G o d ' s L a w s e t t o M u s i c

Verse by verse through

PSALM 119

Part IV of IV by: Bill Burkett

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119:141 I am small and despised: yet do not I forget thy precepts.
I have always contended that we must not despise a small church or small things in the kingdom of God because however small we are, we belong to the biggest thing in to be found in a thousand universes - God's kingdom! If you have a big church and a big name, be very careful not to forget that you are nothing compared to the whole of God's kingdom, that you are a very small part of the whole. It matters not if we are "big" or "small," but that we relate to God's Word with a humble attitude. What makes a man or woman great is their attitude and relationship to the Word of God. (Read Psalm 15)

119:142-143 Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth. (143) Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights.

God's righteousness is everlasting and His law is truth. Two eternal absolutes that characterize the Word of God. As Dr. Lockridge of Dallas, Texas said, "You can't impeach Him and He's not gonna resign"! This is the one fact that brings stability to the whole universe! God's law and righteousness will ultimately triumph over all human anguish and sorrow.

The saint who puts his or her trust in the truth and righteousness of the Word will outlive all of the enemies of the cross including Satan himself. We have a future because there is a God who is true and righteous and very much in control.
God tells it just like it is. Isn't it a wonderful thing that God's law tells us precisely what is morally required so that we will be judged at God's judgment bars by the same law He gave us here. We'll not be judged by some different set of laws in the judgment that we do not have knowledge of here. It will be the same everlasting righteousness and law there as we have it now. There will be no excuse to miss the rapture or fail to make it through the gates of heaven. You and I hold the truth of His law in our hands. It is everlasting because it is the law that judged angels, judged Adam and Eve, judged Israel, will judge the church and the nations. And then that same law will go on to exist in the new heavens and the new Earth, on through eternity.

119:144 The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.
Here the psalmist is showing that he does not question the witness of God. What God decrees will stand forever. We do not question God's moral instruction, nor His judgment of evil. We only ask to understand what He decrees.
There are many instances in the old Testament where God's decrees may seem harsh. He ordered Moses to destroy 7 nations including children and animals, and then put everything in a heap and burn it. In Deuteronomy 7 God orders Israel to utterly destroy seven nations having no pity. It is now known that these pagan nations were ravaged by social diseases that was eating their flesh away because of the immorality they practiced. Their flesh was being consumed with social diseases such a gonorrhea, syphilis and other sexually transmitted diseases. Their children and cattle were all infected. Their lifestyle and perversion was threatening the nations around them. This was why God was destroying these people. Sin had made them a diseased threat to the rest of the nations. So it was not for some unreasonable purpose God ordered these nation destroyed, but for very good reasons that would preserve other nations from the same horrible fate.
So, it is not for us to quickly judge God's actions. Rather, let us pray that God give us understanding and resign ourselves to the fact that He does all things well and for good reasons.

119:145-146 I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O lord: I will keep thy statutes. (146) I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.
Verses 145 through 148 all carry the same theme of the deep cry of the heart to be bonded to the Word of God. There is something in the spiritual man that knows his life depends on this bond, this welding and being joined to the Word if he is to have a holy life. He is crying for God's help to obey the Word of God.
There are some very well heard voices today telling the church that the effort of the believer is to no avail, that any human effort to obey God's Word is nothing but a bunch of filthy rags. But again we must know the Word of God if this philosophy is true or just the opinions of men who are not speaking the oracles of God.
Is the initiative of the believer important to the attaining of salvation? Let us hear what God Word says on this.
We know that GOOD WORKS is a most vital part of the true salvation experience after we become Christians. The Scripture commands us to enter into good works and maintain them. Matthew 5:16; John 10:32; Acts 9:36; Romans 13:13; Ephesians 2:10; 1 Timothy 2:10; 5:10,25; 6:18; 2 Timothy 3:17; Titus 2:7,14; 3:8,14; Hebrews 10:24; 1 Peter 2:12.

We also know that there are many places in the New Testament where we are commanded to take the initiative in our life of obedience. Jesus said, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. Mark 13:24.
Then Philippians 2:12, Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

Also 1 Timothy 5:22, Keep thyself pure.

