Psalm 119:33-48

Psalm 119:33-48

We come to the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The writer continues his praise of God’s Word. In this section we will see his petitions to learn and keep God’s Word. I point your attention first to what he sees as the opponent to his desire.

“selfish gain” (36)

“worthless things” (37)

The believer desires God but we still battle with the old nature. We can be tempted. We can yield to temptation and for a time find our delight in other things. This section will help us in that battle.

v. 33 “The way of your statutes”

He’s not asking to merely understand God’s Word. He wants to know how to live God’s Word. When he sees a text he wonders how he can put it into practice.

He prays for both enlightenment and strength. Why do you want to understand God’s Word? It should be so you can put it into practice.

“will keep it to the end” He doesn’t want to know the Word to get out of a jam. He wants to know how to live and he plans to live what he learns every day of his life. Some want a Word from God until:

They get the job

Get married

The cancer is gone

The bill is paid

We should also mention that there are people who grow more liberal with the Word as they age. What is true today will always be true. God’s Word is wonderful in that it is always true , will always work and will always benefit us.

v. 34 “Give me understanding” this goes back to illumination. We must seek the Author of the bible to understand the Bible. It is a supernatural book only truly understood by those who are saved.

Again, we see his motive:

“That I may keep your Law and observe it with my whole heart.”

He wants to be completely surrendered to the Word of God. To do this he needs to understand it. There are things man cannot teach us. Man does know us as God does. To be clear, we will never learn all there is to know. When we petition God, He will teach us what we need to know:

About ourselves

About God

About God’s will

v. 35 “lead me” This repeats the truth that God must take the initiative. We cannot go our own way and understand the things of God. God does not follow us. We follow God. As the Israelites were led by God in the wilderness, we dare not take a step in the wilderness of this world without God going before us.

“in the path of your commandments”

I was meditating on the idea of the path. Roads were not like our days back then. This is why they are called paths. When it comes to the paths of God there are not many people walking on them. Therefore, they can be difficult to see at times. When I am hunting, I will often look for subtle paths through the woods. If you are not looking for them you won’t see them. If you look close you can see where a single buck is traveling an area. There is a broken briar bush. There is dirt kicked up. These trails often yield the best results when seeking a quality deer.

If you are not looking closely in this world you will not see those walking on the quality paths. So few travel these paths, the imprint is subtle. You must be looking for it.

We are to ask God to lead us on the narrow road. That is where reward is found. That is where we find our delight in God.

v. 36-37 “selfish gain” tempts us all.

Notice the connection between the eyes and the “worthless things”. Worthless things and selfish gain are synonymous.

In Scripture the eyes are often what turns our affection away from God.

Eve in the Garden (fruit).

David in his palace (Bathsheba).

The prayer here is for overcoming temptation.

Lord, don’t let my eyes turn my heart! Full reliance on God is necessary to overcome temptation. God must incline our heart toward His Word.

“Give me life in Your ways” Revive me, Lord.

When I am tempted and weak.

When I am being selfish.

When I am looking upon worthless things.

Be my strength, Lord!

v. 38 “Confirm to your servant your promise” He asks the Lord to answer his prayers. These are prayers based on the promises of God. Context suggests it has to do with understanding God’s Word. There is no reason not to include all of God’s promises in the meaning.

There is no fear for the believer concerning God’s Word. We know it will be confirmed. Our hope should that God confirms it in our life so others will fear Him. When a lost world sees God moving in our lives we pray they will seek Christ.

v. 39 “the reproach I dread” This is scorn by his enemies. He prays the Lord will take it away. Why does he pray this?

1) No one likes to be ridiculed or humiliated.

2) It could be the removal of the scorn means the removal of the enemy (Through salvation or judgment).

“for your rules are good” We need to be reminded that the Word of God is good when God’s enemies ridicule it. Let the enemies of God mock Him. They have plenty to say now but won’t have much to say later.

v. 40 “I long for your precepts” Despite the scorn he experiences for the Word he still longs for it.

