Visiting his childhood church, the actor Richard Burton offered to perform something for the congregation. His pastor asked him to recite Psalm 23. Burton agreed on the condition that his pastor would do the same. The actor gave an impressive recitation that left the congregation spellbound. The room erupted in applause when he finished. When the room quieted, the old pastor rose to recite the same psalm. When he finished, there was not a dry eye in the room. Burton said, “Ladies and gentlemen, I reached your eyes and ears, but my old pastor has reached your hearts. The difference...

Psalm 119 is a long, complex, and beautiful poem that celebrates the sufficiency of Scripture to meet every need of the human soul. It begins with a declaration of blessing for those who live according to God’s word. Psalm 119:1-3 declares, “Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!” The one who lives with confidence in God’s word is blessed. However, this blessing must be defined as divine approval...

In the opening verse of this section, the psalmist feels the rain and sees the sunshine. Verse 161 says, “Princes persecute me without cause.” The psalmist had enemies in high places. Verse 23 says, “Princes sit plotting against me.” Princes have now gone from plotting to persecuting. This statement suggests the psalmist was royalty. But he could have been any believer whose devotion to God’s word threatened the powers that be. And they persecuted him without cause.  John 15:25 says, “But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled, ‘They hated me without a cause.’” Jesus suffered persecution without a cause. Many other faithful men have experienced unjust persecution through the centuries, including the...

As Psalm 119 draws to a close, the psalmist prays with increasingly greater urgency. Throughout this psalm, he maintains his confidence in God’s word to meet. Yet, as the psalm draws to a close, the writer’s difficult circumstances have not changed. In the opening of this stanza, he is still suffering affliction. And his experience both issues us a warning to heed and gives us an example to follow. Devotion to the Lord will not solve all your problems. It may produce new, big, and long problems. The psalmist experienced great affliction. But he did not allow his chronic suffering to become an excuse for forsaking...

This section of Psalm 119 is a prayer with five requests. Supplication is the theme and tone of the text. In this regard, the section is no different than the previous section. Psalm 119 is an ode to the sufficiency of scripture expressed in prayer and praise. This section is different in that the emphasis is not on what the psalmist prayed. It is on the manner the psalmist prayed. He prayed with assurance. As the psalmist prays with earnestness, fervor, and urgency, he prays with confident assurance that God will hear and answer. Answered prayer is a great encouragement...

Psalm 119:137-144 continues the theme of the previous stanza, in which the psalmist magnifies the trustworthiness of God’s word and vows his determination to live by its truth. In verses 131-136, the psalmist focuses on the wonderful nature of God’s word.  In verses 137-144, the psalmist focuses on the righteous character of God’s word.  This section of Psalm 119 is under the heading Tsadhe, the eighteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Every line of this stanza starts with a word that begins with the letter Tsadhe. The first word of this stanza is the most obvious word that would have come to the psalmist that starts with Tsadhe. It is the word tsadek,...

On one occasion, a man told Mark Twain, “I wish I had never read Huckleberry Finn.” Twain, the author of the famous novel, frowned and asked the reason for such a remark. “So that I could have the pleasure again of reading it for the first time,” came the reply. This compliment to Twain’s American classic reminds us why the Bible is better and greater than any other book. Every time you read scripture, it is like reading it for the first time. The word of God is pregnant with truth to be discovered. Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged...

In A Turtle on a Fencepost, Allan Emery tells of accompanying Ken Hansen to visit an employee who was recovering from an eight-hour surgery. Hansen whispered, “You know, I have had several serious operations. I know the pain of trying to talk. I think I know what questions you’re asking. There are two verses I want to give you – Genesis 43:26 and Romans 8:28. We have the options of these two attitudes. We need the perspective of the latter.” He read the passages, prayed, and left.  Every day, we choose one of two attitudes. To say with Jacob in Genesis 42:36: “All these things are against me.”...

This fifteenth stanza of Psalm 119 continues the train of thought from the previous section. In verses 105-112, the psalmist expresses his determination to live for God. That is what we find in this section. But there is a slight yet important difference.  The previous section declares his determination to live for God because of.  This present section declares his determination to live for God in spite of.  The writer was threatened, pursued, and harassed. Yet he maintained a steadfast determination to choose the right and to reject the wrong.  The story is told of a man who stood in the streets of Sodom and Gomorra, calling...

An aspiring musician heard a famous pianist perform. Afterward, the musician said to the maestro, “I would give my life to be able to play like you.” “Young man,” replied the maestro, “I already have.”  Success requires more than good intentions, sincere desires, or noble aspirations. It requires steadfast determination. In family matters, educational pursuits, career development, athletic goals, and other life aims, there is no success without a determination to see it through and reach the goal. It is also the case for followers of Christ. A life devoted to God requires more than holy desires. It requires steadfast determination.  Matthew 16:24 says, “If anyone would come after me, let...

Prayer is the best way to respond to trouble. Psalm 50:15 says, “Call upon me in the day of trouble, I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.” How should you pray when troubles come? Consider how Psalm 138 answers. It is a prayer of thanksgiving. Every prayer should involve and include thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the main ingredient of this prayer of praise.  This psalm of thanksgiving is ascribed to David. We do not know the historical background of this psalm. However, the text gives several clues. Verse 8 says, “I walk in the midst of trouble.” It also mentions “the wrath of my enemies.” As enemies troubled David, he responded by going to God in prayer. But this psalm is not a lamentation or cry for deliverance....

Henry Martyn wrote, “I experienced a solemn gladness in learning this MEM part of the 119th Psalm.” Psalm 119:97-104 is a prayer in which the psalmist addresses the Lord in every verse. It is a prayer with no petitions. It is a prayer of devotion: “Oh how I love your law!” He did not say he believed, obeyed, or proclaimed God’s word. He says, “Oh how I love your law.” It is a personal confession: “Oh how I love your law!” It is a present-tense testimony. He did not remember when he loved the word of God. He did not...