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Thursday, November 21st, 2024
the Week of Proper 28 / Ordinary 33

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Bible Commentaries
Psalms 119

PsalmsPsa 112 PsalmsPsa PsalmsPsa 126

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Verses 105-112

Intro:
1. Spurgeon said, “Psalm 119 is known among the Germans as the Christians Golden ABC of the praise, love, power, & use of the word of God.”
  1. It is only through the Bible that we can come to know who God is & how to Praise Him!
  2. As the theme throughout the chapter is “the Word” (almost in every verse) yet the psalmist isn’t strumming on one string.
    1. No, it’s deep & expansive!
  3. Other synonyms for “the word”: Law, ordinances, testimonies, commandments, decrees, statutes, precepts, sayings, promise.
2. Some Facts:
  1. It is an Acrostic Psalm made up of 176 verses that are divided up of 22 x 8.
  2. 22 letters of the Hebrew Alphabet, with 8 verses each…“Every” verse starting with that given letter!
  3. Lam. 3 is set up the same way except it only has 3 verses for each of the 22 letters.
3. David Livingstone, pioneer to Africa, won a bible from his S.S. teacher for memorizing Ps.119 by heart…when he was only 9 yrs. Old.
  1. I’ll put out the challenge to anyone who’ll take it. {A free bible of your ordering through our bookstore}. (by the end of the month)
    1. Dominic Gomez memorized all of Matt.5,6,7 up at camp this year(1 week).
4. Your World-View?
  1. Definition – “The overall perspective form which one sees & interprets the world. - A collection of beliefs about life & the universe held by an individual or a group.”
  2. A secular world-view is bound by what we can see, & by the here-and-now.
  3. A biblical world-view sees all things in the light of God & from the perspective of God’s revelation.
    1. These 8 verses do a great job articulating the biblical world-view – it deals with: God, life, righteousness, suffering, worship, danger, enemies, our heritage…in the light of His word.
    2. These are what life is all about!
THE GOLDEN “NUN”! (105-112)
1. (105) THE PATH!
  1. Lamp/Light – “A light on the path shows us the direction in which we are heading; a lamp shows us the next step.” (John Phillips, pg.360)
    1. Pre-street lights, pre-headlights, & pre-flashlights, God became the children of Israel’s light by night!
    2. The children of Israel got accustomed to being led by light - “For the cloud of the LORD was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night,...throughout all their journeys.” (Ex.40:38)
  2. Light – It lights the sinner’s path to Christ; it lights the believer’s path to Glory!”
    1. Prov.4:18 “But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.”
  3. Jn.8:12 “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
  4. Eph.5:8 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”
  5. Path - The bible never uses the word “unsaved” for those w/o Christ, but the word “lost”.
    1. Christians have found the way…or the right path!
  6. The bible acts as a flood light that exposes the wrong or dangerous ways we may take, & light up the right one’s.
  7. The bible doesn’t give “detailed instruction” for our daily living.
    1. Like: who to marry, what job to take, what toothpaste to use,
    2. It gives what type of character we should be & gives us priorities that should govern our thinking.
  8. The bible is basically comprehensible & sufficiently clear.
    1. That doesn’t mean to say all parts of the bible are equally clear. Nor that there are no difficult passages.
    2. Thus there is no need for ordained clergy to interpret it for you.
  9. As believers we also need to light up our path with Hermeneutics (a science that is regulated by rules.) - Hermeneutics "lights your path" as you walk through the Word.
    1. Hank Hanegraaff came up w/The acronym LIGHTS to remind us of the following elements involved in biblical interpretation:
      L = Literal Interpretation
      I = Illumination by Holy Spirit
      G = Grammatical Principle {use the typical rules of grammar, including syntax 7 style}
      H = Historical Context {customs, culture, & historical context}
      T = Teaching Ministry
      S = Scriptural Harmony
2. (106) RIGHTEOUS BEHAVIOR!
  1. A promise is one thing(sworn) but performance(confirmed) is something else!
  2. Not the righteousness that we receive at salvation, but the right actions.
    1. The bible is a light unto our moral path.
    2. The path is dark because the world is dark.
    3. The bible shows us how to walk through the darkness. (even the Valley of the shadow of death)
3. (107) SUFFERING/AFFLICTION!
  1. The Psalmist says he has been afflicted “very much”!
  2. Some afflictions are simply:
