Psalm 119, Part 4
Notes
Transcript
Psalm 119:49-63
Introduction:
49 Remember your word to your servant; you have given me hope through it. 50 This is my comfort in my affliction. Your promise has given me life. 51 The arrogant constantly ridicule me, but I do not turn away from your instruction.
Remember your word to your servant; you have given me hope through it. 50 This is my comfort in my affliction: Your promise has given me life. 51 The arrogant constantly ridicule me, but I do not turn away from your instruction. Lord, I remember your judgments from long ago and find comfort.
Have you noticed how frequently some form of “affliction” comes up in Scripture?
It’s because we deal with it in some form every day (more or less).
If we can’t find joy in the struggle, we will live defeated lives and miss the abundance that God has for us now through the struggle.
The Psalmist reveals some things about God (49-50):
1. God has spoken (revealed Himself): “your word [that you spoke/gave] your servant
2. God provides promises and instruction
3. Good news: God keeps His promises that graciously give hope and life.
4 For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures.
For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope throughendurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures.
That is, the promises of God encourage us that we can endure all things and that by enduring all things, we have a certain hope that God will see us through to the end.
Example: 1 Peter 1:3-7
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead 4 and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you. 5 You are being guarded by God’s power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 You rejoice in this,[a] even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
(6-7) Peter addresses what the psalmist is talking about in (51): Psalm 119:51
51 The arrogant constantly ridicule me, but I do not turn away from your instruction.
When God provides hope, comfort, and life, ridicule/hard times might hurt, but doesn’t deter us – it pushes us more firmly into those promises/instruction of God and the comfort of Christ.
2 Timothy 3: 12
all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
In Christ, we have an opportunity to respond differently when people antagonize us and challenges confront us.
Romans 12:21
Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.
You want to overcome evil? It happens with good, not more evil.
(52) It is the Promises of God in the Word of God that bring comfort in affliction or trials. Don’t go looking elsewhere.
Make sure that the people you go to for counsel take you back to the Word of God.
Matthew Henry: "A counselor without the Word of God is like a ship without a compass—adrift in a sea of opinions."
Psalm 119:53-54
53 Fury seizes me because of the wicked who reject your instruction. 54Your statutes are the theme of my song during my earthly life.
53 Fury seizes me because of the wicked who reject your instruction. 54 Your statutes are the theme of my song during my earthly life.
This could simply be godly zeal against the wicked, generally. In context, I think it may be more personal – “the arrogant” from (51).
Since it is most often that people are the cause of our troubles, it is easy to focus our rage towards them.
A New Testament position – rage against sin.
Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens.
The proper attitude is to get angry at the grip of sin on those who have rejected Christ.
We can get angry at the positions that sin-gripped people take, and oppose them, but let’s not forget reality. Sin enslaves.
Our attitude and perspective changes when (54) his Word is the “theme of our song” during this earthly life.
ILLUS: When you hear the “theme song” of your favorite show/movie, it takes you back to what you know about it; how it affected you.
When God’s Word is the theme song for your life, it doesn’t take much to “take you back” to the teachings of Scripture to come flooding back and change your thinking/actions.
Psalm 119:55-60
55 Lord, I remember your name in the night, and I obey your instruction. 56 This is my practice: I obey your precepts. The Lord is my portion;[b] I have promised to keep your words. 58 I have sought your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise. I thought about my ways and turned my steps back to your decrees.60 I hurried, not hesitating to keep your commands.
55 Lord, I remember your name in the night, and I obey your instruction. 56 This is my practice: I obey your precepts. 57 The Lord is my portion; I have promised to keep your words. 58 I have sought your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise. 59 I thought about my ways and turned my steps back to your decrees. 60 I hurried, not hesitating to keep your commands.
(55) Lord, I remember your name in the night and obey your word
· God’s name is a revelation of His character
· Remembering His name is to actively reflect on His character
· Night tends to symbolize trouble. Worry keeps us awake at night
Augustine of Hippo:
Night is that low estate wherein is the trouble of mortality; night is in the proud who deal exceeding wickedly; night is the fear for the ungodly who forsake the law of the Lord; night is, lastly, the house of this pilgrimage
Psalm 119:56-60)I obey you and I seek you because I realize you are my portion.
56 This is my practice: I obey your precepts. 57 The Lord is my portion; I have promised to keep your words. 58 I have sought your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise. 59 I thought about my ways and turned my steps back to your decrees. 60 I hurried, not hesitating to keep your commands.
My portion: you are my inheritance and all that I need.
Numbers 18:20 – [God gave a portion of land established His care over the Levites instead of land]
20 The Lord told Aaron, “You will not have an inheritance in their land; there will be no portion among them for you. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.
The Lord told Aaron, “You will not have an inheritance in their land; there will be no portion among them for you. I am your portion and your inheritance among the Israelites.
God’s Promises to care for us:
Psalm 73:26 – God is our strength in weakness
26 My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever.
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength[a] of my heart, my portion forever.
Lamentations 3:24 – In grief and trouble, He is enough to sustain us.
24 I say, “The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in him.”
I say, “The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in him.”
God is our portion forever!
Revelation 21:3-4 –
3 Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.
Then I heard a loud voice from the throne:[a] Look, God’s dwelling[b] is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples,[c] and God himself will be with them and will be their God.[d] 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.
When we understand what “portion” means, it changes everything internally, and that changes everything externally.
When the psalmist reflected on God’s nature and His promise to be his portion, he did some internal reflection, made changes, and hurried to obey – sense of urgency.
Parables on the Kingdom – Matthew 13:44-46
(61)
Psalm 119:61 Though the ropes of the wicked were wrapped around me, I did not forget your instruction.
61 Though the ropes of the wicked were wrapped around me, I did not forget your instruction.
The promise of God’s presence and power in our lives renders any external attacks powerless, no matter how tight they may try to hold you.
2 Corinthians 3:17 - Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
John 8:36 – If the son sets you free, you are free indeed.
1 John 4:2-4 –
2 This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming; even now it is already in the world. 4 You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
61This is how you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, 3 but every spirit that does not confess Jesus[a] is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming; even now it is already in the world.
4 You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Psalm 119:62-64 I rise at midnight to thank you for your righteous judgments. I am a friend to all who fear you, to those who keep your precepts. 64 Lord, the earth is filled with your faithful love; teach me your statutes.
62 I rise at midnight to thank you for your righteous judgments. 63 I am a friend to all who fear you, to those who keep your precepts. 64 Lord, the earth is filled with your faithful love; teach me your statutes.
