Psalm 119:1-24

Sunday Morning Bible Study

March 28, 2004

Introduction

Psalm 119 is the longest psalm and the longest chapter of the entire Bible.

It is an acrostic psalm

The verses are in groups of eight.

Each group begins with the same letter, the first group starting with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet (aleph), and for the most part, each line begins with a different word that starts with that first letter. Then the next eight start with the next letter (beth), and so on until there are 22 sections of eight verses.

We think this was done as a way of teaching the alphabet.

It is an “ode” to the Word of God.

There are only two verses (Ps. 119:122,132) where the Word of God aren’t mentioned. All the rest of the verses contain a reference to the Word of God.

The Word of God is going to be referred to by a number of various synonyms. It will be called the “law”, “word”, “saying”, “commandment”, “statutes”, “judgments”, “precepts”, “testimony”, “way”, and “path”.

The psalm is for the most part a “prayer”. The psalmist seems to have been having difficulties, particularly with people who were of high rank or influence, people who ridiculed his faith and were trying to get him to give up his beliefs.

:1-8 ALEPH - Blessings from obeying the Word

:1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way

blessed – ‘esher – happiness, blessedness

:6 when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

All thy commandments, not just the ones I pick

:2-8 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies

Lesson

Happiness

There can be a lot of reasons for depression:

Illustration

Wrong Answer?!

The psychology instructor had just finished a lecture on mental health and was giving an oral test. Speaking specifically about manic depression, she asked, “How would you diagnose a patient who walks back and forth screaming at the top of his lungs one minute, then sits in a chair weeping uncontrollably the next?” A young man in the rear raised his hand and answered, “A basketball coach?”

It is not a sin to be depressed, but sometimes the reason for our sadness can be traced directly back to sin and disobedience. David wrote:

(Psa 32:3 NLT) When I refused to confess my sin, I was weak and miserable, and I groaned all day long.

In contrast, David also wrote,

(Psa 1:1-3 KJV) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. {2} But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. {3} And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Happiness comes from God’s Word – reading – obeying

Illustration

A recent study is recommending new strategies to reduce the currently high numbers of U.S. children who are suffering from emotional and behavioral problems such as depression, anxiety, attention deficit, conduct disorders, and thoughts of suicide. The recommendations are based on recent scientific findings suggesting that children are biologically "hardwired" for enduring attachments to other people and for moral and spiritual meaning. More info is available at http://www.americanvalues.org

Hardwired for Meaning

A smaller but still significant body of research also shows that people are "hardwired" for meaning, born with a built-in capacity and drive to ask the ultimate questions about life's purpose: Why am I here? What is the purpose of my life? How should I live? What will happen when I die? Across time and cultures, this distinctively human pursuit has been closely connected to spiritual seeking and experience and to religious belief and practice. Using brain imaging, neuroscientists Eugene dAquili and Andrew B. Newberg have found that the same part of the brain that underlies the human need to seek answers to what is true about life's deepest questions also underlies many spiritual and religious experiences. In other words, the pursuit of meaning appears to be physiologically linked to spiritual and religious seeking.

To date the influence of religion on U.S. young people has been "grossly understudied," according to Byron Johnson of the University of Pennsylvania. However, existing research is highly suggestive. For adolescents, religiosity is significantly associated with a reduced likelihood of both unintentional and intentional injury (both of which are leading causes of death for teenagers. Homicides, suicides and accidents account for 85 percent of all deaths among early to late adolescents). Religious teenagers are safer drivers and are more likely to wear seatbelts than their less religious peers. They are less likely to become juvenile delinquents or adult criminals. They are less prone to substance abuse. They are less likely to endorse engaging in high-risk behavior or the idea of enjoying danger.

On the positive side of the coin, religiously committed teenagers are more likely to volunteer in the community, to participate in sports and student government, to have high self-esteem and more positive attitudes about life. Much of this research is based on large national studies.

