With Uprightness of Heart – Psalm 119:7 (Part 4) - Shepherding the Flock Ministries

With Uprightness of Heart – Psalm 119:7 (Part 4)

11/4/2013

Weekly Sermon

This sermon is a companion to two previous sermons: With Uprightness of Heart – Psalm 119:7 (Part 1)
                                                                                      With Uprightness of Heart – Psalm 119:7 (Part 2)
                                                                                      With Uprightness of Heart – Psalm 119:7 (Part 3)

Psalm 119:7 reads, “I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.”

In this verse we find three ingredients. First, we find the ingredient of praising the Lord. Second, we find the ingredient of an upright heart. Third, we find the ingredient of God’s true and righteous Word. Furthermore, in this verse we find a progression to these three ingredients. Although we encounter the ingredient of praising the Lord first in the sentence, it is actually the last ingredient in the progression of thought. The opening portion of this verse speaks of praising the Lord our God “with uprightness of heart.” Indeed, in order to so praise the Lord our God, we must first possess the ingredient of an upright heart. In fact, in order for our praise to be acceptable unto the Lord our God, it must flow out of an upright heart. So then, in the progression of thought “uprightness of heart” must come before acceptable praise unto the Lord. Yet the closing portion of the verse then proceeds to reveal the means to such “uprightness of heart,” saying, “When I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.” Indeed, the ingredient of an upright heart comes only as and after we learn the righteous truths of God’s Holy Word. In fact, God’s true and righteous Word is the very foundation for an upright heart. An upright heart can only be built upon the foundation of God’s righteous Word. So then, in this series of messages, let us consider the relationship of God’s righteous Word to an upright heart and the process to develop “uprightness of heart” through the truth of God’s righteous Word.

In the first three parts of the message, we have already considered the first six steps in this process: (1) Our hearts must be gleaning from the truth of God’s Word; (2) Our hearts must be governed by the truth of God’s Word; (3) Our hearts must be guarded by the truth of God’s Word; (4) Our hearts must be growing through the truth of God’s Word; (5) Our hearts must be guided through the truth of God’s Word; and (6) Our hearts must be grounded in the truth of God’s Word. In this fourth and final part of the message, let us consider the last three steps in the process to develop “uprightness of heart” through the truth of God’s righteous Word.

Our hearts must be gratified by the truth of God’s Word.

The seventh step in the process to develop “uprightness of heart” through the truth of God’s righteous Word is revealed in Psalm 119:111 – “Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.” As our hearts are gleaning from, governed by, guarded by, growing through, guided through, and grounded in the truth of God’s Word, our hearts must develop a delight in and for the truth of God’s Word. Yea, our hearts must become gratified and satisfied by the truth of God’s Word. Indeed, the truths, teachings, and testimonies, subjects, standards, and statutes, principles, precepts, and promises, counsels, commands, and corrections, wisdom, ways, and warnings of God’s Word must become the daily joy and rejoicing of our hearts. Our hearts must come to the place wherein they might join in the testimony of the prophet Jeremiah from Jeremiah 15:16, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them [that is – I did partake of them and receive them into my heart]; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.” Indeed, this is the heart of the spiritually blessed individual, whose “delight is in the law of the LORD,” and who meditates therein “day and night.” (Psalm 2:1) This is the heart of the spiritually blessed individual, who “feareth the Lord” and who “delighteth greatly in his commandments.” (Psalm 112:1)

Even so, in Psalm 119:14-16 the psalmist declared, “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.” Again in verse 24 he declared, “Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.” Again in verse 35 he declared, “Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.” Again in verses 47-48 the psalmist declared, “And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved. My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.” Again in verse 54 he declared, “Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.” Again in verse 72 he declared, “The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver.” Again in verse 92 the psalmist declared, “Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.” Again in verse 97 he declared, “O how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day.” Again in verse 103 he declared, “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Again in verse 127 he declared, “Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.” Again in verse 140 the psalmist declared, “Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.” Again in verse 143 he declared, “Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights.” Again in verse 159 he declared, “Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness.” Again in verse 162 he declared, “I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.” Again in verse 167 he declared, “My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly.” Finally, in verse 174 the psalmist declared, “I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.” Indeed, this is the spirit that our hearts should have toward the truth of God’s Holy Word. Our hearts should become completely gratified therein.

Our hearts must be given over to the truth of God’s Word.

The eighth step in the process to develop “uprightness of heart” through the truth of God’s righteous Word is revealed in Psalm 119:112 – “I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end.” The commitment of our hearts must be completely given over unto the truth of God’s Word, to obey it with all our heart throughout every day unto the end of our lives. To develop and maintain “uprightness of heart,” our hearts must not only be daily gleaning from the truths of God’s Word; but our hearts must also be inclining to perform the teachings of God’s Word. Indeed, our hearts must join with the burden of the psalmist from verse 5, saying. “O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!” Our hearts must join with the prayer of the psalmist from verses 33-34, 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.” Our hearts must join with the commitment of the psalmist from verses 57-60, saying, “Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keep thy words. I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word. I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.”

Our hearts must be gripped by the truth of God’s Word.

The ninth step in the process to develop and maintain “uprightness of heart” through the truth of God’s righteous Word is revealed in Psalm 119:161 – “Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.” Our hearts must become gripped with spiritual awe toward the whole counsel of God’s Holy Word. Indeed, our hearts must become gripped with spiritual awe toward the wonderful goodness, faithfulness, righteousness, wholesomeness, and sweetness of God’s Holy Word. Yea, our hearts must become so gripped with spiritual awe toward God’s Holy Word that no amount of trial, trouble, tribulation, or temptation can turn our hearts away from its spiritual wonders and wisdom.