Psalm 119:105-112 “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path. I have sworn, and have confirmed it, that I will obey your righteous ordinances. I am afflicted very much. Revive me, LORD, according to your word. Accept, I beg you, the willing offerings of my mouth. LORD, teach me your ordinances. My soul is continually in my hand, yet I won’t forget your law. The wicked have laid a snare for me, yet I haven’t gone astray from your precepts. I have taken your testimonies as a heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart. I have set my heart to perform your statutes forever, even to the end.”

The world lays snares. “If it feels good, do it!” “Life is short. Play hard.” “Your body, your choice.” The surer path is to have a humble heart that is willing to be taught, and to continually go to God’s Word to find out how we should live.

For additional worship: Thy Word

Psalm 119:97-104 “How I love your law! It is my meditation all day. Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for your commandments are always with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, because I have kept your precepts. I have kept my feet from every evil way, that I might observe your word. I have not turned away from your ordinances, for you have taught me. How sweet are your promises to my taste, more than honey to my mouth! Through your precepts, I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.”

While we should have great respect for those who minister with the Word, not all teachers are created equal!

Jude 4 “For there are certain men who crept in secretly, even those who were long ago written about for this condemnation: ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into indecency, and denying our only Master, God, and Lord, Jesus Christ.”

1 John 4:1 “Beloved, don’t believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

The challenge for us is to stay grounded in the Word. If we do, then we’ll have great understanding, and may even surpass the understanding of legitimate teachers. Especially if we don’t just know it, but we believe it and follow it too! Then we’ll truly hate every false way.

For additional worship: More Precious Than Gold (The Worship Initiative)

Psalm 119:89-96 “LORD, your word is settled in heaven forever. Your faithfulness is to all generations. You have established the earth, and it remains. Your laws remain to this day, for all things serve you. Unless your law had been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. I will never forget your precepts, for with them, you have revived me. I am yours. Save me, for I have sought your precepts. The wicked have waited for me, to destroy me. I will consider your statutes. I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your commands are boundless.”

God doesn’t change and neither does His Word. His law is just like the law of gravity! It’s permanent and everlasting. That’s why we need to allow it to teach us and not try to change it to something we like. It’s perfect just the way it is.

For additional worship: Your Word Will Stand Forever

Psalm 119:81-88 “My soul faints for your salvation. I hope in your word. My eyes fail for your word. I say, ‘When will you comfort me?’ For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke. I don’t forget your statutes. How many are the days of your servant? When will you execute judgement on those who persecute me? The proud have dug pits for me, contrary to your law. All of your commandments are faithful. They persecute me wrongfully. Help me! They had almost wiped me from the earth, but I didn’t forsake your precepts. Preserve my life according to your loving kindness, so I will obey the statutes of your mouth.”

The Israelites had a reoccurring problem. They would worship God until it seemed like they weren’t getting anything out of it. Then they would turn to idolatry to find a more accommodating God!

Exodus 32:1 “When the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron, and said to him, ‘Come, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.’ ”

Here the Psalmist reminds us that we don’t just give up on God and His Word when things aren’t going well. In fact, that is precisely when we need to worship and follow Him the most!

Question: Do you search God’s Word so much that your eyes “faint” from exhaustion?

For additional worship: More Precious Than Gold (Acappella)

Psalm 119:73-80 “Your hands have made me and formed me. Give me understanding, that I may learn your commandments. Those who fear you will see me and be glad, because I have put my hope in your word. LORD, I know that your judgements are righteous, that in faithfulness you have afflicted me. Please let your loving kindness be for my comfort, according to your word to your servant. Let your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight. Let the proud be disappointed, for they have overthrown me wrongfully. I will meditate on your precepts. Let those who fear you turn to me. They will know your statutes. Let my heart be blameless towards your decrees, that I may not be disappointed.”

There are several lessons we learn from our passage. First of all, the God who made us is the one who instructs us and enables us to understand His Word.

1 Corinthians 2:12 “But we received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might know the things that were freely given to us by God.”

Second, one of the great joys of being believers is the community of faith. We encourage and help each other!

1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore exhort one another, and build each other up, even as you also do.”

Third, when God allows bad things to happen to us, it’s for a purpose.

Romans 5:3-5 “Not only this, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

Finally, it’s God’s Word that guides our steps and keeps us from sin, so that we can be blessed!

Psalm 37:30-31 “The mouth of the righteous talks of wisdom. His tongue speaks justice. The law of his God is in his heart. None of his steps shall slide.”

For additional worship: The Word of God has Spoken (Travis Cottrel)

Psalm 119:65-72 “You have treated your servant well, according to your word, LORD. Teach me good judgement and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. Before I was afflicted, I went astray; but now I observe your word. You are good, and do good. Teach me your statutes. The proud have smeared a lie upon me. With my whole heart, I will keep your precepts. Their heart is as callous as the fat, but I delight in your law. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn your statutes. The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of pieces of gold and silver.”

Affliction comes, and it doesn’t have to be punishment from God. Sometimes it comes because we go against God’s commands. His Word isn’t just a bunch of arbitrary laws. He gives us important instructions for living righteous and fulfilling lives. He is good, and He does good by giving us the Scriptures. When we run into trouble because we don’t follow, it should drive us back to His Word. It really is better than thousands of pieces of gold or silver!

For additional worship: Your Words are Wonderful (Sovereign Grace)

Psalm 119:57-64 “The LORD is my portion. I promised to obey your words. I sought your favor with my whole heart. Be merciful to me according to your word. I considered my ways, and turned my steps to your statutes. I will hurry, and not delay, to obey your commandments. The ropes of the wicked bind me, but I won’t forget your law. At midnight I will rise to give thanks to you, because of your righteous ordinances. I am a friend of all those who fear you, of those who observe your precepts. The earth is full of your loving kindness, LORD. Teach me your statutes.”

You can use this passage to diagnose your own spiritual temperature. Is the Lord your portion? Do you desire Him more than anything? Do you trust Him to be merciful based on His Word? Do you know His statutes well enough to resist the wicked? Do you give thanks to Him for His guidance? Do you desire to help and befriend other believers? Do you believe that we are recipients of His loving kindness? Do you want know His law more and more?

Mark 12:29-31 “Jesus answered, ‘The greatest is: “Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” This is the first commandment. The second is like this: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these.’ ”

For additional worship: Your Words (Third Day)

Psalm 119:49-56 “Remember your word to your servant, because you gave me hope. This is my comfort in my affliction, for your word has revived me. The arrogant mock me excessively, but I don’t swerve from your law. I remember your ordinances of old, LORD, and have comforted myself. Indignation has taken hold on me, because of the wicked who forsake your law. Your statutes have been my songs in the house where I live. I have remembered your name, LORD, in the night, and I obey your law. This is my way, that I keep your precepts.”

God’s Word does bring hope and comfort, but it can also bring indignation. We are right to be troubled when we see so many refuse to follow and believe. The key is to not allow that to take away our joy. Instead, we should sing about God, His Word, and His ways, and we should continually remember Him, even as we lay down to sleep at night. When we do, it will help us to keep His commands!

For additional worship: Living Word (Jeremy Camp)