Introduction (Please turn to Psalm 119)
- Studying Psalm 119 for the month of May.
- Famous for the first two verses.
Ps 119:1-8 Aleph
1 Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.
2 Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.
- Powerful principles in these two verses. And an intense promise.
- Blessed – the word itself. “’Esher” – it means, Happiness. Superlatively happy. The understanding that you live in the favor of God Himself.
- Connect with us on fb.com/phxicc – studies over zoom/meet/etc.
- The reason they did not translate this simply as “happy” is because the things that typically make us happy – like financial security, comfort, “things” (cars/houses/stuff) – really have nothing to do with being “blessed” or “happy” like this means.
- Are you still seeking God with all your heart? Where are we going to get our comfort?
- Walk with Dimitry. Prayed. Thankful for another day. The warm breeze on my arms. Beautiful Arizona sky. Every single day we have is a gift.
A little bit more about Psalm 119 and the Psalms overall…
- Psalm 119 has 22 sections of 8 verses each and each line or verse begins with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This is called an “Acrostic” poem.
Psalms were considered part of the “Hagiographa” or “sacred writings” by the early church fathers.
- A series of five collections. It does not reflect a specific single author – however, 73 as ascribed to David, others to Asaph and the Sons of Korah.
- The Psalms were composed over a period of 1000 years –
- From the time of Moses ~1400 BC to the Babylonian Captivity ~586 BC.
- The Hebrew title was “Tehillim” – “praises” – but both “Tehilim” and “Tephillot” (Prayers) are contained within.
- The word Psalm – from the Greek word “psallo” – to pluck – indicating that much of the Psalms were meant to be accompanied by a stringed instrument (and such is commonly referred to in the actual Psalms themselves.)
- Psalm 119 – like many Psalms – is a declaration of the Psalmist’s relationship with God.
[Psa 119:1-8 NIV]
Aleph
1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD.
2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart–
3 they do no wrong but follow his ways.
4 You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.
5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees*!
6 Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws [judgments].
8 I will obey your decrees*; do not utterly forsake me.
- (v1) “Tamiym” = “blameless” – “complete, whole, entire, sound.”
- “Torah” = “Law” of the LORD; His “instruction, direction.”
- (v2) “‘Edah” = “Statutes” – “Testimony”,”Witness.” Always plural and always as divine testimonies. Sometimes translated as “stipulations.”
- (v3) “Derek” = “[His] ways” – “way, road, distance, journey, manner.”
- (v4) “Piqquwd” = “precepts” – “precept, statute.”
- Precept: “A general rule intended to regulate behavior or thought.”
- (v5/v8) “Choq” = “decree(s)*” “Ordinance, limit, something prescribed, due.”
- “An enactment.” Like Joseph establishing the law that a “5th of the grain goes to Pharaoh.” Associated often with an event – like when Moses threw a piece of wood into the waters to make them sweet…God made a “choq” – a “decree” – for them there.
- (v6) “Mitsvah” = “commands.” “Commandment.”
- (v7) “Misphat” = your righteous “laws.” “Judgements, Justice, Ordinance(s).”
Walk according to God’s Law, keep His Statutes, follow His Ways, obey His Precepts and Decrees, consider all His Commands, and learn His righteous Judgments (Ordinances)…ALL of these things are in the Bible. The WORD of God. If what I tell you today is just tradition, speculation of man, or my opinion – ignore it. If it is from the Word of God – then love Him.
This is about a heart of complete and total obedience to God from every single angle. This sets the tone for the whole of Psalm 119. This is what the whole thing is all about. This makes sense – as to love God is to obey him.
#1 If You Love God – You Obey Him Immediately (please turn to John 14)
- How should we obey? Immediately. Completely. With A Good Attitude.
- As a parent, wow – do I feel love when my kids obey me immediately. The worst feeling as a parent is having to say the same thing three times knowing my kid could hear me the whole time…(Take out the recycling…so hard to hear…but…let’s get some pizza…I could whisper that on the other side of the house…)
- Kids are actu14lly really good. I was the one who was deafened by my apathy towards obedience growing up. (Sorry mum!)
- Asked Paisley to logoff her PC – did it right away…feel very loved. No complaints, no fuss…wow.
- Do we equate this with God? He is our Heavenly Father after all! When we are presented with a challenge from the scriptures – with one of God’s laws ( ), statues/stipulations (if you do what is right, will you not be accepted – Gen 4:7), ways (pursue righteousness -Pro 15:9), precepts, decrees, commands or ordinances?
- Do we obey God immediately, completely, and with a good attitude?
John 14:15
“If you love me, keep my commands.”
