Psalm 119 The Treasury of Psalm 119

The Value of Psalm 119 and the Treasure of God's Word

You are listening to the podcast of Recast Church in Matawan, Michigan.

Hey, good morning, first service. I miss all of you, because Cheryl and I, we come to the second service. And normally I'm always at the juvenile home preaching right now. So I'm excited to share the word today.

It's been a while since I've had this opportunity here from the pulpit. But reason being, I am now doing three chapel services every Sunday morning in the Kalamazoo County Juvenile Home. So even the 11 o 'clock service, Cheryl and I are always walking in late.

But I have some, I've been able to build my team up and they're serving this morning, sharing the word. So I have the privilege of serving at Youth for Christ. I've been reaching out to some very hurting and lost teenagers for the last 37 years of my life, serving in that role.

And it's an honor. And I'm so grateful to Recast Church because you are one of my supporting churches. And so through your prayers and finances, I am able to minister in the juvenile home and the ark shelter for youth.

So thank you for that. So the Psalms, wow, I love the Psalms. I have, it's been my practice for many, many years that I get up in the morning, I make my coffee, I go to my quiet time chair and I open up to the Psalm of the day for me.

So I have a bookmarker that I always keep in the Psalms and every day I read a different Psalm. If it's a long Psalm, like Psalm 119, I will divide it up for a few days. But I just, I open that word and I start talking to my father and I ask my father to speak truth to me and life to me.

And that has been such a blessing in my life. I'm excited to share on Psalm 119. I have been praying on what Psalm to share on for a little bit now and working on this for a few weeks. So go ahead and open your Bible up to Psalm 119.

And we're just gonna do a brief introduction to this book of the Bible, this incredible book of the Bible. And I'm just gonna read a little introduction that Charles Spurgeon gave from the Psalms. Hopefully it'll appear up on that screen, perhaps.

There it is. All right, follow along with me. This Psalm is alphabetical. Eight stanzas or verses commence with one letter and then another eight with the next letter. And so the whole Psalm proceeds through 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

Now to translate that into English with our alphabet, that would be a little bit of a challenge, right? So the first eight verses would have to start with the letter A, the next eight verses would have to start with the letter B, the next eight, C, the next eight, D, but that's how it is in the Hebrew.

And you notice at the beginning of each stanza, there's the Hebrew word for the alphabet for the Hebrew letter there. So if you wanna learn your Hebrew alphabet, all you have to do is go through the Psalm 119.

This Psalm has 176 verses in it. It's the longest chapter in the Bible. This morning, I just want the word to do the main speaking. So we are actually gonna do 52 verses from Psalm 119 this morning. Lord willing, we will do that.

If you notice at the beginning of Psalm 119, there is no heading. So we don't know who it was written by, which I think is kind of significant. Some scholars think that Ezra, under the inspiration of God, penned Psalm 119 after they rebuilt the second temple.

I think it's significant in this Psalm, when this Psalm is all about the word of God, that it's not listed, David's name's not attached to it, Asaph or anyone, because we need to be reminded that this word comes from the Lord himself.

This is the very word of God. And I'm praying that God will speak to us through this Psalm tonight, tonight, this morning.

How about that?

Ha ha ha, all right.

I hope that's the weirdest thing I say this morning. This Psalm points us to the importance of God's word. I counted, I went through, and I counted personally 169 references to God's word. Some commentators listed in the 170s, but I saw 169 clear references to the word of God.

In this Psalm, you're gonna hear these phrases, and they all refer to the Holy Scriptures, the law, testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, your righteous rules, your word, the rules of your mouth, your law, my counselors, your testimonies, your promise, word of truth, your righteous promise.

This Psalm, it just speaks to the value of the word of God. We are so blessed to have the whole book, and I'm gonna talk about that briefly a little bit later, but I want you to, we're gonna start in verse 72.

So go ahead and turn to verse 72 in Psalm 119. It says this. Your law is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. The psalmist is saying this word is more valuable than silver and gold. Look at verse 127.

Therefore, I love your commandments above gold and silver. God's word, in my humble opinion, is worth more than all the riches of this world. And God's word brings blessings into our lives. Look at verses one and two, the very beginning of the Psalm.

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep the testimonies and seek them with their whole heart. This word blessed in the Hebrew is asher. It's from where we get the name Asher, which means happy.

I have a grandson named Asher. And the very Hebrew word means happy. It's translated 27 times in the Old Testament, and 18 times it's translated with the word happy. Where can we find happiness? Isn't that the search of the day?

Everybody wants to be happy, right? Well, verses one and two say that God's word brings happiness. This word makes me think of the promise that God made to Joshua in 1 .8. He said to Joshua, this book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.

