Psalm 119

The Pruning Effect -part 1

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“Do good to Your servant according to Your Word, O Lord.

Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in Your commands.

Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey Your Word.

You are good, and what You do is good; teach me Your decrees.

Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep Your precepts with all my heart.

Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in Your law.

It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn Your decrees.

The law from Your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold.”

-Psalm 119:65-72 (Teth)

God’s Word is relevant today as when the authors of Scripture wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit over two thousand years ago. Human nature has not changed and therefore we benefit from it’s truths in the 21st century as the first readers did. Particularly here, it is refreshing how the psalmist is not afraid to express emotion, showing his deep devotion to God our Father. He knows who he is in the Lord. Yahweh isn’t only his portion but his identity. He belongs to God. Even under affliction and persecution the psalmist is resolute in trusting the Lord, loving Him and following Him as he declares God’s goodness.

In your experiences of rejection, isolation or being maligned, count them as blessings in disguise. The Lord has allowed me to personally experience depression in order that I might be refined. His ways are always good even when we don’t understand. There is great joy and honor in sanctification. It means there is purpose in pain.

God our Father allowed His own Son to endure hateful rejection from others. Men and women still scoff at Christ our Savior. Yet Jesus died on a cruel cross to make a way for those who seek Him. He knows what it is like to walk this earth as a Man. He sympathizes with our struggles because Jesus was “tempted in every way, just as we are- yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

The result of pursuing God in adversity is in the last verse. The psalmist’s fellowship with the Lord is deepened, his love sweetened, as his Friend and Comforter becomes all the more dear to him. The writer of Psalm 119 has learned to look at his afflictions with acceptance knowing God will use it for His glory and the psalmist’s eternal good.

Grace upon grace,

April

Grow deeper: John 15:1-2; Isaiah 53:3; 10-12; Hebrews 4:14-16

Divine Love -part 2

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“You are my portion, O Lord; I have promised to obey Your words.

I have sought Your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your promise.

I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to Your statutes.

I will hasten and not delay to obey Your commands.

Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget Your law.

At midnight I rise to give You thanks for Your righteous laws.

I am a friend to all who fear You, to all who follow Your precepts.

The earth is filled with Your love, O Lord; teach me Your decrees.”

-Psalm 119:57-64 Heth

In this octave the psalmist is prompted to think and turn toward God’s righteousness (verse 59; line 3 above). This is helpful for all Christians as we grow in faith. Anyone who desires to know the Lord and abide with Him will first meditate on His truth revealed in the Written Word. After considering, praying, and possibly wrestling over a text, we then respond to it. Everyone reacts. It may be you remain unmoved and apathetic to the Scriptures. Or you leave the pages a changed soul, even the slightest move toward our Lord rather than drifting away from His Presence. No one is stagnant. This is the beauty of the Bible. It is living and active and will reveal our inner thoughts and motives. What do we think about God? Do we believe the Bible is true? Can we trust in Jesus to save and keep us for eternity?

The psalmist contemplates how he is living before God. What an encouragement to know even the writer of Psalm 119 needs the Lord to refine him. He might even echo the prayer in Psalm 139:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (vv. 23-24)

The psalmist has meditated and responds to the truth he knows. We are all invited to do the same:

Think of God’s ocean of mercy toward us, known and loved by Him before the foundation of the world.

Think of His favor by allowing us to seek His face.

Think of His shepherding love and faithfulness.

Think of how undeserving we are.

Think of how sin clings to us like tar.

Think of your private and public life before God.

Turn in humility.

Turn in need of God’s grace.

Turn to the One who forgives, saves, restores.

Turn and praise our Creator, Redeemer and Friend.

 

Grace upon grace,

April 

Divine Love -part 1

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“You are my portion, O Lord; I have promised to obey Your words.

I have sought Your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your promise.

I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to Your statutes.

I will hasten and not delay to obey Your commands.

Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget Your law.

At midnight I rise to give You thanks for Your righteous laws.

I am a friend to all who fear You, to all who follow Your precepts.

The earth is filled with Your love, O Lord; teach me Your decrees.”

-Psalm 119:57-64 Heth

Faith is active. In every verse the psalmist lives out his love for God by his actions, praying for the Lord’s help- more grace, more understanding. The first verse sets the tone for the section. God is his portion. The Lord is everything to him. It isn’t a cold transaction between a servant and his master, but love like a child has for his father. Young children often trust their fathers without question. They may think of their dad as a superhero who never gets tired and can do no wrong. Not until we mature do we see the humanity in our earthly fathers, which should lead us to the Perfect Father we desired all along. Oh for the faith of a child. They often take the ones they love at their word, without wringing their hands over the possible ‘what-if’ scenarios. This childlike, peace-filled love is how Adam loved God before the Fall, walking with Him in the cool of the day. 

The love God has toward His children goes deeper than any friendship or romantic love. It is love in the purest sense of the word, untainted with sin. God IS the very definition of love. It is deep fellowship love with the One who made us and loved us first. He knows us most intimately, not only how He created us physically, but also how we think and feel.