And on and on through both Testaments we hear of the volition and free will of the believer to himself take a part in his obedience to the Lord. It is the Spirit that inspires us and the Word that instructs us but it is the believer himself who decides to follow through and put forth the energy to commit the actual act of obedience. It is all Christ's righteousness because He secured the means and provided the revelation - but the believer does indeed himself execute act of obedience by will and choice!

119:147-148 I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word. (148) Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
The psalmist was awake before morning and his eyes did not sleep all through the night watches because he was crying and hoping in God's Word. He did not sleep because his meditations prevented him from finding sleep. This is more like a man that is love-sick, who can neither eat or sleep because he is so in love. To be so preoccupied as was the psalmist with the Word of God could only be love! A wonderful affliction! Love-sick for the Word. If we had more of this kind of sickness there would be less disease and fewer demons plaguing the church.

119:149 Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness: O lord, quicken me according to thy judgment.
Lovingkindness and judgment are mingled here in the psalmist's prayer to be revived. Quicken means to revive or restore. He was already alive in the real sense but apparently he felt he was dying spiritually and cried out to the Lord to be revived. He appeals to both the lovingkindness of the Lord and to His righteous judgment. Lovingkindness speaks of God's own nature. His judgment speaks of his written decrees, His Word as it stands in writing.
God hears with His heart but He answers according to the righteous decrees of His Word.

119:150 They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.
The prevailing opposition today against evangelical Christians and their freedom to be a witness for Christ in public is an omen of what is coming to our country and the world. This brazen effort recently to make any display of religious slogans or open testimony to people in public or the work place was the merging spirit of Antichrist testing the waters to see how much public reaction there was to such open attacks on our religious freedom. Our president signed a religious freedom act just 5 months (February of 1994) before his administration through the offices of the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunities Commission) tried to enact a religious harassment article to their guidelines (June 1994). This article would make it a Federal offense to a Christian to post a sticker, wear pins or witness to others in public or on the job. The signing of the religious freedom act caused many Christians to relax. But soon to follow the same administration was going to take away the freedom to share their testimony in public. They draw nigh that follow after mischief.
This is what the Psalmist is saying. Evil is persistent. Evil forces will continue to in their effort to pass this guideline prohibiting Christian testimony until it succeeds with little resistance. These people have an agenda to destroy the effectiveness of the church. But when they do so, they are demoralizing the nation.
It is not Christians who spread AIDS and kill babies, its not Bible believing Christians who commit fornication and adultery, split homes and shoot people on the street and push drugs. Our government should see this and help Christians to evangelize society. Righteousness exalts a nation and establishes it. It is a historical fact that materialism and moral promiscuity have destroyed nations. Yet in recent years the American government and its leaders have catered to the wicked and lazy and slandered and persecuted the Bible churches.

They draw nigh - The day of Antichrist persecution is coming closer and closer. These efforts to bring cruel Communist-like laws to bear upon Christians will intensify until they finally succeed in establishing laws to making the Christian witness a federal offense, to make testifying a criminal act. But we have this confidence, that very soon all evil will be judged and the righteous will come forth as gold tried in the fire.

119:151 Thou art near, o lord; and all thy commandments are truth.
When the psalmist feels close to God He confirms to God his confidence in the truth of His commandments. He had an appreciation for the commandment, something all but lost to modern believers throughout the world where I travel. The importance of the commandment is very much present in the New Testament writings of the apostles.

Paul reminds us in Romans 13:8-10 that God's moral law was not removed from God's Word in the New Covenant; Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

There is a great point being made here, that to be intimate with God is to regard His moral commandments.

119:152 Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.
Here it is, stated clearly and concisely, the moral law of God is forever! It shall never change because God does not change. Because there are two covenants known as the Old Testament (covenant) and the New Testament, does not mean that the moral law of God has changed. The two covenants represent two divine programs to achieve for man the power to obey the same immutable moral law that reflects the divine nature. The moral law will never change! and God will never change!

119:153 Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law.
The Psalmist is saying literally, "See my misery, my depression, and take it off of me." But the interesting word here is "forget." It means to mislay, or to neglect. "I have not neglected Thy law."

119:154 Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word.
Plead my cause is legal talk. The psalmist has hired God as his lawyer. When we are in trouble it is wise to put your cause in God's hands - He's never lost a case. There is a succession to the prayer; 1. For God to plead his cause; 2. To be delivered; and to be restored or revived.