Keep believing the Bible.

Keep quoting the Bible.

Keep carrying the Bible.

“in your righteousness give me life” This prayer appeals to the character of God. The Psalmist knows that God is righteous and asks the Lord to give him life. This is a repeat of the request in verse 37. It means the same thing. As Christians we have been spiritually quickened from the dead. We are alive in God. We have eternal life. However, there are times when we need to be revived. We need to be refreshed. This prayer appeals to that refreshing. Such refreshing can be found in the Word of God.

WAW (Letter 6)

v. 41In this section the Psalmist is concerned with giving a good testimony for the Lord.

“Let your steadfast love come to me” God’s covenant love contains His grace and mercy. The Psalmist is praying for an experience of this love in his life.

“Salvation” probably doesn’t refer to the initial saving grace we receive. The believer experiences God’s salvation all throughout life. He saves us through circumstances and out of difficulties daily.

“according to your promise” refers to the many places in God’s Word where believers are promised to be kept by God. God does not save us and let us wander alone until heaven. He is a very present help.

v. 42 “him who taunts me” could be the reason the Psalmist needs salvation. He needs rescuing from an enemy who taunts him.

“I trust in your word” Again, this refers to the promises we have of absolute salvation. He is taunted by an enemy, but he is comforted by God’s Word.

God’s intervention in his life is the answer he needs. It is the same for us.

v. 43 ”Take not the Word of truth utterly out of my mouth”

How might the Word be taken out of our mouths?

Cowardice

Sin

Forgetfulness

Self-reliance (Pride)

Overcome by sorrow

The Psalmist is praying that no circumstance will arise that causes the Word to be removed from his mouth. We have balance concerning God’s eternal salvation. Knowing that God will keep us until the end does not mean we cease to pray for endurance. Our will is involved.

“for my hope is in your rules” His hope is in the Word of God. If he does not have the Word of God he has no hope.

Do we pray like this?

“Lord, don’t let me get to a place where your Word is not in my mouth!”

v. 44 Here we have a promise to the Lord.

“I will keep your Word continually forever and ever!”

“Keep”

Not on a shelf.

This means to practice, obey.

v. 45 “I shall walk in a wide place” This speaks of liberty, freedom. The Bible is called the perfect law of liberty in James 1:25. Most believe that living for God is bondage. They think of all they cannot do. They see God as a killjoy. The irony is bondage is found apart from God’s Word.

Sin= bondage

Righteousness= freedom

Only Christians have abundant life. There is no liberty like the liberty we have in Christ. Freedom from:

The power of sin

The fear of death

The threat of hell

v. 46 “I will also speak of your testimonies before kings”

This could refer to foreign kings. Oppressors. Men like Cyrus, Nebuchadnezzar.

This could refer to wicked Jewish kings like Ahab.

Through the word the Psalmist will have the knowledge and the confidence to speak the truth. No one will intimidate him.

We have an opportunity in our culture to display the courage God gives. His Word is mocked. His truth is considered lies. To speak out in our age is not as easy as it was 50 years ago. We are a post Christian nation. Will we speak the truth?

v. 47 “I find my delight in your commandments”

His concern is not to be loved and accepted by royalty. His delight is in knowing he has obeyed God’s Word. He loves the Word of God.

Do you have affection toward the Bible? Do you love it? Do you desire it?

v. 48 “I will lift up my hands toward your commandments”

This is a posture of worship. The lifting of hands symbolizes a desire to obtain the commands. The heart wants the Word. We see the repetition of love in this verse. The Word of God leads us into worship. We don’t need:

Lighting

Certain style of music

Your desire for God is what is necessary for Worship. When you truly desire God you will desire His Word.

“meditate on your statutes” The word “meditate” means to utter to oneself” We are called to focus our attention on specific parts of God’s Word.

Meditating on a verse.

Meditating on a truth.

Focused thinking and speaking truth to ourselves prepares our heart for worship. In fact, it is worship. It is our responsibility to preach to ourselves throughout the week.