    1. Common to man (cuz we live in an imperfect world. We get hurt, get sick, & die) “Yet man is born to trouble, As the sparks fly upward.”Are Corrective – See Ps.119:67,71Are Constructive – To develop our character. Rom. 5:3,4 “knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”To glorify God – Blind man in Jn.9. “but that the works of God should be revealed in him.”
  3. Light was sure needed on this dark path! – Light came when he opened the Bible’s pages.
    1. Just like those lamps that you “touch with your finger” & they go on.
4. (108) WILLING WORSHIP! {NIV “The willing praise of my mouth”}
  1. Note: the 2 ingredients for a great church!
    1. [1] Sound Bible Teaching [2] Willing Praise.
    2. Speak of him Gratefully & Sing of Him Worshipfully!
  2. Q: What do we do with the debate on “how” to worship Him in song…Hymns or Praise Songs??? [Quote Hymn & Choruses back page]
5. (109) LIFES DANGERS!
  1. Similar to the English idiom “I’m taking my life into my hands” (i.e. he’s in constant danger)
    1. Physical dangers – We thank of David (Saul chasing him, throwing spears, or Absalom trying to usurp his throne)
    2. Spiritual dangers – (i.e. falling into sin or forgetting God)
    3. Here the Psalmist speaks of both.
      1. [1] He expresses the concern in losing his physical life.
      2. [2] He expresses the concern in losing his spiritual life. – He sayshe won’t forget His law. Which is obviously the far greater danger to abandon God’s word.
  2. Q: Where are our prayers to be kept from sin? Or, to be more godly? Live better for God? Or, to get to know God better?
    1. Survey your own heart in your prayers this last week.
    2. Q: Did your prayers consist of any of these items I mentioned?
    3. Q: Or, were your prayers limited to your physical health, wealth, passing a test, or being successful at your job?
6. (110) ENEMIES!
  1. The writer was obviously in grave physical danger.
  2. If you’re trying to “live for Christ” you’ll have ungodly setting traps for you…because they hate you or the Lord you’re serving.
  3. Remedy – Don’t stray from His word.
    1. Stray implies being “off the right path!”
  4. Remember – “It is far more important to be approved by God than by other people!” (James Boice, Ps.119:109)
  5. If you’re going to be successful over your main enemy(Satan) know everything the bible says about him & his tactics.
    1. Note, I said “Bible”! (much garbage out there)
    2. Example - I remember in football, the scouts would video the other team. – Then we’d watch them over & over so we’d know our opponents. Thus we’d learn how to get around him, or stop him. If you study people long enough you sometimes see a lineman give away the direction he was going by which way his foot was pointing in his stance, or if he was leaning.
  6. Know your opponent! – Know he is powerful. But also know…he is a defeated foe!
7. (111) MY HERITAGE!
  1. Q: What is the believer’s spiritual heritage? What are we looking forward to?…It’s the word itself! (wow!)
    1. The only thing we know will last forever…His Word!
    2. The very word of God is part of God – as our words are part of who we are. So God Himself is our heritage. (see vs.57)
    3. The rejoicing of my heart – He is fully satisfied w/Gods law.
    4. Maybe this is why so many are not satisfied w/life because they haven’t found their satisfaction in God & His word that this Psalmist had?
  2. Heritage - The bible is like some other inheritances, it yields its treasures only under certain conditions.
    1. A man owned a vineyard & his sons believed their father to be very wealthy. Since he was secretive about it they cold not be sure, but they hoped to inherit a fortune when he died. On his deathbed he told his sons that the secret of his wealth was to be found in the vineyard. The boys immediately began to dig, hoping to find the treasure they believed to be hidden under the vines. They toiled for months, being careful not to damage the vines. In the course of time they dug over every inch of the vineyard & discovered nothing. But that fall their vineyard produced the finest crop of grapes on record. Then they realized what their wise old father had done. He had forced them to stop loafing around & instead to cultivate the vineyard. The secret of his wealth was the vines which, properly cared for would keep them rich.
  3. Our heritage, too, is priceless but it will not yield its wealth to us w/o work.
  4. The rejoicing of my heart - “It is a lamp by night, a light by day, & a delight at all times!” (Spurgeon, The Golden Alphabet pg.204)
8. (112) TO THE VERY END! (“to infinity & beyond!”)
  1. He ends w/a statement of fierce determination!
  2. A tired horse will move faster & pull harder when it is heading for home, when the end is in sight.
  3. Never lose sight of the end of the journey!

