Wednesday night Bible Study 2.14.2018

Walking with Jesus.... He knows best

I have been looking through the book of Psalms in the last few weeks and every time I do, i get such a blessing reading through those encouraging, instructing verses that God has given us through ppl like David and others.

They are truly beautiful my friends.

One particular Psalm that I enjoy going back to time and time again is a few gems found in .

celebrates the gift of God’s law to his covenant people. It is a great source of instruction to keep those ppl on the path all through their life.

Now is an incredibly long Psalm, at least when we compare it to the other works in the book it self. And one other piece of information comes from the fact that each stanza begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

And the first word of each stanza begins with this particular letter of the Hebrew alphabet. So it is remarkable in just how God presented it to the writer of this psalm.

So today I want us to look at the second stanza

Verses 9-16

Psalm 119:9–16 ESV

9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. 10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! 11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. 12 Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! 13 With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. 14 In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. 15 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. 16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

Psalm 119:9-

Let me ask you why this stanza might be important for today’s world, for the people of today… both young and old alike??

Well my thought involves the truth of a person keeping their way pure.

Begin with verse 9,

Psalm 119:9 ESV

9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word.

So consider the word pure, is that an important concept as we walk with God? Yes it is, absolutely.

First look at the timing of the verse, the author calls for the attention be applied to a young man… why do you think so?

I think it is for us to see, it is never to early to learn to walk with God in a holy and righteous way. The word young could refer to a person from early adolescents to early adult hood. Whichever, these are pivotal years to learn and develop your moral fiber if you will.

The word pure speaks to blameless, sinless, without faults that will hold him accountable, literally in a right relationship with God the Father.

You see this is what the author desires… is it our desire as well. How do I know, look back at verse 5,

Psalm 119:5 ESV

5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!

The author, David or whoever as a desire to walk in His ways… never turning to the left of to the right.

The solution to enabling one to walk right with God...... Guard your life and heart from sin with the Word of God.

I like the word guard… it speaks to keeping it at a certain state, protected, safe, secure. the only way for the heart of man, is to surround it with the Word of God.

How do you do that?

Psalm 1 ESV

1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Psalm 1:2 ESV

2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

I love this… delight refers to the man’s desire… what he takes enjoyment in and is blessed by… this he mediates on day and night.

Psalm 100 ESV

A Psalm for giving thanks. 1 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! 2 Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! 3 Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! 5 For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

Mediate is a word we have talked about before … see, hear and speak.....The word and its ability to instruct and teach is the greatest blessing to hold us safe.

Proverbs 2:1–2 ESV

1 My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, 2 making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding;

communicates a similar thought, but I will let you read it later.

Proverbs 2:3–5 ESV

3 yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, 4 if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, 5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 2:1 ESV

1 My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you,

Now join this thought with verses 10 - 11

Psalm 119:10–11 ESV

10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! 11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.

Now the author of this psalm says… because your word can guard my heart. Remember the word of God is both active and alive, the author here says

With my whole heart I will seek you. The totality of his being, his desire is to seek the Lord and follow His ways… but there is a cry for help… Don’t let me stumble, don’t let me wander away from you… your commandments.

And then we come to one of the most well known verses from this Psalm… verse 11

“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”

I love this verse, the solution for sin, from error in our ways as we walk with the Lord is truly simple.... have the Word of God stored up...

The word of God, the written revelation of God and His desires, ways , commandments and instruction is so great, that has the ability to help a person see right from wrong, and thus not sin, or error in his walk with the Lord.

Now can it keep a person from sin....

So David says I have stored it up.

Let me ask you a question, what do you take the time to store up in life.

Do you put money in the bank?

Do you invest?

Do you plant vegetables hoping for a return?

Do you change the oil in your car?

Do you check your tires…?

The purpose is that so many things we do and so many still neglect the best thing, God.

Now look at the last thing David says in verse 16...

Psalm 119:16 ESV

16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

The author says, as if reaffirming what He has already said here. I will delight in your statues. The Word delight is important. It speaks to the fact that He takes great pleasure i them. In fact, the author mentions this 8 times.

8 times in he says the Law, statues or commands of God are a delight.

This great number of repetitions tell us that he is being truthful in his words, He does love, he finds security and blessings in the ways , the laws of God.

And then He closes this section by saying.... I will not forget your Word.

That is very purposeful, the Hebrew doesn’t really convey the idea of forget as we understand forgetfulness, What he is saying is this… There can be no lapse in memory, I promise I will not turn away from what God has comanded.

Its not that we forget what we should not do, instad we choose to do it anyway. Here we will not turn away to the right or to the left. we will walk with God.