Psalm 119:161-168
Notes
Transcript
161 Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words. 162 I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil. 163 I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law. 164 Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous rules. 165 Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble. 166 I hope for your salvation, O Lord, and I do your commandments. 167 My soul keeps your testimonies; I love them exceedingly. 168 I keep your precepts and testimonies, for all my ways are before you.
1. Expect Unjust Persecution, but Trust the Lord (119:161)
1. Expect Unjust Persecution, but Trust the Lord (119:161)
161 Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words.
It is sometimes difficult for us to understand that…
Opposition and persecution of God’s Children sometimes come from higher places (from the people who are supposed to protect us, those who are supposed to govern us well, those who are supposed to lead us), and may be unjust and unfair.
We can have this childlike reaction the unfairness of today’s world, especially when it comes to somebody in authority above us.
When it comes to this treatment being unjust and or unfair, this can be more difficult.
( can begin by action and thought to fall this cultural prosperity gospel)
THE WRITER HERE gives us a straight forward recognition of truth: “Princes have persecuted me without cause.”
There is no justification for what they have done.
All over the world brothers and sisters in Christ face severe persecution from evil and oppressive governments.
Imprisonment
Torture
Loss of jobs or demotions
Loss of homes
Martyrdom
Even within the church… there has been men and women take advantage of their position to exploit the vulnerable.
Brothers and sisters, we should expect this.
We should not be taken off guard by unjust treatment.
Around 365 million Christians are subject to “high levels of persecution and discrimination”. This compared to 340 million in 2021 (PDF).1 in 7 Christians are persecuted worldwide, including 1 in 5 in Africa and 1 in 7 in Asia. This compared to 1 in 8 worldwide in 2021 (PDF).4,998 Christians were killed for faith-related reasons. 90% of those killed were in Nigeria, where attacks on Christians have become more common since 2020 as part of a wider rise in political violence against civilians. Open Doors estimates the number of Christians killed for faith-related reasons worldwide was 5,621 in 2023, 5,898 in 2022, and 4,761 in 2021.14,766 Churches and Christian properties were attacked.
All of this, without cause.
unjust punishment because we are children of God
This can be such a hard things for us to think about.
It can be something where we allow our sense of justice to take over where we run our minds into hatred and vengeance.
The Psalmist though, knows that his hope and cure for this persecution and mistreatment resides in the ministry of the Word.
HE FLEES TO GOD AND HIS WORD.
He doesn’t have to fear persecutors because of the fact that…
His heart stands in awe of God’s Word.
He doesn’t tremble at the thought of these men, he only trembles in the awe and respect of HIs Word.
We are not likely to be disheartened by persecution, or driven by it into sin, if the word of God continually has supreme power over our minds”. - Spurgeon
Evil men will do evil things, but our God will do good things in the midst of evil.
This is something we have continued to see throughout the story of Joseph as Pastor Nathan has been preaching through Genesis.
Here in the next few weeks we will here this from the pulpit…
20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
Paul in His letters to the Romans wrote about this very reality.
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
In the midst of this evil world.
How do we guard ourselves?
Flee to Him.
Fear Him.
love Him
Trust Him.
Stand in awe of Him.
19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
This is in contrast from how we see the cultural reaction to persecution…
WOE IS ME!
COMPLAINING.
I DON’T DESERVE THIS.
A CRITICAL SPIRIT.
AN UNDERSTANDING THAT THE WORLD IS OUT OF CONTROL AND THAT WE ARE ALL DOOMED.
You know… it’s often our REACTIONS THAT CAN SHOW OUR NEEDS FOR A SAVIOR…
But the writer in Psalm doesn’t react to this.
He reacts in this total counter cultural way…
2. Praise The Lord Continually (119:162-164)
2. Praise The Lord Continually (119:162-164)
162 I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil. 163 I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law. 164 Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous rules.
As we see at the end of verse 161 where the Psalmist, as he is being persecuted unjustly, without cause, at the end of 161 it says that he still stood in awe of God’s Word.