For then you will make your way prosperous. Then you will have good success. God told Joshua as he was staring down on the promised land and going in to conquer and fight these battles, that Joshua, you take my word and you meditate on it day and night and you take it to heart and you seek to live it and you are gonna be blessed.

You will be successful and you will prosper. Psalm 19 teaches us the blessings of God. And this morning, I want to share with you from Psalm 119, 19 blessings that come from spending time in God's word, 19.

There's actually even more listed in there, but I narrowed it down because our time is limited to 19. And I want to just briefly speak of the key to receiving blessing from these Psalms. So if you read the word of God is a normal book, you will miss the blessing.

And I'll show you what I mean. Turn to verse 18. It says this, this was the prayer. Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. Open my eyes, Lord. Look at verse 33. Teach me, oh Lord, the way of your statutes and I will keep it to the end.

The blessing of God from his word is unlocked through the revelation of God. So you have to tune your heart to God as you're reading the word. You need to ask him to speak to you. If you miss that, then you're getting only what your own intellect can give you.

But when you seek the voice of God and you're specifically praying that he will speak to you from his word, it makes a tremendous difference in what you receive from the word. The second key to unlocking the blessing of God's word is meditating on God's word.

Look at verse 103. How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth. Now, I don't know about you, but I like to take a tablespoon and just dip it in the honey and put it in my mouth and just, oh, it's so sweet.

It's amazing that bugs could make something like that. Okay, God works miracles, that's for sure. All right? But you don't just swallow that honey as quick as you can. You taste it, okay? So, as you meditate, you approach the scripture differently than you would a normal book.

You kind of dwell on each word, asking God, what are you trying to say to me? It's more of a savoring his word and chewing on it, meditating. This is more than just a mere reading of the word. It's good, it's good.

Bible reading plan is great, okay? But you're reading so much that you're not, it's this huge, like drinking from a fire hydrant almost, okay, but when you're doing your scripture reading, when a verse just sticks out to you, pause there, meditate on it, talk to God about his word.

And, oh, what has blessed me so much in my quiet time with the Lord is praying his word and talking to God, turning it into a conversation. So I am excited to share this morning, 19 blessings that come from this amazing book, God's Word.

So let's pray, and the worship band is gonna come up and lead us in some song. Father God, what a gift your holy word is to us. It is truly a treasure. Lord, I entitled this message, the treasury of Psalm 119, because like we just read, Lord, your word is better than lots of gold and lots of silver.

It's more valuable than all the riches on this earth. And we are so blessed to have your book, Lord, and I pray that today we would walk out of here with a deeper appreciation for your word. And I pray that we would walk out of here with a deeper commitment to being in your word daily, and then to seek to live by your holy word.

So Lord, just please meet with us today in a special way. As we sing songs of praise to you, Lord, may we sing in the spirit, may these words have meaning, Lord, as we sing them to you. We love you, and just thank you so much that we can gather here today in Jesus' name, amen.

Blessing One: Deliverance from Evil and the Ways of God

So I have been reading this book, studying it for the last 46 years of my life, and I've read through this word many, many times, and it continues to amaze me. I continue to see things in there that I had not seen before, but best of all, my father, he speaks to me through this word, and that is life-giving.

I'm excited to share with you some of the blessings that come from God's word found in Psalm 119. The first one is God's word delivers us from evil and brings us into the ways of God. Go ahead and open back up to Psalm 119, and look with me at verses two and three.

Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek them with their whole heart, who also do no wrong but walk in his ways. Wow, who do no wrong. Oh, well, we know what it is to do wrong, that's for sure, and we struggle with it, don't we?

Let's be real, we all struggle with sin and temptation, and this is not an easy world to live a holy life and walk with God, and how can I be equipped to stand against sin? Well, God's word will keep us from the wrong.

God's word will help us to know the right, and his word will teach us to walk in the ways of God. As we read his word, we learn what is pleasing to God and how he would have us to live. The second blessing that comes from God's word is God's word brings us purity.

Look at verses nine and 10. How can a young man keep his way pure? And I'm going to add to this, I don't know, Lord, I don't wanna add to your word, but I wanna say this. How can an old man like me keep his way pure?

I still struggle with purity in my life. How can a young woman keep her way pure? How can an old woman keep her way pure? Here it is, by guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart, I seek you.

Let me not wander from your commandments. God's word will help us to have a pure and healthy heart. Do you struggle with impure thoughts? Yes, I know you do. Crazy thoughts, isn't it? Awful what can come into our minds sometimes.

