Weekly Sermon
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.”
Psalm 119 is the longest of the psalms, containing 176 verses. By the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, these 176 verses are divided into twenty-two sections of eight verses each. Under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, the psalmist employed the poetic device of an acrostic. In the Hebrew the first word of each verse of each section begins with the same letter. This pattern continues throughout the psalm from section to section for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet consecutively.
Often it has been said that the theme of Psalm 119 is the Word of God, and the Word of God is certainly a significant part of the subject matter throughout the entire psalm. However, there are a number of other significant subjects that also run throughout the psalm. First, throughout the psalm the psalmist presents himself as a servant of the Lord who is suffering for the Lord’s sake. Furthermore, throughout the psalm the psalmist expresses his own right relationship with the truth of God’s Word. Finally, throughout the psalm the psalmist indicates his desire to walk in fellowship with the Lord Himself through the truth of God’s Word. Thus the theme of Psalm 119 might be better viewed as – The desire of the Lord’s suffering servant to seek the Lord through His holy Word.
Psalm 119 begins with a pronouncement of the Lord’s blessing. This pronouncement establishes a foundation for the entire psalm, as the psalmist expresses his desire for the Lord’s blessing upon his life, whether it be the blessing of fellowship, the blessing of guidance, the blessing of deliverance, or the blessing of provision. Even so, Psalm 119:1-3 pronounces the blessing of the Lord, saying, “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.”
The opening line of verse 1 reveals that our Lord’s blessing will be poured out upon those who are “undefiled in the way” of their daily walk. Brethren, we can only expect our Lord’s blessing upon our lives when we walk in spiritual uprightness and blamelessness. We can only expect our Lord’s blessing upon our lives when we remain spiritually undefiled in our daily walk. Yet what is required for us to remain spiritually undefiled in our daily walk? Psalm 119:1-3 answers the question by revealing five ingredients to a spiritually undefiled walk. All five of these ingredients are necessary in order for us to maintain an undefiled character and conduct in the way of our daily walk.
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.”
Psalm 119 is the longest of the psalms, containing 176 verses. By the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, these 176 verses are divided into twenty-two sections of eight verses each. Under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit, the psalmist employed the poetic device of an acrostic. In the Hebrew the first word of each verse of each section begins with the same letter. This pattern continues throughout the psalm from section to section for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet consecutively.
Often it has been said that the theme of Psalm 119 is the Word of God, and the Word of God is certainly a significant part of the subject matter throughout the entire psalm. However, there are a number of other significant subjects that also run throughout the psalm. First, throughout the psalm the psalmist presents himself as a servant of the Lord who is suffering for the Lord’s sake. Furthermore, throughout the psalm the psalmist expresses his own right relationship with the truth of God’s Word. Finally, throughout the psalm the psalmist indicates his desire to walk in fellowship with the Lord Himself through the truth of God’s Word. Thus the theme of Psalm 119 might be better viewed as – The desire of the Lord’s suffering servant to seek the Lord through His holy Word.
Psalm 119 begins with a pronouncement of the Lord’s blessing. This pronouncement establishes a foundation for the entire psalm, as the psalmist expresses his desire for the Lord’s blessing upon his life, whether it be the blessing of fellowship, the blessing of guidance, the blessing of deliverance, or the blessing of provision. Even so, Psalm 119:1-3 pronounces the blessing of the Lord, saying, “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.”
The opening line of verse 1 reveals that our Lord’s blessing will be poured out upon those who are “undefiled in the way” of their daily walk. Brethren, we can only expect our Lord’s blessing upon our lives when we walk in spiritual uprightness and blamelessness. We can only expect our Lord’s blessing upon our lives when we remain spiritually undefiled in our daily walk. Yet what is required for us to remain spiritually undefiled in our daily walk? Psalm 119:1-3 answers the question by revealing five ingredients to a spiritually undefiled walk. All five of these ingredients are necessary in order for us to maintain an undefiled character and conduct in the way of our daily walk.
The ingredient of Submission.
