Tag: Psalm 119 Study

When was the last time I stopped to reallythink about my ways? I shouldn’t think about them to see if they’re “okay” with me, but if they’re “okay” with God. And, when I realize that any part of my way was not“okay” with God, do I turn my feet to His testimonies? Do I correct that which is not in line with His Word by then being a doer of the Word and not a hearer only?

Some verses to consider about our ways:

“Doth not he see my ways, and count all my steps?” (Job 31:4)

” I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I sin not with my tongue: I will keep my mouth with a bridle, while the wicked is before me.” (Psalm 39:1)

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

“I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.” (Psalm 119:168)

“Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways.” (Psalm 139:3)

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

Haste – OT:2363 chuwsh (koosh); a primitive root; to hurry; figuratively, to be eager with excitement or enjoyment:

Delayed – OT:4102 mahahh (maw-hah’); apparently a denominative from OT:4100; properly, to question or hesitate, i.e. (by implication) to be reluctant:

To make hast to keep God’s commandments gives an idea of hurry. But this hurry isn’t because of fear or to “get it done with” but excitement, eagerness, enjoyment! Do I find that attitude towards keeping God’s commandments. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”(1 John 5:3) Grievous: weighty, burdensome, grave – which gives the idea of the “delay” mentions in Psalm 119:60 (question, hesitate, be reluctant). For the child of God, their attitude towards His commands shouldn’t be grief or delay, but excited haste!

In this life, we tend to expect certain “portions” (allotment). But for the believer, we should realize that HEis our portion. Can we, like the Psalmist, say, “The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.”? (Psalm 16:5) If we recognize God as our portion, perhaps we would be more inclined to keep His Words.

Similar to verse 41 (“Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word.”), there are promises “according to [God’s] Word.” It is amazing to think that those of us who have obtained God as our portion (through salvation) now have access to God’s favor and His mercy – according to His Word.

Psalm 119:53-56

What is our response when others forsake God’s law? Do we have a feeling of horror (glow, consuming)? or do we “let it slip?” The more we love God’s law, the more we’ll desire to see others follow it. “They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.” (Proverbs 28:4)

“Pilgrimage” gives the idea of temporary abode. “This world is not my home, I’m just a-passing through.” As we journey, what is the song on our lips? Do we love God’s Word so much that we’re willing to sing it so that we may better know it and be reminded of it?

What do we do at night? At night is when our thoughts tend to wander, our “daydreams” happen, our fears come. But as the believer, what should our nighttime activity be?

“But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.” (Psalm 1:2)

“Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.” (Psalm 42:8)

“When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.” (Psalm 63:6)

To keep God’s law at night, be must meditate upon it at night.

To remember God’s Name at night and keep His law will not happen automatically. Instead, it happens because we have determined to keep God’s precepts in everyday living. What am I missing because I’m not keeping all of His precepts?

Psalm 119:50-52

In any affliction we go through, God’s Word is able to quicken us – give us life. If we sense no meaning to life, perhaps we should dig in God’s Word: He promises that It is able to quicken (Hebrews 4:12). When we need comfort, do we turn to God’s Word?

Others may scoff at our foundation of God’s Word – but do we let that affect us? When others make fun of how much time we spend in God’s Word, rail on us for not doing things with us because God’s Word prohibits it, how do we respond? Do we go to God’s Word with renewed passion? or do we let their words influence us? That which we love most (acceptance of men or praise from God) will shape our lives.

Similar to verse 50 (“This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.”), we are to go to God’s Word for comfort. It is true that friends can comfort us, but there is no comfort like the Lord Himself and His Words.

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

“Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?” (Psalm 119:82)

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4)

We can hope in God’s promises:

“My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.” (Psalms 119:81)

“Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.” (Psalms 119:114)

“Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.”  (Psalms 119:116)

“I wait for the LORD, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.”  (Psalms 130:5)

“For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;” (Colossians 1:5)

Abraham is a great example of a man who hoped in God’s Word and His promises: “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.” (Romans 4:20-22) He knew that God would remember His promises to His servant. And he did not stagger in his faith. Do I believe God’s promises so much that my faith is unwavering?

Psalm 119:46-48

The verse that immediately comes to mind is Luke 12:11-12, “And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.” Am I committed to God’s truth so that, even if I’m brought before higher (human) powers, I will speak of God’s Word and be steadfast?