One religious quality that appears to be especially beneficial, in terms of mental health and lifestyle consequences, is what some scholars call personal devotion, or the young person's sense of participating in a "direct personal relationship with the Divine." Personal devotion among adolescents in associated with reduced risk-taking, more effectively resolving feelings of loneliness, greater regard for self and for others, and a stronger sense that life has meaning and purpose…

Bottom line? You’re going to be happier if you’re spending time in God’s Word, getting to know God, and learning to follow the things that He says.

:9-16 BETH - Cleansing from the Word

:9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?

God’s Word brings cleansing. Jesus said,

(John 15:3 KJV) Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

:15 I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

meditate – siyach – to put forth, mediate, muse, commune, speak, complain, ponder, sing

(Ps 119:15 The Message) I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you, I attentively watch how you’ve done it.

:11-16 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

hid – tsaphan – to hide, treasure, treasure or store up

Lesson

Cleansing power

We need help with sin. We love to sin.

Illustration

Dorm Rules

On the first day of college, the Dean addressed the students, pointing out some of the rules. “The female dormitory will be out-of-bounds for all male students, and the male dormitory to the female students. Anybody caught breaking this rule will be fined $20 the first time.” He continued, “Anybody caught breaking this rule the second time will be fined $60. Being caught a third time will incur a hefty fine of $180. Are there any questions?” At this point, a male student in the crowd inquired: “How much for a season pass?”

Cleansing

In this world that we live in, it’s not hard to acquire a filthy mind.

Illustration

Soap and Water

A fellow was asked to dinner by one of his friends who he knew as being a bad housekeeper. When he sat down at the table, he noticed that the dishes were the dirtiest that he had ever seen in his life. “Were these dishes ever washed?” he asked his hostess, running his fingers over the grit and grime. She replied, “They’re as clean as soap and water could get them”. He felt a bit apprehensive, but they prayed over the food anyway and started eating. It was really delicious and he said so, despite the dirty dishes. When dinner was over, the hostess took the dishes outside and yelled, “Here Soap! Here Water!”

We need a good detergent to wash our minds – to be “brainwashed” if you will – something a bit better than “soap” and “water”.

God’s Word is that detergent.

When you’ve been dwelling on yucky, filthy stuff – wash your mind out with God’s Word.

Paul wrote that Jesus “sanctifies and cleanses us with the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:26)

It’s the Word that tells us we have a sin problem. It’s the Word that tells us that we need a Savior. It’s the Word that tells us that Jesus died on a cross to pay for our sins. Cleansing starts with the Word, but cleansing also continues with the Word. Confess and be forgiven. Replace the filthy thoughts with clean thoughts.

Power

The real power against temptation comes from God’s Word.

Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. He answered the temptations with Scripture.

We ought to have inside our Bible: “This book will keep you from sin. Sin will keep you from this book.”

If you want greater power to handle temptation, pay attention.

The writer gives us a couple of ideas of how this power comes from the Word into our lives:

Memorize (vs. 11)

Hide it in your heart

Don’t just memorize any old verse. Look for verses that will help you with what you’re struggling with.

When Jesus quoted Scripture to Satan, He quoted verses that applied to the temptation.

You could start with Psalm 119:11. Maybe 1Cor. 10:13.

Treasure (vs. 14)

Rejoice in it like all riches. Delight in it.

Just how valuable is God’s Word to you?

(Col 3:16 KJV) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

If it’s starting to get boring, try using a new translation.

Meditate (vs. 15)

Chew on it. Let it rattle around in your head. Spend time thinking on it.

:17-24 GIMEL

The Word is for the “stranger”, the one feeling out of place

:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

wondrous – pala’ – to be marvellous, be surpassing, be extraordinary

Lesson

Pray before reading

God’s Word is incredibly deep. Each time you read the Word, God gives fresh insight, if you ask.

God’s Word has a spiritual component. There’s an aspect of God’s Word that you just aren’t going to get apart from the work of the Holy Spirit.

