Strathalbyn Church of Christ

Sermon on Psalm 119:17 – 24, Gimel ג. (Third in a series).

Rev Des Arthur. Strathalbyn Church of Christ. 4 Sept 2022.

Prayer: Come down, O Love divine, seek thou this soul of mine,
and visit it with thine own ardour glowing; O Comforter, draw near,
within my heart appear and kindle it, thy Holy flame bestowing.

God is beyond finding out:

It’s interesting to note that animals in a paddock gravitate towards and congregate with their own kind. People seem to do the same thing. We meet with people that we feel comfortable with. People with the same or similar interests. Conversely, we find it difficult to mix with people who are different to us. There are three distinct responses when God’s Word is proclaimed.

· There are those who just don’t understand

· There are those who find fault and disagree

· There are those who hear what God is saying. And cannot get enough

He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches, Rev 3:13.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart, Hb 4:12.

So with the Word of God, we are either drawn to it or we are set apart from it. So the Psalmist opens in the first line of this prayer with a powerful purpose.

Psalm 119:17 - “Be good to Your servant while I live, that I may obey Your word.”

Dependence on God:

The Psalmist is identifying himself as a servant. The servant class was pretty much the lowest of the low. They had no rights of their own. Their existence was to do the master’s bidding. The Psalmist recognises that he would have no worth, outside of God’s Court. He wants to be counted as one of the Elect - in the select number.

It’s essential to remember that when God’s Spirit comes into our life, we are transformed as a New Creation. We are no longer our own to live, as we would choose. We become God’s servant to obey his Word. Our life is not our own. Now, this is not a life of sufferance and indifference, but a life of freedom.

So now the life that we would choose is to do the master’s will. We are now free to come into God’s presence as a son or daughter, of the King.

Psalm 119:18 - “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law.”

When we ask God to open our eyes, we are asking him to change our misunderstanding of his word from our subjective perspective to his eternal purpose. When we come to God’s Word, we come as fallen creatures. There is no way that we sinners can understand the purity and depth of God.

So, this prayer is asking God that he will allow us into His inner chamber and see things from his heavenly perspective instead of from our natural limited deformed fallen misunderstandings.

By nature, we tend to interpret God’s word in one of two ways:

1. Traditional: We interpret God’s Word from what we believe.

We must question the validity of our belief – by the truth and context of scripture. In other words, who cares what we believe? The question is what does God say?

2. Emotional: We tend to interpret God’s Word from a sympathetic emotional perspective.

We try to make God’s Word inclusive to everybody. But unless God is speaking through the words we read, the reality of that Word will remain hidden. Whenever God speaks, the true meaning of the message will be revealed. God’s Word speaks personally to the individual.

These two interpretations are the thin edge of the wedge to great “heresies”, and misinterpretation.

So, the Psalmist understands this, and he asks God to show him the truth - the Glory and the Grace of the character of God - which by nature he cannot have unless God gives him access into his presence.

Psalm 119:19 – “I am a stranger on earth; do not hide Your commands from me”.

Verse 18 naturally flows into verse 19. Having received a view of the Glory ahead, the Psalmist is more aware of his present position.

“I am a stranger here within a foreign land,

my home is far away upon a golden strand;

Ambassador to be of realms beyond the sea,

I’m here on business for my King.”

The Psalmist recognises that he is a misfit. He just does not fit into the worldly culture.

· Do you ever feel like that?

· Where is our comfort zone? Is it in the things of the world or things pertaining to the spiritual realm?

15 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. 16 For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. 1 John 2:15 - 17

Do you ever feel estranged to the worldly system? Do you ever feel that you don’t fit in?

Psalm 119:20 “My soul is consumed with longing for Your laws at all times.”

No wonder we feel uncomfortable with the worldly system!

We are in the world but not of the world.

And be not conformed to this world: but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Living in you) – Rom 12:2.

So the Psalmist says: “My soul is consumed with longing for Your laws at all times.”

Psalm 119:21 - “You rebuke the arrogant, who are accursed, those who stray from Your commands.”

The Judgement: of God, is on all disobedience.

God is “Just”: it’s part of His character.

He will not let the guilty go unpunished, Ex 34:7.

6God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7and give relief to you who are troubled and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from Heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels. 8He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 2 Thess 1:6-8.

We need to acknowledge God in all our ways. For without Him we have nowhere else to go.

In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He will direct thy paths, Prov 3: 6.

Personal attack on the Faithful servant:

Psalm 119:22 - “Remove from me their scorn and contempt, for I keep Your statutes.”

In this verse the Psalmist Identifies to which camp he is giving his allegiance. The Psalmist here calls on God, to silence the critics of the Word. Those who are arrogant and those who reject God’s ways. The critics of the Word, have a profound effect on the messenger, in two ways.

· Physically: it’s very tiring on the messenger. It is wearing on the mental state of the messenger

· Spiritually: We are in a spiritual battle. If we are people of the Word, we are going to have opposition.

The people who oppose the Word of God don’t attack the Word. They attack the messenger. We are called upon to pray for those who deliver the Word of God. We need to pray that Satan will be bound.

Défense against Criticism:

Psalm 119:23 “Though rulers sit together and slander me, Your servant will meditate on Your decrees.”

One of the recurring themes is in v 23 – meditate

Though rulers sit together and slander, Conversely the servant will meditate on Your decrees

Because:

Psalm 119:24 “Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.”

I depend on you for my very existence – without you I am nothing.

It is not very often we hear someone say that statutes or rules are their delight. We listen to people complain about laws and decrees most of the time. There is this level of pride in all of us where we think we are above rules and regulations and should have an exemption. As God’s people we must learn to love God’s ways and let them lead and guide us. Delight means to have great pleasure, it means that we are fully submitted to God and his statutes, his decrees and his will. So, this brings us back to verse 17.

Psalm 119:17 - “Be good to Your servant while I live, that I may obey Your word.”

Series: Psalm 119

Topics: #Psalm 119