In this midst of this persecution. He still held God’s Word on high in his life. ————->>>>Here in 162-164 we see the effects of this reality in his life.
Certain reactions or responses are natural to come out.
1. Like “Rejoicing at your word like one who finds great spoil!”
It’s almost as if the Psalmist is asking the question of,
“Are we to take this seriously - that in the constant wear and tear of opposition, victory and it’s rich consequences come to the lover of God’s Word?” - Motyer
Of course the answer is YES!
God’s Word, the truths and wisdom that it points us toward is to be considered the greatest treasure on earth!
Yes we are to take this seriously. Even in the midst of the great opposition.
44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
2. A second reaction we see from the work of the Word in our lives is that we will HATE AND ABHOR FALSEHOOD & LOVE THE LORD’S INSTRUCTION.
This is not a new thing in our lives where the persecution of those higher up than where we stand usually comes with all sorts of falsehood.
The persecution often doesn’t come without it lies spun into the accusations or mistreatment.
People in power often lie to get where they are at. They will often succeed in this as well. Not being caught maybe ever or until they have already done damage.
If we are not careful, it can surely be an easy task to allow ourselves to get caught up into that and begin to use false claims to advance our agenda with the justification coming from pointing at it being done to us.
We must be careful of this.
The remedy for this temptation is the LOVE OF GOD’S WORD.
As we love God’s Word, more and more will God transform our minds to where we will hate and abhor falsehood.
These are strong words of rejection.
Ross notes that abhor carries the idea of “loathing and disgust”.
We hate every part of falsehood and lies. (John 8:44)
We love truth, because this flows from who God is.
We receive and put on the things of God by loving HIs Word.
3. A third reaction that we see appears in v. 164. Psalm 119:164
164 Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous rules.
Daniel Akins writes, “Praise is the songwriter’s weapon against his persecutors. Praise for the Lord’s Word, which he loves and which fills his heart, is his victory song when others wrong him.
He is in awe of the Lord’s Word.
He rejoices at His Word!
He loves HIs Word!
He praises Him for HIs Word!
Oh, how great is the Word of God!
1 I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
3. Enjoy the Peace the Lord Gives to Those Who Love Him (119:165-166)
3. Enjoy the Peace the Lord Gives to Those Who Love Him (119:165-166)
165 Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble. 166 I hope for your salvation, O Lord, and I do your commandments.
The Praise of our lips (V.164)
Wills lead to peace in our hearts (v. 165)
and to hope in our souls (v. 166)
When I think of the peace that God’s Word give us. I often think about this picture of this man named Marvin from Buffalo Gap during this service week that we were having in our town.
We get word from somebody in the community that this older lady needs help with her lawn being mowed as well as this big medal garage (that’s already falling apart) to be sured up a little bit.
As we are working, one of the students accidently stirs up this red wasp nest. Which… I’ve seen a few here. But in Buffalo Gap they’re everywhere. They sit in the trees, they can be found in random areas. And especially in the heat these things can be very aggressive.
This nest gets stirred up… everybody just bolts to get away from the swarming wasp.
We then look behind us, and Mr. Marvin Belch is just as cool as a cucumber in the midst of this chaos of wasp happening around him…
I often think about that, when thinking about how through God’s Word, God gives us his peace and hope to stand on in the midst of whatever life has thrown at us. (I THINK OF MARVIN IN THE MIDST OF A SWARM OF RED WASP.)
If we have not been in His Word as we should have and have not been in communication with the Rock of our Salvation.
Then we will often allow the things of this life to rock us around.
But if we have allowed the Word of God to be the supplier of peace and hope, well, then we will react in a completely different way.
6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
The peace of God clears our path so that we can walk safely and securely.
Even when we are in the midst of persecution and lies surrounding us.
V.166
When peace is in our heart and confidence in our walk, this now gives way to a hope for our salvation.
There is this confidence that God will come through in the most difficult situations.
WE HOPE IN THIS SALVATION… understanding that it’s on God’s timing of when that fully takes place.
But in the meantime, we still allow good works to be the mark of our sonship.
