Psalm 119 - Aleph | The Blessing of God's Care for Us

Psalm 119:1–8 (KJV 1900)

1 ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the Lord.

2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, And that seek him with the whole heart.

3 They also do no iniquity: They walk in his ways.

4 Thou hast commanded us To keep thy precepts diligently.

5 O that my ways were directed To keep thy statutes!

6 Then shall I not be ashamed, When I have respect unto all thy commandments.

7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, When I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

8 I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

Introduction

Does it sound unusual to hear someone explain that they love the Bible?

The format of Psalm 119 is an alphabetic acrostic, meaning that the first letters of each line in Hebrew follow through the alphabet, 8 lines per letter, thus 8 lines x 22 letters in Hebrew = 176 lines. One message of this psalm is that we are to live a lifestyle that demonstrates obedience to the Lord, who is a God of order (hence the acrostic structure), not of chaos.

Summary: Having declared the truth that God’s blessing is with those who live in obedience to the law, the psalmist commits himself to keeping the commandments, anticipating that he will praise the LORD for his protective care (119:1–8).

Quote I saw on the wall. “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” / If you define success correctly you can pursue it.

Those who live in accordance with God’s law are blessed (1–3)

Psalm 119:1-3 “1 ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, Who walk in the law of the Lord. 2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, And that seek him with the whole heart. 3 They also do no iniquity: They walk in his ways.”

Those who live in their integrity live blessed lives.

To be undefiled or blameless we must walk in His way.

If you define success correctly than their is a way to create your future. Joshua 1:8 “8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

Blessings come to a life of integrity. Psalm 7:8 “8 The Lord shall judge the people: Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness, And according to mine integrity that is in me.”

Walking in his way is to live out our lives in obedience to God’s instructions Psalm 1:2 “2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; And in his law doth he meditate day and night.”

Keepers of His testimonies are blessed.

Those that keep his testimonies do it with their whole heart.

To seek the LORD with a whole heart means that they are completely occupied with the discernment of the LORD’s will revealed in his word.

The effect of their determined obedience is expressed clearly in verse 3: “they do not do wrong.”

We should have great love for the truth and never run from it.

Example of not seeking truth with whole heart : Matthew 21:23-27 “23 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? 24 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? 26 But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. 27 And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things.”

If you want to gain more understanding you must first accept the truth that is already delivered to you.

This is what prevents most people from “seeking truth with all their hearts”

Psalm 119:160 “160 Thy word is true from the beginning: And every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.”

The emphasis shifts slightly in the next three verses to the psalmist’s determination to keep the commandments God has made.

Those who diligently keep His precepts will not be ashamed (4–6).

Psalm 119:4-6 “4 Thou hast commanded us To keep thy precepts diligently. 5 O that my ways were directed To keep thy statutes! 6 Then shall I not be ashamed, When I have respect unto all thy commandments.”

Those who determine diligently live according to God’s precepts will be safe and secure in the LORD (4–6)

The point being stressed here is that all of God’s laws are divine orders.

The word for the law in this verse is “precepts” this noun only occurs in the Psalms and refers to the appointed laws of God in general.

Precepts is connected to the idea of an overseer who is responsible to appoint and carry out the destiny of the people; it points therefore to God’s instructions that give attention to details in the care and development of his covenant people. Proverbs 12:7 “7 The wicked are overthrown, and are not: But the house of the righteous shall stand.”

The psalmist expresses his desire to be faithful in keeping God’s commandments.

His wish is that his ways would be steadfast. Psalm 93:1 “1 The Lord reigneth, he is clothed with majesty; The Lord is clothed with strength, wherewith he hath girded himself: The world also is stablished, that it cannot be moved.”

The word for “statutes” here and in verse 8 emphasizes the binding nature of God’s laws. By keeping these statutes one’s conduct will be steadfast.

The expected result of this steadfast obedience is deliverance.

We will not be put to shame. Psalm 31:1 “1 In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust; Let me never be ashamed: Deliver me in thy righteousness.”

The Psalmist seems to be dealing with an issue but believe if he is faithful to God’s word he will not regret it.

We should set have “respect unto all thy commandments.”

When believers stay focused on the commands of the LORD, they will be confident that they will find deliverance.

Show respect to the commandments and not be driven by emotions

A decision to let God’s way drive us Psalm 119:5 “5 O that my ways were directed To keep thy statutes!”

Objectify feelings, do not identify with them. / Helps to write the down.

In God’ Word you will find the constant that you need in life.

“I wondered if God’s promises were true, or if they would fail me as everything else in my life had.”

Even when you have nothing else in life to cling to, His Word remains. Psalm 119:25 “25 DALETH. My soul cleaveth unto the dust: Quicken thou me according to thy word.”

Knowing we have the Word of God on matters should cast out hear and bring hope to us.

Anticipate praising the LORD with an upright heart as you learn more of God’s word.

Psalm 119:7-8 “7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, When I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. 8 I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.”

Believers who experience God’s righteous decisions and obey his statutes can expect to praise the LORD for his protective care. This brings hope!

The reason for the praise has been hinted at in verse 6 with “Let me never be ashamed,” and now more specifically expressed in the closing prayer, “o forsake me not utterly”

The phrase “with uprightness of heart” indicates that he will have lived obediently to the law—in other words, the praise will come from an obedient believer.

The believer trusts that God has final say and that he can trust Him to do what is always right. So he has determined to live in rightness; which is according to God’s Word.

Why is the psalmist so in love with the law of God? 

Psalm 119:5 “5 O that my ways were directed To keep thy statutes!”

Because of it’s Source: “The Law of the LORD is perfect…” Psalm 19:7 “7 The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.”

Because of its Substance: “[God’s word] is the Maker’s instruction.”  “What would godliness look like in a person increasingly formed into the likeness of Jesus?  The Word of God tells us.”

2 Peter 1:3 “3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:”

Instruction manuals are often disliked, partly because we can’t understand them.

More than an instruction manual. It is an expression of love from a Father who did not live us without guidance in this world.

Because of its Strategy: A strategy is a “plan for successful action”. 

It is summarized as two-fold:  “providing wisdom and preventing wandering”.  

That is why it we should seek them with everything in us Psalm 119:2 “2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, And that seek him with the whole heart.”

God’s Word is worthy of our love because of it’s Source (it is GOD’s own mind for us); it’s Substance (it is our instruction manual, a love letter to our soul), and it’s Strategy (a planned course of action that molds us in the likeness of Himself for His glory and our joy).

Closing

We are so blessed to have this Word to live by.

Living according to the Word brings great blessings into our lives.

Before we pray this Psalm lets take a quick look at some of the blessings we find in just this chapter!

Lets do a quick run through of what you will find as you read through Psalm 119.

God hears our cries and assures us that his Word will give us wisdom Psalm 119:65-66 “65 TETH. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O Lord, according unto thy word. 66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge: For I have believed thy commandments.”

God’s Word provides direction to our path Psalm 119:105 “105 NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And a light unto my path.”

God’s Word provides hope Psalm 119:49 “49 ZAIN. Remember the word unto thy servant, Upon which thou hast caused me to hope.”

God’s Word will comfort us in our pain. Psalm 119:50 “50 This is my comfort in my affliction: For thy word hath quickened me.”

We will experience God’s steadfast love Psalm 119:76 “76 Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, According to thy word unto thy servant.”

We will be strengthened Psalm 119:28 “28 My soul melteth for heaviness: Strengthen thou me according unto thy word.”

We will be filled with joy and peace that can with stand our grief Psalm 119:111 “111 Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: For they are the rejoicing of my heart.”