(1 Cor 2:13-16 NLT) When we tell you this, we do not use words of human wisdom. We speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths. {14} But people who aren't Christians can't understand these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them because only those who have the Spirit can understand what the Spirit means. {15} We who have the Spirit understand these things, but others can't understand us at all. {16} How could they? For, "Who can know what the Lord is thinking? Who can give him counsel?" But we can understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.

There’s a sense in which our “spiritual eyes” need help with God’s Word. There are things we don’t see apart from the help of the Spirit.

When Samuel was a little boy helping Eli the priest in the Tabernacle, he began to hear voices at night (1Sam. 3). At first he thought Eli was calling to him, but it wasn’t Eli. It was God. Eli taught Samuel how to respond when he heard his name called, he was to say, “Speak Lord, I’m your servant”. When Samuel said this to the Lord, God spoke.

Does this mean that God will give us some sort of secret understanding to the Bible, that we’ll come up with some sort of hidden meaning that nobody’s ever heard of before?

This is not about secret codes or hidden meanings. The meaning of the Scriptures is very plain. The things you’ll see in one Scripture will be in other places in the Bible as well.

One of my concerns when I teach is that you might get the idea that you have to know Greek or Hebrew to get the real, secret meaning of Scripture. Not so. The Bible was written in Hebrew and Greek, and it helps knowing the languages, but it’s not necessary.

The primary understanding of the Scriptures that we need God to give us is not secret meanings, it’s how we ought to be applying God’s Word in our lives.

Illustration

Back in 1990, we were in the process of selling our condo and buying a new house, the house where we live today. We had put our condo up for sale and our realtor told us that we should probably be able to sell it within forty-five days. At the same time we found the house we wanted to buy and decided to put down our downpayment to hold the house. Maybe we didn’t do things completely correctly, but we got to a point where our condo hadn’t sold, nobody had even made an offer, and it was looking like we were going to have to make two loan payments. I was freaking out. I went to work on a Monday morning and was feeling a sense of panic. I hadn’t had my daily Quite Time, and I also hadn’t been talking to my wife about it all. I called up the realtor and asked him to back us out of the new house. I couldn’t go through with it. After hanging up with the realtor, I read my Bible. I was in the book of Deuteronomy at the time. Here’s what I read:

(Deu 1:21 KJV) Behold, the LORD thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.

I was reading this and having this strange sense that God was actually speaking to me out of His Word.

(Deu 1:25-26 KJV) And they took of the fruit of the land in their hands, and brought it down unto us, and brought us word again, and said, It is a good land which the LORD our God doth give us. {26} Notwithstanding ye would not go up, but rebelled against the commandment of the LORD your God:

The text is talking about how Israel was reluctant to take a step of faith and go into the Promised Land. I felt like I was doing the same thing, acting out of fear rather than faith.

I called the realtor and apologized. Our condo sold by the following Friday.

Pray before you read. God wants to speak to you. He wants you to be open to what He’s going to say.

:19 I am a stranger in the earth

stranger – ger – sojourner; a newcomer lacking inherited rights

:20 My soul breaketh for the longing …

breaketh – garac – to be crushed, be broken

:19-24 Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.

Lesson

When you don’t fit in.

Do you ever feel like a stranger on this planet?

In reality, we are. This world is not our home. Don’t get comfortable here.

It’s kind of like one of those science fiction movies where some spore gets injected into a person’s body and takes them over – they become the “alien”.

The seed from another planet is God’s Word. It gives us new life. We become adopted by God. Heaven becomes our new home.

(Heb 11:8-10 KJV) By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. {9} By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: {10} For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

(1 Pet 2:11 KJV) Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;

Sometimes we feel out of place because we’re uncomfortable with the things the world wants us to do.

Any old dead fish can float downstream (go with the flow). It takes a live fish to swim upstream, against the flow.

When God’s Word has been at work cleansing your life, you find you don’t quite fit in the world like you used to.

It’s supposed to be that way.