What if I’m not being tested or persecuted? What if opportunity ever arose for me to hold a conversation with “great” men or women? Would I be ashamed of my belief in God and His Word so that I will smooth talk over it? or will I stay firm in the truth that my heart is grounded upon?

Just a simple search of “love-delight” shows:

“How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge?” (Proverbs 1:22)

“As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delighted not in blessing, so let it be far from him.” (Psalms 109:17)

That which we love, we delight in. If we love simplicity, we will delight in scorning. If we love cursing, we will not delight in blessing. But! If we love God’s Word, we will delight in His commandments (coupled with “delighting in” is the idea of meditating upon). Oh for more love for the Word of God!

Psalm 119:43-45

Is the Word of truth in our mouths? It must be in our hearts before it is on our lips. As verse 27 says, “Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.”When God’s Word is our hope, we will speak of it.

Daily we must make the commitment to keep God’s law. Today, tomorrow, the next day, the next day . . . every day of our life. It is not enough to simply keep it one day. It must be our lifestyle.

Liberty – OT:7342 rachab (raw-khawb’); from OT:7337; roomy, in any (or every) direction, literally or figuratively:

As Romans 6 says, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” (Romans 6:16-18) Whether or not we want to accept it, the truth is that a person is either enslaved to sin or enslaved to righteousness. We like to think there is freedom in sin and following our own ways and slavery to righteousness and following God’s way, but it’s the opposite: only in following God is there liberty.

According to God’s Word, He has promised salvation. According to God’s Word, He has promised mercy. It is not arrogant or prideful to ask the Lord for what He has promised (“Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.” Matthew 7:7-8 – “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” John 15:7). How many of God’s blessings are we missing out because we’re not asking? because we’re not asking for Him to send them to us?

God’s Word gives the answer for those who test us (as Ephesians 6:17 indicates this weapon, “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:”) – but it is only useful if we trust in God’s Word. If we doubt His Word, then this weapon is then in vain. The question is not “Has God given us adequate answers?” but “Do I trust in the answers God has given?”

As God’s servant, am I eager and ready for every word He might give me? am I looking and waiting for when He might show me more of His word so that I can abide in it? Am I willing to be stablished – settled – in God’s Word? Devoted to Him?

God is a just judge, and yet He is merciful. But, will He turn away our reproach just because we ask Him? I think this verse is connected to the verse before: if we are stablished in God’s Word and devoted to His fear, God will extend greater mercy than if we are stiffnecked towards God’s Word and resistant towards Him.

In a way, it makes me think of Psalm 19:9, “The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.”

Not only does God’s Word quicken (Psalm 119:25), but His righteousness quickens us as well.

In these few verses, we see that God is able to:

– Stablish His Word

– Turn away my reproach

– Quicken me in righteousness

However, we must also acknowledge our part:

– Devoted to God’s fear

– Longing for God’s precepts

Psalm 119:36-37

The Hebrew word for “covetousness” is (OT:1215) betsa` (beh’-tsah); from OT:1214; plunder; by extension, gain (usually unjust):”

Another verse with this word is Ezekiel 33:31, “And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.” Here is an example of a congregation who outwardly did the right acts, but inwardly, God saw their true nature: covetous. A heart that is inclined to God’s testimonies will dowhat they hear. But the heart that is set on covetousness might “hear” but will never do. Where do I fall? As one whose heart is inclined to covetousness? or inclined to God’s testimonies?

Turn away – OT:5674 `abar (aw-bar’); a primitive root; to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation):

Vanity – OT:7723 shav’ (shawv); or shav (shav); from the same as OT:7722 in the sense of desolating; evil (as destructive), literally (ruin) or morally (especially guile); figuratively idolatry (as false, subjective), uselessness (as deceptive, objective; also adverbially, in vain):

Quicken – OT:2421 chayah (khaw-yaw’); a primitive root [compare OT:2331, OT:2421]; to live, whether literally or figuratively; causatively, to revive:

Many of the verses in this chapter seem to be a prayer – a request for God’s help. It is acknowledging that we are weak, and He is strong. For instance, this verse; if I take it to heart, then I realize that as much as I try, I will be unable to keep my eyes from seeking vanity, unable to truly be revived in God’s way – I must seek God’s help in this issue.