Like where in the world did that thought come from? Well, sometimes it might be coming from demons themselves, perhaps. Such crazy thoughts. How can we be pure? By taking heed to God's word. By spending time daily in God's word.

God can bring healing and transformation to our minds and our hearts through the cleansing and transforming power of his word. The word, you know, when we get dirty, we take a bath, we take a shower, right?

We wash that filth off us. What about our soul and our mind? It's the word of God that can wash our mind and our heart, our soul pure. Blessing number three, God's word will keep us from sinning against God.

Verse 11, I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. This word teaches us what pleases God. This word teaches us how to have the smile of God upon us. And I don't know about you, but I so want the smile of God upon my life.

I do not want the frown of God. Parents, as you know, sometimes your children make you smile, don't they? But sometimes they make you frown. Sometimes we become grieved at how they're living their life.

But this word teaches us how the Father wants us to live, how our Lord and Savior King Jesus wants us to live. And it will help us to walk in ways that are pleasing unto God. Blessing number four, God's word brings delight to the soul.

Look at verse 24. Your testimonies are my delight. They are my counselors. This word in the Hebrew for delight is translated delight seven times in the Old Testament, two times it's pronounced, translated pleasant.

Pleasant to my soul. The word actually means enjoyment. Like, wow, okay, do you enjoy spending time in God's word? Or is it become dry? Is it a mere duty to be in his word? If it is, I would say that you need to learn to listen for the voice of God through his word.

You need to perhaps approach it differently and stop reading it just merely to read it, but read it with the heart of God. Please, please speak to me through your word. Help me to hear your voice. Sometimes, you know, when people are trying to get to know each other, they'll say, what is your favorite thing to do?

My favorite thing to do is to sit with God with his book open and hear him speak to me because that puts a smile on my face and it is pleasant unto my soul. Look at with me verse 35. Lead me in the path of your commandments for I delight in them.

Look at verse 77. Let your mercy come to me that I may live for your law is my delight. Look at verse 92. If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. Verse 143, trouble and anguish have found me out.

Oh, we know that. But your commandments are my delight. Verse 162, I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil. God's word brings the light to our soul, can bring pleasure unto our soul as we hear God speak his good word.

Who doesn't need some wise counsel today? Young people, if you wanna have a career that has job security, become a counselor because we have many, many troubled souls upon this earth. But you know what?

Counselors are good, but you don't have to pay $60 an hour to get the ultimate counsel, all right? Because God's word gives us wise counsel. Look at verse 24. Your testimonies are my delight. They are my counselors.

This Hebrew word means, for counsel, is advice. Like, how many times do we need some good advice? By implying a plan, helping you come up with a plan. How can I overcome the struggle that I'm going through?

Seek counsel from God through his word. Be in his word. It brings prudence. This word is translated, this Hebrew word is translated advice, advisement, counsel, purpose, and a plan. Are you stressed? Troubled in your soul?

Confused, hurting? Do you need some wise counsel? Seek it from God. Spend time daily in his word. He can give you wise counsel. Blessing number six. God's word brings us life from above. Look at verse 25.

My soul clings to the dust. Give me life according to your word. Give me life, Lord. This word from the Hebrew means to live and to revive. It's translated keep alive, make alive, give life, let live, nourish up, preserve alive, recover, repair, restore to life, revive, be whole.

This word speaks of a new quality of life. It speaks of life from above. Spiritual life that God can give us. Do you sometimes feel numb on the inside? Perhaps even feeling dead on the inside? God can speak new life to you through his word.

I can't tell you how many times in my walk that I have felt so dry and so to the point of burnout where I have sat down and pleaded with God to speak to me through his word and just opening up the Psalms and letting God speak this new life to us.

Proverbs 4, 20 and 22 says this. My son, be attentive to my words. Incline your ears to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight. Keep them within your heart, for they are life to those who find them and healing to all their flesh.

Isn't that interesting? The words bring life, but they also bring healing. God's word has the power of transformation. God's word, I believe, not only affects our spiritual health but as we're in his word and we seek to live by his word, that it affects our physical health as well because it teaches us how to live healthy.

Number seven, God's word will give you strength. Look at verse 28. My soul melts away for sorrow. Strengthen me according to your word. We live in a sad world, that's for sure. Oftentimes, wow, I feel weak, I feel tired, I feel wore out.

As you spend time in God's word, he can renew your strength and your vitality. I mentioned before, there have been many times where I've felt like giving up, where I've felt to the point of burnout and I've got alone with God, with his word.

I remember when my mom was battling cancer and how difficult that was to see her slowly, her body slowly dying. And I would get alone with God and I would cry out to him and I would open his word and he would renew me.

