus Christ that encourages us to persevere even when temporary deliverance isn’t offered. Men and women act very differently when they catch a cold or flu from when they receive notice of a terminal illness. We must live our lives as if all our affliction is but for a moment (2 Corinthians 4:17; Romans 8:18),44 2 Corinthians 4:17; Romans 8:18 — ¹⁷For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison. … ¹⁸I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us. knowing that compared to eternity with Christ, it is.

Finally, another gold nugget of truth mined from this verse is the reality that when God opens your eyes and heart, you will see His law as righteous and good and remember it. David remarked earlier that he would run in the path of God’s commandments, for God would enlarge his heart (Psalm 119:32).55 Psalm 119:32 — I run in the path of Your commandments, for You will enlarge my heart. Our hope for salvation is Jesus Christ alone, and our faith in Jesus is, in part, evidenced by our love for His law (Psalm 119:47, 53).66 Psalm 119:47, 53 — ⁴⁷I delight in Your commandments because I love them. … ⁵³Rage has taken hold of me because of the wicked who reject Your law. And if you love Him, you will remember His commandments and keep them (1 John 2:3, 4, 5, 6).77 1 John 2:3, 4, 5, 6 — ³By this we can be sure that we have come to know Him: if we keep His commandments. … ⁴If anyone says, “I know Him,” but does not keep His commandments, he is a liar, and the truth is not in him. … ⁵But if anyone keeps His word, the love of God has been truly perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him: … ⁶Whoever claims to abide in Him must walk as Jesus walked.

Jesus Is Our Advocate

Defend my cause and redeem me; revive me according to Your word. Psalm 119:154

David calls on God to defend his cause and redeem him. While a temporary fulfillment can be understood (David certainly needed God to go before Him and defend Him in the midst of a wicked and twisted generation), the additional phrase “revive me according to Your word” points directly to Jesus Christ as redeemer, advocate, and savior. John tells us that if anyone sins we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous (1 John 2:1).88 1 John 2:1 — My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate before the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. An advocate pleads the cause of another. Normally an advocate pleads a cause between two parties. But in the case of Jesus Christ, He Himself is the judge AND the advocate. It is Jesus who redeemed us by paying the penalty we deserve for sin. Jesus is the one who advocated on our behalf; He pleads our cause and is our intercessor forever (Hebrews 7:25).99 Hebrews 7:25 — Therefore He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them.

It is Jesus’ blood that redeemed us, and it is His glorious, death-defying, resurrection from the dead that gives us life. David looked forward to the promise Paul explains the details of in His epistle to the Romans.

⁹Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from wrath through Him! ¹⁰For if, when we were enemies of God, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! ¹¹Not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:9–11

What wonderful truth! Rejoice, oh Christian. It is not only that God forgave your sins. That would be gracious indeed. But God not only forgave your sins, but He also credits you with the righteousness of Christ. He adopted you and made reconciliation with you. You have LIFE today because you know Jesus (John 17:3).1010 John 17:3 — Now this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent. Angels who have never sinned are not treated with the love and care that you are as a child of God Himself. It would have been mercy if God had simply kept you out of Hell and left you in this cursed creation to live forever. But His grace is greater than we can imagine. According to His promise, we have a present relationship with God through Jesus Christ, may boldly approach His throne as heirs of all things, and look forward to future deliverance from our flesh. Amen!

No One Seeks God (on Their Own)

Salvation is far from the wicked because they do not seek Your statutes. Psalm 119:155

As a result of our redemption, we have been made into new creatures (2 Corinthians 5:17).1111 2 Corinthians 5:17 — Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! Thus, we have affection for things that are good and just and a loathing for all that God hates. While we are to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, there is also a reality that there really are two classes of people out there, the justified and the wicked. What we need to remember is that the only thing that takes you out of one group (the wicked) and into the other (the justified or righteous) is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is something we should meditate on frequently to keep our pride mortified.

But David gives commentary on the wicked, noting that salvation is far from them. The repeated theme through this Psalm and the entire Bible is that God’s elect seek and love His laws. God’s statutes are not a burden for the soul who loves Him (1 John 5:3).1212 1 John 5:3 — For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, Now here is where we must be careful because it is easy to slip into works-righteousness salvation by misreading God’s Word. David isn’t saying that salvation is earned by seeking God’s statutes or keeping His law. David’s words remind us of other poignant truths about the condition of man: that is, that no one seeks God. In Psalm 14, David tells us that no one seeks after God, that they have all turned aside. Paul quotes this in Romans 3 when he lays out the condemnation of all sons of Adam.

The wicked’s inability and disinterest in seeking God’s statutes is evidence of his wretched condition, rather than the cause of it.

Salvation is far from the wicked, but with God all things are possible. But God is the first seeker in the situation. No one seeks God on his own (Romans 3:11).1313 Romans 3:11 — There is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. We are all by nature children of wrath and will not run to someone who is not our father (Ephesians 2:3).1414 Ephesians 2:3 — All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath. And it is right to say that salvation is FAR from each of us. But distances are nothing to God who is almighty in power and strength. He is the one who circumcises the hearts of wicked men that they may seek Him and find Him. He will reward those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6),1515 Hebrews 11:6 — And without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. and no one will do that apart from the regenerating work of His Spirit.

Mercy for Us

Great are Your mercies, O Yahweh; revive me according to Your ordinances. Psalm 119:156

Our God is a God of mercy. Praise Him for that! He sent His son Jesus into the world to be the propitiation for our sins. That is, Jesus took the penalty we deserved for our sins upon Himself and suffered precisely what was required by the righteous justice of God. God’s mercy is displayed to us in this way! If God could simply ignore His justice, mercy would not exist. But God is just, thus mercy is our only hope. But it is important to note that God’s mercy is not equivalent to God just turning away from our sins. God’s justice will not allow that. Thus, it was fitting that God’s justice was executed upon a substitute, Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ became sin on behalf of His people (2 Corinthians 5:21)1616 2 Corinthians 5:21 — God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. and so when God punished Jesus on the cross, He was really and truly satisfying justice for the sins of the elect. This is great mercy, not that the Judge would avoid punishing sinners, but that the Judge Himself would take on the punishment the guilty deserved!

John tells us that if we confess our sin, God is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).1717 1 John 1:9 — If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This is the life we hope for. Three times in this octet David will pray that God gives him life. Each time he asks according to different reasons. First, he asked for life according to God’s word (Psalm 119:154). Last he requests life according to God’s loving devotion (Psalm 119:159).1818 Psalm 119:159 — Consider how I love Your precepts, O Yahweh; give me life according to Your loving devotion. And here, he requests life according to God’s ordinances. And God’s ordinance is that if you are found hidden in Christ, the only just thing for God to do is to forgive you for your sins. If you have by faith been accounted righteous by God, the only faithful thing for God to do is to cleanse you from all unrighteousness.

