Sermon Tone Analysis

Psalm 119:137-144

We are in eighteenth section of this great Psalm 119.

Each verse of this section begins with the letter tzaddi.

The Psalmist’s attitude has changed, however he is still overwhelmed with his trouble.

But he realizes that God is able to get him through!

So today we want to look at what to do when you are overwhelmed.

I. Accept That God is Right

137 TZADDI.

Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments.

138 Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous And very faithful.

139 My zeal hath consumed me, Because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.

140 Thy word is very pure: Therefore thy servant loveth it.

One of the best realizations we can come to in this life is that God is always Right.

We have our own plans, our own desires, our own ways of doing life…but when we find that our ways disagree with God, we must be the one to change.

A. He Always Does Right

The Bible tells us, “Righteous art thou...”

This is an adjective Saddiq which speaks to the fact that God is the Standard of what is right.

Because He is holy, and righteous, He will always do right, even if from our slanted point of view it doesn’t seem right.

He needs to be the standard by which we judge everything else.

There are definitely times that situations arise and we begin to question what God is doing, but we should always remind ourselves of the truth, God always does right, and this will help us trust what He is doing.

B. His Decisions Are Always Right

Verse 137 continues, “and upright are thy judgments.”

upright means straight (as in a path), just, right

judgments, means decisions as in a judgment from a judge.

so we see from this that his decisions are always right.

I have questioned why God took people from my life.

I have questioned why he has allowed certain events in my life.

I have questioned why people I love are hurting.

But at the end of the day, even though I do not understand…God’s Decisions are always right.

The World will scoff at this, I know!

But for us who know God, who have a relationship with Him and His Word, we know in our spirit this is true, because we have the Holy Spirit in us.

Trust that He always does right

Trust that His Decisions are always right

C. His Words Are Always Right

Over and over the psalmist declares truths about God’s Words.

138 “Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful.”

righteous here is a different word than before.

whereas before it was an adjective saddiq, it is now a noun sedeq.

This word means right, in line with an ethical standard, closely related to justice.

Then this verse says his testimonies - his witness, his words are faithful muna.

Also a noun, muna means truth or faithfulness.

God’s Words are righteous - right - always

God’s Words are faithful - True - always the same.

We will skip verse 139 for now, and come back to it in just a moment, but the Psalmist in verse 140 says...

140 Thy word is very pure: Therefore thy servant loveth it.

The Psalmist calls God’s Word pure - sarap - A verb meaning to refine, to test.

This word describes the purifying process of a refiner, who heats metal, takes away the dross, and is left with a pure substance

God’s Word is right in the purist form, and when the Psalmist remembers this his love for God’s Word grows.

He is Righteousness.

And yet he has imputed that righteousness to our account.

It’s as though a billionaire makes you a secondary credit card owner on his account.

You're drawing credit from his account.

2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

This verse reminds us of a very important truth which I'll illustrate.

Imagine: The mailman arrives, and there's a fancy-schmancy envelope with a coat-of-arms.

I open it up, and it's from the Queen.

I've been invited to meet with her.

I'm in the middle of celebrating when I open another envelope.

Same fancy-schmancy deal.

It's a list of requirements for seeing the Queen.

And one is that even though I have an invitation, I have to wear a $10,000 suit from the best tailor in London.

"What!"

I exclaim.

"I can't afford a $10,000 suit.

Where am I going to get $10,000?

My suit's worth $100 maybe $150."

And just when I'm thinking I'm never going to get to see the Queen, I get a call: "You don't know me, but I know you, and that you've been invited to see the Queen.

I also know that you can't afford a $10,000 suit, but I have one that's never been worn that would fit you.

You can have it."

So I turn up at Buckingham Palace wearing my $10,000 suit.

And just as I'm about to go in, I see another guy saying, "But I have an invitation."

"I'm sorry sir.

Even with an invitation, you can't see the Queen in that suit."

I can have either of two responses: You pathetic slob!

Imagine trying to see the Queen dressed in that suit!

But if I respond like that, haven't I forgotten something?

That I'm actually wearing somebody else's suit?

Sure it's mine now, but I didn't pay for it.

Shouldn't I rather respond with compassion: Oh, that poor guy.

What a pity he didn't have a generous benefactor like I've got.

Let's go back to our verse: For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin ... This verse is telling me: God made Jesus who knew no sin to be treated as if He were sin,

that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

You want to see the righteousness of God? You're looking at it.

It's me.

Not because of anything I've done, but because God gave me His righteousness.

Just like the guy with the suit, I can stand tall, and hold my head up high in the presence of God, because I am clothed in a suit that Jesus paid for.

Is 61:10

Isaiah 61:10 (KJV)

10 I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, He hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.

... I am now clothed in God's righteousness.

So, accept that God Is Right!

Don’t fight it!

He always does right

His decisions are always right

His Words are always right.

When overwhelmed by the situations, the attacks, the trials in this life…accept that God is Right!

Then...

II.

Zealously Follow God’s Word