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...

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...

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...

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...

In Psalm 51:5, David confesses, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.” David’s testimony is our testimony. We are sinners – by nature, birth, inclination, choice, and conduct. Romans 3:10-12 says: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” We do not need anyone to teach us to sin. Having children proves this truth. You do not have to train a child to lie, cheat, or steal. At birth, babies are hardwired to do wrong. So is every one of us. William Beveridge wrote: I cannot pray,...

The previous section of Psalm 119 ends in verse 24 with a testimony of joy: “Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors.” This section begins in verse 25 with a prayer of lamentation, “My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word!”  This sudden and extreme change of mood reminds us that one who lives by God’s word will face joy and pain, happiness and sorrow, celebration and grief. This abrupt shift further reveals that seasons of depression often follow seasons of delight. Times of weakness often follow times of strength. The experience of defeat often follows the experience of victory.  Andrew Bonner wrote: “We must be as watchful after the victory as before the battle.” It...

Psalm 119 celebrates the sufficiency of God’s word for every season of life.  Verses 1-8 affirm the sufficiency of God’s word to bless us.  Verses 9-16 affirm the sufficiency of God’s word to cleanse us.  Verses 17-24 affirm the sufficiency of God’s word to sustain us.  This third stanza marks a transition in Psalm 119. It is the first time the psalmist acknowledges devotion to God’s word does not vaccinate you from difficult circumstances. In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus says, “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and...

The second stanza of Psalm 119 begins with an important question: “How can a young man keep his way pure?” This question has led some to speculate the author of Psalm 119 was a young man. But the tone, content, and structure of this psalm point to one who has length of days, depth of maturity, and breadth of experience with God. Most likely, the author was an older man who wrote this psalm to teach young men to trust and obey God’s word. Verse 9 asks a relevant question for the young and old. This question assumes the depravity of man. It assumes young men are not naturally good, pure, or clean. It assumes the absence of internal discipline and the presence of external pressures that corrupt...

  David confessed, “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Psalm 51:5). This sin problem is not David’s dilemma alone. Every one of us shares this sad testimony. We are all sinners – by nature, birth, inclination, choice, and conduct. Paul indicts us all: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one” (Romans 3:10-12). Consequently, we do not need anyone to teach us how to sin. If you don’t believe...

Tonight, in our Midweek Worship Service at Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church, I plan to conclude my exposition of the longest passage in the Bible – Psalm 119.I began preaching through Psalm 119, stanza by stanza (or eight verses at a time), last September. I had not yet moved from Los Angeles. But I was traveling to Jacksonville to preach the Wednesday night services.It is easier for me to prepare to preach when I am working through one extended passage of scripture. Moreover, I believe sequential exposition is the most faithful way to preach the word of God. And I knew...

There is an illustration from the life of Maurice, a Roman emperor, who found comfort from Psalm 119:137 in an unbelievable crisis. In the preaching moment last night, I passed right by this illustration. And by the time I recognized it, I was too far ahead to go back to get it. But I have been enriched and encouraged by this story and want to share it anyway. During the 20 years he ruled the Roman Empire, he had shown virtues, marking him out to succeed Tiberius II. But the army turned against him and in 602 he fled, wit...