This is the abundant life Jesus speaks of in John 10:10.1919 John 10:10 — The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness. Jesus is the door and the good shepherd. The abundant life promised to all those who follow Him is not the riches and honors that this world may bestow on a man, but the honor that comes from identifying with the King of kings and Lord of lords.

The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.
But if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but glorify God that you bear that name. Acts 5:41; 1 Peter 4:16

It is the abundant life to have no fear of death nor hell nor condemnation, but to live as people who are free (1 Peter 2:16);2020 1 Peter 2:16 — Live in freedom, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God. people who are no longer slaves to sin, but slaves to righteousness.

⁷For anyone who has died has been freed from sin. ⁸Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. Romans 6:7–8

Many Adversaries

Though my persecutors and foes are many, I have not turned from Your testimonies. Psalm 119:157

Throughout the 119th psalm, David has repeatedly cried to God about the persecution he suffers. But here in verse 157 he uses the term many to describe those who oppose him. It is not that David has a single enemy or some in-law who doesn’t love him. David’s adversaries are many. Everywhere he turns he faces opposition, persecution, or affliction. He could crush a whole army of his adversaries and two more would take its place. How shall a man find peace and joy amidst such distress?

And when we look at the example of our Savior, what do we see? All the chief priests and elders of the people came against Him (Matthew 27:1).11 Matthew 27:1 — When morning came, all the chief priests and elders of the people conspired against Jesus to put Him to death. And it wasn’t just the chief priests and elders:

²⁰But the chief priests and elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus put to death. … ²³“Why?” asked Pilate. “What evil has He done?” But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify Him!” Matthew 27:20, 23

Then even the Roman soldiers persecuted the perfect Son of God!

Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company around Him. Matthew 27:27

Even the “passersby” derided him. Note that these are not the same people who already turned him over!

³⁹And those who passed by heaped abuse on Him, shaking their heads ⁴⁰and saying, “You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross!” ⁴¹In the same way, the chief priests, scribes, and elders mocked Him, saying, Matthew 27:39–41 (emphasis mine)

Yet, He was led like a sheep is led to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7)22 Isaiah 53:7 — He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so He did not open His mouth. and “for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2). So it is with our future glorification and the present glorification of God through our suffering that we endure much affliction! Do not let the number of your persecutors cause you to turn from God’s testimonies. Dear Christian, the more adversaries you have the more you may identify with your Lord. Suffer as a good servant and look forward to that Day.

It’s Right to Be Disgusted by Evil

I look on the faithless with loathing because they do not keep Your word. Psalm 119:158

Here we come to a hard text for us. We have been conditioned by our church and the church by our world to always obey the gospel of niceness. When we encounter someone who has not received the same grace that we have, we are expected to only proclaim “but for the grace of God, there go I!” It is the ultimate act of humility to look upon all men with pity, even those who have debased and disgraced themselves thoroughly. I fear that our fear of being accused of being judgmental has pervaded our thinking and our speech. The Bible shows no respect for evildoers or their pagan religions, and neither should we. Stay with me.

If you are a believer in God, you have been born-again (John 3:3).33 John 3:3 — Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” You are a new creature (2 Corinthians 5:17)44 2 Corinthians 5:17 — Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! who has new desires and affections. Like the unregenerate man who is sickened by the proclamation of God’s law and gospel, regenerate men ought to have both a rational and visceral reaction to wickedness. To look upon those who doubt God and do not keep His commands with anything but disgust is insulting to God and His goodness. Don’t misunderstand me. I am not saying we should not also pity those who are apart from Christ. I am not saying we should not declare to them the gospel and command them to repent and believe. But a healthy Christian hates sin and evil in all its forms and ought to react to evil with contempt. In particular, may we never be accepting of evil that even the world rejects (1 Corinthians 5:1)!55 1 Corinthians 5:1 — It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that is intolerable even among pagans: A man has his father’s wife.

We vomit spoiled food almost instantaneously, not because we think about it and decide we should expel it, but because our bodies are naturally designed to protect us. We have a “gag reflex”66 I credit Thabiti Anyabwile with the concept of the gag reflex from an article of August 19, 2013. I do not recommend you follow him or read any of his more recent writings. for a reason, and it prevents things from getting deep inside us before we have time to realize all the effects. Similarly, our Christian conscience and convictions, bathed in the Word and Law of God, are capable of causing a natural aversion to sin and evil before we’ve even had time to consider it. We are disgusted by the ideas of lying, stealing, vandalism, gossip, slander, sexual immorality, rape, orgies, homosexual acts and desires, drunkenness, hypocrisy, envy, sorcery, and faithlessness. A Christian who is growing in holiness and separation from worldly lusts will find themselves more quickly disgusted when they encounter rampant wickedness and filth as they walk their path in this world (James 1:21).77 James 1:21 — Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and every expression of evil, and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save your souls.

Loving Devotion Is Awesome

Consider how I love Your precepts, O Yahweh; give me life according to Your loving devotion. Psalm 119:159

The ultimate contradiction between those who hate God and those who love Him is the love that His elect have for His precepts. We all do what we naturally love to do. And God’s children exhibit their love for Him and His precepts through their lives. When we are persecuted and afflicted, we are able to keep alert with all perseverance because we hope in Him. We can endure seasons of life where things aren’t going well because our affection for God’s precepts confirms for us our justification. Many a man, woman, and child have written dates in their Bibles when they asked Jesus into their hearts. But the child of God who by faith takes hold of the Christ of God is the one who loves His ways.

By this the children of God are distinguished from the children of the devil: Anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is anyone who does not love his brother. 1 John 3:10

The psalmist appeals to grace and love in his supplication here. He knows that He has already taken hold of God’s grace when he proclaims his love for God’s precepts, and he beseeches God to give him life because of God’s loving devotion. Loving devotion is a very special phrase in our Bible. The Hebrew word is translated as mercy, lovingkindness, steadfast love, faithful love, and loving devotion, et al. This term refers to God’s amazing and unfathomable love. God is love (1 John 4:8),88 1 John 4:8 — Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. and His love is always perfect. So how can a sinner appeal to God to be given life according to His love? God’s very nature and character demand that sinners cannot be loved by Him, for that would be a terrible thing for a holy God to love that which is by nature wicked and unholy. This is one of the great questions the Bible was written to answer: “How can a sinner be reconciled to God?”