Hymns And Choruses

An old farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was. "Well," said the farmer, "It was good. They did something different, however. They sang praise choruses instead of hymns." "Praise choruses," said his wife, "What are those?" "Oh, they're okay. They're sort of like hymns, only different," said the farmer.

"Well, what's the difference?" asked his wife. The farmer said: "Well its like this. If I were to say to you: "Oh Martha, the cows are in the corn,' well that would be a hymn. If on the other hand I were to say to you, Oh Martha, Martha, Martha,

Oh, Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA, the cows, the big cows, the brown cows, the black cows, the white cows, the black and white cows,

the COWS, COWS, COWS, are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, the CORN, CORN, CORN,"

well, that would be a praise chorus.

Alternatively

An young farmer went to the city one weekend and attended the big liturgical city church. He came home and his wife asked him how it was. "Well," said the farmer, "It was good. They did something different, however. They sang hymns instead of praise choruses." "Hymns," said his wife, "What are those?"

"Oh, they're okay. They're sort of like praise choruses, only different," said the farmer. "Well, what's the difference?" asked his wife. The farmer said: "Well its like this. If I were to say to you, "Oh Martha, the cows are in the corn,' well that would be a praise chorus. If on the other hand I were to say to you,

"Oh best-beloved Martha,

I pray thee hearken to my supplication,

Oh, Martha, Martha, Martha,

the bovine beasts have wandered from the strait and narrow confines of the warm and well bedded haven of the barn and as wayward prodigals are now, even as we speak, amidst the swelling heads of amber grain!"

Well, that would be a hymn.

return to 'Top of Page'

