Psalm 119 (13)

Intro: This Psalm is a prayer that begins with announcing the nature of God’s Word. Then he continues to pray with reference to the ongoing effect of God’s awesome word.

Prayer of Wonder

Verses 129& 131

The word of God is wonderful because God is wonderful. The Bible contains the rich wonders of the very God who created the universe. We aught to have a since of awe when reading the Bible because we are reading the very words of God. We are amazed at what he has revealed concerning Himself and yet even though He is knowable we certainly do not know everything about Him and His ways. What we do have is sufficient for every area of our lives and causes us wonder of His majesty. His glory is beyond our comprehension and yet He allows us the joy of peering into the wonderful truth of His testimonies.

The impact of that wonderful word is to create in us a soul that desires to obey. Notice he says as a result, my soul keeps them. Again, in verse 131 he illustrates himself panting because he longs for God’s commands. if you can imagine a hot dry summer day and the old dog has been chasing a rabbit and he flops on the porch and begins to pant. The dog is longing for a cool drink of water. In the same way when we are captivated by the wonder of God’s word it produces a panting obedience in us. Our soul longs to keep His word because there in nothing more in the world that we delight, love, or stand in awe of than God.

Transition: The nature of God’s word is wonderful. before we move on, would someone lead us in a prayer now celebrating the wonderful word of God?

Prayer for Wisdom

Verses 130,132, & 135

verse 130 answers how this wonderful word can make us wise. By illumination.

verse 132& 135 answers for us how we can gain this illumination of wisdom from the wonderful word. By face of God graciously turning to those who love Him and teaching his servants.

The illumination of God’s word occurs when the Holy Spirit makes one wise to the word of God. See example in I Corinthians 2:6-13

1 Corinthians 2:6–13 ESV

Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”— these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

God is gracious with us and opens our minds to understand the wonderful word of truth. The word of God is certainly wonderful and beyond our total comprehension, but it is not mysterious in the sense that he doesn't reveal Himself.

Prayer for Walking

Verses 133 & 134

These verses show us that even though the nature of God’s word is unusually wonderful, and even though we can prayerfully gain wisdom from this word, ultimately that wisdom is going to lead us to walk in obedience. This is a great guard against to mindset that may want to say, “Oh I know what the Bible teaches.” but it is clearly evident from their behavior that they are not living in conformity to the Scriptures. That kind of attitude is false and really doesn't “know” anything about the Bible.

Notice his request in verse 133 is that his walking would be steady. He is asking to walk without wobbling to and from God’s word. He is asking to walk consistency in obedience according to God’s promises.

Then he cry's out for help. That no iniquity would have dominion over him. He’s asking to be protected from the sin of not obeying Gods word. That he would not be ruled or enslaved to any sin.

Finally in verse 134 he requests redemption, or to be purchased back from the oppression of humanity so that he might continue walking in the Lord’s statutes.

This is a prayer for walking. To be guarded from the iniquity from within, and the oppression from without. As followers of Christ we have our own flesh that would derail us from walking in obedience, and we also have those outside us who would oppress us in a way to keep us from obedience. I believe this is why jesus taught us to pray, “Do not lead us into temptation but deliver us from evil.” I believe its also why we need constantly reminded that the Holy Spirit doesn't only illuminate us with the Word but also empowers us with the word to be victories over sin. For example we read in Romans 6:1-7

Transition: before we move on to our final point, would someone lead us in a prayer of walking? That the Holy Spirit would empower us to not submit to the slavery of sin, and to be protected from the oppression to disobey God’s word.

Prayer of Weeping

Verse 136

The last verse of this stanza captures for us the attitude of one who is in wonder of Gods word, who the Holy Spirit is granting wisdom and being empowers to walk accordingly. When this believer observes those who are not keeping God’s law, he sheds rivers, canals, of tears.

He is not weeping because he has it all together and others do not. This is obvious because hes already requested wisdom and help to obey.

He is also not weeping because everyone else gets to do what they want according to their own laws and agendas and he is stuck obeying God’s law.

Rather , he is weeping because he understands what it means to be treated graciously and mercifully by the face of God. He understands as should we before we ever mourn for the sins of others to mourn for our own sins and ask to be kept form the deathly dominion of that sin. He understands what is means to love God’s name and be in awe and wonder of Gods word. He understands that it is far more blessed to obey God’s word that to accumulate all kinds of gold that will soon pass away. He is weeping because the world around him is perishing without God. He is weeping because he sees people finding pleasure in sin for a season but he knows the end is destruction. he is weeping because he observes disobedience and understands the wonder and delight that they are missing.

Many of you know exactly what this verse is saying. You have wept bitterly for those sons and daughters who abandon God’s laws. We pour out tears for those family members who persist in disobedience. We weep over our friends , neighbors, and co workers who make a wreck of their lives by walking away from God’s word. Our eyes shed rivers of mourning over those near and dear to us who have jumped ship and reject God’s word all together. Not to mention the tears for those lost and dying souls in our world who haven't even had the joy of hearing the word of God. We weep! And we should. We should continue to mourn and cry for lost souls. We should sincerely, shed authentic tears of sorrow for people who are far from Christ and His word. We should plead for their redemption.

Conclusion: And so this morning we are going to close our time by praying for the lost.