Much to Consider

Psalm 119:153–160 KJV

153 RESH. Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law. 154 Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word. 155 Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes. 156 Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments. 157 Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies. 158 I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word. 159 Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness. 160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.

Consider Mine Affliction

Psalm 119:153 “153 RESH. Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law.”

Need of rescue/salvation from enemies v.155

Many are the persecutors. v.157

Afflictions listed in Scripture

Hated by the world. John 15:9 “9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.”

Vexed by a restless enemy. 1 Peter 5:8 “8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

Chastened by God. 1 Cor 11:32 “32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.”

Burdened with the “body of death” Romans 7:24 “24 O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

For comforters found none

Psalm 69:20 “20 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.”

We look to the one who became us

Hebrews 7:26 “26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;”

Hebrews 2:18 “18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour (assistance and support in times of hardship and distress) them that are tempted.”

Heard a story from Phil Knight, owner of Nike. He asked how many in the room were runners. Went on to ask who runs rain or shine three times a week. Said, we are the one standing under the lamppost cheering you on.

He say the affliction of those in Egypt and acted.

Exodus 3:7 “7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;”

God was grieved for the misery of Israel

Judges 10:16 “16 And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.”

Isaiah 63:9 “9 In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.”

Jesus showed us the passability of God

To be “passible” is to be “capable of feeling, especially suffering” or to be “susceptible to emotion.”

Jesus, who showed us the Father often showed that He was passible. John 14:8-9 “8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?”

We see passibility in the description of Him as our Great High Priest who is able to “feeling of our infirmities” (Hebrews 4:15).

The prophets predicted Jesus to be “man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief” (Isaiah 53:3).

Transition: We can confidently come to God and ask Him to consider our affliction.

Deliver Me

Psalm 119:153 “153 RESH. Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law.”

Who is this glorious conqueror?

Isaiah 63:1 “1 Who is this that cometh from Edom, with dyed garments from Bozrah? this that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatness of his strength? I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.”

The one who delivered Daniel from the Lions Dens

Daniel 6:27 “27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.”

Daniel 6:23 “23 Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.”

No manner of hurt may seem impossible

“So long as they cannot drive or draw us into a spiritual decline our foes have done us no great harm, and they have accomplished nothing by their malice. If we do not decline they are defeated. If they cannot make us sin they have missed their mark. Faithfulness to the truth is victory over our enemies.” (Spurgeon)

Psalm 119:157 “157 Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.”

We aren’t delivered from the den but from temptation.

2 Peter 2:9 “9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:”

We have a God that delivers.

2 Cor 1:10 “10 Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;”

Why would He deliver us?

Psalm 91:14 “14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.”

Great are His tender mercies. Psalm 119:156 “156 Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments.”

Let me then remember my affliction, only as it may be the means of increasing my acquaintance with my tender and Almighty Friend. Poor and afflicted as I may be, let me be more poor and afflicted still, if I may but have fresh evidence that he “thinketh upon me”—that he “considers my affliction,” and in his own gracious time and way will “deliver me.” - Bridges

How we are delivered?

Psalm 119:154 “154 Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word.”

Psalmist knew where to apply for help.

In the NT this is referred to as “patience of hope” 1 Thess 1:3.

Waiting for the Lord, until he plead our cause, and execute judgment for us

Our adversary had the law on his side. We could not deny the charge, or offer satisfaction

We can say as Job we have found a ransom. Job 33:24 “24 Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.”

“What a mighty plea is this – ‘according to thy word.’ No gun in all our arsenals can match it.”

Satan accuses me, my own heart condemns me, but I look up to Heaven and can say “please my cause and deliver me!”

Transition: Jesus, pleads indeed nothing favorable of you; but much, very much, for you! He pleads the merit of his own blood.

Let’s look through this section for all the references to God’s Word

Psalm 119:153-160 “153 RESH. Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law. 154 Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word. 155 Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes. 156 Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments. 157 Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies. 158 I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word. 159 Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness. 160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.”

Recognizing the truths of God’s word is the ground of all our peace and comfort

Psalm 119:160 “160 Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.”

The entire word is true, not merely portions or individual concepts from the word.

Not only is it true; it is eternally true.

The generic belief in His word has no influence without an individual application.

In believing God we be given access to Him

Ephesians 3:12 “12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.”

In believing God we do not stand here condemned today.

We stand before him self-condemned, and yet believe that “there is no condemnation. Romans 8:1 “1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”

Not enough to say what is this? We must feed upon it!

Exodus 16:15 “15 And when the children of Israel saw it, they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat.”

Inquired what it is

It was from Heaven

It was God’s provision.

It was gathered

It was fed upon daily

Great are His tender mercies.

Psalm 119:156 “156 Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments.”

Estimate His mercy by the debt of sin we owed.

Estimate His mercy by the hell that it saves us from.

Estimate His mercy by the eternal reward it provides.

Say this with me.

Psalm 103:1 “1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.”

Deliverence from envy of the wicked

Psalm 119:158 “158 I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.”

Being grieved by the wicked and not envious takes a work of God in our hearts.

If you find yourself envious of people who do not love God’s love know you are 2 steps removed from your proper place.

A fellowship with the joys of angels over repenting sinners will be accompanied with bitterness of godly sorrow over the hardness of those, who “keep not the word of God.” Bridges

Consider my love for your precepts

Psalm 119:159 “159 Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness.”

Remember how we started; consider my affliction

In the same prayer the Psalmist calls on God to review his affliction and his love for the Word. How ready are you to do this?

This brings revival!

Revival is never deserved or earned, but given from the lovingkindness of God.

Revival itself is according to God’s word.

The concept of revival both personal and corporate is Biblical. A genuine revival will honor and promote God’s word.

We do not pray as the publican in Luke 18 we arent saying “I am thankful i am not as other me”

Our cry is quicken me.

Our cry is for His lovingkindness.

This prayer to be quickened by God’s lovingkindess has been repeated 9 times in Psalm 119!

Conclusion

Let’s repeat it a 10th time tonight. Psalm 119:159 “159 Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness.”

God is the giver of life. If you need life, then ask for it.

We started off asking God to consider our affliction.

In our affliction God brought deliverence by His Word.

In the deliverance we found something greater than our hatred for our difficulty. We found a love for God’s presence in our lives.

We know longer are angry at circumstances or enemies but are grieved by anything or anyone running from this incredible voice we have heard.