And it is here that the love of God is demonstrated to us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).99 Romans 5:8 — But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. God’s loving devotion is found when we examine God’s love for Himself. In Trinitarian terms, we might say that the Father’s love for the Son is steadfast and immutable. Thus whoever is joined to the Son, that is, whoever is in perfect union with the Son cannot do anything BUT be loved by the Father. For the Father loves the Son (John 3:35),1010 John 3:35 — The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in His hands. and if you are in Christ, God is as well-pleased with you as He is with Jesus (Matthew 3:17).1111 Matthew 3:17 — And a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased!” Nothing can separate you from God’s love if you are in Christ (Romans 8:38, 39).1212 Romans 8:38, 39 — ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, … ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Therefore, because we are hidden in Christ, we boldly approach God’s throne and request help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).1313 Hebrews 4:16 — Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

God Is Faithful

The entirety of Your word is truth, and all Your righteous judgments endure forever. Psalm 119:160

David here comforts himself with the faithfulness of God’s word, for the encouragement of himself and others to rely upon it. — Matthew Henry’s commentary on the Whole Bible

In the Treasury of David, Charles Spurgeon notices that in several of the octets David finished the section by “dwelling upon the sureness of the truth of God.” The point of verse 160 is that all, or the whole, of God’s Word is truth. There isn’t an iota nor a dot which has not been perfectly placed by the Spirit of God. We would do well to remember this when we are trudging through passages of scripture that are not as exciting to us as others.

All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable (2 Timothy 3:16).1414 2 Timothy 3:16 — All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, Be comforted by God’s previous faithfulness to His people so that you will have confidence in His faithfulness to the covenant He has made with you, dearly beloved. Remember that God has put His people through fires many times, but always brought the promised deliverance. You will not escape such a walk with our Lord Jesus (1 Peter 1:7),1515 1 Peter 1:7 — so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. nor should you want to!

To be able to fully trust someone is alien to us in our human condition, so we have to learn to trust God and discipline ourselves to the same. Though we are born-again, perfect faithfulness is always a goal on this side of glory, but never a destination where we can rest. Thus, God has seen fit in His goodness and lovingkindness to give us precisely the revelation we need in order to trust in His trustworthiness. Many a man has set out to judge the Bible only to be judged himself. God’s Word has and will outlive all its critics, and it is sufficient for your needs today as well.

Stand in Awe

Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart fears only Your word. Psalm 119:161

In verse 23 of Psalm 119, David proclaims that even though rulers sit and slander him he would meditate on God’s statutes. Now, rulers are persecuting him and his heart fears only God’s word—he simply stands in awe of it! It is a faithful thing to stand by and for God and His Word when persecution comes. Persecution is the fire that removes the dross from the golden faith of our hearts, and the precursor of the separation of the wheat from the tares. What is the defining characteristic of God’s people when persecution comes? Faithfulness, reliance, and trust in God’s words.

And what else have you at that time? Your own strength will fail you. The rantings of the false teacher who promised you sure health and wealth and friends if you’d only come to Jesus are seen for what they are: lies. Self-help books, 12-step programs, your Enneagram number, your horoscope, a priest or the pope, your IQ, college transcripts or anything else you may have boasted in or relied upon are all shown to be worthless when the fire of persecution comes. Even your own sanctification and growth in godliness couldn’t prevent it. Note, they persecuted him without cause. And so, when high-level officials such as princes or even a lowly street sweeper should revile you, there is only one place to turn, the sweet balm of God’s words.

Stand in awe of the majesty of God’s words. Observe the pristine quality of every jot and tittle. His Word has endured more attempts at destruction than you will. Behold the wondrous beauty of God’s revelation to you: inerrant, infallible, authoritative and sufficient. We sing, “there is no shadow of turning with thee” to our God and the same can be said about His breathtaking scripture. There is no spot or blemish in the Lamb of God, and so it goes with His holy writ. When rulers persecute you without cause, look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith who was unwilling to depart from even an iota of God’s eternal decree, and stand in awe of God’s perfect revelation. Preach the gospel to yourself if necessary, and always use words!

We Are Spoiled!

I rejoice in Your promise like one who finds great spoil. Psalm 119:162

“To the victor goes the spoil!” We who are overcomers in Christ have found great benefit in His word. It is as if we have plunged ourselves into battle hoping only to escape by the skin of our teeth, and yet we find there is so much more booty to be taken for ourselves when we look upon our defeated enemies (Psalm 54:7).11 Psalm 54:7 — For He has delivered me from every trouble, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes. God’s Word is a treasure trove of spoil for us, so much so that the history of God’s people is at least in part a commentary on missing it altogether (Isaiah 8:20).22 Isaiah 8:20 — To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn. No one in the world is more privileged than those who have God’s Word.

There is dust enough on some of your Bibles to write damnation with your fingers. — C. H. Spurgeon33 C. H. Spurgeon, “The Bible,” sermon preached March 18, 1855, at Exeter Hall, Strand.

Why do so many professing Christians “struggle” to read the Bible? Ignoring the fact that some seed falls on rocky soil (Mark 4:5, 6),44 Mark 4:5, 6 — ⁵Some fell on rocky ground, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. … ⁶But when the sun rose, the seedlings were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. we are in a spiritual battle with forces of evil in the heavenly places (Ephesians 6:12)55 Ephesians 6:12 — For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. as well. As the result, we live in a time of unprecedented amusement. We have anywhere and everywhere to turn so that we may shut off our muse-ing and be a-mused. In our fatigue, we need rest; and in our laziness, we find excuse. We have been spoiled by the comforts of this world and the blessing of God to such an extent that scripture isn’t an urgent priority.

There is little to no fear that you’ll have to recall scripture from memory in a jail cell or sing hymns from your heart to endure a night in prison. We don’t read and memorize things we can “easily look up,” and scripture is now at our fingertips to such an extent we have taken it for granted in our flesh. But the child of God who desires to know of the richness of the blessings (Philippians 4:19; Ephesians 1:3)66 Philippians 4:19; Ephesians 1:3 — ¹⁹And my God will supply all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. … ³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. we have in Christ rejoices to have God’s Word available and feasts upon it regularly.

Do You Hate Falsehood?

I hate and abhor falsehood, but Your law I love. Psalm 119:163

Christianity is thought of by many as the “religion of niceness.” Whoever came up with that idea knows very little of the scripture. Yes, Christians are called to be kind and should be known by their kindness and meekness. But too often we mistake kindness for fake-virtues like “never disagreeing with anyone,” and “never hating anything or anyone.” But as David speaks here, so does the Christ, “I hate and abhor falsehood.” Jesus Christ is the Truth and falsehood is a lie. Thus it is fitting that we should hate the opposite (falsehood) of that which we love (Christ). God chooses more than one word here to denote His holy hatred for lying. God personally hates lying and morally detests it.

Yes, there are six things that He hates (seven are an abomination to Him) and the second item on the list is a lying tongue. There simply isn’t language employable to creatures like us which truly encapsulates the depth of loathing God reserves for lying and liars.

