Psalm 119:120-152 - "The Word is Gold"

Intro

Opening Statement - The Word is Gold. It is good. The Word is “right.”

Opening Illustration - What does “right” look like?

Have you ever been asked to do a job, but didn’t know what “right” looked like?

It is very difficult.

Have you ever been asked to do a job, but was shown what “right” looked like.

I’m willing to guess that it was much easier to learn.

The Word, shows us what “right” looks like.

So as we read and heed what it says...we are being “transformed, by the renewing of our mind.” (Rom 12:2)

Opening Background - The Psalmist is continuing in his acrostic of “The Word of God,” and the “God of the Word.”

We will pickup in (v. 121) and are on pace to wrap up Psalm 119 next Wednesday.

Relevance to CCB - May we see ourselves as the Psalmist, as aspiring saints, and how he interacts with the Word of God.

Message -

Let’s Pray

Read along (vv. 121 - 128)

Ayin - means eye, or vision/visions/dreams...the Word of God is like an eye that helps us to see things clearly.

It goes without saying - any “hunch,” or “vision,” or “dream” you have “from God” must be aligned WITH THE WRITTEN WORD OF GOD, to be considered “from God.”

(v. 121) Interesting that this verse, is the only verse in Psalm 119, NOT to speak of God...but not so fast,

Given the context, who is the psalmist speaking to? Of Course, God.

But also, are not justice and righteousness derivatives of God? Or you can say the results of His presence?

Did you know that the Book of Esther NEVER mentions God’s NAME a single time?

But God is richly woven into that book...which is why it’s Canon. Because it REVEALS God.

I would say, that His Name, though maybe not literarily spelled out, it is baked into EVERY Scripture. (Heb 10:7)

(v. 122) Be surety - give me a “guarantee”

Paul states to the Philippian church that,

Philippians 1:6 NKJV

being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

Speaking of “guaranteed” salvation:

John 10:27 - My sheep hear My voice...I give them eternal life...

John 10:28 - No one can snatch them out of My hand

John 10:29 - No one can snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

Sounds pretty “guaranteed” if you asked me...

Thank God, He doesn’t add terms and conditions to His offer of redemption. Like, an old T.V. commercial:

Jesus’ offer stands for a limited time only at participating locations. Taxes, title, and licensing fees not included. Salvation is subject to credit approval. Cannot be combined with any other offers or discounts. Void where prohibited, taxed, or restricted by law. Some restrictions and terms may apply. See the Jesus store for complete details.

If God didn’t “guarantee” (seal) His offer of salvation with the Holy Spirit...we’d all be doomed and headed to hell for violating His conditions. At our first sin after salvation.

It’s a guarantee...that if He began a work in you, He will complete it.

(v. 123) My eyes fail from seeking Your salvation - like saying I keep reading, I keep seeking about salvation from the Word.

Like saying, “I don’t “understand it” all, in my own strength”… so I need Your understanding.

Don’t stop seeking. Dig in the Word like you’re digging for spiritual gold.

(v. 124) Please have mercy on me

We need God’s mercy, to cover us, while we are imperfect sheep...

When you consider the O.T. - it’s based on “the Law” so it’s pretty obvious that they don’t measure up...the only way to be found acceptable is with God’s mercy.

(v. 126) It is time for You to act, O Lord, For they have regarded Your law as void.

Does not our current world regard the Bible as void?

Our nation has fallen farther from the Truth of God’s Word than it has ever been.

And yet, we have more access to the Bible and helpful resources than ever before.

People in our generation have the least excuses as why they rejected God’s Word.

It is time for God to act - It’s not normally acceptable to tell God what to do...but this heart of the psalmist is seeking the heart of God...and at some point, do we not call on God to do something? Is this world we live in “acceptable.”

How much further do we need to go before we beg God to act?

(v. 127) I love Your commandments - The psalmist treasures God’s Word.

More than gold, yes, than fine gold -

All the talk recently about gold.

In Zechariah - Israel will be refined into Gold.

God’s chosen - are being “sanctified” into gold as well.

In Psalm 119:119 - God rejects “the wicked like dross”

You don’t want to be the dross.

But here the psalmist regards the Word of God, better than gold.

I see it as, our perfect instruction manual… demonstrating to us, what right looks like.

