Weekly Sermon
This sermon is a companion to a previous sermon: In the Way of This Life - Psalm 119:1
Psalm 119:1-3 reads, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.”
In Psalm 119:1 we encounter the phrase “in the way.” With this phrase we are introduced to an important subject matter of this lengthy psalm; for Psalm 119 includes the words “way” and “ways” eighteen times and the word “path” two times. As we have noted in a previous message, the phrase “in the way” employs the words “the way” without any form of modification. Thus herein “the way” does not refer to any particular choice of way throughout this life, but to the way of this life itself. It refers to the fact that we all must travel along the pathway of this life. Furthermore, as we have considered in that previous message, the phrase “in the way” directs our attention upon three aspects of this life that we all must encounter. These three aspects of life are the matter of challenges, the matter of choices, and the matter of consequences.
Yet in Psalm 119:3 we encounter a different phrase at the end of the verse. It is the phrase “in his ways,” and it introduces us to another truth concerning our walk along the pathway of life. This phrase does include the modifier “his” before the word “ways.” As such, it refers in context to the way (or, ways) of our Lord. Throughout the psalm this way is further described as the way of His testimonies, the way of His precepts, the way of His commandments, the way of His statutes, and the way of truth. The intention of Psalm 119 is to exhort us and encourage us to choose this particular way, the way of our Lord, as the direction of our daily walk along each step of the way as we face life’s many different challenges. In addition, Psalm 119:1-3 reveals that the consequence for choosing the way of our Lord as the particular direction for our daily walk is that our Lord’s favor and blessing will be poured out upon our lives. So then, what is involved for us to follow the way of our Lord step by step in our daily walk? In this first part of the message, let us consider the first two of nine elements that are revealed in Psalm 119.
This sermon is a companion to a previous sermon: In the Way of This Life - Psalm 119:1
Psalm 119:1-3 reads, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.”
In Psalm 119:1 we encounter the phrase “in the way.” With this phrase we are introduced to an important subject matter of this lengthy psalm; for Psalm 119 includes the words “way” and “ways” eighteen times and the word “path” two times. As we have noted in a previous message, the phrase “in the way” employs the words “the way” without any form of modification. Thus herein “the way” does not refer to any particular choice of way throughout this life, but to the way of this life itself. It refers to the fact that we all must travel along the pathway of this life. Furthermore, as we have considered in that previous message, the phrase “in the way” directs our attention upon three aspects of this life that we all must encounter. These three aspects of life are the matter of challenges, the matter of choices, and the matter of consequences.
Yet in Psalm 119:3 we encounter a different phrase at the end of the verse. It is the phrase “in his ways,” and it introduces us to another truth concerning our walk along the pathway of life. This phrase does include the modifier “his” before the word “ways.” As such, it refers in context to the way (or, ways) of our Lord. Throughout the psalm this way is further described as the way of His testimonies, the way of His precepts, the way of His commandments, the way of His statutes, and the way of truth. The intention of Psalm 119 is to exhort us and encourage us to choose this particular way, the way of our Lord, as the direction of our daily walk along each step of the way as we face life’s many different challenges. In addition, Psalm 119:1-3 reveals that the consequence for choosing the way of our Lord as the particular direction for our daily walk is that our Lord’s favor and blessing will be poured out upon our lives. So then, what is involved for us to follow the way of our Lord step by step in our daily walk? In this first part of the message, let us consider the first two of nine elements that are revealed in Psalm 119.