Lying lips are detestable to Yahweh, but those who deal faithfully are His delight. Proverbs 12:22

Now the psalmist contrasts his hatred for falsehood with his love for God’s law next. What a glorious proclamation of the verity of God’s law! God’s law gets a bum rap sometimes. It’s too weak to make a man righteous and serves only to expose a man to condemnation and heap even more curse upon him so Christians sometimes look at it like it has failed in some way, or isn’t as useful as God intended for it to be. We do not judge a fish by its inability to climb a tree any more than we ought to evaluate God’s law by its inability to justify men and make them righteous. Those things are not the purpose of the law, the schoolmaster who led us to Jesus. God’s law, when properly considered, is loveable because it teaches us about God! God’s law helps us to see how we ought to live now that we are empowered by the indwelling Spirit of Christ. And when we gaze upon the demands and curses of God’s law, we are reminded of our own sinfulness and are quickly pointed to the sufferings of the Christ who became a curse for us (Galatians 3:13).77 Galatians 3:13 — Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”

Unceasing Praise

Seven times a day I praise You for Your righteous judgments. Psalm 119:164

We began this psalm with David proclaiming that he would praise God with an upright heart when he learned His righteous judgments (Psalm 119:7).88 Psalm 119:7 — I will praise You with an upright heart when I learn Your righteous judgments. Later we learn that he rises at midnight to praise God for His righteous judgments (Psalm 119:62).99 Psalm 119:62 — At midnight I rise to give You thanks for Your righteous judgments. Now, as we draw near the end we see a complete doctrine of praise due to God’s righteous judgments. It has been hinted at by men of old that Psalm 119 is a life story of a man of God. Verse 9 is about a young man keeping his way pure, but as we move on we encounter situations that more mature Christians encounter. When we see that at the beginning the psalmist wants to learn God’s righteous judgments that he may praise Him and then observe that later he is waking in the middle of the night to praise God for those righteous judgments, it is only fitting that we round this out by seeing him as an old man here at the end.

He is devoid of any hope in his own strength to save him or keep God’s law. He has learned the righteous judgments. He has been aroused from sleep to meditate upon them and praise God for them. And now he praises God all the livelong day for them. This is not a literal seven times but a number representing completeness or wholeness. Seven days make a complete week. The phrase seven Spirits of God is used to describe His Holy Spirit (Revelation 1:4; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6).1010 Revelation 1:4; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6 — ⁴John, To the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace to you from Him who is and was and is to come, and from the seven spirits before His throne, … ¹“To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of the One who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation for being alive, yet you are dead. … ⁵From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. Before the throne burned seven torches of fire. These are the seven spirits of God. … ⁶Then I saw a Lamb who appeared to have been slain, standing in the center of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which represent the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Jesus tells Peter to forgive his brother not just seven times, but seventy-seven times (Matthew 18:22),1111 Matthew 18:22 — Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times! in an effort to explain that there is really no end to the forgiveness he himself has been granted and ought to bestow upon others. A man of God who has realized who God is will praise Him all day long. God will be his first and last thought, his comfort and his joy.

Note that the unceasing praise comes daily. David may have said “seven times a week” or some other measurement, but God moved him to pen the term daily. Let this be instructive to us that we also ought to live lives of praise to the God who gives new mercies every morning (Lamentations 3:22, 23).1212 Lamentations 3:22, 23 — ²²Because of the loving devotion of Yahweh we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail. … ²³They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness! As we receive our daily bread, let our minds be on the Giver rather than the gift. And as we see evil and righteousness do battle in this world, let us daily realize the benefits of God’s righteous judgments and praise Him throughout our day and night, for He is worthy.

Great Peace → Perseverance

Abundant peace belongs to those who love Your law; nothing can make them stumble. Psalm 119:165

Here in the second half of the Sin and Shin octet, we encounter a great truth: that a love for God’s law brings peace to the soul. Like aloe on a burn or cool water on a hot, dry throat, love for God’s Word is the anointing oil that relieves our woes and anxieties. To love God’s law is to love the God of the law and all those who trust in Him He will not put to shame (1 Peter 2:6).11 1 Peter 2:6 — For it stands in Scripture: “See, I lay in Zion a stone, a chosen and precious cornerstone; and the one who believes in Him will never be put to shame.”

In this sin-cursed world, you will have tribulation. God has promised us that we will be hated and suffer for His name (Philippians 1:29; 1 John 3:13).22 Philippians 1:29; 1 John 3:13 — ²⁹For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for Him, … ¹³So do not be surprised, brothers, if the world hates you. So how is anyone to find peace in the storm? It is through a loving devotion to our Savior and meditation on His Word that peace is found. And notice the degree of peace that is promised: abundant peace. Jesus said He came to give us life and to give it abundantly (John 10:10).33 John 10:10 — The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it in all its fullness. For such a rich and great God as He, there is no other way. Our cup overflows because the Good Shepherd’s fountain is unendingly flowing. Thus, believers experience great peace through Christ who strengthens them (Philippians 4:13).44 Philippians 4:13 — I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

Now, dear believer, having your eyes fixed on your Savior and taking every thought captive to obey Christ (Hebrews 12:2; 2 Corinthians 10:5),55 Hebrews 12:2; 2 Corinthians 10:5 — ²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. … ⁵We demolish arguments and every presumption set up against the knowledge of God; and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. you are now poised to persevere to the end. Nothing shall make your foot slip; though the wicked’s foot will slip in due time (Deuteronomy 32:35).66 Deuteronomy 32:35 — Vengeance is Mine; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; for their day of disaster is near, and their doom is coming quickly.” Your God will keep you by His power, and steady growth in grace will encourage you along the way.

²⁴Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you unblemished in His glorious presence, with great joy— ²⁵to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord before all time, and now, and for all eternity. Amen. Jude 1:24–25

Salvation → Works

I wait for Your salvation, O Yahweh, and I carry out Your commandments. Psalm 119:166

It has been said that there are two religions in the world: the religion of grace and the religion of works. A distinguishing characteristic of the religion of works is that somehow the good deeds a man does are what pleases his deity. This is true whether that religion sees man as inherently good or as innately sinful. Since this is an affront to the gospel of grace, our Scriptures go to great lengths to destroy any hope men can have to save themselves by proclaiming the gospel of grace (Romans 3:24, 25; Ephesians 2:8, 9).77 Romans 3:24, 25; Ephesians 2:8, 9 — ²⁴and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. … ²⁵God presented Him as an atoning sacrifice in His blood through faith, in order to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance He had passed over the sins committed beforehand. … ⁸For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God, … ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast. But wicked men will always twist good religion to their own ends and many a man has proclaimed the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ apart from works as a license to sin.

