Psalm 119 - Lamed

There are few certainties in this world.

But what is certain is God’s Word is Faithful and man’s days are few and full of trouble.

The psalmist is going through a deep valley.

He has been accused and rejected.

But all throughout his trial,and all throughout this Psalm he keeps his focus on God’s Word.

God provides the strength we need through His Word.

Through these verses we can receive the encouragement and instruction that we need to bear the trials that we face.

God’s promises are true, and His Word is sufficient even for life’s most daunting trials.

In this twelfth section of this Psalm we see three main points regarding God’s Word.

I. Faithfulness of the Word

89 LAMED. For ever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven.

90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.

91 They continue this day according to thine ordinances: For all are thy servants.

In a world that is constantly changing I am so grateful we have God’s Word which is faithful!

Because it is the Word of God himself, it carries the attributes of its speaker.

God never changes, so His Word never changes

God is faithful, so His Word is faithful.

We see it is faithful because it is...

A. Settled

89 For ever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven.

It is forever settled…it will not change.

The psalmist is not emphasizing just the eternal existence of God’s Word, but also the eternal relevance and helpfulness of God’s Word.

It is firmly fixed in heaven, not on earth.

This earth, as we know it will pass away, but in heaven it is secure and settled.

Matthew 24:35 KJV

35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

B. Available

90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.

Secondly he says his word is faithful because it is available to all.

Thy faithfulness is unto all generations.

It wasn’t just available to Abraham, or David, but all generations have the revealed Word of God.

We are most blessed of all generations as we have the entirety of God’s revealed Word at our disposal.

The Psalmist continues in this verse and says, Thou has established the earth, and it abideth.

By the very Word of God this world was created, established, set upon it’s pillars, by the Word of God it remains.

Oh the power in God’s Word!

Not only to create but to transform!

One of the most dramatic examples of the Bible's ability to transform men and women involved the famous mutiny on the "Bounty." Following their rebellion against the notorious Captain Bligh, nine mutineers, along with the Tahatian men and women who accompanied them, found their way to Pitcairn Island, a tiny dot in the South Pacific only two miles long and a mile wide. Ten years later, drink and fighting had left only one man alive--John Adams. Eleven women and 23 children made up the rest of the Island's population. So far this is the familiar story made famous in the book and motion picture. But the rest of the story is even more remarkable. About this time, Adams came across the "Bounty's" Bible in the bottom of an old chest. He began to read it, and the divine power of God's Word reached into the heart of that hardened murderer on a tiny volcanic speck in the vast Pacific Ocean--and changed his life forever. The peace and love that Adams found in the Bible entirely replaced the old life of quarreling, brawling, and liquor. He began to teach the children from the Bible until every person on the island had experienced the same amazing change that he had found. Today, with a population of slightly less than 100, nearly every person on Pitcairn Island is a Christian.

God works through the lives of men everywhere and in any situation!

The Word of God is faithfully settled, and made available to every generation.

Then notice today that God’s Word is faithful, and will be...

C. Continuing

91 They continue this day according to thine ordinances: For all are thy servants.

God’s Word is able to not only establish the earth, but able to continue it as long as God desires.

All are thy servants - not just man, but the earth itself.

I don’t worry about climate change, not to say we shouldn’t be good stewards of what God has given us, but I know we are not all going to die from it.

According to God’s Word, we have at least 1,007 years from this moment!

Between a seven year tribulation and a 1,000 year reign of Christ, God will sustain this earth.

The word ordinances means judgments, but can also have the meaning of a claim on something.

We are told in Psalm 24:1

Psalm 24:1 KJV

1 The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof; The world, and they that dwell therein.

The earth continues because of the claim God has on this world.

It is His!

We can go through the trials of this life knowing that God’s Word, like it’s author, is faithful!

In the next verses we see the ...

II. Work of the Word

92 Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.

93 I will never forget thy precepts: For with them thou hast quickened me.

94 I am thine, save me; For I have sought thy precepts.

I am so grateful that the Lord works in my life and yours!

He works through His Word to change us and make us more like Christ.

Through the Work of the Word we are...

A. Not Overwhelmed

92 Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.

Our afflictions can be overwhelming, but the Psalmist says that he did not become overcome by the affliction because he delighted in God’s Word.

We often do not want what is best for us, especially if we are hurting.

The man who needs to lose wait finds no happiness in vegetables.

The dehydrated person will run first to sugary drinks, rather than water.

The person hurting by trial will run to TV, books, fantasy, work or anything other than that which is best for them - The Word of God!

Oh but how the vegetables, give the strength and vitamins, the water quenches the thirst and hydrates, and so the Word of God soothes the soul.