119:155 Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.
Purity seeks purity. Here is a great principle. To seek salvation is very closely related to a desire for righteousness, a desire to escape from the pollution of the sinful life. Matthew 5:8. To show respect for the moral principles of holy Scripture is the first sincere sign of a souls quest for truth which inevitably leads to salvation.
So salvation has to do with, 1. the atoning blood, and 2. With continuing in righteousness and seeking moral truth after Christ has released you from all past sin (Romans 3:25-26). The Psalmist makes it clear that salvation is linked to the statutes (the Word) of the Lord. See Psalm 19:7
If we reverse the Psalmist's statement, he says, "Salvation is near the righteous, for they seek Thy statutes." The moral precept and salvation through the cross are wed and woe to the man on judgment day who has taught others you can have one without the other. Romans 8:4.

119:156 Great are thy tender mercies, O Lord: quicken me according to thy judgments.
Here is an interesting contrast: mercies and judgments. First the psalmist cites the fact that God is a God of tender mercies. We should rid our minds of any concepts of God that makes Him an exacting angry deity waiting to pounce on the slightest infraction of His kingdom laws. He is first a God of tender mercies and especially toward those who show regret and repentance toward any repentance toward our transgressions. Repentance is an attitude toward wrong we realize we are guilty of. God will not at all acquit the wicked but He is certainly gracious toward the repentant. Anyone living in this end-time can see the tender mercies of God as He holds back the fury of His wrath from this wicked world, waiting to the very limit of justice, extending more time for a few more souls to make it across the line before the storm breaks. The end will come but He deals graciously with the righteous and the contrite.
The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Psalm 34:18.
The psalmist ends his comment on the tender mercies of God by referring to God's judgments which in this text is a reference to a judicial verdict. When God judged the world of sinners His verdict was life for the sinner through the atoning blood (death) of Jesus. Give me life, O Lord, according to the verdict you handed down from the cross!

119:157 Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.
A mass of people who disagree with you doesn't mean the truth is on the side of the majority. All of the people were against Christ. The political and religious powers were against Him; the disciples all fled from His side and He was taken to go through the crucifixion without one person to comfort Him. Jesus and the truth stood against all of sinful mankind, against the Roman empire and the powerful Judaistic religious power structure. They were all wrong and He was right! The whole world was wrong but Jesus was right. Many persecutors does not indicate you may be wrong. I remember a dear friend, and gospel preaching holiness man by the name of Carleton French, an Anglican priest, who told me, "When everybody is doing it that is the first indication it is wrong."
Sometimes when the whole crowd is against you it may make you wonder if your being unreasonable by standing by what you know to be the truth. No, Never! Yet do I not decline from thy testimonies. We are not to follow the multitude but the Word of God. Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment: Exodus 23:2.

119:158 I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.
Just Lot as vexed at the sights he saw in Sodom. Here the psalmist describes the same disgust for the shameless open sin of the wicked. We should carefully note that he was not grieved for the wickedness he saw but grieved because they did not keep God's Word. This is one time that we should feel sorry for God. He has again and again gone to great trouble to provide us with guidance and revelation; with a redeemer and atonement and each time He reaches out to man to draw him into the kingdom He is spurned and insulted. If only men would stop and think about the efforts God has made through centuries of human history to save man from his rebellion and sin they would surely see His loving kindness toward them. When I hear what some politicians and one world free thinkers say about God and His people, and His Word, I feel sorry for God.

119:159 Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O Lord, according to thy lovingkindness.
Here is something else God knows about us. He knows how much I love His Word. That is important to God. If a man says he loves God but he trifles with His Word, and especially with such vital doctrines as sanctification and godliness and all of those things these teachings involve, how can he love God? To love God is to love what God says and take every Word of God seriously. When a young man finds the love of his life he longs to hear her voice, to communicate with her. What is love for without personal communication, and especially in the case of a loving God who speaks only from the depths of His love in every Word He releases to His redeemed children. A loving God deserves loving attention when He speaks. If we really think God is loving and kind then we will regard all He has to teach us in His Word. Anything God says is good and learning perfection from His holiness is my highest privilege.

