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.
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.
The faithful servant of the Lord longs for the truth of God’s Word at all times.
As a faithful servant of the Lord, the psalmist expressed the longing of his heart in Psalm 119:20, saying, “My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.” Again in Psalm 119:40 this faithful servant of the Lord expressed the longing of his heart, saying, “Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.” Yet again in Psalm 119:131 he expressed the longing of his heart, saying, “I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.” A faithful servant of the Lord longs after the guiding principles (the judgments) and governing precepts of God’s Word. A faithful servant of the Lord longs for the regulating commands of God’s Word. Indeed, a faithful servant of the Lord longs to learn the truth and wisdom of God’s Word for his life. Yet a faithful servant of the Lord does not simply long to grasp the truth and wisdom of God’s Word. Rather, a faithful servant of the Lord longs to grasp the truth and wisdom of God’s Word in order to be guided and governed thereby. Furthermore, a faithful servant of the Lord longs to be guided and governed by the truth and wisdom of God’s Word in order to grow spiritually thereby. A faithful servant of the Lord will incline his ear and apply his heart unto the truth and wisdom of God’s Word. A faithful servant of the Lord will seek and search for that truth and wisdom “as for hid treasures.” (Proverbs 2:4) Yea, a faithful servant of the Lord will do all of this both intensely and continually. With great intensity the psalmist declared in Psalm 119:20, “My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.” Indeed, he maintained this intense longing continually, “at all times.” So then, do we intensely long for the guiding and governing truth of God’s Word at all times? If not, then we cannot rightly claim to be the faithful servants of the Lord.
The faithful servant of the Lord obeys the truth of God’s Word with diligence.
As a faithful servant of the Lord, the psalmist expressed the commitment of his heart in the closing portion of Psalm 119:17, saying, “That I may live, and keep thy word.” Again in the closing portion of Psalm 119:22, he expressed that commitment, saying, “For I have kept thy testimonies.” Even so, in Psalm 119:4 the truth is delivered, “Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.” Thus in Psalm 119:5 this faithful servant of the Lord expressed the commitment of his heart, saying, “O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!” Again in Psalm 119:33-34 he expressed the commitment of his heart, saying, “Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.” Yet again in Psalm 119:44 he expressed his commitment, saying, “So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.” Yet again in Psalm 119:55 he expressed his commitment, saying, “I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law.” Yet again in Psalm 119:57 he expressed his commitment, saying, “Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words.” Yet again in Psalm 119:59-60 he expressed his commitment, saying, “I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments. I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.” Yet again in Psalm 119:69 he expressed his commitment, saying, “The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.” Yet again in Psalm 119:88 he expressed his commitment, saying, “Quicken me after thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth.” Yet again in Psalm 119:101 he expressed his commitment, saying, “I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.” Yet again in Psalm 119:106 he expressed his commitment, saying, “I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.” Yet again in Psalm 119:112 he expressed his commitment, saying, “I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end.” Yet again in Psalm 119:115 he expressed his commitment, saying, “Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.” Yet again in Psalm 119:129 he expressed his commitment, saying, “Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them.” Yet again in Psalm 119:134 he expressed his commitment, saying, “Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts.” Yet again in Psalm 119:145-146 he expressed his commitment, saying, “I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes. I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.” Finally, in Psalm 119:166-168 he expressed his commitment, saying, “LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments. My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly. I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.” Indeed, a faithful servant of the Lord obeys the truth of God’s Word diligently with all his heart and without delay. Furthermore, a faithful servant of the Lord commits himself to obey the truth of God’s Word “alway, even unto the end.” So then, are we committed to obeying the truth of God’s Word diligently, with all our heart, without delay, unto the end of our lives? If not, then we cannot rightly claim to be the faithful servants of the Lord.
The faithful servant of the Lord meditates in the truth of God’s Word throughout the day.
As a faithful servant of the Lord, the psalmist expressed the meditation of his heart in the closing portion of Psalm 119:23, saying, “But thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.” Again in Psalm 119:15 this faithful servant of the Lord expressed the meditation of his heart, saying, “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.” Yet again in Psalm 119:48 he expressed the meditation of his heart, saying, “My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.” Yet again in Psalm 119:78 he expressed the meditation of his heart, saying, “Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.” Yet again in Psalm 119:95 he expressed the meditation of his heart, saying, “The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I will consider thy testimonies.” Yet again in Psalm 119:97-99 he expressed the meditation of his heart, saying, “O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.” Finally, in Psalm 119:148 he expressed the meditation of his heart, saying, “ Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.” Indeed, a faithful servant of the Lord meditates in the truth and wisdom of God’s Word “all the day” out of love and respect for God’s Word. So then, do we meditate in the truth and wisdom of God’s Word day and night? If not, then we cannot rightly claim to be the faithful servants of the Lord.
The faithful servant of the Lord delights in the truth of God’s Word as his counselors.
As a faithful servant of the Lord, the psalmist expressed the delight of his heart in Psalm 119:24, saying, “Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.” Again in Psalm 119:16 this faithful servant of the Lord expressed the delight of his heart, saying, “I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.” Yet again in Psalm 119:35 he expressed the delight of his heart, saying, “Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.” Yet again in Psalm 119:47 he expressed the delight of his heart, saying, “And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.” Yet again in Psalm 119:54 he expressed the delight of his heart, saying, “Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.” Yet again in Psalm 119:77 he expressed the delight of his heart, saying, “Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.” Yet again in Psalm 119:92 he expressed the delight of his heart, saying, “Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.” Yet again in Psalm 119:103 he expressed the delight of his heart, saying, “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Yet again in Psalm 119:111 he expressed the delight of his heart, saying, “Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.” Yet again in Psalm 119:143 he expressed the delight of his heart, saying, “Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights.” Yet again in Psalm 119:162 he expressed the delight of his heart, saying, “I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.” Finally, in Psalm 119:174 he expressed the delight of his heart, saying, “I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.” Indeed, a faithful servant of the Lord delights in the truth of God’s Word, so as to take God’s Word as his counselors, so as to obey God’s Word in his walk, so as not to turn away from God’s Word, and so as to find joy and comfort through God’s Word. So then, are we delighting in the truth of God’s Word every day as our counsel, joy, and comfort? If not, then we cannot rightly claim to be the faithful servants of the Lord.
Posted in Weekly Sermon, Psalms, Faithfulness, Serving the Lord, Word of God, Obedience to the Lord, Godly Meditation, Godly Priorities
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