The Guide for the Sojourner, Sufferer, and Sinner

Psalm 119:97-104

The only true guidance from sin and suffering for the Christian is found in God's Word.

Kids God's Word guides us to all truth.

“…unlike almost all the other stanzas, this one does not contain a single petition or request…it is a declaration or confession of faith. It is not a declaration of independence but a declaration of absolute dependence on the inerrant and infallible, holy, and righteous Word of God.”

Danny Akin

I. God's Law is lovely.

Psalm 119:97 “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.”

We may know, read, hear, speak, preach the law, and all God’s word, as also outwardly perform outward works prescribed and commnaded by the law, and yet not love it.”

Charles Spurgeon

But, what is so lovely about the Law?

Irenaeus Against Heresies argues “But the law coming, which was given by Moses, and testifying of sin that it is a sinner, did truly take away his (death's) kingdom, showing that he was no king, but a robber; and it revealed him as a murderer.”

The Law reveals the true nature of Satan and the true nature of God. The former is revealed as a robber and murderer, while God is revealed as the eternal life giver. Why does the Psalmist say he loves the law? Because it gives him life!

II. God's Law is wise. (Psalm 119:98-102)

A. Wiser than earthly powers

Psalm 119:98 “Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me.”

The Psalmist has repeatedly mentioned his enemies…especially as arrogant

Psalm 119:21 “You rebuke the arrogant, the cursed, Who wander from Your commandments.” (NASB)

Psalm 119:69 “The arrogant have forged a lie against me; With all my heart I will observe Your precepts.” (NASB)

Christians have historically faced great troubles when it comes to enemies or oppression:

For Polycarp, it was Rome.

For Tyndale, it was King Henry VIII

For Luther, it was the papist Antichrist.

For Judson, it was the Burmese government.

For Bonhoeffer, it was Hitler.

For Elliot, it was the Auca tribe.

Every one of these thought by putting an end to these people or their families it would be an end to what they were proclaiming.

However, no earthly force can overcome the Kingdom of God. No earthly power can put an end to the church. The Gospel can never be silenced. While the Gospel may be folly to the world it will stand in all eternity. At the center of it all is a crucified Christ who conquered death.

Death where is your sting?

Earthly rulers and kingdoms where is your power?

So I ask, suffering and hurting saint, where is your hope?

B. Wiser than earthly knowledge

Psalm 119:99 “I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.”

[God’s Word] is superior to all other sources of wisdom and knowledge. Therefore, knowledge alone is not enough; faith in God’s Word and the commitment to obey it is what brings spiritual insight and wisdom.”

Allen Ross

A number of years ago one of the first books I would assign reading when discipling someone was written by Joshua Harris – Humble Orthodoxy.

C. Wiser than earthly wisdom

Psalm 119:100 “I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts.”

Ordination questionnaire: Replanting The Rock, “Being single, how do you anticipate being able to speak to subjects like marriage?”, “While I do not have first-hand experience, and my counsel will have its limits, the Bible is sufficient to speak to the life of believers.”

While age and experience assist in counsel, we do not speak on authority based on age, experience, education, or any other worldly measures, but on the authority of God’s Word.

I do not care how much life you have lived or how much wisdom you have accumulated, if it is not from the Lord it is left lacking.

D. Wiser than earthly temptations

Psalm 119:101 “I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word.”

The issue with many so-called Christians today is that they are taking what they see in the world and using it as a lens to interpret the Scriptures.

Brothers and sisters, it is not the world that helps us to interpret the Scriptures, but it is the window of Scripture in which we might see and understand the world around us.

Beware of light thoughts of sin...Sin, a little thing? It girded the Redeemer’s head with thorns, and pierced his heart! It made him suffer anguish, bitterness, and woe.

Charles Spurgeon

Do not forget that while we can sing...

Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within; Grace, grace, God's grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin!

…we are able to do so because we also sing...

Yonder on Calvary's mount out-poured– There where the blood of the Lamb was spilt.

You and I are able to hold back our “feet from every evil way” because Jesus came to fulfill the promises of God’s Word and His righteousness is imputed onto us. We are able to keep God’s Word because God fulfilled His promise through His Son.

E. Wiser than earthly flesh

Psalm 119:102 “I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me.”

Proverbs 14:12 “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.”

Have you ever experienced something so beautiful you just have a hard time looking away?

A nice car drives down the street and you turn to watch it drive by.

You’re standing before a natural wonder and you just cannot bring yourself to look away.

A masterpiece of a painting keeps your eyes fixed upon it to study and analyze it.

The Word of God will make the most intellectual wisdom seem like children’s babel.

Paraphrase: “I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have taught me and I have been enamored by the beauty of what your Word contains.”

III. God's Law is good. (Psalm 119:103-104)

A. Good for satisfaction

Psalm 119:103 “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

The Psalmist has just spent the last few stanzas speaking about his affliction, persecution, and fleshly struggles. However, he then makes this statement in the face of it all.

What makes God’s Word so sweet when we live in a fallen, evil world and suffering surrounds us and afflictions drown us...

The redemptive story unfolded through history to reveal the risen Savior. God’s Word causes our hearts to say...

We can face tomorrow...

We can say “It is well”...

Why?

The Gospel does something to even a broken, hurting, distraught heart...

Low in the grave He lay, Jesus my Savior, Waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!

Up from the grave He arose, With a mighty triumph o’er His foes, He arose a Victor from the dark domain, And He lives forever, With His saints to reign, He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

A true realization of the risen Savior will cause our hearts to rejoice in all circumstances, against all odds, for eternity.

Never reduce Christianity to a matter of demands and resolutions and willpower. It is a matter of what we love, what we delight in, what tastes good to us…So someone may ask: How can I come to delight in the Word of God? My answer is twofold: (1) pray for new taste buds on the tongue of your heart; (2) meditate on the staggering promises of God to his people.

John Piper

B. Good for direction

Psalm 119:104 “Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.”

How can you avoid false teaching and folding to the pressures of the culture? First and primarily through consuming God’s Word, delighting in it, and letting it rule over every aspect of your life. Growth in understanding God’s Word does not result with indulging in sin, or explaining away sin, but despising sin – for our love of God and our love of sin is impossible partners.

Do you find yourself falling into temptation more?

Do you find yourself delighting in your sin more?

How has your time in God’s Word been?

A godly man not only does that which is good, but he delights to do it, his soul cleaves to it; he is in his element when he is doing it, nothing comes more suitably to him than the business of his duty, he loves to do it, he loves it when he cannot do it.

Charles Spurgeon

There is a two-fold way we must look at the role of God’s Word in our life and our role to keep God’s word. Notice verse 101 and now verse 104:

Psalm 119:101 “I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word.”

Psalm 119:104 “Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.”

Where the avoiding of evil is made the means of profiting by the word; here his profiting by the word is made the cause of avoiding evil.

Thomas Manton

Either this book will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from this book.

John Buynan

As Christians, we must find our love and delight in the Word of God for this is where we find guidance away from sin and satisfaction amidst our sufferings.

What is keeping you from sinning against God?

What is keeping you from falling to the wisdom of the world?

Where do you place your delight and contentment?