119:160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
Here is the threefold tribute to God's Word that cannot be broken and must be believed by every Christian who claims salvation and regeneration of the Spirit;
A threefold absoluteness
True from the beginning:         From the very beginning
Every one of His judgments:   No Exceptions.
Endures forever:                 Unto the very end.
This a claim of God's Word that can never be broken. It has not been broken up to this hour and shall remain every believer's confidence until it is broken. Let the world see this proclamation and prove that anything in God's Word has failed!
Every bit of God's Word is true and has been from the beginning and still is true. God has kept His Word in tact. Christians who believe God has providentially preserved His Word as He gave it in the beginning has the testimony of the Psalmist as he expresses it here. If God's Word was given in true form in the beginning and it is not preserved then the Word is no longer true and there is error in the Word of God. Those men who translated the NIV Bible used the Westcott and Hort Catholic Greek (Codex B, Vaticanus MS) text for the basis of that translation. Those who believe in the Westcott and Hort Greek text also do not believe God has preserved a Greek text and that the Bible we have today is not the pure and verbally inspired Word God gave the apostles when it was written. If we say we believe the Word of God then we must first believe what the Word of God declares about itself - It is true from the beginning and endures forever!
This psalm implies that God's Word will remain in tact for ever (owlam) perpetual, world without end! The Word is saying here that the Word received in the beginning will remain (all of it, every judgment) into the future long after this world is out of sight.

This is a strong statement indicating that God has indeed providentially preserved His Word in the form it was given.

119:161 Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
PRINCES: The well groomed, powerfully elite who know the protocols of propriety. All men who are of royalty should bear the royal image and stature. Princes are supposed to be examples to their subjects and and carry themselves well. But sometimes they are sloppy and being such bad examples they are not respected. Pastors are to be like princes to the church body, showing us the way as examples in every good work. They should know better than to mistreat someone for their standards and dedication to God. Princes sometimes are not necessarily too smart. Having the title or a place of honor isn't taken too seriously if there is not good character and good judgment to go with it.

119:162. I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.
SPOIL: The bounty of the warrior who has come from the victories of battle. Paul spoke of the "treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Colossians 2:3) You fight for spoil but you seek for treasure! They both speak of finding something of extreme value! Our spoils are in the Word as we carry on the battle, our treasures are in heaven where they cannot be corrupted by rust or moth!

119:163). I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.
OPPOSITES REPEL: To love truth is to hate error. Of course he hated lying! You have to hate it if you love the truth.

119:164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.
I was sitting at the airport in Lagos, Nigeria waiting for my flight to be announced. A very well dressed Nigerian lady walked into the waiting area and took the end seat beside me. The waiting area filled with people as it got closer to the time of flight departure. The Nigerian lady stood and took something from her bag and then leaving her bag on the seat beside me she stepped over to the space on the floor beside her chair, spread a small rug on the tile floor, got down on her knees and face on the rug and started praying to Allah! She remained there for a lengthy time. Some watched her and others went on hardly glancing her direction. But I was thinking hard all while she was praying there on the floor almost beside me. Muslims seem to take their prayer life much more serious than do most Christians. Christians have the truth and no prayer life, while devout Muslims have a prayer life and no truth. If the church with the redeeming message of Christ that lifted the western nations to a standard of living and dignity higher than those nations who serve a religion of hatred and violence, it was done by prayer. Have we kept that heritage? If Christians had a fraction of the zeal of the fundamental Muslims in zeal and prayer it would change the history of the world and possibly prevent the judgment of God that now looms over us.

The psalmist praised God seven times a day. With the shadow of the cross looming, the Lord asked His disciples to pray with Him. After an hour He returned to find them sleeping. Pitifully He asked them, Could ye not watch with me one hour? And then the Psalmist says here, Seven times a day do I praise thee. We have here two standards of prayer, one from the old Covenant and one from the new. But when we put them together it makes a wonderful formula for bringing a much needed revival to the church! One hour of prayer a day then offer Him praise seven time a day. Its not binding but it is a good measure to go by.