The logic goes, “If we cannot contribute to our own salvation, then we can do anything. And if sin increases, then grace shall be magnified. Thus, we will continue in sin that grace may abound.” It is here that we echo the Apostle Paul and proclaim, “Certainly not!” (Romans 6:2) We have already seen in the previous verse that abundant peace is available to those who love God’s law. How can we continue in sin after considering the great cost Christ paid to redeem us from it (1 Corinthians 6:20)?88 1 Corinthians 6:20 — you were bought at a price. Therefore glorify God with your body. So it is fitting that we follow in the steps of David who waited for the salvation of Yahweh and carried out His commandments. In other words, as Christians, we believe in doing good works. We simply do them as the result of the grace we’ve been given and the salvation that’s already promised, rather than to procure that grace.

And who is our ever-present example in all these things? Jesus Christ is the Ultimate Psalmist. It is Jesus who looked forward to the ultimate deliverance and with His eyes fixed on the joy set before Him endured the shame, never once breaking a commandment of God (Hebrews 12:2).99 Hebrews 12:2 — Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Look to Him!

Our Love → Our Actions

I obey Your testimonies and love them greatly. Psalm 119:167

The soul that sins shall die (Ezekiel 18:20).1010 Ezekiel 18:20 — The soul who sins is the one who will die. A son will not bear the iniquity of his father, and a father will not bear the iniquity of his son. The righteousness of the righteous man will fall upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked man will fall upon him. But whoever has the Son has life (1 John 5:12)!1111 1 John 5:12 — Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. When we speak of the human condition, we understand that we have a soul and a body—a spirit and a flesh. Our body and soul are corrupt from birth by the sin of Adam. It has not only been imputed to us, but we suffer its consequences. That is, we are rendered wholly unable to do any good. And it is not only our outward actions that fail to meet God’s standards. In fact, many of those do seemingly align with His law prior to our conversion. But it is our soul itself that sins against its Creator and rebels. The damage is so pervasive that we even do the things found in God’s law so that we may seem righteous, but for our own glory and not for God’s glory (Isaiah 64:6).1212 Isaiah 64:6 — Each of us has become like something unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all wither like a leaf, and our iniquities carry us away like the wind. But God the Holy Spirit has regenerated us and made us new—thus our soul (as the Hebrew of verse 167 puts it) not only keeps His testimonies but loves them greatly.

Through the washing of regeneration and renewing of our minds which were once ensnared in darkness, we have become able to do good. Adam was able to do good and he failed (as each of us would have), bringing a curse on all of humanity. All his posterity are found to be unable to do good or only able to do evil. This is the sad reality of our fallen state and we would do well to meditate upon it frequently as a reminder of God’s goodness to us. Because when the lovingkindness and mercy of our Savior appeared (Titus 3:4),1313 Titus 3:4 — But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He changed us and made us once again able to do good. This means that God washed our hearts and circumcised our hearts of stone and gave us hearts of flesh. Now we can say with the psalmist that we love God’s testimonies greatly. Our actions that flow from our heart may not yet be wholly good, because we keep the corrupt nature of the flesh until our final deliverance when Jesus will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body (Philippians 3:21).1414 Philippians 3:21 — who, by the power that enables Him to subject all things to Himself, will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body.

And again, lest we forget that the scriptures testify of Jesus Christ (John 5:39),1515 John 5:39 — You pore over the Scriptures because you presume that by them you possess eternal life. These are the very words that testify about Me, let us bring our gaze back to the Psalmist who kept God’s testimonies in all ways. Yes, Jesus perfectly fulfills this scripture. While Adam received blessing and brought us a curse, Jesus suffered the curse to bring us a blessing. While Adam failed to keep God’s testimonies, Jesus kept them with all His heart (Psalm 119:2, 3).1616 Psalm 119:2, 3 — ²Blessed are those who keep His testimonies and seek Him with all their heart. … ³They do no iniquity; they walk in His ways. And while Adam failed to guard his heart, Jesus loved God’s law greatly and out of the abundance of that pure heart His mouth spoke! We live in a world of hyperbole. Everything is awesome—from game-winning shots to pizza to our BAE to the next viral video. We need to redirect our thinking to that which is truly exceedingly awesome: Jesus’ own love for His testimonies and follow in His example (Ephesians 5:1, 2; 1 Peter 2:21).1717 Ephesians 5:1, 2; 1 Peter 2:21 — ¹Be imitators of God, therefore, as beloved children, … ²and walk in love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant sacrificial offering to God. … ²¹For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His footsteps:

Awareness of God → Right Living

I obey Your precepts and Your testimonies, for all my ways are before You. Psalm 119:168

In the previous verse, the psalmist declares that he obeys God’s testimonies out of his love for God. Now we view this diamond that is God’s Word from a different angle. Here we see that we keep God’s precepts AND His testimonies because God is omniscient. Every verse of Psalm 119 is perfect and inspired by God. While phrases repeat, there are no two verses alike in this perfect poem. One of the things that is striking is that most of the verses refer to God’s commandments, law, word, precepts, testimonies, ways, or judgments, but very few verses refer to more than one of these ideas in the same phrase. Here we see an emphasis on the keeping of God’s precepts as well as His testimonies while living in His sight (Psalm 19:14).1818 Psalm 19:14 — May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O Yahweh, my Rock and my Redeemer.

One of the ways God helps us to walk in His ways while we strive to imitate Christ is by granting us awareness of His immanence. Nothing can be hidden from the anthropomorphic eyes of God. For the heathen, this truth is blatantly denied as they fancy themselves into thinking they will escape judgment. It’s not always because men think they are good that they shall escape judgment, but sometimes it is that they think no one knows of their crimes. The child of God whose heart has been quickened earnestly desires obedience to God’s precepts and adherence to God’s testimonies, yet he or she still finds it difficult to obey. The spirit and flesh are opposed to each other and the battle rages, and sometimes the flesh wins.

But God has given us a way to escape every temptation and one of our practical weapons is reminding ourselves that God is watching.1919 Coram Deo is the Latin phrase for this. Coram Deo is a Latin phrase translated “in the presence of God” from Christian theology which summarizes the idea of Christians living in the presence of, under the authority of, and to the honor and glory of God. Even Christians find their way into the dark, deceiving themselves into thinking they can hide their sin. “Would you watch that TV show or look at that picture if Jesus was peering over your shoulder?” we ask. And we respond by reminding our brother that whether incarnate or glorified, He is looking over your shoulder and even into your heart. Nothing is hidden from God (Proverbs 15:3).2020 Proverbs 15:3 — The eyes of Yahweh are in every place, observing the evil and the good. This is a death sentence to the fallen, but to those who have been redeemed, this is a gracious gift whereby God uses His Son and His Word to bring conviction to our souls that we might repent and be forgiven (Psalm 14:5; Hebrews 4:12, 13; 1 John 1:9).2121 Psalm 14:5; Hebrews 4:12, 13; 1 John 1:9 — ⁵There they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is in the company of the righteous. … ¹²For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. … ¹³Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. … ⁹If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Pray Like Jesus

May my cry come before You, O Yahweh; give me understanding according to Your word. Psalm 119:169

As we begin to close the longest chapter of the Bible, we might be tempted to think that God has already said everything that can be said. We must put away any thought that these last eight verses are any less important than the first. As adherents to Sola Scriptura, we believe that every word of God proves true (Proverbs 30:5).11 Proverbs 30:5 — Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Thus, we are careful to not overlook any portion, even the end of a chapter that requires much endurance to read, memorize, and meditate upon.

