“Oh, how I love Your law! I meditate on it all day long.” -Psalm 119:97
Why does the psalmist love God’s law? Because he loves the Law Giver. This is the proper order of affections. As God draws His children to Himself, we learn to love the One who redeemed us through the lens of Scripture. The Bible isn’t just a set of rules. We do not earn God’s favor or mercy through legalism. No, His Book is more- it is a Love Story. Putting the pieces of the Holy Word together with the laws, love, holiness, and redemption, we too can echo with the psalmist declaring how much we love God’s law. Through it we see our sin, desperate need for a Savior, and the way to have life everlasting with the Lord. Praise God for giving us the roadmap to Him through His sacred Word!
“Oh, how I love Your law! I meditate on it all day long.
Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me.
I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on Your statutes.
I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey Your precepts.
I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey Your Word.
I have not departed from Your laws, for You Yourself have taught me.
How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
I gain understanding from Your precepts therefore I hate every wrong path.” -Psalm 119:97-104 (Mem)
This octave begins with love and ends with hate. Like the psalmist, we love what God loves and hate what He hates. God calls us to love Himself, His Word and others. We hate sin, specifically starting with our own. We rightly understand that sin ushered in a Curse, which hangs heavy over humanity. The effects of sin are seen and felt everyday in this broken world, which is why the psalmist declares his passion for God’s Word and zeal to obey. He also knows a Perfect Kingdom will be ushered in one day. Promises fulfilled and yet to be bring comfort and purpose in this life. As the psalmist looked forward to the coming Messiah, we have the distinct privilege of seeing this promised fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The Christian’s faith and hope lies in the “already and not yet” side of history as we wait on the Lord.
As we live in the interim, before God consummates full redemption, believers can enjoy the sweetness of His Word. The psalmist loves the life giving fruit God’s Word bears. He takes the Lord’s commands seriously, not wanting to grieve his Holy Father. As a result of his emotions toward God, the psalmist pens a beautiful octave of unrestrained adoration with devout seriousness in approaching His Word. Meditation, obedience, love- in this order the Christian life flows, over and over. It is in this faithful cycle, by God’s grace, we receive sweet words of spiritual nourishment.
“To all perfection I see a limit; but Your commands are boundless.” -Psalm 119:96
The earth and all that is in it will wear out. As beautiful as creation is, it groans under the Curse (Romans 8:19-23). The old Earth is wrung out like a tired dish rag, ready to be replaced with the new Earth and Heaven. It has a timetable and limits God has set in place. Yet God’s Word not only endures, it transcends Time through the Living Word, Jesus Christ. He is perfect and sufficient.
We can fancy ourselves very civilized and sophisticated in the 21st century, but sinful ways have not changed since the Fall. There is nothing in human nature God does not address explicitly or implicitly. His Word is relevant, powerful, living and active, able to bring what once was dead to life. God is in the business of transforming hearts of stone to hearts that look like His Son’s. He does this miraculous work through the power of His Spirit and His Word. The life giving treasure we have been given in the written Word is only dear to those who love its Author. Father, move mightily in Your people, kindling an inward desire for us to move toward You as You open our eyes to see the beauty of Scripture and not wander away from Your Good Book.
“The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder Your statutes.” -Psalm 119:95
The psalmist knows the plans of the wicked against him. It is helpful to remember when we too are oppressed by evildoers, it is more that they have a hatred of God than we did anything worthy of their venom. Loving the Lord our God in faithful obedience is our “crime”. Therefore persecution should not take us by surprise because if they crucified Jesus, unbelievers will afflict His people as well (John 15:18-25). Yet we look to Jesus the Author and Perfecter of our faith, clinging to God when enemies assail us.
Persecution is to be expected, not viewed as something strange for the Christian. When we suffer for Christ’s sake we can trust God is at work! All Christians should expect the way of the cross in this life- to be a daily living sacrifice pleases our Father. Instead of asking “why is this happening?” we must ask “what would You have me do today?” and walk in obedience. No matter how small or insignificant your obedience may seem, the loving Lord sees all. Continue to do good and place your faith in the One who loves you best. Jesus sacrificed Himself for sinners to have eternal peace with God. Set your gaze in His Word, asking the Lord to help your unbelief, doubts, or fears when you are weary and downcast. His statutes will provide comfort and wisdom to those who seek Him.
“Save me, for I am Yours; I have sought out Your precepts.” -Psalm 119:94
This cry for deliverance comes from one assured of his standing before God. The psalmist belongs to God. Knowing that the Lord will not forsake His own, the psalmist uses his adopted status as part of his plea for help. All believers have this privilege. We can confidently come to the Throne of Grace in our time of need, assured the Lord has heard us. This is our soul calm, the truth we rest in even when external circumstances swirl in chaotic warfare. God is with us, our refuge and strength, an ever present help in times of trouble. He is never late to a rescue mission, as His divine timetable and ways are always perfect.