119:165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
The heart that loves God's law is the heart that understands God and knows that God is always in control. Whether it be persecution as was upon the prophets and the early church, or whether it be being wrongly accused as Job, or mocked by your critics as was David. If we love God's law we have a contentment and assurance that come straight to the heart strengthening us in the might of Christ. When we are being conquered we know that in the end we conquer the conquerors of this world in the next world. God's Word speaks to us the absolutes of faith and that is sufficient consolation. A missionary returned home to sit before the elders of his mission board having escaped hostile rebel forces. He was held in bonds and forced to watch as his wife was ravaged and murdered along with his three small children. He was asked by the brethren, "Dear brother, how could you endure such a thing?" His answer was, "As I cried out to God a peace came over me from the sub-depths of my soul that overwhelmed all my pain and anguish. I suddenly realized that everything here is passing and that God had for us a martyrs crown."
The words great, and nothing, must be seen here as the key to tranquility. NOTHING shall offend those who have this GREAT peace is only found in our love for His moral excellence. Here are more of the wonderful benefits of having a right attitude toward the moral law of God; 1) Great peace, 2) Tranquillity.

119:166 Lord, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.
The Psalmist joins two very related doctrines again, salvation and obedience to the commandments. When Jesus ended His sermon on the mount, He concluded with a very well known illustration. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: (25) And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. See also John 14:15; See Psalm 19; 119:55 Note also the words holiness and salvation linked in 2 Thessalonians 2:13. Antinomians will tell you that neither obedience nor good works have anything to do with your salvation. This is false teaching of the most terrible kind. The Word of God does not support such heresy. Why do men not read the Word of God before believing such error? James made it very clear, so simple a child can understand it, that faith without works is dead. How saved can yo be with dead faith? How valid is a salvation that is void of obedience to the moral instruction of God's Word and that is not joining Christ in building the church (and that is work!)? Men who teach that works and obedience can have no salvation merit because it is only the work of Christ on the cross that saves us, are saying that He saves us to a life without obedience and works. The efficacy of the cross is that He might transform the sinner empowering him to live a holy life in the likeness of the person of Christ being conformed to His image.

In Hebrews 12:10 Paul said, For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to   make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. The word glory here is doxa, and means to bear the absolutely perfect inward or personal excellence of Christ.

The efficacy of the cross? The ultimate purpose of His suffering?
Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a PERFECT MAN, unto the measure of the stature of OF THE FULNESS OF CHRIST: (14) That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; (15) But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: (16) From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. (17) This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk NOT as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, (18) Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: (19) Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with reediness. (20) But ye have not so learned Christ; No minister should be telling people that they can't be perfect. True ministers of the gospel will be telling God's children to seek perfection and enter into the joys of discipline (discipleship) which is our true calling in Christ.

One of the most serious neglects of modern parents toward their children is to neglect to teach them the ten commandments. Not merely memorize them, but learn them well and be acquainted with the principles they represent.

Christian schools who have not taught the ten commandments are derelict and should take their shingle down and hang their heads. I have visited scores of Christian schools in recent years and have discovered, to my dismay, of many only one of the Christian schools I have visited had taught either the ten commandments or the golden rule to the children. That is a legitimate accusation against Christian education that has failed to instill the ten commandments and the golden rule in every child as the first priority of training.

119:167 My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly.
The Psalmist does not say that his heart (feelings, emotions) kept the commandments, but that his soul (intelligence) kept the testimonies of the Lord. Purity is a matter of intelligent choice. Holiness makes sense.

Salvation is a logical thing when searched out. It is a masterpiece of jurisprudence and logic and principle and not a collection of moral ideas. It in no way conflicts with the logic of perfect justice. But then the writer goes on to say, "I love them exceedingly," so here is that ideal combination of intelligence and affection in obedience.

Sin leaves man demented. Many times Scripture reveals to us that sin is a form of mental retardation. The person who does not desire and seek goodness suffers from a demented kind of existence. The person who does not think morally right is not mentally complete, mentally "all there." Christ restores to man the dignity of wholeness and completeness. This is marked by a whole new moral concept of right and wrong. Regeneration is the restoration of the depraved person back to mental wholeness, to moral purity.