In verse 168, we are reminded that all our ways are before God. There is nothing hidden from His perfect sight. Our omniscient God cannot be fooled. Yet the cry of the psalmist’s heart is for God to let his cry come before Him. This is an earnest plea for God to act on behalf of the psalmist. Just like when we cry “hear me” or “answer me” in our prayers, the request for our cry to come before Him is another way of asking for this to be given special priority. Your father knows what you need before you ask Him (Matthew 6:8),22 Matthew 6:8 — Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. so we need not heap up empty repetitions, but specific requests and supplications are a sweet aroma to God (Philippians 4:6; Exodus 35:8; Revelation 5:8).33 Philippians 4:6; Exodus 35:8; Revelation 5:8 — ⁶Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. … ⁸olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; … ⁸When He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. We are right to have a healthy fear that all our evil is always before Him and to humbly remember that it is only through the blood of Christ that our prayers have any chance of getting to His throne.

“Abba, Father,” He said, “all things are possible for You. Take this cup from Me. Yet not what I will, but what You will.” Mark 14:36

Jesus taught us to pray your will be done (Matthew 6:10),44 Matthew 6:10 — Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. but we are also told that we have such confidence toward God that if we ask anything according to His will we have the requests already (1 John 5:14, 15).55 1 John 5:14, 15 — ¹⁴And this is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. … ¹⁵And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we already possess what we have asked of Him. Thus, it is fitting to ask that we are given understanding so that our prayers will be more aligned with His perfect will. To the extent that we understand His word, our prayers will reflect godly thinking and have more likelihood of being answered according to our will. The goal of letting our cries come before Him isn’t that He would conform to our wills but that our will become conformed to His.

Be Delivered

May my plea come before You; rescue me according to Your promise. Psalm 119:170

Continuing with the theme of coming before God, David asks that his “plea” come before his lord. David and our Lord Jesus were no strangers to conflict and affliction. Persecution was around every corner for the king and King of Israel. But God has always been the deliverer. Dear Christian, do you not know how to pray? Start by saying, “May my plea come before You; rescue me according to Your promise!”

God’s deliverance always comes right on time, in the proper form, and according to His promise. David was delivered many times from earthly enemies, even those who should have been loyal to him. And our dear Lord Jesus who suffered the shame for us can be said to have had His plea heard before the Father and ultimately received deliverance. He was bruised and afflicted, even forsaken (Psalm 22:1),66 Psalm 22:1 — My God, my God, why have You forsaken me? Why are You so far from saving me, so far from my words of groaning? but ultimately raised from the dead and ascended on high and seated at the right hand of the Father.

For He has not despised or detested the torment of the afflicted. He has not hidden His face from him, but has attended to his cry for help. Psalm 22:24

God is the great deliverer. The Bible is full of depictions of His people being delivered from all sorts of troubles and afflictions. But the ultimate deliverance is what Jesus procured on the cross. Notice the language of deliverance in reference to Christ’s finished work.

¹³He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, ¹⁴in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. … ²⁰and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross. Colossians 1:13–14, 20 (emphasis mine)

Have you let your plea come before Him and asked to be rescued according to His promise? Many people will say to God on the day of judgment that they did works in His name or made Him their lord (Matthew 7:21).77 Matthew 7:21 — Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven. But it is only the poor in spirit who will inherit the kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 5:3)!88 Matthew 5:3 — “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. It is those who have no plea but to cast their cares onto God’s abundant mercy who have hope to be delivered (1 Peter 5:7).99 1 Peter 5:7 — Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you. Only those who trust that Christ died for them are transferred into His marvelous light (1 Corinthians 15:3, 4).1010 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4 — ³For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, … ⁴that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, Plead with Him today if you are unsure that you’ve been delivered from the domain of darkness (1 Peter 2:9)!1111 1 Peter 2:9 — But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.

An Eruption of Praise

My lips pour forth praise, for You teach me Your statutes. Psalm 119:171

“Let the redeemed of Yahweh say so,” because God has graciously delivered them (Psalm 107:2)!1212 Psalm 107:2 — Let the redeemed of Yahweh say so, whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy The natural result of being redeemed by God is an inability to keep your mouth shut about it. This is David’s repeated theme (Psalm 51:13).1313 Psalm 51:13 — Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will return to You.

¹Of David, when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, so that the king drove him away. I will bless Yahweh at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. ²My soul boasts in Yahweh; let the oppressed hear and rejoice. ³Magnify Yahweh with me; let us exalt His name together. Psalm 34:1–3

Jesus strictly charged Jairus’s family to keep the raising of their dead daughter quiet (Mark 5:43)1414 Mark 5:43 — Then Jesus gave strict orders that no one should know about this, and He told them to give her something to eat. but someone still broadcast this miraculous work (Matthew 9:26).1515 Matthew 9:26 — And the news about this spread throughout that region. The fact of the matter is that we are wired to share good news when we hear it and out of the abundance of our heart our mouths speak (Matthew 12:34).1616 Matthew 12:34 — You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. So we can confidently conclude that if talk of Jesus isn’t coming out of your mouth—He is not an abundance of your heart. When a man or woman walks with God and has been delivered from the punishment and bondage of sin, he or she cannot help but proclaim it. Notice David’s profession, his lips will pour forth praise. It’s not a sprinkling or slow leak—the imagery here is that of a gushing out of praise. There is an eruption described that could not be contained by the remnant of our rebellious Adamic wills.

Those who follow Jesus obey His commands (Matthew 28:20; John 15:14).1717 Matthew 28:20; John 15:14 — ²⁰and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” … ¹⁴You are My friends if you do what I command you. And how are you to know His commands if you are not taught them? No verse repeats itself in this blessed psalm, but several phrases are found repeated. Some form of “teach me Your statutes” is written 7 times (Psalm 119:12, 26, 64, 68, 124, 135, 171).1818 Psalm 119:12, 26, 64, 68, 124, 135, 171 — ¹²Blessed are You, O Yahweh; teach me Your statutes. … ²⁶I recounted my ways, and You answered me; teach me Your statutes. … ⁶⁴The earth is filled with Your loving devotion, O Yahweh; teach me Your statutes. … ⁶⁸You are good, and You do what is good; teach me Your statutes. … ¹²⁴Deal with Your servant according to Your loving devotion, and teach me Your statutes. … ¹³⁵Make Your face shine upon Your servant, and teach me Your statutes. … ¹⁷¹My lips pour forth praise, for You teach me Your statutes. “Teach me Your statutes” is written in the imperative, yet here at the end we read for You teach me Your statutes. It’s as if the psalmist’s prayer has been answered. He is being taught and has been taught God’s statutes and every new thing he learns brings him to his knees in praise. He can do nothing more than to Fear God and Nothing Else. He will not be ashamed to praise and glorify God in the presence of even his enemies. Can this be said of you?