Verses 105-112

Intro:
1. Spurgeon said, “Psalm 119 is known among the Germans as the Christians Golden ABC of the praise, love, power, & use of the word of God.”
  1. It is only through the Bible that we can come to know who God is & how to Praise Him!
  2. As the theme throughout the chapter is “the Word” (almost in every verse) yet the psalmist isn’t strumming on one string.
    1. No, it’s deep & expansive!
  3. Other synonyms for “the word”: Law, ordinances, testimonies, commandments, decrees, statutes, precepts, sayings, promise.
2. Some Facts:
  1. It is an Acrostic Psalm made up of 176 verses that are divided up of 22 x 8.
  2. 22 letters of the Hebrew Alphabet, with 8 verses each…“Every” verse starting with that given letter!
  3. Lam. 3 is set up the same way except it only has 3 verses for each of the 22 letters.
3. David Livingstone, pioneer to Africa, won a bible from his S.S. teacher for memorizing Ps.119 by heart…when he was only 9 yrs. Old.
  1. I’ll put out the challenge to anyone who’ll take it. {A free bible of your ordering through our bookstore}. (by the end of the month)
    1. Dominic Gomez memorized all of Matt.5,6,7 up at camp this year(1 week).
4. Your World-View?
  1. Definition – “The overall perspective form which one sees & interprets the world. - A collection of beliefs about life & the universe held by an individual or a group.”
  2. A secular world-view is bound by what we can see, & by the here-and-now.
  3. A biblical world-view sees all things in the light of God & from the perspective of God’s revelation.
    1. These 8 verses do a great job articulating the biblical world-view – it deals with: God, life, righteousness, suffering, worship, danger, enemies, our heritage…in the light of His word.
    2. These are what life is all about!
THE GOLDEN “NUN”! (105-112)
1. (105) THE PATH!
  1. Lamp/Light – “A light on the path shows us the direction in which we are heading; a lamp shows us the next step.” (John Phillips, pg.360)
    1. Pre-street lights, pre-headlights, & pre-flashlights, God became the children of Israel’s light by night!
    2. The children of Israel got accustomed to being led by light - “For the cloud of the LORD was above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night,...throughout all their journeys.” (Ex.40:38)
  2. Light – It lights the sinner’s path to Christ; it lights the believer’s path to Glory!”
    1. Prov.4:18 “But the path of the just is like the shining sun, That shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.”
  3. Jn.8:12 “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
  4. Eph.5:8 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”
  5. Path - The bible never uses the word “unsaved” for those w/o Christ, but the word “lost”.
    1. Christians have found the way…or the right path!
  6. The bible acts as a flood light that exposes the wrong or dangerous ways we may take, & light up the right one’s.
  7. The bible doesn’t give “detailed instruction” for our daily living.
    1. Like: who to marry, what job to take, what toothpaste to use,
    2. It gives what type of character we should be & gives us priorities that should govern our thinking.
  8. The bible is basically comprehensible & sufficiently clear.
    1. That doesn’t mean to say all parts of the bible are equally clear. Nor that there are no difficult passages.
    2. Thus there is no need for ordained clergy to interpret it for you.
  9. As believers we also need to light up our path with Hermeneutics (a science that is regulated by rules.) - Hermeneutics "lights your path" as you walk through the Word.
    1. Hank Hanegraaff came up w/The acronym LIGHTS to remind us of the following elements involved in biblical interpretation:
      L = Literal Interpretation
      I = Illumination by Holy Spirit
      G = Grammatical Principle {use the typical rules of grammar, including syntax 7 style}
      H = Historical Context {customs, culture, & historical context}
      T = Teaching Ministry
      S = Scriptural Harmony
2. (106) RIGHTEOUS BEHAVIOR!
  1. A promise is one thing(sworn) but performance(confirmed) is something else!
  2. Not the righteousness that we receive at salvation, but the right actions.
    1. The bible is a light unto our moral path.
    2. The path is dark because the world is dark.
    3. The bible shows us how to walk through the darkness. (even the Valley of the shadow of death)
3. (107) SUFFERING/AFFLICTION!
  1. The Psalmist says he has been afflicted “very much”!
  2. Some afflictions are simply:
    1. Common to man (cuz we live in an imperfect world. We get hurt, get sick, & die) “Yet man is born to trouble, As the sparks fly upward.”Are Corrective – See Ps.119:67,71Are Constructive – To develop our character. Rom. 5:3,4 “knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.”To glorify God – Blind man in Jn.9. “but that the works of God should be revealed in him.”
  3. Light was sure needed on this dark path! – Light came when he opened the Bible’s pages.
    1. Just like those lamps that you “touch with your finger” & they go on.
4. (108) WILLING WORSHIP! {NIV “The willing praise of my mouth”}