It’s like, Jesus embodied, but in Words...

Whom we are being transformed into the image of...

Do you love Jesus? We are quick to say yes.

Do you love the Word of God? We should, just as we love Jesus.

(v. 128)

Psalm 119:128 NASB95

Therefore I esteem right all Your precepts concerning everything, I hate every false way.

That EVERYTHING...in the Bible...is right!

That NOTHING...in the Bible...is wrong!

Plug for, “The BIG Book of Bible Difficulties,” by Normal Geisler

Read along (vv. 129 - 136)

Pe (rhymes with “pay”) - Mean’s mouth...or to speak. The letter looks like a mouth. You could say that God’s word is a mouthpiece, speaking to us what we need to hear.

(v. 129) Your testimonies are wonderful -

Recall testimonies that you’ve heard, maybe in church? Maybe on the Radio, that “speak of God’s greatness.”

Does anybody remember that old Christian radio show called “Unshackled” which was an endless archive of Testimonies.

I remember its Organ Theme Song

Testimonies are giving credit and glory honor to the Lord. Not to ourselves.

Yet some people often want to tell a “testimony” where it’s all about themselves, and what the Lord has done for them.

A genuine testimony showcases His character, His goodness, and His greatness.

God always saves us, and gives us gifts, that we might use them to bring Him glory and help His people...

Not so that we would simply “get our life straight” for our enjoyment.

(v. 130) God’s Word gives light, or you can say “clarity of understanding.”

It gives understanding to the simple - I heard a fellow pastor refer to how little of the Greek language was actually used in the writing of the New Testament...and some lite research online suggested only 3-5% of the total Koine Greek language was utilized in writing the N.T. Meaning that, it was written with very common and simple language.

You don’t need to be a Bible scholar, seminary degree, or language expert to understand the Bible. A regular person can understand it.

And its funny how many, so-called, “uneducated” rise to prominence in the faith…

Quick story of CC Las Vegas - Weds. night service with “tatt’ed up” preacher...from the streets. I doubted he would know much about the word.

I initially thought I made a mistake by attending.

Thankfully I buried my preconceptions enough to listen...

He preached simply from the word and I learned soo much. And it was one of the best sermons i’ve ever heard.

(v. 131) Like a tired dog in need of water for life to return to them!

(v. 132) Be merciful to me, as Your custom is toward those who love Your name

Even in the O.T., the psalmist knows the character of God is “merciful.”

I like how he points out as is toward [others] who love your name

We observe the goodness of God in other peoples lives...and it should make us say, “wow, I want that!”

(v. 133) let no iniquity have dominion(control, power, or influence) over me

If you’ve ever had an addiction or know someone who has been addicted, you’ll know how influential it truly is.

The psalmist knows the end of an addiction is ugly.

(v. 134) Redeem me...let You Word “redeem” me to conquer any oppression that could impose upon me.

(v. 135) Make Your face shine upon Your servant - like the Aaronic Blessing!

Numbers 6:24–26 NKJV

“The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The Lord lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’

(v. 136) How much do you care for God’s Word? Do you cry tears from your eyes because men do not keep Your law?

I’ve found myself apathetic...maybe numb as a self-defense mechanism from a lifetime of seeing the ugliness of man.

But - does God care about what’s happening down here? He does.

So if you find yourself apathetic/indifferent to the evil in our world...pray that God would grant you a more sensitive heart...to care for the things that He cares for!

Read along (vv. 137 - 144)

Tsadde (“tsah-dee”) - Pictograph is that of a faithful servant with his arms raised before the Lord in humility.

(vv. 137-138) Righteous are You, O Lord...Your testimonies...are righteous and very faithful - God IS fair. Always.

Yet, we sometimes think we have the “bead” on what is right and what is wrong.

Only God knows the intentions of the heart.

You don’t get to determine the “intentions of the heart”

That’s God’s job.

Side note - we are to judge those, “inside the household of faith,” but based on their actions, not their intentions. (1 Cor 5:12)

We are to correct one another - as we submit one to another - in joint submission to Christ - we can point out each others flaws in love...as we our out of “sync” with Scripture.

Often we see people distance themselves FROM the church as they desire to NOT submit themselves, to keep the “light” off of them, for fear of being corrected...

Yet correction is what we need to grow.

