“They Who Honor God’s Word Are Blessed”
Psalm 119 is the
longest of the psalms and celebrates the Law of God.
No other portion of Scriptures examines in such detail the benefits of
having and heeding God’s Word.
“Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the
law of the Lord! Blessed are those
who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart!
They also do no iniquity; they walk in His ways.
You have commanded us to keep your precepts diligently.
Oh, that my ways were directed to keep Your statutes!
Then I would not be ashamed, when I looked into all Your command.
I will praise You with uprightness of heart, when I learn Your
righteous judgments. I will keep
Your statutes; oh, do not forsake me utterly!”
Psalm 119:1-8
I.
The Blessings of Hiding God’s Word
In Your Heart.
“Blessed, happy, fortunate (to be envied) are the undefiled – the upright, truly sincere and blameless – in the way (of the revealed word of God); who walk – that is, order their conduct and conversation – in (the whole of God’s revealed will) the law of the Lord.” Psalm 119:1 (Amplified)
1.
Blessedness ( or happiness is what we all aim for.
Those who are aware of the
way that leads to happiness have discovered that the key is the responsiveness
of the heart to the power of the Word of God.
2.
Those who hide the Word in their heart are the same
as those who
are happy. – “How blessed are those
whose way is
blameless, who walk in the law of the
LORD.”
Psalm 119:1 (NAS)
3.
Notice, those “who walk in the
law of the Lord” are constantly being preserved from the
defilement of sin and are described as “blameless.”
B.
The Benefits of
Obeying the Word.
“How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, who seek Him with all their heart.” Psalm 119:2 (NAS)
Psalm 119:2 promises
blessings for obeying God’s Word (or “testimonies”) and seeking the Lord with
one’s whole heart. The psalm goes
on to mention or allude to a number of these benefits:
·
Avoiding sin
and pursuing godliness:
“They do nothing wrong; they walk in His
ways.”
Psalm.
119:3 (NIV)
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I
might not sin against You.” Psalm
119:11 (NIV)
“Turn my heart toward your statutes and not
toward selfish gain.” Psalm 119:36
(NIV)
“I have not turned aside from Thine
ordinances, for Thou Thyself hast taught me.”
Psalm 119:102 (NAS)
“Establish my steps and direct them by (means
of) Your word; let not any iniquity have dominion over me.”
Psalm 119:133 (Amplified)
·
A motivation
and basis for praising God:
“I will praise and give thanks to You with
uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned (by sanctified experiences)
Your righteous judgments (Your decisions against and punishments for
particular lines of thought and conduct).
Psalm 119:7 (Amplified)
“My lips pour forth praise (with thanksgiving
and renewed trust) when You teach me Your statutes.”
Psalm 119:171 (Amplified)
·
A pure
lifestyle:
“How can a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed according to Your word.”
Psalm 119:9 (NKJV)
·
Readjustments in our priorities and values:
1.
Priorities:
“I rejoice in following your statutes as one
rejoices in great riches.” Psalm
119:14 (NIV)
“If Thy law had not been my delight, then I
would have perished in my affliction.” Psalm
119:92 (NAS)
2.
Values:
“I delight in your decrees; I will not
neglect your word.” Psalm 119:16 (NIV)
“My soul is consumed with longing for your
laws at all times.” Psalm 119:20
(NAS)
“Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless
things, and revive me in Your way.”
Psalm 119:37 (NKJV)
“And I shall lift up my hands to Thy
commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on Thy statutes.”
Psalm 119:48 (NAS)
“The law of Your mouth is better to me than
thousands of coins of gold and silver.”
Psalm 119:72 (NKJV)
“How sweet are Thy words to my taste!
Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth.”
Psalm 119:103 (NAS)
“Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart.” Psalm 119:111 (NKJV)
The idea of
"seeking Him" reveals that we cannot be indifferent in the exercise of
applying His Word.
If his word is precious, we may be sure that He
himself is still more so.
The outward application of Scripture does not
content the soul that has been touched by grace . . . such a soul inevitably
reaches out after God Himself, and when He is found, still yearns for more of
him, which turns us back to Scripture – and so on!
II.
The Attributes of Those Treasuring
God’s Word
“Yes, they do no
unrighteousness—no willful wandering from His precepts; the walk in His ways.”
Psalm 119:3-4 (Amplified)
This is the "straight and narrow" that
is commonly referred to derisively by those whose hearts are not captured by a
devotion of the Lord and His Word.
There is a
diligence that characterizes those who possess integrity before the Lord –
"You have ordained Your precepts, that we should keep them diligently.” Psalm
119:4 (NAS)
“Oh that my ways may be established to keep Thy statutes.” Psalm 119:5 (NAS)
"Oh" – suggests the groaning of the spirit of the psalmist expressing itself
to God in a prayer.
This then
becomes the aspiration of a devoted believer –
"that my ways
may be established to keep your statutes."
“Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect
unto all thy commandments.” Psalm
119:6 (NAS)
The believer
who knows by experience the correction of his heart enjoys the knowledge of
how such "righting" brings us into conformity to the Lord.
Because of the
consistent application and obedience to the Word of God, those who treasure
Scripture possess assurance and confidence (not arrogance) before the Lord.
III.
The Goals of those treasuring God’s
word .
“I shall give thanks to Thee with uprightness of heart, when I learn Thy righteous judgments. I shall keep Thy statutes; Do not forsake me utterly!” Psalm 119:7-8 (NAS)
A.
The Worship of the Lord (vs 7)
Once again, we
see that there is not cold academics in the heart of those who delight in the
Word of God . . . it always brings a person to face the Lord God – in worship!
B.
The Application of the Law (vs 8)
The resolve of
such a heart that worships God is sure:
"I shall keep
your
statutes"
Instead of
feeling self-confident, there is an appropriate amalgam of resolve and
dependence portrayed by the psalmist –
"Do not forsake me utterly!"
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