Weekly Sermon
 
In Psalm 119:6 the psalmist gave the testimony, “Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.”  Furthermore, in verse 15 the psalmist expressed the commitment, “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.”  Finally, in verse 117 the psalmist expressed the commitment, “Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.”
 
In all three of these verses, we find the psalmist employing the verb “have respect” in relation to the Word and ways of the Lord.  Concerning the Word of the Lord, the psalmist declared in the closing portion of Psalm 119:6, “When I have respect unto all thy commandments [that is – unto all the commandments of the Lord’s Word].”  Concerning the ways of the Lord, the psalmist declared in the closing portion of verse 15, “And have respect unto thy ways.”  Then again concerning the Word of the Lord, the psalmist declared in the closing portion of verse 117, “And I will have respect unto thy statutes [that is – unto the statutes of the Lord’s Word] continually.”  So then, what does this verb “have respect” mean?  It means “to view with a high regard, to view as being worthy of high honor and priority affection, to hold a spirit of high regard, honor, esteem, and even love and joy toward someone or something.”  This is just the heart attitude that the psalmist, this young man of God, determined to have toward the Word and ways of the Lord.  Even so, this is just the heart attitude that we also ought to have toward the Word and ways of our Lord.

Weekly Sermon

James 1:25 reads, “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

In James 1:22 God’s Word delivers an instruction and an admonition concerning our right relationship toward God’s Word, saying, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.”  The positive instruction is that we are ever to pursue being doers of God’s Word.  The negative admonition is that we are never to be hearers only of God’s Word, deceiving our own selves thereby.  In order to emphasize and explain this admonition, James 1:23-24 presents an illustration concerning those who are hearers only of God’s Word, and not doers also, saying, “For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” 

Then in direct contrast to the hearers only of God’s Word, James 1:25 describes those who are doers also of God’s Word and pronounces a promise of the Lord’s blessing upon them, saying, “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”  Grammatically, James 1:25 can be divided into four parts.  First, there is the description of daily study – “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty.”  Second, there is the description of diligent submission – “And continueth therein.”  Third, there is the description of dedicated obedience – “He being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work.”  Finally, there is the declaration of divine blessing – “This man shall be blessed in his deed.”

Meditations in Joshua

Joshua 6:1-2 – “Now Jericho was straitly shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in.  And the LORD said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.”

Joshua and the children of Israel did not acquire victory over the city of Jericho through their own ability or ingenuity.  Rather, they acquired victory over the city of Jericho only through the power of the Lord their God.  The Lord’s favor was upon them, and the Lord’s power granted the victory.  Yet there were a number of prerequisites that the Lord required of them before He would grant the victory.  These prerequisites are revealed in the earlier chapters of Joshua.  In like manner, we ourselves can only find victory in the spiritual battles of our daily lives through the favor and power of the Lord our God.  Yet again, there are a number of prerequisites that the Lord our God requires for us to fulfill in order that He might grant us His favor and power for victory. 

Weekly Sermon

In Psalm 119:22-23 the psalmist, this faithful servant of the Lord, stated, “Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.  Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.”

As a whole, the theme of Psalm 119 is – The desire of the Lord’s suffering servant to seek the Lord through His holy Word.  In Psalm 119:22-23 the psalmist speaks for the first time concerning the affliction and reproach under which he was suffering.  Indeed, he was suffering reproach and contempt.  He was being slandered.  Many were speaking against him.  Yet the psalmist, as a faithful servant of the Lord, also presented his response unto that affliction and reproach.  In the closing portion of Psalm 119:23, he declared, “But thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.”  Even so, with a study throughout Psalm 119, we may learn how a faithful servant of the Lord responds in the face of affliction and reproach.

Thought for Meditation

In order to be Biblically and spiritually minded, 
rather than worldly and carnally minded,
an individual must be daily reading, studying, and meditating 
in the truth and wisdom of God's Holy Word.

Weekly Sermon

Psalm 119:23-24 reads, “Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.  Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.”

In Psalm 119:17-24 the psalmist referred to himself as a servant of the Lord twice.  In Psalm 119:17 he prayed unto the Lord, saying, “Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.”  Again in Psalm 119:23 he expressed his commitment unto the Lord, saying, “Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.”  Indeed, the psalmist presented himself as a faithful servant of the Lord who had committed himself to walk in a right relationship with God’s Word.  Furthermore, the psalmist presented himself as a faithful servant of the Lord in contrast to the proud of this world, who walked in disobedience to God’s Word.  In Psalm 119:21-22 he revealed this contrast, saying, “Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.  Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.”  Finally, the psalmist presented himself as a faithful servant of the Lord who was suffering reproach and was responding aright to that reproach.  In Psalm 119:23 he indicated this response, saying, “Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.”  Even so, throughout this passage this faithful servant of the Lord revealed four ingredients whereby we also might walk as faithful servants of the Lord.  

