Psalm 119:121-128

Contentment in the Word

AYIN

Good morning.

It is a grace and blessing to be able to study God’s Word alongside you this morning. So you know who I am, here is just a little bit of info about me.

My name is Collin Britt. I grew up in Garland, TX but recently moved to the Southwestern Baptist Seminary in Fort Worth.

I have a lovely wife of almost 6 years, an almost 2 year old daughter, and a son who will born near April.

Let us read this text, Pray, and ask the Lord for understanding and illumination of His Word.

Please Stand

Scripture Reading

Psalm 119:121–128 ESV

121 I have done what is just and right; do not leave me to my oppressors. 122 Give your servant a pledge of good; let not the insolent oppress me. 123 My eyes long for your salvation and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise. 124 Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes. 125 I am your servant; give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies! 126 It is time for the Lord to act, for your law has been broken. 127 Therefore I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold. 128 Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right; I hate every false way.

Intro Prayer

Lord,

We thank you for your blessed Word. We, your people, have gathered this morning expecting to hear from you through your Word. I pray that we can leave aside our earthly wisdom and receive true wisdom. Help us to be humble in the receiving of your Word.

We so often are prone to go through the motions, give us strength to pursue you with endurance knowing that the outcome is knowledge of you that leads to worship through praises and how we live our lives.

Lord, please help me. I have studied this text, I have sought wisdom and counsel, I have done everything I can to prepare this morning. But Lord, all of my work is in vain if I don’t call upon you to do the work that needs to be done this morning. Please speak to your people.

In Christ’s name I ask these things.

Amen

Context & Outline

Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem that is considered to be within the genre of wisdom. A quick reading of Psalm 119 will allow you to see a multitude of genres within the Psalm.

Each one of these Hebrew letters that divides this Psalm is like a mini-psalm, each with its own genre.

As we come into this portion of Psalm 119, I see it as a psalm of trust.

A cry for help with the understanding that God will do what He has promised!

My goal is to exposit this text and see what the psalmist is praying to teach us to pray in these same ways, see how this points us to Christ as the ultimate fulfillment of the Word, and call upon you to respond in a few ways.

For my note-taking brothers and sisters, I have four points within my outline. They are:

1. Confusion over Injustice

2. Calling Upon God’s Promises

3. Calling Upon God to Act

4. Contentment in the Word

The first point is:

1. Confusion Over Injustice.

Psalm 119:121 ESV

121 I have done what is just and right; do not leave me to my oppressors.

Here we are, we see the psalmist praying and making a few observations.

If you are anything like me you read the first part of verse 121, and you cannot help but try to discredit this statement.

How can he be so arrogant as to say he has done what is just and right.

To help us understand this we need to understand what he is not saying.

When he says “I have done what is just and right,”

He is not saying he has never done wrong.

Within the context here, the psalmist is crying out to the Lord within a specific situation.

He has stood up for what is right according to the Word!

One Commentator says in this portion

The psalmist affirms that he has stood up for the Lord, so now he needs the Lord to stand up for him. His enemies seek to harm him and oppress him. They try to shut him up. They try to seduce him and to bully him to compromise. But his stand for what is just and right requires the Lord's presence and the Lord's promise of protection. The psalmist needs his Master to stand with him as he continues to stand for the Lord.

So he is standing up for what is right in a situation. He is doing the honorable thing and confused over the seeming injustice.

We will discuss this more as we continue this morning, but we need to see this correctly.

The psalmist is allowed to assess his situation and see if he has handled it according to God’s Word. He is allowed to look at the world and cry out to the Lord over injustice.

We often do this same thing when we see others exalted when they are doing things wrong.

Whether it be a shifty politician rising to power, people getting rich from doing wrong, or even someone else getting credit from work you’ve done, we all have thoughts and responses like this.

The Psalmist very clearly is not claiming to have never sinned or to have done any injustice, he is looking at his situation and believes that in this area he has not abandoned the Law and Precepts of the Lord.

Another thing we need to be careful of is wrongfully assuming that there is some sort of trade the Psalmist sees between himself and the Lord.

A surface level reading of this verse would be: “I haven’t done anything wrong, therefore, on account of what I have and have not done —— you must Help Me in this situation.”

This transaction based, or karma based implication is simply not here in this text, and this transactional karmic based belief is untrue!

