Fourteenth Sunday after Trinity (2026)

Psalm 119:9-16

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, we come to that Psalm which has 176 verses. I will not be preaching on all of it, but but on these early verses which all begin with the letter beth, as it meditates upon the great treasure that is found in the word above all else. We would do well to take it to heart that we might not fall from God’s grace, and into the way of the wicked. For the Galatians text warns us of the dangers that are found and lead to death.

Walking in Purity

What does the psalmist desire?

His desire is to be free from sin, to not fall victim to the problems that plague us as people, and who better to go to about this matter, than the one who is pure above all things, who is just and holy, and righteous, and that is the Lord. His struggle is the struggle that all of us have.

He is wrestling against sin.

Working to put it death, and to overcome it, Paul speaks about this throughout his Epistles, especially today in Galatians 5:16 that we are to flee from all manner of sin, and recognize it for the sickness and disease that it is, which would have us perish instead of abide with Christ. But how does one fend off these temptations?

God’s Word is referred to as a sword.

That is able to defend and protect us from the evil one, and when he wishes to sink his fangs into us and drag us back into his domain that we might stab at him and fend him off with the very same Word that condemned Him from heaven. For the psalmist knows what is at risk, and

He doesn’t want to lose faith.

Once saved, always saved is not a teaching in Holy Scripture. Because if you ever try to follow it to the end of knowing if you are saved, and who is damned, you will find it very confusing. You can fall from faith, you can fall from grace, and that is why we want to hold on to the Word. For by the Word we are

Brought to Life

God rescues us from sin and death.

To rescue us, to be our savior, means what about our situation? We were in deep trouble, trouble that we could not free ourselves from. Sin is with us from the moment of our conception at the Psalm 51 says, and the Scriptures again warn us of our heart that they are evil from our youth, for everyone is born under the power of the devil and destined for hell, but God out of Love saved you? So

Why be enslaved?

Why go back to the way that is impure, why walk according to that manner of life that was bringing us down into hell. What a fool we would be to say after we have received a pardon to walk right back into jail and treat God’s gift with contempt and ingratitude. Yet how many of us have found ourselves in that very same boat. Why does the Psalmist want to stay close and is asking for help in guarding his ways?

He wants to remain with God.

He knows what it is to fall, and we ourselves know what it is to fall and we do not desire to remain in sin, but wish to be free from it, but we cannot do that on our own, and so we turn to the one who can guide us for we know the blessings, and love that God has for us especially through His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. All of these blessings come from the same place.

Rejoicing and Giving Thanks

God blessed Him by the Word.

For this He gives thanks, for words in our day seem cheap, and the words are often misused for personal gain, be it reputation, honor, or gain. But God’s Word brings blessings, for God’s Word does not fail, but is efficacious, it does what it says. This whole is all about the Word and is important to us as well, for it is

The same way God blessed you.

God comes to us through the Word. That joyfully proclamation that You are forgiven, your sins are atoned for, God declares you are righteous, and a member of His kingdom. It doesn’t depend upon your feeling, your intelligence, your wisdom, God’s Word declares that about you. God has blessed you abundantly through the Word, for

Who is Jesus?

He is the Word who became flesh, and dwelt among us, He is the Life and the light of men, that shines in the darkness, and brings to us joy and hope. For Jesus came to earth to be your savior, and he has saved you. He has forgiven you, and even if you should doubt it, he made sure you could rest in His promises by giving us the means of Grace. Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, and

The Sacraments depend upon the Word.

For without the Word, what is baptism? Nothing at all, but God’s Word makes it a life-giving water, that washes away our sins. What is the Lord’s Supper without the Word of Christ? A bit of bread, and wine, which wouldn’t even qualify as a snack, but by the Words that Christ gave us, it is a life-giving meal that gives to us His body and Blood for the forgiveness of our sins. We need these things because of the

The Dangers We Face

Like Adam and Eve, you can fall.

They were made without sin, and yet when Satan twisted God’s Word, he led them into death and corruption. The reason why we come back to Church, and spend time in the Word, is that there are many different ways that Satan tries to twist God’s Word and get us to not believe. Because if Satan can convince us to build upon some other foundation, then he has already achieve his goal. If he can convince you to believe in a Christianity that doesn’t need the sacraments, doesn’t need the Bible, but has you believing and trusting your feelings, your heart, and never opening the Scriptures. What is the difference at that belief, and unbelief? None.

Why does the Psalm focus on the word?

Because it is the Word that saves us. It is the Word that sits behind the Sacraments, and it is that Word which became flesh for our sake to save us. If you want to be close to God, to know Jesus, then you go to the Word and there you will find peace, and salvation, and God’s love for you.

How many have wandered?

When we look back at our lives, we find that many do wander, and it’s not just others, it is very easy to point our finger at them, but we ourselves have wandered. We have to be honest about that, lest Satan get his hooks in us. What does it say in Galatians? Are you making room for those sins and rejecting the gift that Christ gave for you? Then repent, give up your sin, understand that these works of the flesh, belong to Satan, and not to Christ. Has not Christ claimed you as His own? Has He not freed you from the way of death? Then why continue in them? You are forgiven, and Christ’s blood was shed to set you free. Don’t let Satan convince you that those chains are better for your soul. Rather let us seek

Seeking God With Our Hearts

First , to store is to memorize.

The thought of memorizing catches many of us off guard, but we remember a fair number of things, especially when they are important to us. If it is the Word that saved us, then why wouldn’t we want to carry it with us? Start simply, your confirmation verse, or a passage of the Gospel, that speaks of the forgiveness and love that God has for you through Christ. Like John 3:16, and then learn more.

Second, is to learn and meditate

This is not the eastern meditation, which is pagan, be it the zen buddhist who empties his mind or the yoga meditations that have you is meant to yoke and connect you with the universal source. When the Bible speaks of meditating upon God’s Word, it comes from the hebrew word to mutter, to repeat it to yourself, to chew it and digest it, by turning it over again and again, considering God’s Word.

Finally, we delight in His Word.

Delight in memory work, and learning?? Yes, let these words be precious to you, more valuable than gold or silver. For whose Words are in Holy Scripture? It is the Word of God, which speaks of our sin and condemns it, which we are glad to hear, lest God let us keep walking towards our own destruction, and we rejoice that he rebukes us, but we rejoice even more in the Love that God has for us through Jesus Christ. For God did not rebuke and abandon us. He sent Christ who took upon Himself your sin, because He wanted you to be in His Kingdom, as a child of God.

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, this Psalm is a beautiful meditation upon the Word of God in all 176 verses. For the Psalmist recognizes that after being freed from death, he does not want to wander away from the God who loves him, saves him, and has shown mercy to him. So he will dive into the Word for that is where God reveals Himself to His people. God has saved you in the same way, and showed you love and compassion, and mercy through His Son, Jesus. Next week our Bible Studies, and Sunday School begin again, and it is my hope to see you there that we might all store, learn, and delight in God’s Word. In Jesus name. Amen.