I stumbled upon a video the other day of something I have never seen before. It appears to be just one musician in a public square, playing for a little girl who places a coin in his hat. He begins to play Beethoven’s Ode to Joy and what happens in the next few minutes is beautiful. I won’t spoil it for you, except to say it reminds me a bit of what Heaven is like. The Christian hymn Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee, written by Henry Van Dyke, is set to the music from Ode to Joy. I couldn’t help but think of those words during this video. Think of it, one day thousands upon thousands of Christians will lift up our voices in song to praise our Heavenly Father. Heaven is not at all boring contrary to the lies we’ve been sold in our culture. We won’t be sitting on marshmallow clouds plucking harps, yawning away the day. Heaven is one big adventure without sin entangling us. Like Adam and Eve in the Garden, we too will enjoy sweet, unhindered fellowship with our Creator. I believe we will get to explore the new Heaven and new Earth, just as our first parents had free reign over God’s Creation except of the one tree. But I digress…
Even though this video is an orchestrated ad for a Spanish banking company, I was moved to tears nonetheless.
“My flesh trembles in fear of You; I stand in awe of Your laws.” -Psalm 119:120
In light of God’s coming judgment on the unrepentant, the psalmist lovingly fears the Lord. He is in awe of Who God is. Even though His wrath is fitted for unbelievers, the writer reverences God’s authority and power. It makes me question if I fear the Lord in this way? Yes I love Him, but how do I respect Him? Love and respect are two sides of the same coin. You cannot have one without the other in relationship to God. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command” (John 14:15). We show our love for God by obeying His Word. Sincere obedience comes from a posture of submission to His authority over us. A good servant will respect their master by obeying His will. Children of God reverence Him by submission, born out of a love relationship with our Savior. It is not from compulsion or guilt, but a desire to give back the life we owe to Christ. Gratitude over God’s mercy, love over His grace toward undeserving rebels. This is our motivation in fearing God our Creator.
The more we know of Him the more our reverence for God Almighty grows. The Lord is our Shepherd and a Humble Warrior. He cannot be contained to one characteristic. Incomprehensible. Knowable but not fully known within our finite minds. In God there is Perfect Love, Perfect Justice, Perfect Mercy and Perfect Holiness. He is for His people and not against them. These truths should prompt every believer into worship because it isn’t a fairytale. God is present- the same yesterday, today and forever. His character nor have His promises changed.
One day we will all stand before His Throne. For those who already know Jesus as Savior, they are covered in His righteousness, justified forever. All our judgments were laid on Jesus at the cross. Dear Christian, your sins are paid for, the debt is cleared. You are free. What is our response then? Stand in awe of His mercy and grace and worship.
“All the wicked of the earth You discard like dross; therefore I love Your statutes.” -Psalm 119:119
This verse follows in thought from the previous concerning the wicked. Just as God’s love is great toward His own, it remains true of His great wrath toward the unrepentant. The psalmist is sure of the coming judgment on the wicked, which causes him to cherish God’s promises and commands even more. Evil will not last forever since God has won the war. This is the good news which lightens the heart of every Christian. God will destroy the wicked. They will depart from His sight and be no more in His Presence or ours if we are in Christ Jesus. Trouble lasts for a night but joy comes with the morning. Amid the burning heat of your trials, you are being refined. Yet the imitators, deceivers and revilers are melted away like the dross they are.
John Gill, a pastor who preached in the same church as Charles Spurgeon one hundred years earlier, commented on this passage. He regarded those who made a show of being like silver and gold as nothing more than reprobate silver, rejected by God as a cheap imitation. For even Satan masquerades as an angel of light and his servants masquerade as servants of righteousness (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). The Lord’s commands therefore serve as a means of preserving the believer. When we follow God’s ways in sincere and pure devotion we are kept safe, secure from destroying ourselves in sin, safeguarded from false teaching, discerning toward hypocrites and the vain things of this world.