Most are too dull, too satisfied with the things of this life to taste divine love. C.S. Lewis is famously known for his quote:

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” -The Weight of Glory 

Oh for more grace to have our eyes opened to such sweetness with the Father. Oh for more understanding to know His ways and follow the One who loves us best. 

Grace upon grace,

April 

Grow deeper: 1 John 4:11-17

 

Practicing Holiness

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“This has been my practice: I obey Your precepts.” -Psalm 119:56

The truth is not hidden from God’s children. He has graciously opened our eyes to His revealed Word to mine the depths of His riches. This is our blessing. God instills His wisdom in each redeemed saint for us to put into practice what we now know. God has made a life of faith very practical by laying out His precepts for us to follow. 

God knows we cannot live out His ways in our own strength so He also gave us His Counselor to help us walk the narrow way. We are happy and holy within the walls of God’s commands. As we remain faithful to practice holiness, not out of legalism but a sincere desire to be conformed to the likeness of Christ, the Lord will add more wisdom and deeper fellowship to a life in joyful obedience.

Remembering in the Dark

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“In the night I remember Your Name, O Lord, and I will keep Your law.” -Psalm 119:55

This is the third and final use of the word remember for this octave. The first instance is an opening plea for the Lord to remember the psalmist. The last two are from the psalmist as he recalls clinging to God’s truth in times of trial and calm, wherever he goes, in the daytime or at night lying on his bed. The Lord is his portion in all circumstances.

Whether the psalmist means a literal darkness or a season of affliction we do not know. The use of the word ‘night’ communicates vulnerability. We cannot see in the dark so our enemies have an advantage. 

Last night my husband and I watched the movie Greyhound starring Tom Hanks. It takes place during WWII during the Battle of the Atlantic. Naval ships escorted a merchant convoy ship carrying supplies for the Allied Forces, a crucial role in winning the war. Air cover protection dropped out of range crossing the Mid-Atlantic gap, also known as The Black Pit. For 36 hours the Allied ships steered through darkness without outside security. German U-boats used this vulnerability to their advantage. The Greyhound ship presses on toward an unseen enemy. 

Likewise, the psalmist will not let even the dark deter his commitment to the Lord. He will not fear but entrusts his soul to the Sovereign God. King David voiced a similar resolve in Psalm 3-4. He would not let his enemies put iron in his heart or cause him to panic. David declares, “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8). When we remember the ways of God- His truth, His character and His promises become a shield of defense against any foe.

Grace upon grace,

April 

The Song of the Lord

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“Your decrees are the theme of my song wherever I lodge.” -Psalm 119:54

There have been times in history when being a Christian or owning a Bible was a crime. Sadly this is still true in parts of the world today dominated by Communism, Islam, Hinduism or another false worldview. When Christianity is under attack how do God’s people persevere? Christians possess a treasure no enemy of God can ever steal. We carry His words of Truth with us wherever we go. Those who love God cherish His decrees and familiarize themselves with passages of Scripture, memorizing portions to draw upon in times of need or thanksgiving. The believer’s quiver should have arrows full of hymns, psalms, spiritual songs and Scripture embedded in their hearts. This is the only way to battle spiritual warfare within and endure persecution of any kind. It is also how we mutually encourage our brothers and sisters in Christ.

In the film Tortured for Christ, Richard Wurmbrand, a Romanian Lutheran minister during World War II was imprisoned and tortured for fourteen years. He publicly declared Communism and Christianity to be incompatible with one another. Wurmbrand continued preaching although Romania had a policy of state atheism. He also rescued Jews. The result was his imprisonment. How did his spirit remain unbroken by the Communist regime? He prayed for his enemies; he had a verse about fear for every day of the year to recite. Wurmbrand carried the song of the Lord in his heart even to prison.

He and other fellow believers huddled together in their cells singing praise songs to God while using their chains as musical instruments to keep a beat. Often a guard would barge in, take one of them away to be beaten and then dispense the saint back into his cell. It did not deter these Christians. The songs in their hearts could not be stamped out. God had so captivated their love they considered Him worthy of such persecution.

The psalmist also knew what it was like to endure injustice and lies, watching wickedness triumph for a time, yet he too carried the song of the Lord in his heart wherever he went. Later in history another innocent man would suffer at the hands of others. This time it would change the world. Jesus the Son of God bore our sins on the cross so that we might truly live. The persecution our Savior experienced has given eternal life to many. This is our blessing, our joy and peace as God’s people.

Grace upon grace,

April

Grow deeper: Isaiah 53; Matthew 10:24-28; Colossians 3:15-17; 1 Peter 2:19-25

‘Tortured for Christ’ trailer clip

The Voice of the Martyrs

Righteous Anger

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“Indignation grips me because of the wicked, who have forsaken Your law.” -Psalm 119:53

Sinful nature has not changed. There are creatures who rebel against their Creator, reaping the consequences of sin which will last longer than our earthly dot of existence. The psalmist is zealous for God, and as he sees the apathy, the hatred toward his God he is appalled and angry. The wicked forsake God’s way because it is their nature bound in sin. We are all born sinners, not able to do good or even seek God on our own unless He seeks us first. “It is by grace you have been saved through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). God’s rich mercy saves the hell-bound sinner when that soul comes to faith in Christ alone.

