Confidence in the Word

“Then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in your word.” Psalm 119.42 In the previous verse, the inspired poet expressed his need for the steadfast love of God, his only source of salvation. The loyal love and salvation of God is the cause for his hope, the cause for his assurance. One effect of that …

Longing for Salvation

“Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord, your salvation according to your promise;” Psalm 119.41 The psalmist opens a new stanza with this verse. These eight verses ring out with the love and fear of the psalmist. He has expressed his longings as a wanderer in a fallen world (25-32). Then, he expressed his dependence as a weak, frail, sinful man …

Longing for Life

“Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life!” Psalm 119.40 This verse marks the end of the fifth stanza of this extraordinary psalm. This section is filled with expressions of the writer’s dependence on the Lord. He culminates this prayerful section by extolling the life-giving power of God. May we never let familiarity with this truth keep …

Praying for Protection

“Turn away the reproach that I dread, for your rules are good.” Psalm 119.39 Again, the Psalmist cries to the Lord for protection. He asks the Lord to turn away reproach, that is from disgrace and shame. The faithful man dreads reproach. He loathes the idea that his sin would bring reproach. He also dreads the idea that persecution would bring …

Service Preview – Sunday, December 2

Max Smith from Dayspring Fellowship will be joining us again this coming Sunday, preaching from Luke 1:67-79. To help us prepare, he gives us these words: “Zechariah understands that he stands at the pivotal point in all of redemptive history. He gives us a glimpse of how God has fulfilled all of His OT promises at one time, giving us redemption from …

The Promises of God

“Confirm to your servant your promise, that you may be feared.” Psalm 119.38 What a joy to consider the promises of God! The writer here expresses his dependence on God to confirm these promises to him. He longs to be firmly established in the truth of God, in his eternal promises. Consider the promise made by God in Genesis 3.15: …

The Worth of the Word

“Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.” Psalm 119.37 One of the recurring themes in Psalm 119 is the worth of God’s Word. We’ve already seen the psalmist proclaim that he delights in the Word “as much as in all riches” (Ps. 119.14). Later in the psalm, he extols the value of Scripture …

Heart Inclinations

“Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!” Psalm 119.36 What is your heart inclined to? Charles Spurgeon wrote, “The leaning of the heart is the way in which all of life will lean; happy shall we be when we feel habitually inclines to all that is good.” The affections of your heart set the guide for all …

A Prayer for Guidance

“Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it.” Psalm 119.35 The writer has explained his need for teaching that enables obedience (33). He has explained his need for God to give him understanding, which sets his affections (34). Now, as he continues this stanza focused on dependence, he acknowledges his need for God to guide him …

A Prayer for Understanding

“Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart.” Psalm 119.34 Having called upon the Lord to teach him (33), the psalmist intensifies his show of dependence here by calling upon the Lord to give him understanding. He not only needs to receive instruction from the Lord; the writer also needs understanding from …