I Stand Amazed
Living by the Word • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 9 viewsThe second last stanza of Psalm 119 reveals the heart of the psalmist once again for the word of God. His amazement for God's Word leads to praise from his lips and peace in his heart and then hope in his life and finally with obedience.
Notes
Transcript
Grab your Bibles and turn with me to Psalm 119:161-168 the 21st of 22 stanzas…
In the Psalms, you look at the psalmist and learn much about what the life of faith looks like.
The psalms are an index of the Christian life because he experienced the highs & lows of life.
Psalm 119 is the longest with 176 verses divided into 22 stanza consists of 8 verses …each stanza begins with a different Hebrew letter.
In this stanza, the psalmist alternates between the “sin” and “shin” (provides outline).
Again and again…in Psalm 119…the psalmist is in trouble.
In this section, he’s persecuted & lied about…he reveals how he responds to it…showing us something about living the Christian life.
Hymn: “I Stand Amazed in the Presence.” begins: “I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene, and wonder how He could love me, a sinner condemned unclean.”
Chorus beautifully response: “How marvellous! How wonderful! And my song shall ever be; How marvellous! How wonderful! Is my Saviour’s love for me!”
How amazing is the love of God for you and for me…condemned and undeserving sinners…is truly an amazing and marvellous and a wonderful reality.
The only proper response to this love…is to love Him in return as we stand in awe of His Word (v.161) and praise Him continually throughout the day (v.164).
3x in this stanza the psalmist expresses…his love for the Lord and His Word (vs. 163,165,167).
His love for God and His law flows from the “hope for your salvation” (v.166).
I obey not to be accepted…but because I am accepted.
I obey not to be loved…but because I am loved.
1 John 4:19 is a basic fundamental truth that runs from Genesis to Revelation and thru Psalm 119, “We love [God and others] because He [God] first loved us.”
This love prepares us for the REALITIES of life we must be ready to face, realities that are sometimes painful and stressful.
EXPECT Unjust Persecution…but TRUST the Lord… Psalm 119:161
Psalm 119:161 begins with a straight forward recognition: “Princes have persecuted me without a cause.”
161 Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of Your words.
He had enemies in high places. If you go back to v.23 “Princes sit plotting against me.”
Opposition & persecution of God’s children sometimes begins in high places…those in authority.
So these princes (whoever they are) have now gone from plotting to actual persecuting.
Some suggest that the psalmist was royalty.
But he could have been any believer whose devotion to God’s Word threatened the powers that be.
And they persecuted him without cause. (unjust & unfair)
Jesus suffered persecution without a cause. John 15:25 “But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled, ‘They hated me without a cause”
Many faithful men & women have experienced unjust persecution through the centuries, including the author of this psalm.
This section tells us…that it may happen to you. It also teaches how you should respond.
A sad reality of our world is that there have been those in positions of power & leadership have mistreated those under them…taken advantage of them, hurt them…and there was no justification for what they did. What they did was wrong.
In every generation and all over the world our brothers & sisters in Christ face severe persecution from evil/oppressive governments. They suffer imprisonment, torture, loss of jobs and homes. Some suffer martyrdom.
Open Doors International 2024:
380 million Christians around the world experience high levels of persecution.
4,476 believers were killed for their faith in Jesus
7,679 Christian churches were attacked
The psalmist knows the hope and cure for such persecution and mistreatment ultimately is found in his heart and the ministry of God’s Word.
So he goes straight to God and His Word. He will not fear his persecutors.
With boldness he declares, “…my heart stands in awe of your word.”
I.e.I will not tremble at my attackers, I only tremble in awe & respect of You my Lord and your Word.
Spurgeon is right when he writes, “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” (TOD, vol. 3, 423).
Evil men will do evil things. But, we know that our great and good God will do good things in the midst of the evil. (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28).
Flee to Him. Fear Him. Love Him. Trust Him. Stand in awe of Him. He’ll be all you need (Phil 4:19).
2. PRAISE the Lord Continually…Psalm 119:162-164
When our heart “stands in awe” of God’s Word, certain REACTIONS/RESPONSES will be natural.
a. First, we will “REJOICE over God’s Word…like one who finds great spoil” Psalm 119:162
162 I rejoice at Your word like one who finds great spoil.
The word “spoil” can also be translated treasure that comes from victory. (See: 2 Kings 7)
So is it possible that in the midst of constant wear & tear of adverse life situations, opposition, persecution, antagonism…
Is it possible that victory and its rich consequences come to the one who loves God’s Word?”
I believe that is exactly what the psalmist is saying.
