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, which means “righteous.” The word “righteous” dominates this stanza, occurring five times in eight verses to capsulize the message of this section: You can trust the Bible.   

This passage is an apologetic for the authority, credibility, and veracity of scripture. But the writer does not defend scripture by addressing criticisms about manuscripts, archeology, prophecy, science, or history. He asserts the truthfulness and trustworthiness of scripture by arguing how God’s word does not change despite those who oppose it. 

Herbert Lockyer wrote, “Here is unfolded for our learning the righteousness of Jehovah and the reminder of the struggles of a holy soul in reference to such righteousness.” Psalm 119:137-144 gives three reasons you should trust the Bible. 

The Nature of God’s Word 

You can seek to know God in one of two ways. The most common way is human speculation. We paint a picture of what we think God is or want God to be. Then we treat our speculative images as if they are definitive statements about God. You cannot know God this way. 

Isaiah 55:8-9 says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” You can only know God through divine revelation, not human speculation. You can trust the Bible because it is God’s word. 

The Righteous Source of Scripture. Maurice was Roman Emperor for twenty years until General Phocas usurped him in 602. Phocas killed Maurice’s six sons in front of him before killing Maurice. As his sons were murdered, Maurice quoted Psalm 119:137: “Righteous are you, O Lord, and right are your rules.”

This declaration of praise makes two affirmations. First, the psalmist declared the Lord is righteous. The righteousness of God is his intrinsic and essential holiness. God’s nature, character, and actions are righteous. Psalm 145:17 says, “The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.” Likewise, the psalmist declared, “Right are your rules.” The Bible mirrors the character of God. The righteousness of God is revealed in the rightness of his word. This is the inerrancy and infallibility of scripture. God’s word is true, pure, and good. Who should study the Bible? Anyone who cares about what is right. You may have questions about what scripture teaches. Yet there is no reason to doubt. Wait for all the facts to come. God’s word is right. 

The Righteous Content of Scripture. Verse 138 says, “You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness.” This verse is a restatement of verse 137. “Testimonies” is a synonym for scripture. The word of God is God’s testimony. “Your testimonies” asserts the inspiration of scripture. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, “All Scripture is breathed out by God.” The Bible is not the word of man about God. It is the word of God through man. It is God’s self-revelation.

The psalmist states God has appointed his testimonies. Here is an affirmation of the sovereignty of God and the inspiration of scripture. “Appointed” means to call, command, or commission. As the sovereign Commander-in-Chief, God has deployed his word into the world to carry out his divine mission. God’s word has two essential characteristics: righteousness and faithfulness. These two terms describe the fruit of scripture. If you want to God’s will, turn to God’s word. It will lead you in righteousness and in all faithfulness. 

Matthew Henry wrote, “That which we are commanded to practice is righteous; that which we are commanded to believe is faithful. It is necessary to our faith and obedience that we be convinced of this.”

The Power of God’s Word 

Verses 137-138 concentrate on the righteousness of God and his word. In verses 139-141, there is a shift from the objective trustworthiness of God and his word to the subjective experience of it. In these three verses, the psalmist testifies about his personal experience with the unfailing and unwavering reliability of scripture. His testimony teaches you can trust the Bible in every situation.  

It is worthy of your zeal. Verse 139 says, “My zeal consumes me, because my foes forget your words.” Zeal is fiery passion that moves one to action. This passion is the mingling of love and hate. It is to so love something that you hate whatever opposes it. This was the disposition of the psalmist. Love of truth and hatred of error-filled his heart. Zeal consumed him. What aroused this consuming zeal? Verse 139 answers: “Because my foes forget your words.”

Here, as in many places in this psalm, the psalmist acknowledges the presence of enemies in his life. These foes were strong, influential, proud, wicked, and determined to take him out. The actions of these enemies consumed him with passion. But his zeal was not stoked by what they did to him. His passion was set aflame because his foes forgot the word of God. “Forget” describes their spiritual devotion, not their mental recollection. They knew what the word of God commanded. But they ignored, neglected, and disregarded God’s word. And it caused the psalmist to be consumed with zeal.

There is no evidence the psalmist took the schemes and shenanigans of his foes against him personally. But he took their inattention and indifference toward God’s word personally. Here is an essential characteristic of true godliness. Psalm 69:9 says, “For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who you have fallen on me.”

• Can you disregard personal attacks? 
• Are you offended by what offends God? 

It is worthy of your love. Verse 140 says, “Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it.” “Promise” is a synonym for scripture. It does not refer to the promises contained in scripture. It refers to scripture itself. The word of God is the promise of God. God’s promise is “well tried.” It is a testimony of biblical truth and biblical trust. Regarding the truth of God’s word, it is well-tried. The language pictures precious metal tested by fire. The Scripture Union reads: “It has survived the hatred of men, the fires of spurious priesthood, the sneers of infidels, and the carnal wisdom of modern critics.” The Bible has stood the test of time. And it has proven to be pure, true, and right. Psalm 18:30 says, “This God – his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.”