119:168 I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.
God keeps good records. He knows where you are and how you live. Nothing is hidden from Him and no one will escape His judgment. You may have your body cremated at death and have the dust sprinkled in the wind from a mountain top but you will stand before God in judgment when that day comes. They can burn your body but they can't burn your spirit or your soul. They will go on into eternity where every man will be judged. A man's life will be compared to the Word of God concerning everything he did in this mortal life. If we would be judged as worthy to enter the kingdom then we must live by the Word. It is not only important that we live right but that we die right. God knows our secrets. Our lives are an open book to Him. There is no privacy for any of us when it comes to God knowing everything and judging us ultimately in an open court before all the angels and all those who stand with us in the judgment.

119:169 Let my cry come near before thee, O Lord: give me understanding according to thy word.
There is an anguish tearing at the inside of the psalmist about some issue that he does not describe. Is it not true that we often carry burning burdens within that we do not even share with our most beloved friends. We don't know what burden was fomenting within but it became a cry before the Lord. The psalmist in this case does not ask for His enemies to be put down, but for understanding as to why he is afflicted. The bottom line; The answer is in God's Word. We have reached a high mark in Christ when we go to His Word for understanding of those things that trouble us. Understanding the Word of God is the greatest need of the church and the world as vain men sacrifice truth on the alters of false unity. It is in the pure doctrine of the apostles that men meet and find the unity of the Spirit and not in the movements of ambitious men who think nothing of offending God to avoid offending heretics. According to Thy Word is the guideline of the godly. Psalm 73:1-17.

119:170 Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word.
Here is deliverance "according to Thy Word." Not a conditionless deliverance, but the conditional deliverance, "according to Thy Word."

119:171 My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes.
Here again is the attitude of the righteous toward God's Word. The attitude of those who love the Lord is submissiveness and teachableness. The moral instruction in God's Word is a dynamic eternal fact that is not subject to our fancies. God's Word is immutable! That simply means that it cannot be changed by anything; by popular demand, by what is politically correct or if the whole world rejects it. In the end it surfaces in the dazzling light of God's tribunals to judge all of us. Revelation 20:12. In a very strict sense there is really no such thing as "breaking God's commandments." The truth is that they break us if we violate them. The Psalmist said, Thou hast taught me. We will learn valuable character qualities from God's Word as we learn to be teachable.

119:172-176 My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness. (173)) Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts. (174) I have longed for thy salvation, o lord; and thy law is my delight. (175) Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me. (176)I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.

Psalm 119 ends with a confession of having gone astray like a lost sheep attracted to greener pastures. In spite of this wandering away from the sheepfold, the soul cries out to God that He would come as a shepherd and seek this lost sheep. And then a fact we are all familiar with; for I do not forget Thy commandments. It doesn't matter how far we wander away from God, we will always carry the moral commandments of God's kingdom with us once we have committed them to mind and heart. They remain in us even though we are violating them. They follow us like the hounds of heaven! When a man strays from God, he may forget many things, but he will not forget the commandments. And when the wandering soul comes under great duress the Holy Spirit is faithful, He is right there. This is the literal meaning of parocletos, the one who comes along side. He is there to bring these moral principles to bear upon the heart.

If I never return to God I will carry the commandments with me to the grave. This is what David meant when he said, Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. (Psalm 119:11) Many wayward souls have returned to the Lord by recalling the Word hidden in their hearts. This is why God commanded us to teach them to our children ... and when they are old they shall not depart from them; they will remember those commandments taught them in their youth. It is more than a commandment, it is a promise. Deuteronomy 6:7

I have the well known idiom engraved on a plaque in my office which reads, Attitude is everything. I have it because I want to be reminded of that continually. A right attitude toward the sovereignty of God as it is revealed in the moral precepts of His Word is the one thing perhaps more than any other that will seal the destiny of every soul exposed to the gospel.

True revival from above will come when the church returns to a right and holy attitude toward the Word of God. Psalm 119. Oh, Lord, how love I thy law.

                                       End . . .
(See chart below of the amazing variety of character qualities mentioned in the verses of Psalm 119 below.)

                              CHART

122 CHARACTER QUALITIES FOUND IN PSALM 119

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah. Psalm 68:19
Here are one hundred and twenty two Bible studies for one hundred and twenty two mid-week meetings.