God’s Commandments Make Us Sing

My tongue sings of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteous. Psalm 119:172

Redeeming love has been my theme And shall be till I die

It’s notable that verse 170 is very similar to verse 169 and immediately after we see another repetitive thought between verses 171 and 172. The lips of the redeemed will pour forth praise and their tongues will sing of God’s word! God’s people are a singing people. The psalter is meant to be sung and we are called to sing hymns and spiritual songs (Colossians 3:16),1919 Colossians 3:16 — Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. even addressing one another in them (Ephesians 5:19).2020 Ephesians 5:19 — Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your hearts to the Lord, Our voices should be the loudest and we should be guilty of doxological evangelism2121 “Praise his name, we are called to doxological evangelism: Salvation is of the Lord! Let that song die and we have nothing to sing to the nations. They don’t want to hear those old patronizing songs of missionary colonialism and they don’t need our help in learning the chants of revolutionary violence. But when the people of God sing his praises, then the nations listen.” Edmund P. Clowney, Declare His Glory Among the Nations (InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, 1976). where our singing and praise is so loud that our neighbors cannot help but hear of the works of the Lord.

¹Come, let us sing for joy to Yahweh; let us shout to the Rock of our salvation! ²Let us enter His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him in song. Psalm 95:1–2

We are delivered from the curse of the law for everyone who lives under the law is subject to it in its entirety (Galatians 3:10)2222 Galatians 3:10 — All who rely on works of the law are under a curse. For it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.” and we’ve all offended at some point and thus, all points (James 2:10).2323 James 2:10 — Whoever keeps the whole law but stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. But it would be easy to see the weakness of God’s law and its tendency to condemn as a blemish upon God’s commandments. But as you do not judge a fish for its failure to climb trees, you must not evaluate God’s commands on the basis that they do not save. God’s commandments are not intended to save anyone. God’s commandments exist to reveal God’s moral perfections to us and to give us a standard by which we can see our own unrighteousness. If it were not for God’s law you would not know that you even needed a savior. Therefore we must affirm with the psalmist and most certainly our Lord as well that all God’s commandments are righteous. If they were not righteous, what need would you have to flee to the Christ to forgive you for failing to meet their demands?

And if they were not righteous, would Paul have used them to teach Christians how we ought to live (Romans 13:9)?2424 Romans 13:9 — The commandments “Do not commit adultery,” “Do not murder,” “Do not steal,” “Do not covet,” and any other commandments, are summed up in this one decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Would the Apostle John have told us that true love for God results in our obedience to them (1 John 5:3)?2525 1 John 5:3 — For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome, How would Jude have known what are the deeds of ungodliness (Jude 1:14)?2626 Jude 1:14 — Enoch, the seventh from Adam, also prophesied about them: “Behold, the Lord is coming with myriads of His holy ones And would our Lord Jesus have expected us to teach them to all His disciples (Matthew 28:20)?2727 Matthew 28:20 — and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Of course not, God’s commandments are righteous and pure and we believe in them (Psalm 119:66; 19:8)!2828 Psalm 119:66; 19:8 — ⁶⁶Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in Your commandments. … ⁸The precepts of Yahweh are right, bringing joy to the heart; the commandments of Yahweh are radiant, giving light to the eyes.

Complete Dependence

May Your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen Your precepts. Psalm 119:173

Our psalmist is in a perpetual state of prayer. His mouth is either uttering praise, thanksgiving, or supplications at all times. Here we find a supplication and an appeal to God on the basis of the psalmist’s obedience. Our first reaction may be to say that God does not grant us good gifts because of our obedience but because of His grace. “If You, O Yahweh, kept track of iniquities, then who, O Lord, could stand?” (Psalm 130:3). However, let’s dig deeper into this gold mine of Truth that we have encountered.

It is true that God’s gifts to us are by grace, but God also ordains the means by which that grace will be conferred! While our justification is wholly based on Christ’s atoning blood being shed in our place, it is also true that God delights to give good things to His children (Matthew 7:11).11 Matthew 7:11 — So if you who are evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him! Thus, when David appeals to God that his hand is ready to help him on the basis of having chosen his precepts, David is calling to attention his own election from eternity past as the basis for the supplication. God is under no obligation to help anyone, but because of electing grace, God has already promised to hear the prayers of His dear children. Walking in His precepts gives us the assurance that we are His and allows us to have meaningful prayers (1 John 3:22)22 1 John 3:22 — and we will receive from Him whatever we ask, because we keep His commandments and do what is pleasing in His sight. with the expectation that our prayers will be effective (James 5:16; Proverbs 16:3).33 James 5:16; Proverbs 16:3 — ¹⁶Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail. … ³Commit your works to Yahweh and your plans will be achieved.

The instrument that the psalmist refers to is God’s hand. God’s hand represents His power to act according to His will. It is with our hands that we lift a small child or strike a blow to an enemy. Our hands are diverse in their abilities and God’s hand being ready to help is indicative that the psalmist may be unsure of the future, but he knows that God’s hands will be capable of whatever help is necessary.

Finally, do not miss the reference to our Lord Jesus Christ. It is He who has perfectly chosen God’s precepts, and it is He who would be raised from the dead after His atoning sacrifice (1 Peter 1:21).44 1 Peter 1:21 — Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and glorified Him; and so your faith and hope are in God. The reason why God could raise Jesus from the dead is precisely because He chose God’s precepts and delighted in His law. The reason why God will raise you from the dead—if you are in Christ—is that Christ became a curse for you although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth (Isaiah 53:9).

Blessed Assurance

I long for Your salvation, O Yahweh, and Your law is my delight. Psalm 119:174

David, like Paul, longs to be delivered from this body of death. There is an eschatological hope that every true Christian needs to have to survive the battle between the spirit and the flesh. A man or woman who has been delivered from the bondage of sin yet still experiences the corrupt nature of the flesh is miserable if he or she cannot hope to be one day delivered. Jesus came to save our souls but also to save our bodies. We reject gnostic heresy,55 Gnosticism taught that the material world, including the body, is evil. and we are sure that the incarnation was real (1 John 4:2).66 1 John 4:2 — By this you will know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, Having been justified by faith in Christ, we experience joy and receive power from the Holy Spirit to preserve us and help us in our fight with sin. But God promises even more.

