The Riches Of God's Word (Ps. 119)

by P.L. Hickling, Cromer, England | Category: More Meditations In The Psalms | Apr 1992

The phrase "according unto Thy Word" occurs eleven times in Psalm 119 (RV). It emphasizes the firm basis on which the believer who trusts God stands.

Every promise stands or falls because of the character of the one who makes it, and the psalmist knows that he can call on the promises that the Lord has made for life, strength, mercy and deliverance, because the Lord is true, and His Word cannot change. Its permanence is emphasized by v.89: "For ever, 0 LORD, Thy Word is settled in heaven". This calls to mind Hebrews 6:13-18, which sets Out the immutability of God's counsel. In this Word the psalmist is willing to place his unreserved confidence, knowing the God who has given it; such a personal faith in the Giver is essential to trust in the gift. It is obvious, of course, that confidence of this sort can only develop in one who knows what God has said; else there is nothing to trust in. We have today His Word for us in written form; the Word of God, the Bible, and there is no substitute for thorough knowledge of its precepts and its principles. Such a knowledge, to be useful, must not merely be an ability to categorize the Bible's contents, but a whole-heartedly acceptance of its relevance to our lives. Compared with its ageless wisdom and fundamental laws, the philosophies and political expedients of our time are shifting sands. Trust in, and knowledge of' God's Word gives us a firm basis on which to ask for help from Him. The writer of the psalm could ask for God's favour (v.58), strength (v.28), lovingkindness (v.76) and deliverance (v.153) according to His Word, secure in the knowledge that what He had promised to do he was able to perform (Rom. 4:21).

The source of life:

Again there is a recurring phrase; the words "quicken (Thou) me" occur nine times in the Psalm. The meaning of quicken, as used in the older versions of Scripture, differs, of course, from its use in modern English, although the Oxford English Dictionary gives as the first (oldest) meaning give life to, which is the appropriate one. There is no other source of life than God; this is true both of the original giving of life and its maintenance, and in both the physical and spiritual realms. Men receive spiritual life from God by faith, and "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" (Rom. 10:17 NKJV). Hence the channel of life is the Word of God, and it is neglected to

our disadvantage and our peril. When we feel oppressed - "I am afflicted" (v.107) - and earthbound - "My soul cleaveth unto the dust" (v.25) - the Word of God can invigorate spiritual life, because of which we can rejoice in the Lord. When the writer rose before dawn (v.147), and knew that he would face wicked men, he hoped in the Lord's words, and looked for His life-sustaining power through them. And of course, although it may be a past experience to many of our readers, eternal life can only be obtained through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ' whose work and Person are revealed through the Scriptures.

A way of living:

The "law of the LORD" (v.1) is a way to walk in; that is, a way of living. The phrase does not only refer to the Decalogue and the ceremonial law; it brings in all God's instruction to His people through His prophets. Its parallel today is what Paul called "the whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:27). The whole sum of what God has said, viewed in its proper context, is the guide for our actions; we are not at liberty to reject part. Indeed, verse 45 says that liberty lies in seeking the precepts of God - "whose service is perfect freedom". The "way" is the "trodden path" or the "marked out route"; it is marked Out by God Himself in His Word as according to His holiness, pleasing to Himself, and for the good of those who follow it. It should always be remembered that God is not a fierce martinet who imposes rules just because He wants to make things difficult for us, but the One who loves us, and cared for us so much that He gave His Son for us.

The means of cleansing:

"How can a young man cleanse his way?" (v.9 NKJV) - a perennial question, for purity now is no easier or harder than it was when the psalm was written. The only way is to apply the standards of the Word. Varying human standards will lead to moral decline when society is in decline; and it is. The word hidden in the heart (v.11) is the protection against sin. The scripture refers explicitly to young men, one supposes because the temptation to and the opportunity for impurity is likely to be greatest in their case; but no-one should think that he or she cannot be tempted, whatever his age or sex. In all cases, however, the remedy is the same, to take heed"... according to Thy Word".

The source of blessing:

Obeying God's Word is a source of blessing (vv. 1,2). This comes in two ways: firstly, the commandments themselves are designed for the good of men, so that obedience to them brings peace of mind and harmonious relationships with others. It should be emphasized again that God's laws are not arbitrary; He is the Maker of the earth and everything in it, and He is better fitted than we are to know what we should do. This presupposes that the Scriptures are accepted as the revelation of God; that is the stance of the writer of this article and the editors of this magazine. Secondly, God honours those who honour Him (1 Sam. 2:30). He is able to bless in many ways, both spiritual and material. Paul told the Church in Ephesus that they had been blessed "with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ", but we should not ignore or depreciate material blessings, which come from Him too. Both sorts should be valued, and accepted from the hand of God, but it would be false, of course, to assume that because a man is rich God has made him to prosper; the wicked sometimes prosper too!

Wisdom and understanding:

The right appreciation of God's Word needs both of these. Understanding is comprehension, the grasp of meaning, whereas wisdom is the ability to make right judgements. "Give me understanding" the psalmist asks five times (vv. 34, 73, 125, 144, 169), so that he can be sure that he grasps what God's will for him is. This is not a purely intellectual grasp, however; he says "Give me understanding, and I shall keep Thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart" (v.34). Knowing its meaning leads to determination to carry it out. This knowledge is the foundation for wisdom; "Thy commandments make me wiser than mine enemies" (v.98). The wise man has a mental armoury equipped by the Word of God, so that he is able to bring out some relevant principle to apply to every problem. The basic attitudes are still required of us; we need to ,know, to grasp and to apply the Word of God.

A way of thinking:

The expression "mind set" is sometimes used to describe the way a person has of thinking about things. One's mind set is governed by one's education, training, environment and what one takes in. A magazine article, writing about television, says "Are you what you watch?" The answer, to a large degree, is yes. Psalm 119 refers in four places (vv. 15, 23, 78, 97) to meditating in the precepts, statutes and law of God Precepts are the commandments of God, the rules for life; statutes are His laws, the limits beyond which we must not go; and "law", in this sense, is the torah, the teaching of Go~ To meditate in these things is not to let the mind wander vaguely; it is to consider their implications for our own behaviour and our appreciation of the glory of God. Thus the mind set of one who meditates in the Word of God is predisposed to thinking in His way, and predisposed to reject the assumptions of the communications media and the world around. One should not feel defensive about this; no one can think from first principles about everything, and we are bound to work from some assumptions. The question is, what shall they be, those based on the authority of the Word of God, or those based on current fashion?

Truth

The bottom line of an honest man's investigation of anything is, "Is it true?" We cannot here examine all the evidence for the veracity of the Scriptures; our convictions are stated above, and we believe them to be well rounded. They certainly claim truth for themselves; v.142 says "Thy law is truth", and this was echoed by the Lord Jesus Christ Himself, when

He prayed for His disciples "Sanctify them in the truth: Thy word is truth" (John 17:17). He constantly referred to the Old Testament scriptures as having the authority of the Word of God, and an attack on that belief is an attack on Him. In summary, Psalm 119 is an affirmation of belief in the Word of God as a guide to conduct and a spiritual light; that belief is still one worthy of adoption.

P.L. Hickling, Cromer, England | Apr 1992
More Meditations In The Psalms