The law serves its purpose as a mirror to reflect the inner man, revealing to us our need of a Greater Adam than the one in Eden. Those who openly reject and mock God stir in our hearts grief, pity and righteous anger. The Christian hates what God hates and loves what He loves. What does God hate? Our sin. What does He love? People created in His own image. Although the sinful lives of the children of Satan should cause within us righteous anger for God’s honor, remember how the Lord has been long-suffering with you. We were once far from God yet He set His love on us unworthy though we are. God mercifully opened our spiritual sight so that we might truly see for the first time and live as new creations. We do not overlook or make excuses for sin, but rather approach it as God does rather than react from the flesh. He is slow to anger, abounding in steadfast love. Let this be our example too. 

Grace upon grace,

April 

Grow deeper: Psalm 14; Psalm 103:8-19; 2 Peter 3:9

Holiness made Flesh

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“I remember Your ancient laws, O Lord, and I find comfort in them.” -Psalm 119:52

The psalmist remembers the ancient laws of the Torah. The first five books of Scripture were written by Moses, and considered very precious to the Israelites like the psalmist. He sees God’s hand of faithfulness at work in Israel’s redemptive history. The psalmist gazes intently on God’s laws drawing comfort from them. 

In reading through the Old Testament laws the common theme of the Lord’s holiness and justice emerges. Our God is Holy. Holy. Holy. He demands holiness from us. How is this comforting for people who daily fail God’s standard? Because He made a way for us to come to Him. God is perfectly just and will pour out wrath on all His enemies. But God who is rich in mercy will dwell with His redeemed saints. This is why God the Father sent His Son to be a propitiation for our sins, interceding for us as a High Priest (Hebrews 10:1-23). It is not that we could ever approach Him on our own merit, in our own strength. He had to become approachable for us to ever come to Christ. Remembering God’s laws are good as we see His holiness proclaimed. 

Our comfort is this- Jesus died for sinners so that we might share in His holiness, imperfectly now, yet one day free from the effects of sin, enjoying perfect holy fellowship with the One who loves us best. 

Grace upon grace,

April

Grow deeper: John 1:14; 2 Corinthians 3:7-18; 1 John 3:1-3; 1 Corinthians 13:12

A Better Friend

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“The arrogant mock me without restraint, but I do not turn from Your law.” -Psalm 119:51

The arrogant mock what they do not understand. The psalmist was persecuted in this manner for living set apart, contrasting his convictions with the indulgent flesh. The unrepentant may enjoy temporal blessings, as God blesses the righteous and unrighteous with common grace. But the psalmist takes the long view, an eternal perspective which steers the rudder of his ship. It is easy to let rejection from peers cause us to despair. But we have a true and better friend in our Lord who is always patient with us, gentle and unchanging. His friendship is sealed with the blood of Christ, one that cannot be broken but will last in eternal fellowship. 

Take comfort in the psalmist’s example. As the dogs of Satan pressed in, he clings even more to Truth. The Living Word protects, sustains, loves and befriends saints seeking refuge.

Grace upon grace,

April 

Grow deeper: Deuteronomy 33:26-27; Psalm 9

‘Come Behold the Wondrous Mystery’ by Keith and Kristyn Getty

Compassionate Grace

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“My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.” -Psalm 119:50

The Lord comforts all who put their hope in Him. Especially in our trials, God is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. He knows our frame, considering our weaknesses (Psalm 139:1-18). One of the greatest comforts a believer can have is remembering our Savior knows what it is like to suffer. Not only was Christ misunderstood and rejected, He was persecuted for our sake, even to death on a cross. Yet in all of this He did not sin in order to perfectly fulfill the Law as a spotless Sacrifice for our atonement. This is the great promise which preserves our souls. 

The psalmist looked forward to the coming of His King, yet today we have the privilege of looking back to see how God’s promise in Christ was fulfilled. The Messiah has come and welcomes suffering hell-bound sinners to Himself in order that we may be washed clean in the blood of the Lamb. Jesus is a man acquainted with grief, stricken with sorrow so that He could be the High Priest able to sympathize with us in our frailty. It is for this reason we are able to approach the Throne of Grace with confidence in our time of need. Yet our greatest comfort is the hope of promise we still look forward to. Christ has come but He is coming again. One day this life will be no more and our forever home, bound up in His Glory will take its place. 

Blessed are You, O Lord, who comforts us in our afflictions because You shared in our humanity. The eternal gift of life in You preserves our hearts which would melt like wax under life’s trials apart from our Comforter and Savior.

Grace upon grace,

April 

Grow deeper: Isaiah 53; Hebrews 4:15-16; Hebrews 11:13-16;32-40