Whether Napoleon Bonaparte was truly a Christian is debatable judging the fruit of the man, however he is quoted as saying, “The gospel is not merely a book—it is a living power—a book surpassing all others. I never omit to read it, and every day with the same pleasure. The gospel possesses a secret virtue, a mysterious efficacy, a warmth which penetrates and soothes the heart. One finds in meditating upon it that which one experiences in contemplating the heavens. The gospel is not a book; it is a living being, with an action, a power, which invades everything that opposes its extension.”

Make the Word of God your delight today!

Spend time within its pages every day!

Take it with you all day and meditate on it’s words and meaning all day long!

It will help you not be overwhelmed by the trials of this life!

Woodrow Wilson said, “I am sorry for men who do not read the Bible every day. I wonder why they deprive themselves of the strength and the pleasure.”

Through the Work of the Word we are not overwhelmed, and secondly we are...

B. Enlivened

93 I will never forget thy precepts: For with them thou hast quickened me.

with them thou has quickened me

The Word quickened means to make alive, or keep alive.

The Psalmist says that he will never forget the Word of God because it is what keeps him alive!

Someone once said, “A Red Letter Bible is fine, but one that is Read is far better!”

When we are down, or discouraged, or under the weight of our trials is the perfect time to read the Word.

Psalm 119:107 KJV

107 I am afflicted very much: Quicken me, O Lord, according unto thy word.

How powerful the Word of God is!

Power to give us the strength and life we need.

George Mueller said, “The vigor of our spiritual life will be in exact proportion to the place held by the Bible in our life and thoughts. I solemnly state this from the experience of 54 years. The first 3 years after conversion I neglected the word of God. Since I began to search it diligently the blessing has been wonderful. Great has been the blessing from consecutive, diligent, daily study. I look upon it as a lost day when I have not had a good time over the word of God. (George Mueller)”

Through the Work of the Word we are not overwhelmed, we are Enlivened, thirldy we are...

C. Purchased

94 I am thine, save me; For I have sought thy precepts.

The Psalmist boldly lays claim to the fact that he is the Lord’s!

So he has every right to request salvation from the Lord.

He has sought out the precepts, the instructions, of the Lord and has found his standing in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 6:19–20 KJV

19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

Because we are bought by Christ, we can rest in the Works of God’s instructions.

and we can glorify God in our body, and in our spirit.

We can be comforted like the Psalmist when we see and recognize the faithfulness of God’s Word, and the Works of God’s Word, in verses 95-96 we see the...

III. Perfection of the Word

95 The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: But I will consider thy testimonies.

96 I have seen an end of all perfection: But thy commandment is exceeding broad.

The wicked can’t wait to destroy the child of God, but even in the midst of danger the Psalmist recognizes the perfection of the Word.

God’s Word is perfect in...

A. Spiritual Protection

95 The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: But I will consider thy testimonies.

Even though the enemies lurk, waiting to destroy, the Psalmist does not keep his minds eye on them.

The Psalmist considers the testimonies of the Lord.

He keeps his meditation on God’s Word.

Our spirit would be much more healthy if we keep our thoughts on the Word of God.

Seek out verses that will help with each situation.

Write them out and meditate on them.

“But pastor, I don’t know of any verses that deal with what I’m going through!”

Then pray, ask God to show you a verse or verses that apply to your situation.

The Word of God is a living, breathing book.

The very author lives within us.

Who better to direct us to the testimonies that deal with our situation than God himself.

God has given us everything we need for this life, we just need to put in the work and study what he has given us!

2 Peter 1:3 KJV

3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

All things - he has given us all things pertaining to life and godliness.

God’s word is perfect for Spiritual Protection, but lastly only God’s Word can claim this, because it has

B. Solitary Perfection

96 I have seen an end of all perfection: But thy commandment is exceeding broad.

Nothing in this world,even that which seems perfect will continue to stay that way.

The psalmist says he saw an end of all perfection, in other words, all perfection has an end.

Of course, nothing in this world is perfect because it is tainted by sin.

But when we see something, at first glance it may seem perfect.

But the Word of God, the commandment of God, is exceeding broad.

It is all encompassing.

It is perfect, and it alone is perfect.

We have within our hands everything we need.

If we will just approach it prayerfully and ask the Lord to lead us where we need to go within its pages, we can see the faithfulness, Works and perfection for every need.

The psalmist’s enemies were relentless in trying to destroy him, and he was relentless in praying for God to rescue him.

One of the most important lessons Jesus taught us was to pray persistently!

Like the man who persistently came to his friend for bread for his guests, we need to be persistent and never give up on God.

Keep praying, keep reading, keep studying, keep doing what you know is right and he will direct you in your path!