We wait with confident hope for God to fulfill all His promises, trusting in His goodness. If God’s children are considered the apple of His eye, then rest assured He has not forgotten you. In the “already and not yet” timeframe, let us persevere in keeping God’s holy precepts. His work on Earth is still not done. Our Father calls us to faithfully serve alongside Him to the very end.
“I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have preserved my life.” -Psalm 119:93
Precepts are man’s moral obligations as we are joined with God. Christians represent Christ and therefore imitate His character, following God’s command to be good stewards of all He has given us (Genesis 1:26-28). Yet one of the greatest snares to holy living is forgetfulness. I forget every day where I placed my phone or if I responded back to a text. But spiritual amnesia is far worse. Think of how many times in Scripture the Lord commands His people to “Remember”. The psalmist declares he will not forget God’s precepts. Like Christian in Pilgrims’s Progress, when we step off the narrow path forgetting how God has called us to live, we are headed down the wide road of destruction, and just might end up in the clutches of one Giant Despair! God’s commands are for our own good. They keep us from destroying ourselves, preserve our souls, and sustain consecrated holiness.
On this side of the cross, you and I have the privilege of remembering what Christ has done for sinners and sufferers. We remember the bloody cross and God’s mercy. We remember that Jesus paid the believer’s sin debt once and for all. We remember Who we belong to. We remember that this place is not our home but Jesus is preparing a place for us with Him. We remember and believe and do not despair. The Gospel saves our souls, allowing us to live out the precepts God graciously provides for His children.
June 24, 2022 was a day for celebration when Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court. America has celebrated her independence as a nation every year on July 4th since 1776. Sadly, there are American Christians today acknowledging these landmark occasions with a tepid response. Ever since Donald Trump entered the White House, a group of academic theologians (along with mainstream media) formed a vocal stand against his presidency. His moral failings were too visible, his charisma rating too low. This man was hated by the hard left, a source of embarrassment to many on the right. And yet God saw fit to use this former tv reality star/millionaire, a loose canon, to enforce moral law, or at the very least stand with morality. When do you remember another president attending a pro-life rally? Well, Trump was the first president to do so. God then providentially gives this same man the power to appoint three Supreme Court Justices over his four year term. Those justices went on to overrule the legality of abortion on the federal government level, thereby overturning Roe v. Wade.
Christians should have united together in celebration after the last few years of intense cracked fault lines in the Church. We have not seen eye to eye on Critical Race Theory, Covid mandates or what to do about the Southern Baptist Convention. But this- the ending of free reign on child murder, the thousands of people who have fought and prayed for decades, for voters to finally decide in each state and not a heavy-handed government interpreting what existence is through bogus arguments- abortion is finally receding into the shadows and where was the party?
Twitter did not blow up with shouts of praise that fateful June day, at least not from the cultural Christian elites. Some churches did not even publicly praise God for His mercy on the unborn generations. If anything, there was an obligatory whisper of thanksgiving sandwiched somewhere in the prayer of general blessings. We have prayed more for the war on Ukraine from the pulpit than praised God for this victory in ending the war against unborn children in our own country.
The connection between the lukewarm celebrations in the overturn of Roe v. Wade and Independence Day is stemmed I believe, from ungrateful hearts. “Christian nationalism” is used as a slur toward Christians who openly thank God for the blessings on America. This does not mean we worship our country and replace God’s rightful authority, nor does it mean patriotic believers are looking for a political Messiah. But the spirit of the age is to hate all America stands for, which happens to be rooted in Biblical morals, and reconstruct it with anti-Biblical policies. At the very least we seem embarrassed by our citizenship. Yes, there are stains of sin in America’s history just like every other nation. America has never been so self-righteous as to not acknowledge this. Quite the opposite, as many Americans have sought to abolish, rectify and heal the wrongs done specifically with slavery and racial injustices of the past. Yet some loud voices of today would have us move backward in history to carry guilt we are not culpable for, and create disunity from a false reality in 2022.
We who live in America have a lot to be thankful for. I have personally never known anything but a free country. I can go to the grocery store and see stocked shelves, buy whatever I need or want. You and I can attend church without fear of imprisonment or losing our lives. We can speak freely in the public square. We have the privilege to vote for leaders we think are best suited for the job. We have enjoyed decades of peacetime on American soil.
I believe these abundant blessings have caused us to not only love the gifts more than the Giver, but to expect them. Just as the Israelites were given responsibility to keep God’s commands when He gave them the land of Canaan, so we too have a responsibility to be good stewards with what God has given us. Israel rejected God’s authority, allowing idolatry into their worship. The prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah speak in great length about God’s discipline toward wayward Israel and His mercy to bring them back. God is just and compassionate. I am not saying America is the new Israel but I do think there are lessons to be learned from the past. It is good to look at history to see how man repeats his errors and what God does to restore fellowship. Ultimately, God redeems rebel hearted sinners through Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection.