“You reject all who stray from Your decrees, for their deceitfulness is in vain.” -Psalm 119:118
Nominal Christians will not have a share in the Kingdom of God. This group of cultural Christians is to be most pitied. Growing up in the Bible Belt, it is common to see compartmentalized Christianity. It is a place where Sundays are for church and every other day of the week is for living how we see fit. To have one foot in worship and one foot in sin is no worship at all.
Elisabeth Elliot once remarked how her parents were “Seven days a week Christians”, meaning the Lord was their life. His will commanded their everyday. To hear and taste the sweetness of God, to move in the circles of saints and remain unregenerate is tragic. Their lives are in vain. Like Judas, there are tares among the wheat and they will be rejected by God. He cannot stand outward pietism, merely going through the motions to look good for the praise of men. Vain glory is not God glorifying.
This verse serves as a profitable warning for true saints as well, to not remain stagnant, but vigilant, in pursuing God, otherwise we too might become self-deceived. God’s grace is a precious gift not meant to be neglected, abused or taken for granted. Embrace the grace which you receive by faith, and “continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose” (Philippians 2:12b-13).
Let each saint not give way to ideas of a works based salvation, but faithfully bear fruit as a result of the seed of faith planted and watered in your soul. Practically speaking, persevering as a believer looks like habitual time reading and meditating on God’s Word. It is finding a church home to regularly attend where Scripture is not diminished but upheld as the authoritative words of God. Prayer is like talking with a friend throughout the day. Christians reverence God and take His commands seriously. Christianity isn’t a game, something to entertain us or to make us feel good about ourselves one day a week. It is an all or nothing devotion to the Prince of Peace. Abide in Jesus and your life will not be in vain.
“Uphold me, and I will be delivered; I will always have regard for Your decrees.” -Psalm 119:117
Like the previous verse, this is another plea for help. The psalmist cries out for more of the Lord’s grace to carry him through all of life’s ups and downs. If his faith must be tried, the writer asks God to refine it in the flames. God keeps His children close to Him even when we are not aware of it. This is the beauty of how our Father operates. It isn’t based on our performance or small faith whether the Lord decides to extend compassion or not. His ocean of mercy is deep and wide. The psalmist prays this knowing God will deliver him. Because his hope is rooted in God, the outcome for spiritual protection is certain. The true believer perseveres (sometimes it feels like plodding) because God will always uphold him through whatever circumstances he will face.
It reminds me of the time Paul cried out in a similar way when he suffered multiple hardships. In his second letter to the church in Corinth, Paul writes of his trials thus far and how God had delivered him over and over. He writes,
“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, Who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us.” (2 Corinthians 1:8-10)
I like how Paul’s faith declares God’s continued deliverance. The Christian life is not a free pass in exemption from suffering and temptations. When one becomes a believer, we sign up for more affliction, pain, misunderstanding and rejection (John 15:18-25). We taste of Christ’s sufferings temporarily on earth as we will taste of His glory one day in Heaven forever. The bitter becomes sweet in light of God’s promises.
Like Paul and the psalmist, we can confidently petition for the Lord to be near us in our own distresses. Nothing is hidden from His sight, but especially a saint in distress. He hems us in, carrying His children in grace. God the Father is sure to uphold His children to the very end, teaching us to trust Him through His written Word.
“Sustain me according to Your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed.” -Psalm 119:116
The psalmist knows he cannot fight his enemies alone, nor can he pursue God without the Lord sustaining him. Here are two very different outcomes- with God at the helm, his faith is preserved. Without God’s grace and mercy, all hopes are dashed to the rocks, like a ship without a captain to guide through safe passages amid a sea of turmoil. The writer is asking for God’s grace to persevere when life gets hard. This is why he cries out for the Lord to remember His promises toward him. This kind of prayer also serves to help the one in need recall God’s promises to them. Because the Lord never forgets His promises, the outcome of this plea is for the Christian to anchor their trials in what we know to be true of God.