We cannot warrant goodness, salvation, prosperity, or anything else with our own actions.

Some of you might by wondering why this even needs to be expressed! Why would he bring up this problem?

Because this is often how those who promote the false gospel see things like this. The prosperity gospel is false, but widely proclaimed across the world.

There is a deadly danger in not addressing this.

1. The Largest church in America is a prosperity gospel church. Lakewood church in Houston, TX with Joel Osteen

2. One of the Largest churches in the world, Yoido Full Gospel Church in South Korea, is despite their name proclaiming the prosperity Gospel to their 800,000 members.

2. Your friends, children, and grandchildren are seeing the influence of this everyday whether it be from friends or social media.

The deadly danger of believing in this way should be painfully evident in light of the prosperity gospel.

“God, I’ve done this… so give me that” is exactly what the prosperity Gospel preaches.

I saw a clip from Bethel church, another mega health and wealth church, exemplifies this danger.

They have a portion of their service where they essentially read a creedal statement about their giving. The name it and claim it gospel is being practiced here.

They state they are choosing to give because of the following statements that can be found on their website.

AS WE RECEIVE TODAY’S OFFERING, WE ARE BELIEVING THE LORD FOR

-Jobs and better jobs
Raises and bonuses
Benefits
Sales and commissions
Favorable settlements
-Estates and inheritances
Interests and income
Rebates and returns
-Checks in the mail
-Gifts and surprises
-Finding money
Debts paid off
Expenses decrease
-Blessing and increase

Heaven opened
Earth invaded
-Storehouses unlocked
-And miracles created
-Dreams and visions
-Angelic visitations
Declarations
Impartations
And divine manifestations

-I am powerful
And what I believe changes the world

God is in a good mood
He loves me all the time

-I am important

-Everywhere I go becomes a perfect-health zone
And with God
Nothing is impossible!

And they end some of these prayers with:

Thank You, Father,
-That as I join my value system to Yours,
-You will shower favor, blessings
-and increase upon me
So I have more than enough

Can you not see how problematic this is?

This sounds great. All I have to do is DO! And then God will bend the knee to me and I will get my way. I will never be sick or poor or any of those other things that real Christians never have to deal with.

Lord have mercy.

This transaction based theology is done away with through correct exposition so Please. With everything in me I ask you to let this text speak for itself…

Simply in this first verse David is analyzing his actions in this situation, understanding he has done what is just and right in this situation. The situation is seemingly not being resolved and He calls upon God to save him from his oppressors.

Psalm 119:122 ESV

122 Give your servant a pledge of good; let not the insolent oppress me.

In verse 122, the Psalmist essentially expounds upon the first statement. This second verse simply gives us some clarity on what he is asking.

The Big thing here is the Psalmist asking for God to give him a pledge of good. He also gives clarity on what these oppressors are doing by asking God to not let the insolent oppress him. Insolent meaning “Rude and arrogant.”

So that is the situation that the psalmist is in. He is doing what is right, being oppressed by rude and arrogant people, and calling upon the Lord to save him.

The Psalmist prays about his situation and I believe we can all learn to pray in a similar way when we are going through hard times.

Express your concerns to the Lord.

Trust Him to care and align your heart to His Will

Our Second point we see.

2. Calling Upon God’s Promises.

Psalm 119:123 ESV

123 My eyes long for your salvation and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.

How relatable this verse is. Especially in recent times.

We hear in the news of wars and rumors of wars.

We see protests and unrest among people.

And this rightfully should cause us to long to see salvation. We should long to see Christ return and make all things new.

Just as the psalmist remembers the promises of God that are ultimately fulfilled in Christ, we should do the same.

Our wayward hearts look to anyone and everything for the quick fix.

I will exhort you to look to Christ, and Call upon the one who holds all things together in your own circumstances.

Psalm 119:124 ESV

124 Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes.

Deal with your servant, how?

According to what I have done? No.

According on my willingness to endure and strive for holiness? No.

According to YOUR STEADFAST LOVE.

The psalmist is praying for the Lord to intervene based on HIS character. His very Character as revealed in Scripture! Don’t you see how this destroys the transactional belief of the false church?

We also see the psalmist asking God to do something with this steadfast love.

“Teach me your statutes”

The Greatest teacher we have is God Himself. Jesus Christ the greatest teacher is our Lord and Master. So run to the Master for teaching.

