August 21st
Lamed
89: For ever, O LORD, thy word is
settled in heaven. 90: Thy
faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it
abideth. 91: They continue this
day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants. 92: Unless thy law had been my
delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction. 93: I will never forget thy precepts:
for with them thou hast quickened me. 94:
I am thine, save me; for I have sought thy precepts. 95: The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I will
consider thy testimonies. 96: I
have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad.
Mem
97: O how love I thy law! it is my
meditation all the day. 98:
Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they
are ever with me. 99: I have
more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.
100: I understand more than the
ancients, because I keep thy precepts. 101:
I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word. 102: I have not departed from thy
judgments: for thou hast taught me. 103:
How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104: Through thy precepts I get
understanding: therefore I hate every false way.
Nun
105: Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path. 106:
I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments. 107: I am afflicted very much:
quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word. 108: Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth,
O LORD, and teach me thy judgments. 109:
My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law. 110: The wicked have laid a snare for
me: yet I erred not from thy precepts. 111:
Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the
rejoicing of my heart. 112: I
have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes always, even unto the end.
Samech
113: I hate vain thoughts: but thy law
do I love. 114: Thou art my
hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word. 115: Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the
commandments of my God. 116:
Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed
of my hope. 117: Hold thou me
up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.
118: Thou hast trodden down all
them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is falsehood. 119: Thou puttest away all the wicked
of the earth like dross: therefore I love thy testimonies. 120: My flesh trembleth for fear of
thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.
Ain
121: I have done judgment and justice:
leave me not to mine oppressors. 122:
Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me. 123: Mine eyes fail for thy
salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness. 124: Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach
me thy statutes. 125: I am thy
servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies. 126: It is time for thee, LORD, to
work: for they have made void thy law. 127:
Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. 128: Therefore I esteem all thy
precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.
Pe
129: Thy testimonies are wonderful:
therefore doth my soul keep them. 130:
The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the
simple. 131: I opened my mouth,
and panted: for I longed for thy commandments. 132: Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest
to do unto those that love thy name. 133:
Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. 134: Deliver me from the oppression
of man: so will I keep thy precepts. 135:
Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes. 136: Rivers of waters run down mine
eyes, because they keep not thy law.
Tzaddi
137: Righteous art thou, O LORD, and
upright are thy judgments. 138:
Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful. 139: My zeal hath consumed me,
because mine enemies have forgotten thy words. 140: Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it. 141: I am small and despised: yet do
not I forget thy precepts. 142:
Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth. 143: Trouble and anguish have taken
hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights. 144: The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give
me understanding, and I shall live.
Koph
145: I cried with my whole heart; hear
me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes. 146:
I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies. 147: I prevented the dawning of the
morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word. 148:
Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word. 149: Hear my voice according unto thy
lovingkindness: O LORD, quicken me according to thy judgment. 150: They draw nigh that follow after
mischief: they are far from thy law. 151:
Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth. 152: Concerning thy testimonies, I
have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.
Resh
153: Consider mine affliction, and
deliver me: for I do not forget thy law. 154:
Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word. 155: Salvation is far from the
wicked: for they seek not thy statutes. 156:
Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments. 157: Many are my persecutors and mine
enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies. 158: I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they
kept not thy word. 159:
Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy
lovingkindness. 160: Thy word
is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth
for ever.
Schin
161: Princes have persecuted me without
a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word. 162: I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil. 163: I hate and abhor lying: but thy
law do I love. 164: Seven times
a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments. 165: Great peace have they which love
thy law: and nothing shall offend them. 166:
LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments. 167: My soul hath kept thy
testimonies; and I love them exceedingly. 168: I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my
ways are before thee.
Tau
169: Let my cry come near before thee, O
LORD: give me understanding according to thy word. 170: Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according
to thy word. 171: My lips shall
utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes. 172: My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments
are righteousness. 173: Let
thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts. 174: I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my
delight. 175: Let my soul live,
and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me. 176: I have gone astray like a lost
sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.
Today we will read the second part of Psalm 119. The Psalm
is divided into 22 parts, each having a letter of the Hebrew Alphabet. In
‘Lamed’ the Psalmist speaks of Jehovah and his word. In the beginning he says
that the word of Jehovah is settled and eternal and at the end, he says the
word of Jehovah is perfect and eternal. Then in between these thoughts, he
says, that no amount of affliction can destroy his delight in the word and
secondly no wicked person can destroy the joy of his meditation in the word.