Let us not forget the Lord our God in this free land. The freedoms we enjoy are a blessing from God. We are to take these gifts with solemn responsibility and joy, not with a sense of entitlement or shame. May we repent of the sins of apathy and pride. God has seen fit to begin purging America of the evil of abortion- praise God! We have much to be thankful for in the United States. Let us not be ashamed of those blessings but rejoice. There is everything right and Christian in celebrating Independence Day. When Congress voted to approve the resolution for independence on July 2nd, 1776, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail,
The second day of July 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.[8]
It wasn’t until two days later on July 4th when Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, the day we observe as a national holiday.
God has shed His grace on this country. He alone is to be praised on this day as we celebrate freedom as a nation. Do not rob God the praise which is due Him. He works through unlikely men and women to accomplish his purposes. Who are we to keep silent, refusing to acknowledge His hand of mercy and grace? Take John Adam’s advice and observe this day with gratitude over God Almighty’s blessings on America. My husband and I have taken this weekend to watch the John Adamsmini-series. It is well done and worth watching to remember God’s remarkable hand of providence in bringing about a nation which celebrates freedom and liberty. Praise God.
“Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve You.” -Psalm 119:91
This verse nicely compliments the previous two verses. The psalmist is still praising God for the endurance of His Word. God in His lovingkindness has proved Himself faithful over the course of human history to reveal His Truth to us. We would be eternally lost if the Lord had not left His instruction on how to find Him. What does the Bible say on how to find God? Jesus said, “I AM The Way, and The Truth, and The Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6). If we want to know God and His ways of saving faith, we need not look any further than His Son Jesus Christ (John 17).
All things serve God as well. Even a soul which does not know or acknowledge their Creator, God in His Sovereignty can use whatever tool He pleases for His purpose. The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart to accomplish His plan in redeeming enslaved Israel through Moses (Romans 9:14-24). God appointed Cyrus, a pagan ruler of Persia, to allow the Jews to return to Israel after 70 years of captivity. Isaiah even prophecies Cyrus’ role in Jewish history, calling him by name, 150 years before Cyrus was even born:
“This is what the Lord says to His anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of to subdue nations before him and to strip kings of their armor, to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut: I will go before you and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge Me.” (Isaiah 45:1-4)
God gives each of us a will which He can use in His foreknowledge for His purpose. Nothing takes the Father by surprise, there is no ‘plan B’. This is the beautiful mystery of man’s will and God’s sovereignty at work. Praise God He allows us to mine the depths of His revealed wisdom. Yet I believe we have only begun to scratch the surface of this incomprehensible, indescribable, unchanging Lord of all. In writing his letter to the Roman church, Paul stops two-thirds of the way and exclaims,
“Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever! Amen.” (Romans 11:33-36)
“Your faithfulness continues through all generations; You established the earth, and it endures.” -Psalm 119:90
There will always be a remnant to proclaim the wonders of God from one generation to the next. God’s Word has promised this. It is part of the Lord’s faithfulness to us. Our duty as Christians is the amazing privilege of working with the Lord, serving Him by going and telling others the Gospel. We get to disciple our children, training them in the way they should go, not merely to be outstanding citizens in society but learn what it means to die to self and follow Christ. If believers refuse to obey these commands, taking them seriously, then we not only lose rewards in Heaven but will be held accountable for our sins of omission (James 4:17; James 1:22-25; Matthew 12:47; Luke 11:42). The rocks will cry out and praise Him if we do not. Creation will testify to its Maker more than it already does because all of creation is made to worship (Luke 19:40; Colossians 1:16; Psalm 148).
God doesn’t need us, but desires to include us in His good purpose, loving His own dearly. Whether we obey or not, His Name, His World, will endure until He is ready to change the current Earth and Heaven into something new (Revelation 21:1). God does nothing half-way. He has firmly established His Creation, His people, His Word- and now we actively wait in eager anticipation of the Lord’s promises fulfilled at the end of this Age, the Era of Grace (Romans 8:19-25).
“Your Word, O Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the Heavens.” -Psalm 119:89
Each verse in Psalm 119 is a beautiful stand alone prayer framed as a plea, or a confession, of adoration, or thanksgiving. Here the psalmist praises in adoration the true and trustworthy Word of God. He proclaims God’s words are eternal. The Scriptures are truly our most treasured possession as Christians. God did not anoint us as pilgrims and then leave us alone to figure everything out. He has given us His own instructions, which if we follow them, will lead to goodness and mercy all the days of our lives and into eternal glory.
God’s Word is eternal. It will never be irrelevant or forgotten in human history as thousands of other books have. Even when we fade and wither, returning back to the earth, God’s Word stands forever (Isaiah 40:6-8). The Bible is the one book which leads to everlasting life, because of whom it points to. Jesus Christ is The Way, The Truth, The Life (John 14:6). All of Scripture points to Him as the Redeemer of mankind. What blessing, what mercy, for us to have the Bible at our fingertips.
redeemed in grace 