Psalm Chapter 119 Part B

GIMEL

• Psalm 119:17  Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.

The writer's whole desire was to live to keep the word of God. What an attitude to have.

• Psalm 119:18 Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

This God will do if we let Him. Ask Him to open our eyes to the truth of the word. He will gladly give understand to any who seek Him.

• Psalm 119:19 I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.

If we live in holiness, we will be as strangers in the earth. The closer to God you live, the less the world will appreciate you. The world's thinking and God's never agree. However, it is better to side with God than please mankind.

• 2Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

• Psalm 119:20 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.

Having delight in the word of God will abound in blessings beyond our imaginations. I'm speaking of spiritual blessings that are not to be compared with material blessings. Material blessings may or may not come but if we seek the spiritual, God will always make sure we have what is necessary. If God blesses us with riches, we are to always be thankful and never boast or be exalted in ourselves and assume we are better or more blessed than those that have very little or nothing. The more we have the more responsibility we have to remember to care for the poor and those that do not have with a willing heart. True riches though are not the things we see but the things we cannot see with our eyes. True riches are God's spiritual blessings. The real rich are the ones that seek the Lord and live by His word. The way to increase in spiritual riches is by receiving Jesus Christ into our lives. 

• Psalm 119:21 Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.

We should delight also when we are rebuked for wrong doing. What if no one said a word and we went on and on until death. We then would be lost. Those that preach the gospel and are concerned with the salvation of the eternal soul, should be loved and held in high esteem because of their faithfulness. They are trying to keep souls from perishing in hell for eternity.

• Psalm 119:22 Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.

If one who claims faith in Jesus does not live in godliness, then he or she will bring reproach upon the name of Christ. People may say, "Well, if that is Christianity, then I don't want it." If we are reproached because of our faithfulness and holy living though we are blessed.

• Matthew 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

• Psalm 119:23 Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.

Kings, presidents, rich men, famous people, governors, teachers, priests, are not to be feared above God. If we obey God and they disapprove, we have to keep on obeying God.

• Psalm 119:24 Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors.

DALETH

• Psalm 119:25 My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.

When we are down and discouraged, the Lord can quicken us or make us alive by His Holy Spirit.

• Psalm 119:26 I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.

Even if we become teachers, we still need to be taught.

• Psalm 119:27 Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.

This writer desired to understand the ways of God so that he might share it with others. We cannot keep the truth of God to ourselves.

• Psalm 119:28 My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.

When we run to the word of God in times of trouble, it always has the answer even if we don't always see it at the time.

• Psalm 119:29 Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously.

We can actually get in the habit of always speaking truth. The first thing we have to get over is the fear of men. When we fear someone is going to be offended if we tell the truth, it is a hindrance.

• Psalm 119:30 I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me.

I will repeat this request and ask God to help all of us to be people who speak truth and avoid lying. The best way to show love to someone is to always tell them the truth.

• Psalm 119:31 I have stuck unto thy testimonies: O LORD, put me not to shame.
• 32 I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.

 HE

• Psalm 119:33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.
• 34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
• 35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.

When we begin to love the word of God, that love will increase and we will learn to delight in the word just like this writer. The word cleanses, comforts, instructs, guides and delivers from sin. Jesus was the word made flesh. See how important the word of God is to salvation.

• Psalm 119:36 Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness.

Covetousness is another enemy of those who try to live right before God. The desire to obtain, sometimes so bad that we want to cheat to get it, is a form of idolatry and walks hand in hand with envy. The Power of the Holy Spirit that comes to us after we come to Jesus for salvation, will help us to overcome those sins of the flesh.

• Psalm 119:37 Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; and quicken thou me in thy way.

This is another thing the Holy Spirit abiding within a believer will help us overcome.

• Psalm 119:38 Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.

The fear of God is the beginning of all wisdom. When we start with an awesome fear of God and study the word with a seeking heart, God can teach us to understand it.

• Psalm 119:39 Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good.
• 40 Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness.

God's righteousness is what we must seek. We are not righteous in ourselves. We are born in sin and are not righteous. We must be clothed with God's righteousness. Jesus came to die for sins. He was the only completely righteous man that walked upon the earth. He died so that we can be partakers of His righteousness. We can receive Jesus Christ if we believe in Him and what He did for us. When we receive Jesus, we are clothed with His righteousness. We still need to study the word and allow that word to correct us.

• Hebrews 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
• 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

If we let the word of God correct us, we are then partakers of the holiness of God. Constant repenting and accepting correction cleanses the soul and is good. To neglect the word is to invite spiritual death. DC

Psalm 119 Part c

Psalm Index