PSALM 119 DALETH
Psalmist wants life out of death verse 25
My soul cleaves unto the dust
quicken YOU me according to YOUR word
Psalmist wants direction out of chaos verse 26
I have declared my ways – and YOU heard me
teach me YOUR statutes
Psalmist wants to be a faithful witness verse 27
Make me to understand the way of YOUR precepts
so shall I talk of YOUR wondrous works
Psalmist wants to be an individual of conviction verse 28
My soul melts for heaviness
strengthen YOU me according to YOUR word
Psalmist wants to speak the truth at all times verse 29
Remove from me the way of lying
and grant me YOUR law graciously
Psalmist has chosen a course for his life verse 30
I have chosen the way of truth
YOUR judgments have I laid before me
Psalmist is concerned about right beliefs verse 31
I have stuck unto YOUR testimonies – O LORD
put me not to shame
Psalmist has a desire for spiritual growth verse 32
I will run the way of YOUR commandments
when YOU shall enlarge my heart
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
:25 “My soul clings to the dust; Revive me according to Your word.” The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).
Revive – 2421 חָיָה [chayah /khaw·yaw/] v. A primitive root [compare 2331, 2421]; TWOT 644; GK 2649; 262 occurrences; AV translates as “live” 153 times, “alive” 34 times, “save” 13 times, “quicken” 14 times, “revive” 12 times, “surely” 10 times, “life” nine times, “recover” eight times, and translated miscellaneously nine times. 1 to live, have life, remain alive, sustain life, live prosperously, live for ever, be quickened, be alive, be restored to life or health. 1A (Qal). 1A1 to live. 1A1A to have life. 1A1B to continue in life, remain alive. 1A1C to sustain life, to live on or upon. 1A1D to live (prosperously). 1A2 to revive, be quickened. 1A2A from sickness. 1A2B from discouragement. 1A2C from faintness. 1A2D from death. 1B (Piel). 1B1 to preserve alive, let live. 1B2 to give life. 1B3 to quicken, revive, refresh. 1B3A to restore to life. 1B3B to cause to grow. 1B3C to restore. 1B3D to revive. 1C (Hiphil). 1C1 to preserve alive, let live. 1C2 to quicken, revive. 1C2A to restore (to health). 1C2B to revive. 1C2C to restore to life. James Strong, Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2001).
DEVOTION: Man is an earthy being, without the Spirit of God we cannot understand the heavenly or spiritual truths from God’s word. We are continually drawn to the satisfying of fleshly appetites and desires. God’s word reveals to us the heights that are available to us as spiritual beings and challenges us to be quickened to new summits with God. Revival is impossible when we are only fleshly, it must come as the spiritual man is nourished by the spiritual word of God. As you read the Scriptures allow the Spirit of God to quicken your spirit and rise above the normal cravings of our culture. Be revived today!
CHALLENGE: Revival is only possible to the Christian as the read and obeys the Scriptures! (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 27 Make me to understand the way of YOUR precepts: so shall I talk of YOUR wondrous works. (6490 “precepts” [piqquwd] means commandments, statute, rule of personal conduct, instructions, procedures, directions, or orders.)
DEVOTION: Sometimes we have a hard time understanding what the LORD expects of us on a daily basis. If we read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation we know what HE expects at certain times from both the children of Israel and from us the New Testament saints.
Some things carry over both Testaments and others do not. We have to study the whole Bible to make sure that we understand what is expected of us today. Too often we think all the rules of the Old Testament belong to the children of Israel and all the rules of the New Testament belong to us today.
That is partially true but there are commands that are found in BOTH Testaments that we are supposed to practice today. There are some commands that we are not supposed to follow today that they did and we have some commands that they didn’t have.
God wants us to understand these truths and do what HE expects today. We can learn more about God by studying the Old Testament and learn some principles that have not changed between them.
God wants us to understand that HE loves New Testament believers as much as HE loved Old Testament believers.
We have to learn more about what HE wants us to do as we mature in our understanding of HIS truth that is found in BOTH Testaments. We can’t say that HE didn’t give us orders to follow today.
CHALLENGE: In your heart are you really trying to understand what HE expects of you each day? Study to show yourself approved!
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: 29 Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me YOUR law graciously. (8267 “lying” [sheqer] means falsehood, vain, deceit, liar, false oath, fraud, or pretended.)
DEVOTION: We are all born as sinners. One of the sins that each of us commit is not telling the truth all the time. For some it is easier to deceive people than to tell them the truth. Some even pretend to tell the truth but when the facts are known they were just lying to save themselves.
The Psalmist is asking the LORD to remove or take away from him the way of lying. He doesn’t want to lie anymore. He wants to regularly tell the truth to everyone he meets. It is not easy to do without the help of the LORD.
Most of us would rather lie about our lives then tell everyone that they are still a sinner in need of the LORD’S help to stop making up stories to make themselves look good before others.
The problem is that when we make ourselves look good to others we are not appreciating what the LORD has done for us. This is the problem the Psalmist is having. He wants to obey God’s law regularly. He wants to be gracious in his life and not try to fool people into believing he/she is not what they think they are.
