It is not easy to see the special subjects that are spoken of by David in each of the short portions of eight verses, yet I do not doubt that if each portion were very carefully examined, we should see that there is some thread running through. We have not here simply a number of pious sentences abo... [ Continue Reading ]
The first eight verses of this Psalm, in the Hebrew, begin with the letter A, and the second eight begin with the letter B. The whole Psalm is the good man's alphabet; the Holy Spirit condescended to use these expedients to help the memory of the readers of Holy Scripture. We should be thankful for... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 119:9. _Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word._ «Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?» A vital and solemn question. His way is full of temptations, and he himself has strong passions. How shall he make his way clean, and keep it... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 119:17. _Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word._ O Lord, I am thy servant; yet, I pray thee, do not pay me wages according to my deserts, but according to the greatness of thy mercy, «deal bountifully with thy servant.» Little mercy will not be enough for such... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 119:21. _Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments._ Wherever there is pride in the heart, there is sure to be error in the life. A proud man is wrong, to begin with, and as long as he continues proud, he must be wrong. It is not possible for him to be r... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 119:25. _My soul cleaveth unto the dust:_ «It sticks to it as though it were glued to it; my soul cannot be lifted up, at least by myself, out of its sadness, and its earthiness.» The psalmist was not one who could boast of perfection. He had to lament that the earth, which was in him by nat... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 119:25. _My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word._ «I feel heavy, unhappy, dull: ‘My soul cleaveth unto the dust.' Or I feel worldly, lethargic, lifeless: ‘My soul cleaveth unto the dust.' There is nothing but the power of new life that can separate me from that... [ Continue Reading ]
By the help of God's Holy Spirit, this psalm may serve for the purposes of self-examination, for we may ask ourselves as we read, «Do I feel in that way? Are my prayers like those of this good man? Is my experience like his: «We may often ask ourselves, «Am I as watchful, and as careful, and as fond... [ Continue Reading ]
We have here some of the jottings from David's pocket-book, the notes of his experience as recorded in his diary. The whole Psalm is a great casket full of golden rings. They all fit one into the other; but each ring is also perfect in itself. Psalms 119:33. _Teach me, o Lord, the way of thy statut... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 119:33. _Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes;_ The psalmist is constantly talking about «the way.» We have that expression in the 27 th verse, then in the 29 th, the 30 th, and the 32 nd; and now again we have it here: «Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes;» Psalms 119:33. _And I... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 119:64. _The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant, O LORD, according unto thy word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray:_ Prosperity had been to the psalm... [ Continue Reading ]
In this Psalm we have, as it were, notes from David's pocket book. Psalms 119:73. _Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments._ This is a very instructive prayer; the psalmist does as good as say, «Lord, thou hast made me once- make me over ag... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 119:81. _My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word._ The ship rocks, but the anchor holds; the singer is ready to faint, but he is not ready to despair. He knows where his restoring will come. Psalms 119:82. _Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?_... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 119:81. _My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word._ The psalmist was so full of longings, hungerings, thirstings, for God's salvation that he had come even to faintness through the strength of his desire. Yet, in his faintness, he was not too far gone to hope; and we also h... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 119:89. _For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven._ It is not a changeable or vanishing thing: «Thy word is settled,» settled for ever, settled «for ever in heaven.» As God changes not, so the Word which he has spoken to his servants changes not. If the foundations of the faith could... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 119:89. _For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven._ Other things come, and go, and change, moons wax and wane, tides ebb and flow, everything earthly is changeable; but «Thy word is settled settled in heaven,» with the eternal settlements. No truth of it can fail, no promise of it can... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 119:105. _Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path._ We are walkers through the city of this world, and we are often called to go out into its darkness; let us never venture there without the light-giving word, lest we slip with our feet. Each man should use the word of God... [ Continue Reading ]
We will read tonight two of the stanzas which make up the 119 th Psalm, beginning at the 105 th verse. Psalms 119:105. _Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path._ God's Word is full of brilliance; it is always giving out its blessed light. It casts a light upon all our daily life.... [ Continue Reading ]
The proper way in which to read these verses is to peruse them in the spirit of prayer, turning every verse into a personal supplication to God. I do trust that many of us may be so in the Spirit today, that these words may suit us. Psalms 119:113. _I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love._ Th... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 119:1. _I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love._ Presumptuous thoughts, erroneous thoughts, wicked thoughts, foolish thoughts,-all three David hated. A good man ought to be a good hater, as well as a good lover. What should he hate? He should hate sin thoughts. What should he love? He s... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 119:119-19. _Thou putteth away all the wicked of the earth like dross: therefore I love thy testimonies. My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments. I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to mine oppressors._ Eastern kings cannot often say as much as this,... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 119:129. _Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them._ Every true believer admires God's Word; and, more than that, it amazes him: «Thy testimonies are wonderful.» View them from any point you may select, they are wonderful, wonderful in themselves, wonderful in their op... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 119:129. _Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them._ It is very wonderful that God should speak to us at all, and still more marvellous that he should write to us such a book as this Bible is. The Book itself is full of wonders, and one of those wonders is that it reve... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 119:137. _Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments._ It is well to be able to say this when you are being tried, when the hand of God lies heavy upon you; it is hard to kick against the pricks, but it is very sweet to submit, and to say, «Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upri... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 119:145. _I cried with my whole heart; hear me. O LORD: I will keep thy statutes._ It is sweet to look back upon our prayers, if those prayers were uttered with our whole heart, for it is no small work of divine grace to enable us to throw the whole heart into prayer; and when we get that we... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 119:145. _I cried with my whole heart: hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes._ In the time of trouble there is no resort like that of prayer, but it must be intense and earnest. «I cried with my whole heart.» And sometimes it should be accompanied with a resolve to profit by the afflicti... [ Continue Reading ]
Psalms 119:153. _Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law._ As much as if he said, «Lord, I do not forget thee; do not forget me.» Thy grace has kept my memory; let thy grace keep me altogether. Psalms 119:154-19. _Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according t... [ Continue Reading ]