  1. Note: the 2 ingredients for a great church!
    1. [1] Sound Bible Teaching [2] Willing Praise.
    2. Speak of him Gratefully & Sing of Him Worshipfully!
  2. Q: What do we do with the debate on “how” to worship Him in song…Hymns or Praise Songs??? [Quote Hymn & Choruses back page]
5. (109) LIFES DANGERS!
  1. Similar to the English idiom “I’m taking my life into my hands” (i.e. he’s in constant danger)
    1. Physical dangers – We thank of David (Saul chasing him, throwing spears, or Absalom trying to usurp his throne)
    2. Spiritual dangers – (i.e. falling into sin or forgetting God)
    3. Here the Psalmist speaks of both.
      1. [1] He expresses the concern in losing his physical life.
      2. [2] He expresses the concern in losing his spiritual life. – He sayshe won’t forget His law. Which is obviously the far greater danger to abandon God’s word.
  2. Q: Where are our prayers to be kept from sin? Or, to be more godly? Live better for God? Or, to get to know God better?
    1. Survey your own heart in your prayers this last week.
    2. Q: Did your prayers consist of any of these items I mentioned?
    3. Q: Or, were your prayers limited to your physical health, wealth, passing a test, or being successful at your job?
6. (110) ENEMIES!
  1. The writer was obviously in grave physical danger.
  2. If you’re trying to “live for Christ” you’ll have ungodly setting traps for you…because they hate you or the Lord you’re serving.
  3. Remedy – Don’t stray from His word.
    1. Stray implies being “off the right path!”
  4. Remember – “It is far more important to be approved by God than by other people!” (James Boice, Ps.119:109)
  5. If you’re going to be successful over your main enemy(Satan) know everything the bible says about him & his tactics.
    1. Note, I said “Bible”! (much garbage out there)
    2. Example - I remember in football, the scouts would video the other team. – Then we’d watch them over & over so we’d know our opponents. Thus we’d learn how to get around him, or stop him. If you study people long enough you sometimes see a lineman give away the direction he was going by which way his foot was pointing in his stance, or if he was leaning.
  6. Know your opponent! – Know he is powerful. But also know…he is a defeated foe!
7. (111) MY HERITAGE!
  1. Q: What is the believer’s spiritual heritage? What are we looking forward to?…It’s the word itself! (wow!)
    1. The only thing we know will last forever…His Word!
    2. The very word of God is part of God – as our words are part of who we are. So God Himself is our heritage. (see vs.57)
    3. The rejoicing of my heart – He is fully satisfied w/Gods law.
    4. Maybe this is why so many are not satisfied w/life because they haven’t found their satisfaction in God & His word that this Psalmist had?
  2. Heritage - The bible is like some other inheritances, it yields its treasures only under certain conditions.
    1. A man owned a vineyard & his sons believed their father to be very wealthy. Since he was secretive about it they cold not be sure, but they hoped to inherit a fortune when he died. On his deathbed he told his sons that the secret of his wealth was to be found in the vineyard. The boys immediately began to dig, hoping to find the treasure they believed to be hidden under the vines. They toiled for months, being careful not to damage the vines. In the course of time they dug over every inch of the vineyard & discovered nothing. But that fall their vineyard produced the finest crop of grapes on record. Then they realized what their wise old father had done. He had forced them to stop loafing around & instead to cultivate the vineyard. The secret of his wealth was the vines which, properly cared for would keep them rich.
  3. Our heritage, too, is priceless but it will not yield its wealth to us w/o work.
  4. The rejoicing of my heart - “It is a lamp by night, a light by day, & a delight at all times!” (Spurgeon, The Golden Alphabet pg.204)
8. (112) TO THE VERY END! (“to infinity & beyond!”)
  1. He ends w/a statement of fierce determination!
  2. A tired horse will move faster & pull harder when it is heading for home, when the end is in sight.
  3. Never lose sight of the end of the journey!

Hymns And Choruses

Oh, Martha, MARTHA, MARTHA, the cows, the big cows, the brown cows, the black cows, the white cows, the black and white cows,

the COWS, COWS, COWS, are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, are in the corn, the CORN, CORN, CORN,"

well, that would be a praise chorus.

Alternatively

"Oh best-beloved Martha,

I pray thee hearken to my supplication,

Oh, Martha, Martha, Martha,

Well, that would be a hymn.

return to 'Top of Page'

PsalmsPsa 112 PsalmsPsa PsalmsPsa 126

Copyright Statement
These files are the property of Brian Bell.
Text Courtesy of Calvary Chapel of Murrieta. Used by Permission.

Bibliographical Information
Bell, Brian. "Commentary on Psalms 119". "Bell's Commentary". https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/eng/cbb/psalms-119.html. 2017.

Bible CommentariesPsalms 119

Bell's Commentary on the BibleBell's Commentary

Verses 105-112

Verses 105-112

Bible Commentaries
Psalms 119