Jesus promised a life abundant for believers. What is life abundant for the Christian? We still have sorrows and trials on earth, some of them quite significant. What distinguishes a full life for the believer? What truly sustains us when we grow weary in life? First it is helpful to remember Who dwells in us and with us. Christ Immanuel makes His home in the heart of every Christian. God promises to never forsake His own. His Spirit guides, teaches, convicts, and encourages us. We are the rich ones no matter what our bank account says. The peace of sins forgiven once and for all, the joy of being deeply loved, and the compassion demonstrated by God toward helpless sinners is experiencing life abundant. The best part is the gifts in Christ will last forever. If you are in Christ then God is pleased with you because He has said how He is well pleased with His own Son (Matthew 3:16-17). You are beloved because Jesus is beloved by the Father. Jesus exchanged our filthy garments for His robe of righteousness. Now when God looks at you, He sees His own Son. What grace!
The next time your past sins accuse you as one condemned, when you feel unloved, without purpose, or your burdens seem too heavy, pray this verse back to the Lord. Ask Him to help you remember His promises toward you. God never forgets, but how much more does it please Him when we speak back His own will and thoughts toward us. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus encourages His followers to pray to the Father. For He truly hears, cares, and receives our pleas, confessions, adorations, and thanksgivings as a sweet aroma before His Throne. Pray for God to sustain you and He is sure to do it. Your spirit was never more protected and cared for in the Strong Arms of the Everlasting Father.
Grace upon grace,
April
Growing deeper: Matthew 6:9-13; 7:7-11; John 17; Romans 8:1-4; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18; Revelation 5:6-8
“Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God!” -Psalm 119:115
This verse has two contrasting actions- ‘away’ and ‘keep’. The objects in which the psalmist is referring to are worth observing. The writer desires to separate himself from sin and wickedness. This is why he wants distance from corrupted characters who could potentially influence him, or continue his own suffering through persecution. What a helpful verse to remind fellow Christians who to surround ourselves with. What kind of company we keep is important to the Lord, so it should be an area of interest to us as well.
Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthians, “Bad company corrupts good character” (1 Corinthians 15:33). He was addressing an issue in which some were disputing the resurrection of the dead, which would imply that Jesus did not resurrect. On this vital truth the house of faith stands or falls. So Paul went on to say the people we spend a lot of time with will influence our thinking, for good or bad. This doesn’t mean we refrain from relationships with unbelievers. The Gospels are full of stories in which Jesus ate with sinners, healed the unclean and showed compassion to the “worst of the worst”. It is a beautiful reminder of what we all once were in our sin (Ephesians 2:1-10). Yet the intimate fellowship Jesus chose consisted of 3 men. Though they too were sinners, Peter, James and John served the Lord. They were Christians and simply loved Jesus.
The writer of Psalm 119 desires holiness, to be set apart for God’s use. Therefore he seeks to remember and obey God’s Word alone. The Lord establishes him in grace by awakening the desire to be holy and then fight for it, as the world, his flesh, and the devil seek to destroy this pilgrim’s light. What a gracious reminder that as we follow our Father, the company we keep on earth can influence our worldview as well. Like Eve in the Garden, who chose to entertain the serpent’s seed of doubt, “Did God really say…?” and then acted on the lies told to her. Let us learn from her example and instead persevere like the psalmist, boldly declaring to be set apart from evil which corrupts our fellowship with the Lord. Choose good friends wisely. Let them be an encouragement to you and not a detour in your faith.
“You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in Your Word.” -Psalm 119:114
God not only directs our steps, but He becomes our rest, security and protector. His Name, Jehovah Sabaoth, means Lord of Hosts. He is the Commander of a multitude of angels, a vast army who does His bidding. God fights for His people, protecting our very souls. With God we can never lose our salvation if we truly belong to Him. He is faithful to keep His elect to the very end. This is why the psalmist can hope in God’s Word to sustain him through the valleys, the mountaintops, and everything in between. It is confidence in what God has done for him, is presently doing in his life, and what the Almighty will do. His promises are certain.