Then between these thoughts he gives two statements and justifies it with two
reasons. So he begins saying that the word of the LORD is eternally settled in
heaven and the faithfulness of the Lord will be to all generations. Of course
this faithfulness is subject to his continuance in the law. But while the Jews
are faithful to the Lord, the Lord remains faithful. He confirms this by saying
the servants of the Lord continue to keep the ordinances of the Mosaic Law. And
he says if the Law of the Lord had not delighted him then he would have
perished in his troubles. There were three types of judgments of the Lord on Israel.
There were the afflictions that tested their loyalty, even when they lived
righteously under the law. Then there were the afflictions that the Lord
brought on the godly that had turned away from the Lord and these troubles were
designed to bring them back. And there were the judgments of the Lord in which
he totally cast them out of his presence forever. These judgments came on Israel
on a personal level and collectively. Israel’s national existence was a
collective experience of God in their lives, yet they all also, had a personal
experience of God in their lives. We see this in the book of Ruth. The Lord
brought judgment on the whole nation through famine yet he was also using this
national calamity to deal with people individually. None of these judgments and
blessings dealt with the salvation of the soul from sin, that would be seen in
the new covenant. The Lord dealt with their mortal lives and he promised the
righteous resurrection to eternal life. So the Psalmist continues I will never
forget the principles of the law because they are the source of his life. He
calls on the Lord to deliver him from death because he has faithfully sought
the Lord’s ways. The wicked want to kill him, but he is focused on keeping the
Law of Moses. It is important that christian become clear in their
understanding of OT theology so that they can contrast it with NT theology and
read the OT with profit. In ‘Mem’ the Psalmist says that the Law of the LORD is
the source of all wisdom. In the beginning and the end of this verse he says
that the Word of the Lord is precious. In between these thoughts twice he says
that the law is the source of spiritual understanding and between these
thoughts he says twice that it is also the guide for the Jews for all practical
living. In the first phrase he declares his love for the word of the Lord and
in the last he says how much he hates the false life of the wicked. Then he
shows that the word of the Lord makes him wiser than his enemies. In fact he
says I have excelled my teachers in their understanding. And I understand more
than the ancient men of old. There is a certain level of conceitedness in the
midst of his frankness. He says I have kept my feet from straying that I may
keep the word. The use of the first person singular is typical of the law
keeper. We can hear the single-mindedness of Saul of Tarsus. The words of the
Lord are sweeter than honey to his mouth. In ‘Nun’ The Psalmist talks of the
word of the Lord as the source of all light and joy. In the beginning he speaks
of the word as his light and at the end as his joy. There was a joy in keeping
to the Mosaic Law. In the centre of these thoughts the Psalmist speaks of
prayer in the midst of afflictions and protests to the Lord in the midst of
dangers. He says that the word of the Lord illuminates his path in life. Then
he states his human resolve to keep the Law. Then he prays for divine help to
lift him up in his troubles. He brings his freewill offerings with his mouth.
He says my life is in your hands everyday yet I still remain faithful. How
different to the christian, his continuance is based on the faithfulness of God
to him, but the man under the law has to be faithful to keep the law in order
to obtain Gods blessings. In ‘Samech’ the Psalmist says that the Word of
Jehovah brings security. But they are all based on self determination. In the
beginning we have the ‘I’ of I hate vain thoughts but I love the law. At the
end we have the ‘I’ of, I love your testimonies but I am afraid of your
judgments. For the Christian there is no judgment. All judgment has been borne
at the cross and Christ says He that hears my word and believeth in him that
sent me hath everlasting life and will not come into judgment. How could there
be judgment is no sin is every brought up again against the man who is declared
righteous forever in his sight, by faith. Paul says there is no condemnation to
those who are in Christ Jesus. The Psalmist between these thoughts speaks of
evildoers twice and between them he speaks of his longing to be upheld by the
Lord. He says hold me up and I will be safe. In the rest of the Psalm we have a
repeat of many of the same points and issues. In ‘Ain’ he speaks of the
confidence of his trust in the Lord. In ‘Pe’ he speaks of the guidance that the
Word of Jehovah gives. In ‘Tzaddi’ he speaks of the effect of the word of the
Lord on his life. In ‘Koph and Resh’ he brings two verses that describe his
prayer in times of distress, especially in the night. In ‘Schin’ he speaks of
the comfort and rest of having Jehovah’s word. He hopes for physical
deliverance from his enemies and trusts in the Lord to save his life. In the
last verse ‘Tau’ He pleads for the Lord to hear him and to teach him the word
of the Lord because in doing Gods will he obtains blessing of the Lord. This is
in complete contrast to the Christian who is not received by what he has done
however noble but by trusting that Christ has done in all and he comes as a
sinner and breaker of the law to find the grace of God extended to the
unrighteous.
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