Weekly Sermon

This sermon is a companion to a previous sermon:  
                         Taking Heed according to God’s Word (Part 1) – Psalm 119:9-16    

Psalm 119:9-16 reads, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?  By taking heed thereto according to thy word.  With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.  Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.  Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.  With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.  I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.  I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.  I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.”

In the opening portion of Psalm 119:9, the psalmist expressed the spiritual concern and burden of his heart with the question, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?”  He desired to know how he himself, as a young man of God, might have his way cleansed and might continue in the cleansed way.  In the closing portion of Psalm 119:9, the answer of God’s Word is delivered – “By taking heed thereto according to thy [God’s] word.”  Through this principle we lean that we may have our way cleansed and may continue in the cleansed way by taking heed to conform our way in accord with the standard of God’s Word.  We must give our attention and our obedience to the Word of God.  Certainly this will require commitment on our part.  It will not just happen.  We must specifically prepare ourselves and commit ourselves every day to the task. 

So then, what is involved in the commitment to take heed unto our way in accord with God’s Word?  Throughout Psalm 119:10-16 the psalmist, this young man of God, presented eight points of commitment that he had made in this matter.  Through his example we learn what is involved in the commitment to take heed according to God’s Word.  Now, the eight points of commitment that the psalmist made may be divided grammatically into two parts.  The psalmist’s first four commitments he presented in the past tense as those commitments that he had already done.  In them we find our responsibility to apply ourselves unto God’s Word.  We must apply ourselves to make our Lord and His Word the governing priority and principle of our hearts.  The psalmist’s second four commitments he presented in the future tense as those commitments that he intended to do.  In them we find our responsibility to apply God’s Word unto ourselves.  We must apply the truth of God’s Word to our daily living so that our daily purposes and pursuits are conformed thereto.

Already in the first part of the message, we considered the first four commitments of the psalmist and our responsibility to apply ourselves unto God’s Word.  Therein we learned first from Psalm 119:10 that we must commit ourselves to seek after our Lord with all our heart, second from Psalm 119:11 that we must commit ourselves to hide God’s Word in our hearts, third from Psalm 119:13 that we must commit ourselves to declare all the wisdom of God’s Word, and fourth from Psalm 119:14 that we must commit ourselves to rejoice in the way of God’s Word. 

In this second part of the message, let us consider the second four commitments of the psalmist and our responsibility to apply God’s Word unto ourselves.

Outlines in Psalms

“A Psalm of David”

  I.  The Desire of the Lord’s Servant (Psalm 143:1-2)
 II.  The Desolation of the Lord’s Servant (Psalm 143:3-4)
III.  The Devotion of the Lord’s Servant (Psalm 143:5-6)

Weekly Sermon

This sermon is a companion to three previous sermons:  In the Way of This Life - Psalm 119:1    
                                                                                          In the Ways of Our Lord (Part 1) - Psalm 119:3    
                                                                                          In The Ways of Our Lord (Part 2) - Psalm 119:3    

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 we encounter the words “way” and “ways” eighteen times and the word “path” two times, indicating that the pathway of our lives is an important subject of this psalm.  With the phrase “in the way,” Psalm 119:1 introduces us to the first category of truth concerning this subject matter – the way of this life.  Thereby we learn that we all must travel along the pathway of this life, and that we all must deal with the matter of challenges, choices, and consequences in the way of this life. 

With the phrase “in his way,” Psalm 119:3 introduces us to the second category of truth concerning our walk along the pathway of life – the way of our Lord.  Even so, 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 the first two parts of this message, we considered the first four of the nine elements that are revealed in Psalm 119.  They were the need for determination, the need for conviction, the need for passion, and the need for education.  In this third part of the message, let us consider the next two of these elements.

Thought for Meditation

The thoughts (intellectual, emotional, motivational, and decisional) of our inner man
matter much to the Lord our God
and have a significant impact upon our personal, daily walk of fellowship with Him.

Outlines in Psalms

This outline is a companion to a previous outline:  In the Day of My Trouble - Psalm 77    

In Psalm 77:4-9 the psalmist Asaph cried out and complained, saying, “Thou holdest mine eyes waking: I am so troubled that I cannot speak.  I have considered the days of old, the years of ancient times.  I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.  Will the Lord cast off for ever?  And will he be favourable no more?  Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promise fail for evermore?  Hath God forgotten to be gracious?  Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies? Selah.”

Through this cry and complaint, we understand that the psalmist had come to a place of utter discouragement and depression.  In addition, we understand that the foundational reason for the psalmist’s discouragement and depression was that he had come to a place of doubting and questioning the gracious, merciful, and faithful nature of the Lord his God.  Yet by the end of this psalm, the psalmist had come to a completely different place, to a place of comfort and courage through whole-hearted trust in and praise of the Lord his God.  So then, what brought about this change?  The turning point of the psalm is found in verses 10-12.