When Corrie ten Boom, her sister and father began hiding Jews during the Nazi occupation in WWII, their faith in God’s promises held them fast. He was their Refuge, a Hiding Place, so it seemed they too should provide a hiding place for others in their home, literally and spiritually. The ten Boom’s put their hope in God’s Word. This is what gave them courage to take such risks. The prophecy and promises in Isaiah 32 inspired the name for their home, The Hiding Place.
“Behold, a king will reign in righteousness, and princes will rule in justice. Each will be like a hiding place from the wind, a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land.” (vv. 1-2)
One day King Jesus will reign and there will be no corrupt leaders among His service. Jesus will reign in righteousness and His people will respond in perfect righteousness. God’s promises and immutable character should comfort every Christian pilgrim. We can say with surety along with Corrie, her family, and the psalmist, “I have put my hope in Your Word.”
“I hate double-minded men, but I love Your law.” -Psalm 119:113
There is a familiar tone from the octave Mem (vv. 97-104), where the psalmist proclaims his love for what God loves (v. 97) and hatred of what God hates (v. 104). Here the psalmist declares his hatred of wavering faith. The double-minded person is divided in their loyalties, not deeply rooted in faith (James 1:5-8; Matthew 13:5-7; 20-22). Self-sufficiency over trust in the Lord. They lack confidence in Who God is. Reading Christian biographies is a good remedy for seeing God’s power on display. Gladys Aylward, William Wilberforce, Elisabeth Elliot, John Bunyan, Charles Spurgeon and Amy Carmichael are a few I can recommend. Their lives show us that we do not compartmentalize our faith. Genuine fellowship with the Lord does not operate this way.
Elisabeth Elliot comments on a Christian’s confidence in God. She says confidence in the Lord leads to a prayerful life, which leads to a fruitful life, which leads to a joyful life. Elisabeth suggests another faith-building exercise (to fight double-mindedness) is to write down in a specific notebook your prayer requests. Over time look back through them and write down how the Lord has answered that prayer. Is anything more helpful than to see how God works personally toward you?
Even as the psalmist cries his hatred of double-minded men, we must remember that he speaks of their lack of faith toward the God he loves. It is an extreme use of language describing what he rejects and what he commends. We do not hate any person created in the image of God, but hate the effects of sin born in every soul except Christ. This calls for discernment and maturity which comes from reading God’s Word on a regular basis. What pleases God and what grieves Him? Spiritually nourishing our souls is how we cultivate wisdom as we make a thousand choices each day. Holy living is made practical, which is why the psalmist then exclaims his love for God’s law. Obedience to God’s commands keeps us from becoming double-minded people. God is gracious to show us the best path for us to follow. It is written in His Word.
“I hate double-minded men, but I love Your law. You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in Your Word. Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God! Sustain me according to Your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed. Uphold me, and I will be delivered; I will always have regard for Your decrees. You reject all who stray from Your decrees, for their deceitfulness is in vain. All the wicked of the earth You discard like dross; therefore I love Your statutes. My flesh trembles in fear of You; I stand in awe of Your laws.”
Psalm 119:113-120 Samekh
Who is God in this passage? What does this reveal about His nature? One of the most merciful things the Lord does for His children is refine them. The tension is clear for the psalmist as it is for every Christian pilgrim. We are constantly being pulled toward our flesh and enemies, the lovers of this world, or running toward our Refuge, who is God Himself. There is no such thing as a stagnant believer. Complacency or perseverance actively sweeps the soul into the ocean tide. God must allow our spiritual muscles to be tried if we are to ever grow in His grace. God is the Refiner of souls. He sees to it that all impurities in the Christian are burned away like dross, leaving only a pure crown of His glory. God loves His children deeply. It would be unloving if we didn’t go through flames of refinement. As our Shield and Protector, God is faithful to sustain us so we are not consumed by the heat of trials, our enemies, or the weariness of life. It may be painful and require discipline, but the school of sanctification will produce in us a holy quality. His saints will one day be given a crown of gold. This honor I will in turn lay before my King’s Throne. I am unworthy yet He has been so good and faithful to me. This is the God I know.
redeemed in grace 