God’s Righteous Word

Psalm 119:137-144

The 18th letter of the Hebrew alphabet is Tsadhe. The word “righteous” begins with this letter in Hebrew. That is the reason we see some form of “righteous” so many times in these verses:

137 “righteous” and “right”

138 “righteousness”

142 “righteousness” & “righteousness”

144 “righteous”

Remember that in this Psalm the writer is using the acrostic method. The first letter of each word in the Hebrew corresponds to the Hebrew letter representing the section. That is why we see a form of the word “righteous” so often. The righteousness of God means:

God is true

God is perfect

God is just

The Psalmist recognizes that the righteousness of God is reflected in his Word.

1. The Word of God is righteous because it proceeds from God (137-138).

“righteous are you” God has not attained His righteousness. He did not conform to some standard of righteousness He recognized outside of Himself. God is eternal righteous. He is the standard of righteousness.

Because God is infinitely and perfectly righteous whatever He does is righteous. He will never be unrighteous.

“right are your rules” God is the source of the Word. Therefore, the Word is right. It is true.

2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

For this reason, we are not to stand in judgment over God’s Word. Our understanding of what is righteous is warped because we have a sinful nature. We justify sin. We normalize unrighteous behavior. When we see that the bible identifies something we do as sinful we attack the bible. For many, the Word of God is antiquated. It represents a different day and age.

“in all righteousness and in all faithfulness” What God has said in His Word He will be faithful to keep in His world. The Bible is not interested in cultural changes or moral relativism. It is anchored in the character of God, who does not change.

To change the Bible is to build an idol.

To reject the Bible is to reject the character of God.

There have been many who suggest that man is the source of God’s Word. It seems to me we would have not been so hard on ourselves. Most of the bible was written by Jewish people. The bible teaches the Jewish people rejected the God of the OT and rejected the Savior He sent in the NT. I would think if men were the source of God’s Word they would have presented themselves in a better light.

The source of the Word is God. Therefore, the Word is righteous.

2. God’s righteous Word is forgotten by unrighteous people (139).

Let’s consider two things:

1) Why did the ungodly forget God’s Word?

“forgotten” does not imply an accident. This is intentional forgetting. I have mentioned in other messages that for the most part the psalmists’ enemies are his countrymen. They are people who:

Were taught the Word of God

Were benefactors of the promises of God’s Word

Were reminded of God’s Word through the Tabernacle, feasts, Sabbaths, prophets etc.

They forgot the Word of God because they did not want to keep it. For the most part the issue people have with the Word of God is moral. They don’t want certain things to be sinful. If you listen to the enemies of the bible, you will soon discover that to be true. I’m always amazed when I listen to so called Christian deconstructionists. When they tell their story it normally ends with them finding a sense of freedom. That freedom almost always includes the embracing of a lifestyle Scripture forbids.

2) Was the psalmists anger warranted?

“my zeal consumes me” “zeal” refers to anger. He’s consumed with anger when he sees his enemies have forgotten the Word of God.

His anger probably reflects his desire for the nation to be blessed by God. He sees his people reaping the consequences of rebellion to God’s Word.

There is justifiable anger. There is a holy zeal believers may righteously possess. When we look at our nation and see it mocking and rebelling against God’s Word there should be a righteous indignation.

A rebellion against God’s Word is a rebellion against God.

A mockery of God’s Word is a mockery of God.

Rejecting the Bible is not like rejecting the Harry Potter series or the latest John Grisham book. We can have different opinions about many books. We are not all entertained by the same authors.

Rejecting the bible is different. The bible is a benefit to all. It is needed by all. It alone contains the words of eternal life. To push people away from the Word is to snatch the bread of eternal life from their hands. We miss nothing of eternal value if someone convinces us not to read the latest NY Times best seller. We miss everything if someone convinces us not to read the bible.

3. God’s righteous Word has been tested (140).

“well tried” This means pure. It refers to the refining process of precious metals. The Bible is God’s pure Word without any mixture of error.

1) The Bible has been tried by its enemies. It has been attacked for thousands of years. Richard Wurmbrand who endured horrible beatings and almost death for his stand on God’s Word said:

Hammer away ye hostile bands; your hammer break, God’s anvil stands.

