We need God-Psalm 119:81-88

Good evening. We will tackle Psalm 119:81-88 tonight.

We are reverting back to some hopelessness a little bit with the Psalmist.

He decides to have himself a little pity party, but it does end well.

I think sometimes we look at our lives as just things we suffer through and then at the end we get to be in heaven especially if we are believers.

That is where our hope comes from.

The thing is though, that we minimize God when we do that.

Our lives are meant to be useful, and they are meant to be used as a tool for the sake of the Gospel.

I think about Elliott.

She is wonderful, but she’s also young and needs help.

I think she is very aware that she needs help though.

She will often ask for help in her own little ways.

But sometimes she doesn’t.

If she wants something from the cabinet thats too tall she will push a chair over to the cabinet and climb it and thats how she tries to reach for stuff.

Like thats not good. She needs to come get me or stephanie because we are taller than her and we can reach things.

Sometimes Stephanie lets her “help” with dishes. Now there is not washing of dishes happening on Elliotts side of the sink. In fact the process probably takes a lot longer than if she were to just do them without.

But Elliott wants to help.

But most of the time, she will grab me or stephanie by the hand, and point to what she wants, and what she needs.

She understands that she needs help.

The same is true with us. We need God the same way.

And our passage today points us to that fact.

So if you’re there lets begin in verse 81

Psalm 119:81–88 “My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word. My eyes long for your promise; I ask, “When will you comfort me?” For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, yet I have not forgotten your statutes. How long must your servant endure? When will you judge those who persecute me? The insolent have dug pitfalls for me; they do not live according to your law. All your commandments are sure; they persecute me with falsehood; help me! They have almost made an end of me on earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts. In your steadfast love give me life, that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.”

Believers must admit our need for the Lord(81-83)

Look back at verse 81. the psalmist writes, My soul longs for your salvation.

I hope i our word.

We have to understand that we need God. We need the Lord.

We need him to be in control.

We need him to be the ones for us.

The world is full of suffering. the world has beaten us down. We need God.

The road is suffering and anxiety and confusion. The life for a believer is full of ups and it’s more full of downs.

THe NIV says this from verse 81. My soul faints with longing for your salvation.

Our souls, should long for the Lord. We need him.

The Psalmist longing for the Lord points us to deliverance and it drives him to Gods word.

Then in verse 82 the psalmist is looking for God’s promise,

He asks when will you comfort me.

He is saying this, God i’m only looking to you for comfort.

Why? Because he knows that God is the only comfort he needs.

He looks for God.

We cannot set a timetable for the Lord.

His timing is perfect.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:”

We must be waiting on our God.

Verse 83

The skins used for containing wine were hung up when emptied and they were in a tent usually that smoked up real good.

The skins would get dirty and smoky and would dry up become wrinkled and worn.

Thats the comparison the psalmist is using.

That how he feels.

And he says, i still know your statutes.

I still love your word.

I still praise you.

We must do the same. We must learn on the Lord. We must learn to love God and must admit that we need God.

Believers must identify our concerns to the Lord(84-87)

Look with me at verse 84.

The psalmist is pouring himself out to the Lord.

How long must I endure?

The liars and insolent have dug pitfalls for him.

They don’t obey.

Your commandments are sure. The

He is pouring himiself out to the Lord. He is giving God everything that he’s concerned about.

Is that us?

Do we tell our problems? Do we tell Pour ourselves out to God?

Are we running from our world problems into worldly solutions?

Verse 87.

We need to obey God’s law. We can pour our struggles to him.

Who better than someone who understands and knows all things?

The Psalmist is asking God to help him endure. Help him survive because he can’t do it on his own.

He needs God.

So do we.

We must long after God and give our problems over to him.

Believers must trust in the faithfulness of the Lord(88)

Lastly, verse 88

God offers life that isn’t just mere existence, it is abundant and full.

God give me life.

God will keep his promises.

He is a promise maker and thats wonderful.

but more importantly than that, God is a promise keeper.

We have God’s love. WE have a God who loves us so deeply, that he is guarenteeing that his promises will happen/

God is so good to us.

And we know that we have his love because we have his word.

2 Corinthians 1:20 “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.”

God is faithful, and his promises are true, and we must go to him always.

I’ll close with what spurgeon said about this passage in particular.

“If quickened by the Holy Spirit, we will keep God’s testimony by a holy Character. We will also be faithful to sound doctrine when the Spirit visits us and makes us faithful. No one keeps the word of the Lord’s mouth unless the word of the Lord’s mouth quickens them/ We should greatly admire the spiritual wisdom of the psalmist who does not so much pray for freedom from trials as for renewed life,so he can be sustained while under those trials. When the inner life is robust, all is well.

I pray that is the case for us.

That when trials come, we go to God.

When life is not good we go to God.

When life is good, go to God.

Lets pray