- Maybe when I’m older. Malia, teen, I can’t just assume it’s all good. Seek God now.
- Zach’s baptism. Travis Hamblin. Going after it. Sense of “immediately.”
John 14:21
“Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me…”
- Can’t have what you don’t know. Study the bible. Don’t let your religious assumptions define you, hold you back, don’t assume you understand, know you understand by knowing the Word of God.
John 14:23
“…Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching.”
- What are you obeying? We all are obeying something. Your own feelings? Your traditions? For me, it was my selfishness, my appetites.
John 14:24
“Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching.”
- Simple enough. What parent is going to feel love from their child if the child does not obey their teaching? Most good parents teach their kids things that will help them with their life, their character, and their well-being.
John 15:10
“If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in His love.”
- Cannot keep what you don’t have in the first place. Study the bible – know the commands of Jesus, keep them, and remain in his love.
- A relationship with God is conditional. God’s love – is unconditional. You cannot remain in Christ’s love if you do not keep his commands! That’s Bible!
John 15:14
“You are my friends if you do what I command.”
- Are you and Jesus even friends? Who says that!? Only God could get away with saying that and not come across crazy.
1 John 5:3-4
“In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome”
- It’s critical to know the Bible, to know Jesus’ teachings…why? So you can LOVE GOD.
Look at the second part of Psalm 119 – and it explains why this concept of knowing God’s commands is so critical – and the impact and promises with knowing God’s commands!
#2 Know The Word By Heart – Completely
[Psa 119:9-16 NIV]
Beth
9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
12 Praise be to you, LORD; teach me your decrees.
13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.
14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.
- Vs 10 is reminding us of Psalm 119:2 “Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart…”
- We are going to see throughout Psalm 119 a clear connection between seeking God with all your heart means knowing and obeying God’s word.
- This is a prayer. He wants to be taught by God God’s decrees.
- What are we praying about lately?
- Challenge – pray through this Psalm. Read through it. Pray through the verses. It’ll change your heart. Pray through them the month of May. You could do one or so a day…
- With my lips I recount…he’s reciting the Bible! How? Because he’s hidden it in his heart!
- What scriptures can you recount on your lips? How much of God’s word do you have on your heart?
- My daughter has tons of Disney lyrics memorized! Everybody memorizes things they loIe…and they love to talk about it…
- My son, recounts every new thing he does and learns in Roblox.
- We become pop-culture experts…and memorize a lot more than we realize. Stop lying to ourselves – we can memorize the bible. (vs 16 – you memorize what you delight in)
- Struggling with purity? Masturbation. Pornography online is up 18%.
- “Listen, I’m no social scientist and haven’t done a survey. I don’t pretend to know what John Q citizen thinks about this. But I’ve lived in prison for a long time now and I’ve met a lot of men who were motivated to commit violence just like me. And without exception, every one of them was deeply involved in pornography. Without question, without exception. Deeply influenced and consumed by an addiction to pornography.” – Ted Bundy, 1989
- “…well-meaning decent people will condemn [the] behavior of a Ted Bundy while they’re walking past a magazine rack full of the very kinds of things that send young kids down the road to be Ted Bundys.”
- #2 Know The Word By Heart – 1 John 1-2 Changed my life.
- Thank the Hollands.
- What scriptures can you recount on your lips? How much of God’s word do you have on your heart?
- What do I meditate on? Do I neglect the Word? Time to dive in the deep end. Psalm 119 is a great place to jump in!
- No memorization? No mediation? that is Neglect! A heart that will be prone to sin! Lousy day…why? Did not start it with God. Got my coffee, but did not get with God…drink deeply of the Word of God, that’ll wake you up!
- The Psalmist is praying about this – this is the heart we all want to have.
#3 Delight & Wonder In God’s Law – With A Good Attitude
[Psa 119:17-24 NIV] Gimel
17 Be good to your servant while I live, that I may obey your word.
18 Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.
19 I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me.
20 My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times.
21 You rebuke the arrogant, who are accursed, those who stray from your commands.
22 Remove from me their scorn and contempt, for I keep your statutes.
23 Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees.
24 Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.
- I am a stranger on earth.
- Stranger = gar: Sojourner. A temporary inhabitant. A foreigner. A newcomer lacking inherited rights.
- Of the Israelites themselves – Genesis 15:13, “…know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own…”
- Our home is in heaven. What makes heaven “heaven” is God’s presence there. If we don’t want to listen to and obey God here – why would we expect to go to heaven?
[1Pe 1:15-17 NIV]
15 But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; 16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”
17 Since you call on a Father who judges each person’s work impartially, live out your time as foreigners here in reverent fear.