However, we see that the Lord shows steadfast love by teaching us His statutes. We who are so undeserving. It is through grace and grace alone that the Lord teaches us.

Psalm 119:125 ESV

125 I am your servant; give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies!

Verse 125 also helps us to see the correct view that the psalmist has.

He says “I am your servant” or “I am your slave”

What is wild is that this is the third time the Psalmist calls himself this.

I am your servant. This is important for us to see his position.

You own me, I am yours, yours to use and protect as you see fit.

He asks God to give him understanding!

Charles Spurgeon pointed out that typically teachers give teaching and the pupil works to find understanding. However we are so far more dependent than that. The psalmist recognizes that God must give understanding.

God being a good Master and good Father truly will give understanding of His testimonies.

Oh what a grace we forfeit when we fret. Truly if we were to remember all that the Lord has done for us and what He has promised we would find rest in His hands.

Just for a moment let us remember the promises found in the testimonies given.

We have Christ. The final fulfillment of every promise of God.

Those found in Christ will have the work begun in them completed! Philippians 1:6 “6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

Those found in Christ will inherit the Kingdom of God!

Those found in Christ will never have to worry!! Romans 8:1 “1 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Oh what a grace!

In our own distresses we must, as the psalmist does, based on God and His promises and who we are in Him ask for understanding that we would know the testimonies of God.

God calls upon us to remember what he has done to show His own faithfulness to His people.

We can just as the psalmist does remember the promises, ask to be dealt with according to those promises, pray for teaching according to the Word, and pray for understanding that we may know the testimonies of God.

Our third point.

3. Calling Upon God to Act.

Psalm 119:126 ESV

126 It is time for the Lord to act, for your law has been broken.

Can’t you hear the distress in his voice.

God, I need you to do something.

I am at the end of myself.

I have nowhere else to go.

The lawbreakers seem like they are getting away with it. I really need you to intervene.

As we look at this, we can truly resonate with what the psalmist is going through. I pray that we do the same thing when we see heinous acts occurring.

We hear of babies being murdered in the womb; Lord, your Law has been broken. Please won’t you do something about it.

We hear of so called “doctors” who are supposed to preserve life and health mutilating children and image bearers; Lord, please act for your Law has been broken.

We hear of an entire month being devoted to sin and pride; Lord, please act for your Law has been broken.

We hear of our brothers and sisters all around the world and especially in the East being persecuted and killed for the faith; Lord, please act for your Law has been broken.

The list goes on in our own lives.

Lord, I have broken your Law!! Please act in my own life! For my own personal Holiness!!

And aren’t you glad that He has?!?!

Is not the Work on the Cross of Christ Jesus sufficient?!

Christ completed the work to be done and stated “IT IS FINISHED”!!!!

So Cry out to the Lord for action in the world around you and in your own life.

In the same way the Psalmist begins with “doing what is just and right,” Standing up for what is Just and Right. We must do the same.

I do believe there is a little knot that needs to be untied here.

Some might see the commanding and even demanding language used here and think “who is this guy, and why does he think he can boss God around”.

Some might even compare this to the prosperity gospel - speak it into existence - the very theology that we are preaching against!

Remember our context here. The Psalmist has already established his servanthood to God.

God is his Master, and he is asking His master to help Him.

Even more than this, he is not asking God to act outside His character and promises. In fact, he is calling upon those very promises of God in this situation!

Be sure not to get it twisted.

The psalmist has asked God to act upon His promises, to teach him, and to give him understanding.

He as the servant of the Master, knowing that the Master longs and desires to treat His servants right and protect them is calling upon God Himself to act.

It is not a demand of earthly possessions being gained, or earthly power being given. It is a plea of God to intervene and do what is just and right on God’s terms.

This is where the false teachers of the prosperity gospel, a false and ineffective gospel, get things wrong. These next couple of verses will clear things up and burn away the death bringing prosperity gospel.

Let us look at our final point and these last two verses

4. Contentment in the Word.

Psalm 119:127–128 ESV

127 Therefore I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold. 128 Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right; I hate every false way.

Don’t you see how the word of faith, health and wellness, prosperity gospel is sentenced to death in these verses.

“I love your commandments ABOVE GOLD. Above FINE GOLD.”