It hurts...but it’s a good hurt.

We are also to affirm one another - to tell each other “good job,” when we’ve done a good job.

I loved in the Barnabas discipleship group how the men would point out to the group how someone demonstrated doing a good/godly thing.

And how it challenged the rest of us to step up our faith in that area.

(v. 139) My zeal has consumed me, Because my enemies have forgotten your words.

The more the enemies of the psalmist rejected the word of God, the more he was determined to be zealous for those words. —Guzik

I think the “fight or flight” mechanism works biologically, but also spiritually.

Biologically - when you’re presented with a fight, do you naturally “bow up,” or “run away?”

I don’t know that either is right/wrong, but I think we have our “default” setting inside of us that we then have to make a conscious choice to switch the other mode.

Spiritually - do you see this same rationale play out in your life?

I see this here with the psalmist, that when pressured/oppressed by his enemies...it forces him to become even more zealous for God’s Word.

Our response to pressure either

forces us into a deeper relationship with Him...and reliance on His Word

or we run and abandon Him more, and don’t seek wisdom for our situation in His Word...and create distance between us and the Lord.

(v. 140) Your word is very pure (refined) - like Gold.

Which we are being “refined” like gold and

transformed into the image of the Son, Jesus Christ, who is pure like gold.

So, what better for us (who are being refined) to do, than to read and head the pure Word of God?

(vv. 141-142) I am small and despised - we often feel small and totally insignificant.

Yet was comforted by the Word.

Did young David feel small and despised? Yet how did it go for him?

“Don’t despise the day of small things. “

If you’re gonna despise yourself as insignificant…what does that say about your opinion of the Lord?

Does he not use the weak to put to shame the mighty? The fool to put to shame the wise? (1 Cor 1:27)

So in you’re state of “depression,” remind yourself, NOT that you’re awesome, but that God is awesome…and that He uses the small, the weak, the unlikely…usually instead of the “strong”

Not many wise are called…He’s not looking for YOU to be wise or strong...just to recall on HIM who is wise and strong.

And THAT will get you out of your “funk,” because you realize that it’s all on Him...Jesus!

(vv. 143-144) Despite all the chaotic world around…and all the ways that we can crash and burn…

The psalmist knows the Word of God is good and by clinging to it is how he will truly find life.

Read along (vv. 145 - 152)

Qoph (pronounced “kof”) - “A Primer on Prayer” - Outline from Wiersbe

(vv. 145-146) - Pray wholeheartedly

I cry out with my whole heart

“In prayer, it is better to have a heart without words, than words without a heart.” —John Bunyan

(vv. 147-148) - Pray without ceasing according to the Word

Pray early in the morning -

I heard Pastor Jack Hibbs say, to paraphrase “I pray for God’s hand on my life the moment I open my eyes because I know i’ll sin before I get to the other side of the room...I want to start my day off with God before I have a chance to get off track.”

Pray late at night -

I think its good to start and close out your day with the Lord in prayer.

Giving thanks for the Lord at the end of the day. Asking for forgiveness for your sins throughout the day. Asking for a good nights sleep and to charge hard when you wake up the next day.

Effectively praying without ceasing.

(vv. 149) - Pray as an act of love

Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness - our prayer-life should combine love and the law together...we should “love” to keep his commandments.

Wiersbe points out, “what would you think of children who spoke to their parents only when they needed something?

Prayer is more than asking; prayer is loving.

(vv. 150-152) Pray with your eyes open

(v. 150) The enemy draws near -

(v. 151) You are near, O Lord - so you need to be nearer to the Lord to help you.

(v. 152) And they are timeless...the Word works forever.

It doesn’t need a revision...to apply to your current or future situation.

Closing -

Closure -

Closing Application - Apply whatever stood out to you:

Maybe its to see the Word is like Gold - God’s way of providing us the “gold standard” of how to live.

But you know what right looks like, so you at least know what direction to march in.

Maybe its to see that the Word of God is simple.

And not to think that you are less capable to understand it than anybody else.

Or maybe its a reminder to pray according to the Word.

To not merely recite your traditional saying...but to “mix it up,” and seek new, heartfelt word...as you pray without ceasing from morning until night.

Urge to Action - Regardless of what you take away...the Word of God is what connects you to the God of the Word.

Let’s Pray

Benediction -