In the midst of persecution…when God’s Word is doing its work in the heart,
We rejoice and celebrate its amazing power like one who has discovered a great treasure.
b. Secondly…a natural response to the work of God’s Word in the heart and the treasure that it is to us, “…we HATE and ABHOR falsehood, but we love the Lord’s instruction” Psalm 119:163
163 I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love Your law.
“hate & abhor” = “loathing and disgust”.
We’ve saw this before…in Psalm 119:113, 128.
It is probable that the persecution he experienced were the lies of people in authority…
Sadly, this is common. People in power lie to further their agenda and get their way.
And, they often succeed. We can be tempted to do the same thing if we are not careful.
What is the remedy for this temptation? “I will love your Word which is the word of truth (v.160).
Loving God’s Word…I both hate and abhor falsehood. Hate and abhor…strong words of rejection.
I love truth that flows from the very nature and character of my God.
In contrast, I hate/loathe every lie and falsehood (See: Jesus’s response to Pharisees John 8:44.
c. Thirdly… v.164. “I PRAISE you seven times a day for your righteous judgment.”
164 Seven times a day I praise You for Your righteous rules.
This is a beautiful and poetic way of saying “I praise you all day long and continually throughout the day for the righteous character of Your words, laws, judgments.
Praise is my weapon against my persecutors. (Think about Revelation 4-5)
Praise for God’s Word that I love and fills my heart…it is my victory song when others do me wrong.
I am in awe of Your Word…I rejoice at Your Word…I love Your Word…I praise You for Your Word.
Oh how great is the Word of God!
3. Enjoy the PEACE the Lord Gives to Those who Love Him…Psalm 119:165-166
Note: PRAISE of my lips (v164) gives way to PEACE in my heart (v165) and HOPE in my soul (v166).
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.
Because I “love your instruction,” great or abundant peace is mine.
Sounds like Paul in Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
And, because my heart is at peace, at rest, “…nothing can make me stumble.”
Your Word clears my path so that I walk safely and securely, even when I am persecuted and people spread lies about me. I do not retaliate against them.
I trust the God whose Word I love.
I will make good decisions in the right way at the right time and for the right reasons because I love and I am led by the Word of God.
Peace in my heart…and confidence in my walk now gives way to HOPE in our salvation, hope in our deliverance and rescue.
The psalmist is confident… that God will come through in the most difficult and painful situations.
The proof or evidence of this confidence is provided at the end of v.166, “I do Your commands.” (I carry out Your commands.)
When I know what salvation promises…I delight in doing what the Word commands.
“In anticipation of that great day of “salvation,” the psalmist gives himself to hopeful waiting and to the practice of godliness” (VanGemeren, W. Psalms, EBC, 888).
4. KEEP God’s Word with all Your Soul…Psalm 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.
v.167-168 is a fitting summary to the stanza:
This is the third time he affirms his love for the Word of God (v.163, 165,167).
There is also a two-fold concluding pledge to “obey” or “keep” (ESV) God’s Word.
Living in abundance of God’s hesed, his “faithful love” (v.159), the psalmist declares 1) “I obey your decrees” (v. 167) and 2) “I obey your precepts and decrees” (v. 168).
Why does he make such a promise to the Lord?
1) “…I love them (testimonies) exceedingly” (v. 167, ESV “exceedingly”) and
2) “…for all my ways are before you.”
He knows that everything he does and everywhere he goes is fully known to God.”
Every action, word, thought and emotion is before the watchful eye of an omnipresent and omniscient God
Job 34:21 “For His eyes are on the ways of man and He sees all His steps.”
The psalmist is at peace before the Lord
Because he loves the Lord’s Word with all his heart (v.161) and soul (v.167).
He rejoices in the Word (v. 162) and
He obeys the Word (vs. 166, 167, 168).
He hopes in the Lord’s salvation and is certain he will experience it to the fullest measure.
This is not personal arrogance… but rather a humble walk before an awe inspiring God.
Thomas Manton (17th century puritan pastor/chaplain to Oliver Cromwell) insights on this verse are quite worthy of our careful mediation, “You are in the sight of God, whether you think so 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” (Manton, T. Psalm 119, vol. 3, 437).
Wrap Up…
It is a song I remember from the time I was a small boy. I loved it from the beginning of my life and I pray it will be my song until the very end. It captures well the heart of this text. It captures well the essence of the Christian life. “When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word…what a glory He sheds on our way! Let us do His good will; He abides with us still, And with all who will trust and obey. Trust and obey, For there’s no other way, To be happy in Jesus, But to trust and obey.”