Spurgeon says, “Those who place least reliance upon good works are very frequently those who have the most of them.”
Let us be a people that as we wait for this ultimate day of salvation, as we toil and as we labor, let us be a people who practice godliness through our good works.
Let us be a people who do and who go to bed exhausted, wrung out for the kingdom of God.
4. Keep the Lord’s Word with All Your Soul (119:167-168)
4. Keep the Lord’s Word with All Your Soul (119:167-168)
167 My soul keeps your testimonies; I love them exceedingly. 168 I keep your precepts and testimonies, for all my ways are before you.
As we DO HIS COMMANDS…
Let it be the inner most part of our being that is set to keep his testimonies.
This is what it looks like for Deut. 6:5 to be real in your life.
5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
“Lord, teach me what it means for the inner most part of my being to love you and you only.”
This is not a superficial understanding of God… one where I know a lot of things about God. I know all the details of all the different pieces of theology, I can answer all the questions about the application of this theology… but really there is no substances of a relationship with Him…
BECAUSE OF THIS FAITHFUL LOVE FOR GOD AND HIS WORD… The Psalmist is a good child of God in his obedience to the Lord.
He lives under the authority of the Lord and HIs Word.
HE LOVES THE LORD WITH ALL OF HIS INNER BEING…
HE KEEPS GOD’S PRECEPTS AND TESTIMONIES BECAUSE OF THIS GREAT LOVE…
THE PSALMIST ALSO KNOWS ALSO KNOWS THAT ALL HIS WAYS ARE BEFORE THE LORD.
Every action
Every word
every thought
Are before the OMNIPRESENT AND OMNISCIENT God.
Elihu restates something that Job had already said… that no human action goes un-noticed.
21 “For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps.
Tell story of Hadlee being watched from the video monitor. Not being able to move an inch without you being able to see her as the parent.
God though, is not like us parents in watching only at certain points of our lives, like when we have video monitors.
Our ways are before Him at all times.
For the wicked, this is a sobering reality.
But for the child of God, this is an understanding that gives us peace. A peace in knowing that we get to spend all day every day with our Heavenly Father in the here and now.
You are in the sight of God, whether you know it or not…
What a noble thing it is always to live in the sight of God…
The profit is exceedingly great, by conversing with God often, we become like Him. - Thomas Manton.
Conclusion
Conclusion
There is a hymn that is called Trust and Obey.
Daniel B. Towner, composer of the tune, writes about the origins of this well-known gospel hymn:
Mr. Moody [Dwight L.] was conducting a series of meetings in Brockton, Massachusetts [presumably in 1886] and I had the pleasure of singing for him there. One night a young man rose in a testimony meeting and said, "I am not quite sure-but I am going to trust, and I am going to obey." I just jotted that sentence down, and sent it with the little story to the Rev. John H. Sammis, a Presbyterian minister. He wrote the hymn, and the tune was born.
-Ira D. Sankey, The Story of the Gospel Hymns, 1906
How often… do we go through this life… wether it’s in the midst of persecution, uncertainty, sickness, fear, weakness, worry… and we think to ourselves… I just don’t know. I’m not quite sure.
“BUT LET US TRUST AND OBEY.”
It captures the heart of this text tonight. It really speaks to the essence of our Christian living.
1 When we walk with the Lord
in the light of his word,
what a glory he sheds on our way!
While we do his good will,
he abides with us still,
and with all who will trust and obey.
Refrain:
Trust and obey, for there's no other way
to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
2 Not a burden we bear,
not a sorrow we share,
but our toil he doth richly repay;
not a grief or a loss,
not a frown or a cross,
but is blest if we trust and obey. [Refrain]
3 But we never can prove
the delights of his love
until all on the altar we lay;
for the favor he shows,
for the joy he bestows,
are for them who will trust and obey. [Refrain]
4 Then in fellowship sweet
we will sit at his feet,
or we'll walk by his side in the way;
what he says we will do,
where he sends we will go;
never fear, only trust and obey. [Refrain]
United Methodist HymnalM, 1989