The word of God was well-tried personally, not just objectively. Trouble tried God’s promise and the psalmist’s faith. Both emerged from the fiery trial pure. The psalmist gives scripture the credit. He would not have survived if the word of God had not been well-tried. The saints used to write “T.P.” in the margin of their Bibles to remind them of the promises of God that were “tied and proven.” Because God’s word was well-tried, the psalmist declared, “Your servant loves it.” Again, the psalmist identifies himself as “your servant.”But he did not separate his service from scripture. The proof that he was a true servant was that he loved God’s word. Faithful servants love God’s word because it teaches the Master’s will, way, and work. John 14:15 says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

It is worthy of your remembrance. Verse 141 says, “I small and despised, yet I do not forget your precepts.” The psalmist provocatively describes circumstances. He says, “I am small.” The Hebrew word refers to that which is young, little, or immature. In the poetry of this psalm, it is best to let the reading stand, “I am small.” The writer was treated as insignificant. He was dismissed as one whose life did not matter. He was also “despised.”

• His foes had strong animosity toward him. 
• They could not stand him. 
• He was forced to deal with people who hated him. 

Either reality is enough to shake one’s devotion to God. The psalmist lived through both. He was small and despised. The psalmist could not control the situation. He could control his response. Verse 141 says, “I am small and despised, yet I do not forget your precepts.” It may be that he was small and despised because he did join in their rebellion against God’s word. Whatever caused them to treat him that way, he refused to forget the word of God. 

• Do not forget God’s word to win man’s approval. 
• Do not forget God’s word to stop man’s disapproval. 

The size of your trouble does not matter. What matters is the location of your trouble. Either it stands between you and God, or it pushes you closer to God. If you are small and scorned, remain steadfast. Warren Wiersbe writes: “The world may look upon God’s people as ‘small and despised,’ but when you stand on God’s promises, you are a giant.” 

The Sufficiency of God’s Word 

2 Timothy 3:16 declares the truth, authority, and usefulness of scripture: “All scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” The point is about the sufficiency of scripture. 2 Timothy 3:17 explains: “that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” This is a gross and glaring contradiction of the church. We affirm the Bible is the word of God. Yet we demonstrate little confidence in its sufficiency. But you can trust the Bible to provide what you need the most. 

God’s word imparts truth. Verse 142 says, “Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true.” As in the opening verse of this stanza, this verse makes two affirmations that link the character of God and the trustworthiness of scripture. The psalmist again affirms the righteousness of God. The emphasis is on the duration of God’s righteousness: “Your righteousness is righteous forever.”

• It is not a passing mood. 
• It is an everlasting virtue. 

Sinful people have a twofold struggle. We struggle to attain righteous conduct. And we struggle to maintain righteous conduct. God’s righteousness is eternal and immutable. Herein is the truth, strength, and hope of the gospel. Romans 1:16-17 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” 

Likewise, the psalmist says, “Your law is true.” The nature of scripture is rooted in the authority of God. Because God is righteousness, his word is true. Scripture does not contain truth; it is truth. 2 Timothy 2:15 calls scripture “the word of truth.” We believe in science, ethics, and history written by sinful people. Even more, we should believe the word of God. John 17:17 says, “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.”  

God’s word imparts joy. Verse 143 declares, “Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight.” The psalmist describes his trial in two ways: “trouble and anguish.” It is bad enough to deal with one or the other. The psalmist struggled with both. “Trouble” describes what was happening around him. “Anguish” describes what was happening within him. 

• Trouble and anguish were hunters chasing him down.  
• Trouble and anguish were soldiers marching against him. 
• Trouble and anguish were attackers stalking his path. 

It was worse than that. The trouble and aguish that had doggedly pursued him had successfully overtaken him. He says they have “found me out.”

• His hiding place had been discovered. 
• His refuge had been breached. 
• His fortress had been overtaken. 

Although trouble and anguish had found him out, the psalmist declared, “But your commandments are my delight.” When trouble and anguish find us, we are prone to ask, “Is it worth it?” This was not the psalmist’s question because the word was his delight. It is a plural word: “delights.” God’s word is filled with a wide variety of spiritual delights. Do not let bitterness cause you to lose your appetite for the delights of God’s word. How long should your daily quiet time be? As long as it takes to delight in God’s word. Delight in God’s word will overcome trouble and anguish.  

God’s word imparts life. Verse 144, “Your testimonies are righteous forever; give me understanding that I may live.” In this final verse of the stanza, the psalmist ends where he began, affirming the righteousness of God’s word. He declares, “Your testimonies are righteous forever.” The word of God is perpetually righteousness. It will not change. The word of God is immutable, just as God himself is. Isaiah 40:8 says, “The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Likewise, the word of God is eternally righteousness. Scripture is constructed of the same material as eternity itself. Mark 13:31 says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” 

Based on the unceasing and unchanging trustworthiness of God’s word, the psalmist makes a prayer request. It is the only prayer request in this stanza: “Give me understanding that I may live.” The two elements of this prayer are familiar. The psalmist repeatedly asks God to give him understanding and to give him life. Here he joins the requests: “Give me understanding that I may live.” He delighted in God’s word. But he was not satisfied with what he already knew. This is a prayer for illumination, not revelation. The meaning of scripture is scripture. We need more than knowledge. We need understanding. The word of God is truth for life. 

• Understanding God’s word leads to spiritual life. 
• Understanding God’s word leads to abundant life. 
• Understanding God’s word leads to eternal life.