Pastor Billington's Blog

Psalm 119:1-8 “Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the LORD’s law. Blessed are those who keep his statutes, who seek him with their whole heart. Yes, they do nothing wrong. They walk in his ways. You have commanded your precepts, that we should fully obey them. Oh that my ways were steadfast to obey your statutes! Then I wouldn’t be disappointed, when I consider all of your commandments. I will give thanks to you with uprightness of heart, when I learn your righteous judgements. I will observe your statutes. Don’t utterly forsake me.”

The entirety of Psalm 119 extols the importance of the Word of God. The Psalmist uses eight different terms to refer to God’s Word: law, testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, judgments, word, and ordinances. It is alphabetic acrostic, with 8 lines per letter. That means every line in each 8 line section begins with the same letter, and it goes through all 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet sequentially. It is the longest chapter in the Bible.

It opens with two blessings, the only blessing statements in the Psalm, and they remind us of two important lessons. First, obedience does bring blessing! And second, although we can’t truly be blameless in life, we can be blameless in God’s sight because of Jesus!

Colossians 1:21-22 “You, being in past times alienated and enemies in your mind in your evil deeds, yet now he has reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and without defect and blameless before him.”

For additional worship: The Heav’ns Declare Your Glory, Lord

The heav’ns declare your glory, Lord;
In ev’ry star your wisdom shines;
But when our eyes behold your Word,
We read your name in clearer lines.

Sun, moon, and stars disclose your praise
Round the whole earth, and never stand,
So when your truth began its race,
It touched and glanced on ev’ry land.

Nor shall your spreading gospel rest
Till through the world your truth has run,
Till Christ has all the nations blessed
That see the light or feel the sun.

Great Sun of Righteousness, arise,
Bless the dark world with heav’nly light.
Your gospel makes the simple wise;
Your laws are pure, your judgments right.

Your brilliant wonders here we view,
In souls renewed and sins forgiv’n.
Lord, cleanse my sins, my soul renew,
And make your Word my guide to heav’n.

Psalm 118:25-29 “Save us now, we beg you, LORD! LORD, we beg you, send prosperity now. Blessed is he who comes in the LORD’s name! We have blessed you out of the LORD’s house. The LORD is God, and he has given us light. Bind the sacrifice with cords, even to the horns of the altar. You are my God, and I will give thanks to you. You are my God, I will exalt you. Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever.”

Who saves us? Who brings us spiritual prosperity? Who comes in the name of the Lord? Who blesses us out of the Lord’s house? Who brings us light? Who is the final sacrifice for sins?

Luke 19:37-38 “As he was now getting near, at the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works which they had seen, saying, ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!’ “

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His loving kindness endures forever!”

For additional worship: All Glory Laud and Honor (Reawaken Hymns)

Psalm 118:22-24 “The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the LORD’s doing. It is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!”

Why should we rejoice? Because in addition to God giving us life and the universe to live in, He has also given us salvation!

Acts 4:11-12 “He is ‘the stone which was regarded as worthless by you, the builders, which has become the head of the corner.’ There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that is given amongst men, by which we must be saved!”

Ephesians 2:19-22 “So then you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and of the household of God, being built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief cornerstone; in whom the whole building, fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord; in whom you also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit.”

1 Peter 2:4-8 “Come to him, a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God, precious. You also as living stones are built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Because it is contained in Scripture, ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, chosen and precious. He who believes in him will not be disappointed.’ For you who believe therefore is the honor, but for those who are disobedient, ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,’ and, ‘a stumbling stone and a rock of offense.’ For they stumble at the word, being disobedient, to which also they were appointed.”

For additional worship: He Hideth my Soul

Psalm 18:10-21 “All the nations surrounded me, but in the LORD’s name I cut them off. They surrounded me, yes, they surrounded me. In the LORD’s name I indeed cut them off. They surrounded me like bees. They are quenched like the burning thorns. In the LORD’s name I cut them off. You pushed me back hard, to make me fall, but the LORD helped me. The LORD is my strength and song. He has become my salvation. The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous. ‘The right hand of the LORD does valiantly. The right hand of the LORD is exalted! The right hand of the LORD does valiantly!’ I will not die, but live, and declare the LORD’s works. The LORD has punished me severely, but he has not given me over to death. Open to me the gates of righteousness. I will enter into them. I will give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous will enter into it. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me, and have become my salvation.”