God promises that one day that battle with the flesh (Romans 7:15, 19, 24)77 Romans 7:15, 19, 24 — ¹⁵I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do. But what I hate, I do. … ¹⁹For I do not do the good I want to do. Instead, I keep on doing the evil I do not want to do. … ²⁴What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? will end once and for all when we are glorified. Glorification is the final logical step in the ordo salutis.88 Ordo salutis is Latin for “order of salvation”: the sequence of what God does in saving a sinner. That is, all the “steps” in our salvation are finally completed when God re-creates our bodies without the corruption we still have from original sin, and also without the instability that we had in the garden of Eden. There will be no more possibility of falling when we are made like the elect angels and like our Lord: unable to sin! Our longing for that ultimate deliverance is a sure indicator of our justification. And those who are justified are glorified (Romans 8:30).99 Romans 8:30 — And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.

And God gives us a foretaste of that glorious day by putting on our hearts a fundamental love for His law while our flesh still rages against our spirit in this cursed world. We are delighted by His law. He is no “cosmic killjoy.” No, our God knows what TRUE delight and joy are. He is the originator of joy and knows well how to find it. The child of God trusts His Father and, rather than viewing God’s law as rules to keep him from having fun, sees God’s law as a means to true joy. God’s law is powerless to save, make one righteous, or forgive sins. But once a person has received the Holy Spirit, God’s law is the pathway to joy and peace, bringing delight to all who love His name (Psalm 119:132).1010 Psalm 119:132 — Turn to me and show me mercy, as You do to those who love Your name.

You Need God at Every Stage of Life

Let me live to praise You; may Your judgments sustain me. Psalm 119:175

In chapter 41, I noted a theory that the Psalm began with a young man (Psalm 119:9)1111 Psalm 119:9 — How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word. and led us through to the end of the man’s life, showing us a spiritual maturation process. And what we find is what godly men have told us from their experience: that the older they get the more they realize their need to depend on the Lord for help. Young men have strength and resolve (1 John 2:14)1212 1 John 2:14 — I have written to you, fathers, because you know Him who is from the beginning. I have written to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you, and you have overcome the evil one. and often flatter themselves that they can do more than their limited strength dictates. But God is gracious and patient and usually teaches them slowly to repent of trusting in their own strength. Old men have learned through repeated failure that they have no hope in their own strength to boast of.

I fear that many people think that one day their struggle with sin will be easier (in this life). That their spirit will ultimately conquer the flesh and they will be able to relax. If that is the case for anyone, it is the result of a devoted prayer life and the grace of God alone. But the testimony of scripture and of the church catholic has been that as we are sanctified we become ever more aware of our own shortcomings. The deep corruption which we possess from Adam’s original fall is revealed to us little by little. And it’s a good thing or else we’d die from the sheer enormity of realizing our own heinousness. But as we grow more holy and wise, we see the evil that lies within and despise it even more. “What’s the point?” you might ask? It sounds hopeless, yes. But the goal is that it will drive you to press on toward the prize for the upward call of God in Christ Jesus!

The ultimate aim is that you would call on God and rely on Him for your very life. That you would trust Him to put praises on your lips when you cannot manufacture them yourself. God is the giver of life and the one worthy of praise. And a wise worshiper knows that God’s judgments sustain him or her. There is no magic formula for growing in holiness…and attempted conformity to God’s law is wrought with difficulty. If done with the wrong motivations it will have the opposite effect as intended. But for a humble servant who truly wishes to do what is pleasing to God (1 John 3:22) understanding and meditating upon God’s judgments is of great benefit—especially when our gaze shifts to Jesus Christ as the One who fulfilled all the righteous demands of the law.

O God: Seek Your Servant Like a Lost Sheep

I have strayed like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I have not forgotten Your commandments. Psalm 119:176

As we come to the final verse in this great psalm, let us stop to reflect for a moment on what an undertaking this really was. One hundred seventy-six verses have been studied, meditated upon, and, in some cases, memorized. I can recite the Hebrew aleph beth (alphabet) now! We have extolled God’s virtues with the psalmist, discussed a diverse array of doctrines and found pleasure and comfort in God’s perfect Word. I hope you have found a new appreciation for this psalm. Too often before I started this project I would always read Psalm 119 in a single sitting. I never chewed on it…and there were very few verses I could recall. I have found great delight in God’s law through this study and am grateful for whoever has plodded this trail with me.

The last verse seems odd at first when we read it, in my opinion. My expectation would be that at the end of a psalm like this we would see some success story of faithfulness. But it’s almost sad on the surface. David confesses that he has strayed like a lost sheep. He is in great need of the Good Shepherd to seek him in his lostness. I imagine David near the end of life, looking back on a life with great regret because of the evil he had done. Consider this narrative with my emphasis italicized.

¹Now King David was old and well along in years, and though they covered him with blankets, he could not keep warm. ²So his servants said to him, “Let us search for a young virgin for our lord the king, to attend to him and care for him and lie by his side to keep him warm.” ³Then they searched throughout Israel for a beautiful girl, and they found Abishag the Shunammite and brought her to the king. ⁴The girl was unsurpassed in beauty; she cared for the king and served him, but he had no relations with her. 1 Kings 1:1–4

First, notice the cold, hardness of death. Death has lost its sting in Christ, but we still will suffer the pains of it. David was cold and his body could not get warm. This is what our world has to offer. David—who was richer than most people who ever lived—could not find enough blankets to keep warm. Sin delivers us all to poverty and death eventually, if no One intervenes. While David was rich in this life and cold near death, Jesus was poor and yet exalted at the end. Jesus knew where the best portion would be and He strove toward it for our sake.

Secondly, pay attention to David’s repentance. As verse 176 tells us, he did not forget God’s commandments. David was an adulterer. He had at least seven wives. It seems what David may have done in moderation (an eye for the fairer sex), his son Solomon took to excess. But in the end, David honored God and Abishag, a beautiful woman who attended to him. He certainly could have known her (to use the Bible’s old idiom), it is implied, had that been his desire. But we can hope that he had learned his lesson and his inaction with Abishag was as the result of David being a lost sheep whom God sought—and who did not forget God’s commandments.

One Final Thought on Lost Sheep

Jesus, the lamb of God, became sin for His people that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. Jesus was the lamb who never strayed from the pasture, yet He took on the penalty deserved by foolish and rebellious sheep. Jesus is the lost sheep when He is suffering the penalty for our sins. Jesus is the one who cries to God to be sought after in this state. And Jesus is the one who never forgot God’s commands.

May thoughts of Jesus be with you today and every day as you study His scripture.