The closing portion of Psalm 119:1 indicates that “the undefiled in the way” are those “who walk in the law of the LORD.” As selfish sinners, our natural tendency is to walk in and after the lust of our flesh. This walk in and after our selfish desires bring forth the spiritual defilement of sin in our lives, and this spiritual defilement of sin leads to spiritual destruction in our lives (James 1:15). However, if we desire our Lord’s blessing upon our lives, if we desire to remain spiritually undefiled in our lives, we must walk in and after “the law of the LORD.” Such a walk in and after “the law of the LORD” will require the submission of our own selfish will to our Lord’s righteous Word. To remain spiritually undefiled in the way, we must submit our hearts and our lives to be governed by the precepts and principles, statutes and standards, commandments and counsels of God’s holy Word. We must deny our selfish will, must submit ourselves to our Lord’s will, and must follow after the truth and teaching of His Word.
The ingredient of Obedience.
The opening portion of Psalm 119:2 indicates that “the undefiled in the way,” who are blessed of the Lord, are “they that keep his testimonies.” True submission of heart and life to our Lord’s righteous Word demonstrates itself in obedience. Without actual obedience in our conduct, our claim to submission is proven false. Therefore, Moses proclaimed unto the people of God Israel in the Old Testament passage of Deuteronomy 6:17, “Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee.” Therefore also, we who are the people of God today are instructed in the New Testament passage of James 1:22, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” Such obedience is “right and good in the sight of the LORD” (Deuteronomy 6:18). To remain spiritually undefiled in the way, we must obey the truth and teaching, the precepts and principles, statutes and standards, commandments and counsels of God’s holy Word.
The ingredient of Fellowship.
The closing portion of Psalm 119:2 indicates that “the undefiled in the way,” who are blessed of the Lord, are they “that seek him with the whole heart.” The Lord our God desires that we should seek with all our heart and with all our soul to walk in daily fellowship with Him. Thus in Jeremiah 29:13 He gives the promise, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” We should not simply seek His blessing. Above all else we should seek His fellowship. In fact, this is the foundational reason that we should walk in obedience to God’s holy Word, that we might walk in daily fellowship with the Lord our God and heavenly Father and with the Lord Jesus Christ our eternal Savior. In John 14:23 our Lord Jesus Christ delivered the principle and the promise, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.” To remain spiritually undefiled in the way, we must seek with our whole heart after the daily fellowship of our Lord.
The ingredient of Separation.
The opening portion of Psalm 119:3 indicates that “the undefiled in the way,” who are blessed of the Lord, are they that “also do no iniquity.” They purposefully separate themselves from the spiritual defilement. They purposefully separate themselves unto spiritual purity. They will not walk “in the counsel of the ungodly,” nor stand “in the way of sinners,” nor sit “in the seat of the scornful” (Psalm 1:1). They will “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness” (Ephesians 5:11). They will “flee also youthful lusts,” but will follow after “righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart” (2 Timothy 2:22). To remain spiritually undefiled in the way, we must separate ourselves from ways of sin, whether in attitude, word, or action. We must not let sin reign any longer in our daily lives, that we “should obey it in the lusts thereof” (Romans 6:12). We must not yield our members “as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin,” but we must yield ourselves unto God and our members “as instruments of righteousness unto God” (Romans 6:13).
The ingredient of Faithfulness.
The closing portion of Psalm 119:3 indicates that “the undefiled in the way,” who are blessed of the Lord, are they that “walk in his ways.” From verse 1 we learned that we are to “walk in the law of LORD.” The emphasis there was on the submission of our will to the Word of God. Here in verse 3 we learn that we are to walk in the ways of the Lord. The emphasis here is upon our faithfulness in the many ways (plural) of the Lord throughout our lives. We are not simply to submit and obey on occasional moments. We are not simply to walk in fellowship with the Lord and to separate ourselves from iniquity on occasional moments. We are to pursue these things continually throughout the moment-by-moment walk of our lifetime. To remain spiritually undefiled in the way, we must continue faithful in the continuing directions and ways of the Lord. We must continue faithful in submission to our Lord’s Word, in obedience to our Lord’s direction, in fellowship with our Lord Himself, and in separation from sinful ways.
Posted in Weekly Sermon, Psalms, Blessing of the Lord, Biblical Humility, Obedience to the Lord,
Fellowship with the Lord, Separation, Faithfulness
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