1. Happiness, v's 1, 2.	2. Purity, v's 3, 29.	3. Stability, v.6.
4. Cleansing, v. 9.	5. Restraint, v.10	6. Holiness, v.11.
7. Teachable, v.12, 75.	8. Rejoicing, v.14.	9. Delight, v's 16, 24, 35, 92.
10. Illumination, v's 18, 19.	11. Spiritual hunger, v.20.	12. Counsel, v. 24.
13. Humility v.25	14. Vocal, v.26.	15. Openness, v.27
16. Concern, v.28.	17. Resolve, v's 22, 31, 44, 106.	18. Endurance, v.32.
19. Patience, v.33.	20. Diligence, v's 34, 112.	21. Willingness, v.35.
22. Direction, v's 36, 59.	23. Quickening, v's 37, 40.	24. Devotion, v.38, 140.
25. Steadfastness, v.44, 51, 157.	26. Fear of God, v's 38, 119, 120.	27. Restoration, v.39.
28. Answers, v.42.	29. Liberty, v.42.	30. Testimony, v. 46, 172.
31. Praise, v's 48, 108.	32. Meditation, v.48.	33. Remembrance, v's 49, 93.
33. Comfort, v's 50, 52.	34. Compassion, v.53.	35. Songs, v.54.
36. Obedience, v's 55, 60, 167.	37. Contentment, v.57.	38. Mercy, v's 58, 77.
39. Worship, v.62.	40. Associations, v.63.	41. Thanksgiving, v.64.
42. Appreciation, v.65.	43. Teachableness, v's 64, 66, 68, 73.	44. Knowledge, v.66.
45. Understanding, v.67.	46. Reflection, v.67.	47. Right concepts, v's 68, 73.
48. Goodness of God, v.68.	49. Unmovable, v.69.	50. Submission, v. 71.
51. Comfort, v.76.	52. Values, v's 14, 70, 72, 113.	53. Soundness, v.80.
54. Longing, v. 81	55. Waiting, v. 82	56. Suffering, v. 83
57. Languishing, v. 84	58. Remembering, v.85	59. Trusting, v.86
60. Preservation, v.87.	61. Absoluteness, v.89.	62. Consulting, v. 95
63. Boundless, v. 96	64. Exultation, v. 97	65. Intelligence, v. 98, 125.
66. Excelling, v's 99, 100.	67. Restoration, v. 107	68. Firmness, v. 110 v
69. Diligence, v. 101.	70. Attachment, v. 102.	71. Savor, v. 103.
72. Fatherliness, v.90.	73. Obeisance, v. 91	74. Commitment, v's 94, 106, 146.
75. Discernment, v. 104.	76. Illumination, v. 105.	77. Tryst, v. 114.
78. Support, v. 116, 117.	79. Confidence,	80. Justice, v's 121.
81. Surety, v. 122.	82. Focus, v. 123.	83. Forbearance, v. 124.
84. Names, v. 132.	85. Control, v. 133.	86. Graciousness, v. 156.
87. Grieved, v. 158.	87. Credibility, v. 159, 160.	88. Prayer, v. 164.
89. Transparency, v. 168.	90. Anguish, v. 169.	91. Confidence, v. 161.
92. Inheritance v.111.	93. Separation, v.115.	94. Joy, v.111.
95. Justice, v.119.	96. Judgment, v.126.	97. Enlightenment, v.130.
98. Transformation, v.130.	99. Deliverance, v's 134, 170.	100. Favor, v.135.
102. Brokenness, v. 136.	103. Reverence, v.137.	104. Credibility, v.138
105. Zeal, v.139.	106. Subjection, v.141.	107. Humility, v.141.
108. Permanence, v.142.	109. Perseverance, v.143.	110. Consecration, v.145.
111. Hope, v.147.	112. Pursuit, v.148.	113. Life, v.149.
114. Discernment, v.150	115. Intimacy, v.151.	116. Faith, v.152
117. Honesty, v.163.	118. Peace, v.165.	119. Hope, v.166.
120. Life, v.175.	121. Correction, v.176.	122. Salvation, v.176.

End:

Psalm 119 Part I Part II Part 111 Part IV

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Bill Burkett

~ "Every one that doeth righteousness is born of him." - 1 John 2:29 ~ Web site - http://www.ACTSion.com Copyright ?1996 - Bill Burkett Box 90, Anderson, MO 64831/ U.S.A.