The Psalmist wants to be truthful and have acceptance in the presence of the LORD more that other people. If the people accept them as honest individuals then fine but it not it is more important to him to have the grace of God than the approval of men.
CHALLENGE: Every believer should have the same attitude toward truth that the Psalmist has. Is that your goal each day? It is only with the help of the LORD that it can be true.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 31 I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O LORD, put me not to shame. (954 “shame” [buwsh] means to pale, to be ashamed, to be disappointed, confounded, disconcerted, to fall into disgrace, become dry, delay, or be long.
DEVOTION: This fourth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is an acoustic prayer by the psalmist. He craves that the LORD will know that he has chosen the way of truth instead of the way of lying. He wants the LORD to realize that he is trying to stick to the testimonies of the LORD. His request is that he not be disappointed in his efforts.
He doesn’t want to become dry in his relationship with the LORD. He doesn’t want to fall into disgrace. He doesn’t want the LORD to be disappointed with him.
He wants to be alive for the LORD. He wants to learn more about the Word of God. He not only wants to learn the facts of the Word of God but the practical applications of the Word of God.
Then he can give a witness to all the LORD has done. He is praying for strength to face each day. The strength comes from his personal walk with the LORD through his knowledge of the teachings of Old Testament Scriptures. His heart wants to be enlarged for the LORD. What does it mean to have an enlarged heart? It seems to mean that a follower of the LORD really wants to learn how he can better please the LORD in everything he/she is doing. The way of truth is found by honestly coming into the presence of the LORD daily with an open mind to learn from HIM through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit develops a lifestyle of truth through a proper understanding of the Word of God. We are not worshiping the Bible but seeking to see the LORD in the Bible. The Psalmists doesn’t want to just memorize the verses of Scripture but to internalize the meaning of each verse of the Bible through insights that the Holy Spirit gives him in his time of prayer and meditation with the LORD.
This should be our prayer. Each day is a new day with the LORD. Each day is a new learning experience if we are just reading the words of the Bible.
CHALLENGE: It is a disappointment to the LORD if all we are doing is memorizing a verse of the Bible without applying the truth taught. HIS word needs to be hide in our heart before it can be proclaimed in the world.
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: : 32 I will run the way of YOUR commandments, when YOU shall enlarge my heart. (7337 “enlarge” [rachab] means to open oneself wide, grow, to make larger, provide wide room for, or to open oneself wide.)
DEVOTION: God has never left HIS followers without commandments to follow. Adam and Eve had simple commands to follow and failed. The children of Israel were given the Ten Commandments to follow and failed. We have been given commands in the New Testament to follow and failed.
We can only really follow the commands HE gives us with the help of the Holy Spirit in our life. We have to listen to the Holy Spirit when HE teaches us through the teachings of Jesus Christ and through the writings of the disciples in the New Testament.
The members of Israel had to follow the teachings of the LORD which HE did in person and through the teachings and writings of HIS followers in the Old Testament. They had prophets and priests and kings to follow who were giving them the teachings of God for their time period.
We have the teachings of Christ and the disciples but also the teachings of the Old Testament that apply today for us to follow.
God has not stopped defining sin in both testaments If it was sin in the Old Testament it is sin in our day. Too often we like to pick and chose what commands we are to follow and the Holy Spirit will make it plain to genuine believers what commands we are to follow and obey.
CHALLENGE: We need to be running after HIS commandments today. We need a heart change that only HE can give us.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Prayer for strength and understanding verse 25- 32
Remove from the way of lying
Grant me your law graciously
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Word verse 25, 28
Statutes verse 26
Precepts verse 27
Wondrous works verse 27
Law verse 29
Judgments verse 30
Testimonies verse 31
Commandments verse 32
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Hears saints to teach them verse 26
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 31
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Soul verse 25, 28
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Way of lying verse 29
Shame verse 31
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Quicken verse 25
Teach verse 26
Understand verse 27
Witness [talk] of HIS wonderful works verse 27
Strength verse 28
Chosen verse 30
Way of truth verse 30, 31
Run the way of HIS commandments verse 32
Enlarged heart verse 32
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Children of Israel have to declare their ways verse 26
Lay God’s Word before them verse 30
Stuck to God’s testimonies verse 31
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
29. Graciously teach is a single word, ‘be gracious’, into which is packed the thought of granting knowledge of this law, and perhaps too ‘the grace of living by’ it (neb). It is a happy reminder that God’s law is a good gift (cf. 3. a), and is only the antithesis of grace when it is used to try to earn salvation. (Kidner, D. (1975). Psalms 73–150: An Introduction and Commentary (Vol. 16, p. 460). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
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The word of God is also a means of grace, as it keeps man from the ways of the world (“deceitful ways,” v. 29; LXX, “the way of iniquity”), and as it renews an inner, burning desire to live a life of devotion to God (vv. 30–32). (VanGemeren, W. A. (1991). Psalms. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs (Vol. 5, p. 743). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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119:29, 30 the false way … the faithful way. The psalmist desired to emulate the true character of God in contrast to the lying ways of Satan (cf. v. 163). (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Ps 119:29). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
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29. The way of falsehood, i.e. not falsehood in the common sense of the term, but “unfaithfulness” to God, to which, in the next verse, “the way of faithfulness” is opposed.