God’s enemies have tried:

Persecution- Fear of reading the bible

Mockery- intellectually tried to destroy the Bible

Robbery- Forcefully removing the bible

The Bible is still here. It will always be here.

2) The Bible has been tried by believers. As believers we test God’s Word every day. It does not let us down.

It promises forgiveness- removes the burden of our sin.

It promises peace- calms the soul.

It promises wisdom- guides us into the proper decisions.

I have lived life by the world’s wisdom, and it ruined my life. I have lived by God’s wisdom for almost 30 years and my life is far better.

“your servant loves it” Many of God’s critics condemn the Word as divisive and binding. Don’t listen to the enemies of God’s Word. Listen to what believers say. We love God’s Word. If it were such a cruel master its servants would not love it so dearly.

4. God’s righteous Word sustains the weak (141).

“I am small and weak” This is what the word of God tells us about ourselves. It is not trying to flatter us. It tells us the truth.

The world is all about self-esteem.

You are perfect the way you are!

You are somebody!

You can do anything you want to do!

We know that isn’t true. That’s why we must keep being reminded. The Bible tells us the truth.

We are small.

We are weak.

We are born sinners. Our future is bleak because of that.

“yet I do not forget your precepts” Small and weak people often fail. Failure can lead to giving up. That was probably what the Psalmist enemies were banking on. If they persecuted the Psalmist enough, they believed he would stop trusting in the Word of God. He did not do as they thought.

How does God’s Word sustain the weak?

It tells us what to do- Come to Christ.

It tells us who we are in Christ- More than conquerors.

It tells us why trials come- we live in a sinful world, to strengthen us, to reveal deficiencies, etc,

It tells us of our future- God will vindicate us.

We are okay with being small and weak because our God is big and strong. Many Christians are born and die:

Poor

Handicapped

In difficult circumstances

They never give up on their faith. God sustains them through the promises in His Word.

5. God’s righteous Word endures (142).

“Your righteousness is righteous forever” We have alluded to this idea already. We will flesh it out more here.

The Word of God is anchored in the unchanging nature of God Himself. God is eternally righteous. His Word is true because He does not change. If God changed the Bible would need to be revised periodically. Therefore, we could not really trust it.

The only way the truthfulness of God’s Words could change to deceit is if God Himself changed. God cannot and will not change. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. The older we get the more we appreciate this. When we are young it seems that new things are a great joy. As we age, we long for the simpler things. We grow weary of trying to keep up with the latest:

Standard of beauty

Trend

Technology

In God’s Word, what we learned as a baby in our crib is still true when we are a senior in our rocking chair. There is joy in this. Our Father in heaven does not age. He does not grow in wisdom; He does not lose any of His faculties. His Word perfectly describes Him as He has always been and always will be.

6. God’s righteous Word strengthens the heart (143-144).

“trouble and anguish” are no strangers to the believer.

We will be troubled at times. There is no need to pretend we are not.

“found me out” poetically stated as if they are hounding us. Trouble and anguish are always on our trail. We live in a fallen world. We are pursued by a prowling devil. Sometimes we are way ahead of him. Sometimes he is right on our tail. There are even times when we feel overtaken by trouble and anguish.

“but your commandments are my delight” In our trouble and anguish we go to the Word. They give us joy.

In v. 144 the Psalmist asks the Lord to give him understanding that he might live. He needs reviving. He needs to be refreshed.

Our circumstances change, God’s Word does not.

Our emotions change, God’s Word does not.

No matter when you visit the Word of God it will always have the same message for you. In trouble you are to stand on the Word of God. In anguish you are to trust in the Word of God. When we do these things, we will be strengthened.

Paul wrote the book of 2 timothy from prison. He was awaiting execution. You can sense his trouble and anguish in the book. Listen to something Paul says in that book:

Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! (2 Tim. 2:8-9).

When you are bound the Word of God is not. It’s promises are just as true when you are suffering as they are when you are prospering. God will strengthen your heart through His Word when you take hold of His promises by faith.

So, we see in this section:

God’s righteous word proceeds from God Himself

God’s righteous Word is forgotten by evil people.

God’s righteous Word has been tested.

God’s righteous Word sustains the weak.

God’s righteous Word endures.

God’s righteous Word strengthens the heart.