I remember my older brother, he asked me, how do you keep going in this? How do you keep the state of mind that I see in you? And I shared with him, I get alone with my father and I pour out my heart to him and I talk to him about what's going on and I open his word and I ask him to strengthen me and to speak to me.

Look at Isaiah on the screen, Isaiah 40, 29 through 31. He gives power to the faint and to him who has no might, he increases strength. Even you shall faint and be weary, young men shall fall exhausted, but those who wait, those who spend time looking to God, those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.

They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Blessing number eight, God's word will make room for you to breathe. Look at verses 44 and 45.

I will keep your law continually forever and ever. I shall walk in a wide place for I have sought your precepts. He says, I shall walk in a wide place. We talk about being in a tight place, right? I'm really in a tight spot right now.

This expression, I just need room to breathe. And it's like you're being closed in. And here in the Psalm, it says that he will bring you into a broad place. The King James translates this expression in a wide place with the word liberty.

I will walk in liberty. It's the idea of freedom. God's word makes a way for us. It helps us release our burdens up to God and to find rest. Time in his word will help us catch our breath. His word will bring us relief.

Number nine, blessing number nine. God's word fills us with hope. Maybe you're here this morning and you're feeling kind of hopeless. Isn't it easy to feel that way in the world that we live in? This world is full of troubles and heartache.

Oh, look at what verse 49 says. Remember your word to your servant in which you have made me to hope. Look at verse 81. My soul longs for your salvation. I hope in your word. Verse 114. You are my hiding place and my shield.

I hope in your word. Verse 147. I rise before dawn and I cry for help. I hope in your words. I think of hope as the divine expectancy. It's the work of God in our hearts that gives us the assurance that God is gonna get us through this.

That God is working out all things, as it says in Romans 8 .28, for the good of those who love him. Hope is the work of God in our hearts, letting us know that he has our back. He's like, you let him speak to you, he'll say from his word, I've got you, my child.

I am with you.

Did I not promise I will never leave you or forsake you? Am I not the ever-present one? Yes, Father, you are. Do you feel yourself feeling hopeless at times? Get alone with God in his book. Ask him to speak life and hope into your soul.

I love this quote from a poet of long ago. Frederick Faber said this, only to sit and think of God, oh, what joy it is to think the thought, to breathe the name, earth has no higher bliss. And then I like this, and it's so easy to remember.

It's always stuck with me. He said, I find no rest but in a nook with his book. I like that. My little quiet time chair that I sit in in my dining room corner, that's my nook with his book. But I'll tell you this, my car has been my nook with his book.

Well, I just pulled off the road in a parking lot and opened his book and said, Lord, I need you. I have this moment right now in my day. Please speak to me. And it brings us rest. Blessing number 10, God's word brings us comfort.

Look at verse 50. This is my comfort in my affliction that your promise gives me life. Verse 52, when I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, oh Lord. In 2 Corinthians 1 .3, God is called the God of all comfort.

2 Corinthians 1 .3 and 4 says this, blessed be the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort who comforts us in our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

How does God bring us comfort in our trouble and sorrows? I would say that the main way he does that is by speaking to us, by speaking life and hope to us. In what is the main way that God speaks to us?

Through his holy word, through this treasure. Spend time daily alone with God in his word and he will speak peace and comfort to you because he loves you and he cares about your troubled heart. Number 11, his word can put a new song of praise in your heart.

Look at verse 54. Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my sojourny. I like that. Look at verses, let's go to 171 and 113. 172, my lips will pour forth praise for you teach me your statutes.

My tongue shall sing of your word for all your commandments are right. Is your heart heavy this morning? Do you often feel sad or even depressed at times? God's word can lift you up and put a new song of peace and hope and joy in your hearts.

It's transforming as we spend time taking it in, listening to the voice of God. Number 12, his word gives us promises that bring blessings from God. Look at verse 65. You have dealt well with your servant, O Lord, according to your word.

Verse 76, let your steadfast love comfort me according to the promise to your servant. Psalm 116, uphold me according to your promise that I may live and let me not be put to shame in my hope. God's word reveals the blessings that our heavenly father have for us.

The promises of God. And you know that God keeps his word. He always keeps his promise. Look at 2 Peter on the screen. His divine powers granted us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence by which he has granted to us precious and very great promises.

Precious and very great promises that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature. God's word will, it'll bless us and it will change us when we are approaching it in the right way. Number 13, his word brings us wisdom and good judgment.

Look at verse 66. Teach me good judgment and knowledge for I believe your commandments. Look at verse 98 through 100. Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers for your testimonies are my meditation.