Tying everything together,

We see the Psalmist crying out to the Lord over injustice.

This leads him to call upon the promises of God and asking for God to teach him and give him understanding.

He cries out to the Lord as his Master to make things right.

And where does this all lead?

He sees God’s Word as the end all, be all. Truly he is content in the Word.

He recognizes the futility of early possessions in light of scripture.

Instead of wanting more money, more power, more soldiers, more protection, more anything!

He is CONTENT in the Word!!!!

What does the Word do that is effective when all else isn’t?

It reveals the Glory of Christ to us.

It is the very Word of our Lord Jesus!

Only The Word satisfies because it reveals Christ!

Oh what a Joy we have in the Word of God!

There is no wealth, power, or anything else that compares to Scripture.

For it is Scripture that points us to Christ. God speaks to us through His Word. It reveals the testimonies and promises of God.

Dear brothers and sisters, do not fall prey to the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Find your all and all in Christ and in His Word.

Begin to land

In these verses, we see something interesting that we need to really analyze our faith against.

In light of all that the psalmist has said in these past verses he ends up with one love and one hate.

He Loves the Commandments of God. He considers and knows the precepts of the Lord to be right.

He HATES EVERY false way. Including the false way of never ending seeking of wealth.

Now comes the task of analyzing our own faith.

Do we desire the Word of God above the things of this world?

Do we truly consider the precepts of God to be right?

Do we TRULY hate every false way?

I think if we are analyzing correctly we will not only test our love, but we will test our hate.

The enemy of our love is something that we must hate.

I love my daughter and my wife, so I hate anything and everything that tries to harm them in any way.

I love the church, so I am an enemy and a hater of anything that tries to destroy the church Physically or Spiritually.

I love the Gospel, so I Hate anything and everything that tries to twist, diminish, taint, and subvert the only true Gospel.

I want to ask you.

Do you have hatred towards the things opposed to what you love.

Do you have a light dislike for sin?

Let’s put this in perspective a little.

It is our very sin that Christ died for!

Charles Spurgeon said this:

“Look to the cross, and hate your sin, for sin nailed your Well Beloved to the tree. Look up to the cross, and you will kill sin, for the strength of Jesus’ love will make you strong to put down your tendencies to sin.”

Look to Christ church.

Conclusion

As we begin to close, here are some of my final statements.

For the believer in the room,

I would encourage you to pray as the psalmist.

There is no situation that is too small for God.

Ask for God to intervene in your own life and in the world around you.

Ask for strength to stand firm in the faith and stand up for what is just and right.

Preach the true gospel

Find your all in Christ and the sufficiency of scripture.

For the unbeliever in the room,

If you are one who is recognizing the affections of your heart are different than what is required of us I pray you will repent and believe the Gospel.

You may recognize that you are one who needs a total heart replacement. You recognize that your heart of stone is a terminal illness leading to Hell.

I pray you repent and believe the Gospel.

For those in the room who feel nothing. I pray even now that the Spirit will bring your dead hearts to life.

That by the good news of the Gospel, That Jesus the Son of God, eternally existing, never created, God; lived the life you couldn’t live. Died the most gruesome and inhumane death upon the cross 2000 years ago, the death that we truly deserve. Paid for every sin of those who believe. Rose victoriously over sin and death, vindicating every claim He made. Ascended and is seated at the Right hand of the Father. The soon coming King who will judge everyone and make all things new.

I pray that God will be gracious to you and bring your dead hearts to life.

There will now be a time of response.

Myself and an Elder will be down at the front ready to pray with you, ready to help in any way.

There are other elders and staff in the room who would also be more than ready to pray with you.

There is also room here at the front to come and pray, repent, and call upon the Lord to help you in your situations.

If that is you, won’t you come?

Outro Prayer

Lets pray,

Lord,

As we read this text we recognize that each and every one of us falls short in these areas.

We recognize that instead of calling upon the Sovereign God to help us in our struggles, we try to fix them on our own.

We so often fail to look to you, to look to Christ, to run to your Word for help.

Lord cause us to repent.

Give us understanding, deal with us according to your steadfast love and your promises.

By the Spirit’s Power turn our eyes away from the things of this world and turn our eyes to you.

Give us the holy hatred of the false ways.

Give us love for your commandments, your laws, your words.

Master, we submit ourselves to you.