Punishment can come. We face obstacles from within and without. How do we survive? By recommitting ourselves to the Lord and His ways. “In the Lord’s name” is not a magical incantation. It’s a reminder that our lives and our deeds should be dedicated to Him. Just as when we pray “in Jesus’ name” isn’t magical, but a reminder that our lives and our prayers should align with what He wants and what He would do. And then, when God restores and rescues us, it is only right that we praise and give thanks!

For additional worship: Pray (Sanctus Real)

Psalm 118:1-9 “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his loving kindness endures forever. Let Israel now say that his loving kindness endures forever. Let the house of Aaron now say that his loving kindness endures forever. Now let those who fear the LORD say that his loving kindness endures forever. Out of my distress, I called on the LORD. The LORD answered me with freedom. The LORD is on my side. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The LORD is on my side amongst those who help me. Therefore I will look in triumph at those who hate me. It is better to take refuge in the LORD, than to put confidence in man. It is better to take refuge in the LORD, than to put confidence in princes.”

There are going to be certain people in your life that you will trust from time to time. A parent. A child. A spouse. A teacher. A friend. Hopefully they will never let you down, but chances are, some or all of them will. Who will never let you down? God. He is loving, kind, merciful, and caring. Even when He punishes, it’s for a greater purpose. Even when we don’t understand, we can trust. We don’t need to be afraid, because He is on our side!

Psalm 124:1-4 “If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, let Israel now say, if it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their wrath was kindled against us, then the waters would have overwhelmed us, the stream would have gone over our soul.”

For additional worship: Leaning on the Everlasting Arms (Chris Rice)

Psalm 117:1-2 “Praise the LORD, all nations! Extol him, all peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD!”

God is merciful and faithful, and we should praise Him!

Ephesians 2:4-7 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

For additional worship: God Really Loves Us

Psalm 115:16-19 “Precious in the LORD’s sight is the death of his saints. LORD, truly I am your servant. I am your servant, the son of your servant girl. You have freed me from my chains. I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call on the LORD’s name. I will pay my vows to the LORD, yes, in the presence of all his people, in the courts of the LORD’s house, in the middle of you, Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!”

In the midst of repeating the various themes of our chapter (the paying of vows, thanksgiving, proclamation in the community of faith, praise, and salvation), we see something new. “Precious in the LORD’s sight is the death of his saints.” It seems out of place in a Psalm that praises God for physical salvation in this life, unless it is, in fact, hinting at the truth of a future resurrection. Perhaps the salvation we have to look forward to (and should be the most thankful for) transcends our earthly existence!

John 19:26 “After my skin is destroyed, then I will see God in my flesh,”

John 11:25 “Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will still live, even if he dies.’ “

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 “But we don’t want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you don’t grieve like the rest, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. For this we tell you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will in no way precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with God’s trumpet. The dead in Christ will rise first, then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. So we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

For additional worship: I Can Only Imagine (Mercy Me)

Psalm 116:8-14 “For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling. I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living. I believed, therefore I said, “I was greatly afflicted.” I said in my haste, “All people are liars.” What will I give to the LORD for all his benefits towards me? I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the LORD’s name. I will pay my vows to the LORD, yes, in the presence of all his people.”

The Psalmist experienced people telling him all was lost, but God is completely trustworthy, and He was saved. We have been saved from death too, albeit in a slightly different way!

1 Corinthians 15:54-57 “But when this perishable body will have become imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then what is written will happen: ‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

As a result, we praise and serve Him. How else can we show our love and gratitude?

For additional worship: At the Cross (Love Ran Red)

Psalm 116:1-7 “I love the LORD, because he listens to my voice, and my cries for mercy. Because he has turned his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. The cords of death surrounded me, the pains of Sheol got a hold of me. I found trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the LORD’s name: ‘LORD, I beg you, deliver my soul.’ The LORD is gracious and righteous. Yes, our God is merciful. The LORD preserves the simple. I was brought low, and he saved me. Return to your rest, my soul, for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.”

If you ever doubt God’s goodness or grace, remember that He heard you when you called on Him for salvation. From then on you are His, and no-one can snatch you out of His hand. No matter what happens, He is with you, and you are a part of His family for all eternity!

Romans 10:13 “For, ‘Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ ”

John 10:26-29 “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give eternal life to them. They will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father who has given them to me is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of my Father’s hand.”

Galatians 4:6 “And because you are children, God sent out the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, ‘Abba, Father!’ ”

For additional worship: My Jesus I Love Thee (Shane & Shane)