With Thy law, or “Graciously impart Thy law unto me.” The construction is that of the double accusative. See Gen. 33:5. (Perowne, J. J. S. (1882). The Book of Psalms; A New Translation, with Introductions and Notes, Explanatory and Critical (Fifth Edition, Revised., Vol. 2, p. 352). London; Cambridge: Deighton Bell and Co.; George Bell and Sons.)
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29. The way of lying, which is the way of sin. Grant, bestow as a free gift. Thy law, the knowledge, the comfort, and the love of Thy law, as a revelation of mercy in harmony with justice. (Murphy, J. G. (1875). A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of Psalms (pp. 621–622). Andover: Warren F. Draper.)
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29. Remove from me. Take it from me; cause it to depart; let me not be under its influence or power.
The way of lying. Every false, deceitful, hypocritical way. We are not to suppose that the psalmist was addicted to lying, but that he felt he was, like all men, in danger of acting from false views, from wrong motives, or under the influence of delusion and deceit. It is a prayer that he might always be sincere and truthful. No man who knows his own heart can doubt the propriety of this prayer. On nothing does a man need more to examine himself; in nothing does he more need the grace of God, than that he may be sincere.
And grant me thy law graciously. The knowledge of thy law; grace to obey thy law. The single word rendered “grant graciously” is a word which implies the idea of mercy or favour. It was not a thing which he claimed as a right; it was that for which he was dependent on the mercy of God. (Barnes, A. (1870–1872). Notes on the Old Testament: Psalms (Vol. 3, p. 187). London: Blackie & Son.)
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Ver. 29. Remove from me the way of lying, &c.] Not the sin of lying to men, and a course of it, which David was not addicted to; but a false way, or way of falsehood; as it may be rendered, and so the Targum; and is the same with what he expresses his abhorrence of, ver. 128 and is opposed to the way of truth in the next verse; and designs all false doctrine and false worship, all errors and heresies, superstition and idolatry; which he desired to be at the utmost distance from, and those from him, as having a dislike and abhorrence of them; and as knowing how prejudicial they would be to him, and how contrary to the glory of God. And grant me thy law graciously; not the fiery law, which works wrath, curses and condemns; the voice of words, which they that heard entreated they might hear no more; and which to have is no act of grace and favour, unless as fulfilled in Christ, and as it is a rule of walk and conversation in his hands: but rather doctrine, as the word signifies; the doctrine of the Gospel, the law or doctrine of faith; which to have and understand is a gift of grace; it is the Gospel of the grace of God, the grace of God itself; and instructs in it, and shews that salvation is purely by it. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 4, p. 215). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
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“Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them.” (Joshua 1:6)
Those called to leadership in the Lord need to carefully ready themselves for that work.
Make sure that you ask for and are following the Lord’s leading. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways” (James 1:5-8).
Make sure that you are asking in the right spirit. “I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting” (1 Timothy 2:8). “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you” (Philippians 4:8-9).
Make sure your motives are above reproach. “Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God” (2 Corinthians 4:1-2). “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3). (HMM III, Institute for Creation Research)
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Going to the Doctor is one of my least favorite things to do. Having to get on the scale, have my blood pressure taken, sitting there answering questions, only to be given a prescription is no fun at all. I would rather tough it out then go through that. Unfortunately, many times we don’t have an option. We have to go and get help. The same is true spiritually. We can’t help ourselves, we need Jesus. Are you in need of a doctor today?
Luke 5:31-32 “Jesus replied to them, “It is not those who are healthy who need a doctor, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Heal Your Soul
Jesus came for everyone, but he knew he could only help those who admitted they were sick. Just as a doctor helps the sick, so Jesus comes for those who are spiritually sick in their sin. Doctors may give you something to help you with the pain, but Jesus gives you something that will heal your soul. He offers salvation that lasts for eternity.
Blinded by Their Own Goodness
There are a group of people that Jesus can’t help. I know this may sound controversial but hear me out. He offers his life-changing salvation to everyone who will take it. Those that don’t think they need it, miss out. Like the alcoholic who won’t admit he has a problem, those who won’t admit they are sinners in need of a savior can’t be helped. These are called self-righteous and think they are perfectly fine.
One Catch
Jesus came to call the sinners to repentance. He brings the good news that his victory over death offers new life to all who will take it. We can’t earn it nor do we deserve it by how we live, it is a gift of grace. There is one catch. We have to confess that we are sinners in need of that grace. Then we must turn from our old life and walk with Jesus. Sin is a sickness that can only be cured by Jesus. Are you in need of a doctor today?
(Daily Walk)
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Angel writes on Facebook: Leadership is not about being the best. Leadership is about making everyone else better.
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