I understand more than the aged for I keep your precepts. We live in a confusing world and it's easy to lose our way. We're bombarded with so many lies around us and we're surrounded by so much foolishness.

How can I have wisdom and good judgment? By learning God's word, by being in his word. Psalm 19, seven says this, the law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul, the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

Ooh, I like that, because I will admit I am a simple man. I was a D average student. Well, I didn't like school, so I didn't really try too hard, but I never thought I was very smart and I'm not very smart, but I'm wise because God has put a wisdom in my life.

As I have learned his word, he is teaching me how to live and he can bring wisdom to us through his book, Wisdom and Good Judgment. Blessing number 14, God's word will help us become a blessing to those around us.

Look at Psalm, verse 74. I said I had a lot of scripture, didn't I? Those who fear you shall see me and rejoice because I have hoped in your word. Okay, so the word brings healing transformation in us.

It helps us to become pure in heart. It changes us. It can change someone who is constantly grumpy all the time and nobody wants to be around. As they spend time in God's word, as they learn to pray and seek God, their life becomes transformed and they are no longer a grump or a grouch.

I have met people who were huge racists. That's what they were taught and they had this hate in their heart and Jesus saved them and they began to get into the word and see that we are all one blood and God took them from being the most hateful people to being some of the most loving people that I know.

God's time and God's word will change us for the better if we are seeking to practice his word, to be a doer of the word. Number 15, God's word is eternal. In this world of shifting sands and changing times, God's word endures, it stands steady and true.

Look at verse 89. Forever, oh Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Look at verse 160. The sum of your word is truth and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. Time in God's word is well invested.

Time in God's word has eternal value. God's word does not change and it stands steady and true. I work with teenagers growing up in a crazy, crazy world but this book is relevant to what they're going through.

I'm like, do you understand that this was written over 2 ,000 years ago plus? And it speaks to us today. It is indeed a treasure. God's word will keep us from evil. Look at verses 101 and 102. I hold back my feet from every evil way in order to keep your word.

I do not turn aside from your rules for you have taught me. His word shows us the true colors of evil, how ugly it really is. His word warns us of the evil way and the horrible consequences of sin and evil.

His word instills in us a desire to do what is right and good and pure. His word equips us to fight against the evil. His word sanctifies us and helps us to be holy and pure. Jesus prayed this for us in John 17, 17.

He said, sanctify them in the truth for your word is truth. Number 17, God's word is a light that guides us on our path. Look at verse 105. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Oh, we live in a dark world, don't we?

Wow.

Sometimes that darkness can creep into our souls and we feel that darkness. How do you get rid of darkness? We get rid of darkness by bringing in the light, God's light. The light of his word drives away the darkness.

In 1 John 1, God has called light. That's the only way you get rid of darkness. You can't push it out. You can't shovel it out. You can't sweep it out. The only way you get rid of the darkness is turn on the light.

Let the light of God into your heart and soul. Number 18, God's word brings joy to the heart. Look at verse 111. Your testimonies are my heritage forever. They are the joy of my heart. Psalm 19, eight, the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.

When you read of your father's beauty in your glory, when you read of King Jesus on his throne and what he has done for you, this can bring joy to your heart. When you read of the Lord's great love for you, oh, how he loves you.

Oh, what joy that brings. Says in 1 John 4, 18, I think it is, that his love drives out fear. As you discover the blessings of being a child of God, this brings joy to your heart. In this world full of heartaches and troubles, we need some good news, don't we?

Yeah. God's word is full of good news.

Yes.

Maybe we need to shut the news off, right? It's depressing. All right, I'm kind of a news junkie. Well, not that much, but I have to look at the news every day, okay? But the news is depressing, okay?

But I'm getting in God's book and I'm finding that joy. God's word brings us great peace. This is the last one. God's word brings us great peace. Look at verse 165. Great peace have those who love your law.

Nothing can make them stumble. Wow, what a statement that is. This word great is the word rab in Hebrew, and it means abundant in quantity, size, and quality. And the word for peace is shalom, and that is such a beautiful word.

You know, we think of peace as serenity, right? Absence of conflict. But this word shalom is so much deeper than that. It's even translated well-being in the Old Testament scriptures. It speaks of health and wellness, and it speaks of joy.

It speaks of prospering in your soul, in your inner being. His word brings us that shalom. As we spend time in his word, he can take our troubled heart, and he can calm us, and he can bring a peace. He can speak to that storm.

Peace be still. And there was a great calm. No wonder it said in Psalm 119, 72, the law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. Treasure this book. You know, before the invention of the printing press, it was only the wealthy that could have God's word.