Listen up! God has spoken.
Our lives are filled with words: Direct conversations, overheard conversations, the non-stop drone of the TV. Words spill at us through emails, blogs, and social media.
It seems like everyone has something to say.
Unfortunately, this ceaseless flow of words often brings mixed messages. It’s like the cacophony of an orchestra warming up for a concert. Each musician plays what he or she wants, and the combined sounds can be downright unpleasant. The noise has no rhyme or reason.
The word God has spoken to us—the Bible—is different. Far different. Even though more than 40 separate people were used by God to write His Word over a period of 1,500 years, we hear the steady rhythm of God’s heart throughout the Scriptures. Regardless of the time period, the style, and the purpose of each book in God’s Word, He has spoken clearly and consistently.
And His words still speak.
Psalm 119 has a single focus: to make known the beauty and power of God’s Word and highlight its authority to speak into our lives. In this study, we’ll take a deeper look at the ways God has spoken through Scripture. We’ll see that, when we listen to what the text is telling us, the rhythm of God’s Word becomes the rhythm of our own lives.
THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
There are some things, however, that everyone seems to enjoy. A conversation with an old friend. A glass of cold water on a hot day. A good night’s sleep.
Here’s an interesting question: where does God’s Word fall in your list of preferences?
The Bible is a delightful book—and Psalm 119 shows us just how delightful it is. The whole chapter, containing 176 verses, is the longest of the psalms. In fact, Psalm 119 is longer than 30 other entire books of the Bible! Each stanza uses one of the 22 Hebrew letters to form an acrostic that extols the value of (and expresses delight in) God’s Word. Psalm 119 celebrates the total sufficiency of the Word of God to meet every need in your life. And that is a great cause for joy and delight.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
Psalm 119:1-3
1 How happy are those whose way is blameless, who live according to the LORD’s instruction! 2 Happy are those who keep His decrees and seek Him with all their heart. 3 They do nothing wrong; they follow His ways.
Psalm 119 begins with a beatitude, which is a statement of blessing and happiness. The word “happy” speaks of true happiness—the surpassing joy, full contentment, perfect peace, and complete satisfaction found only in God. This was the perfect way for the psalmist to start, because all 176 verses of the psalm affirm that God blesses those who live in devotion to His Word.
In other words, if you want true joy, give yourself truly to God and His Word.
Must we be “blameless” in order to experience this joy? Must we “do nothing wrong”? Thankfully, no. Jesus is the only person who ever lived in sinless perfection, and He’s the only one who can. The psalmist was simply calling for people to strive for an ever-increasing obedience to God’s Word. That’s what it means to “live according to the LORD’s instruction.”
Make a note of this: the Lord’s instruction in His Word is not negative, restrictive, or oppressive. God’s Word is not a weapon wielded by a cruel taskmaster. (Nor should it be a weapon wielded by us against our brothers and sisters.) Instead, the Scriptures are a tool in the hands of our loving Father.
Our devotion to God’s Word must be steadfast. It must also be sincere. In verse 1, the psalmist focused more on our actions (the external), while in verse 2 he turned the focus to our heart (the internal). Happy people are devoted to God’s Word because they “seek Him with all their heart.” And when we seek God through His Word, we will find Him.
Scripture will always bring you to God. As God Himself said to the Israelites in exile: “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13).
Verse 3 isn’t so much about the blessed person as much as it is about the Word of God. God’s Word will always lead us into righteousness so that we can “follow His ways.” The Scriptures will never lead us into wrongdoing or sin.
Psalm 119:4-6
4 You have commanded that Your precepts be diligently kept. 5 If only my ways were committed to keeping Your statutes! 6 Then I would not be ashamed when I think about all Your commands.
Don’t miss that word “commanded” in verse 4. We’ve seen that we experience joy when we obey God’s Word. And verse 4 reminds us that we’re commanded to obey God’s Word.
Therefore, joy should not be considered optional for followers of God!
Our obedience to God’s Word includes an acknowledgment of God’s authority. Verse 4 assumes God’s sovereign authority over all people: “You have commanded that Your precepts be diligently kept.” This same command makes a powerful statement about the authority of Scripture.
The word “precepts” is a synonym for God’s Word—one of many the psalmist used throughout Psalm 119. This particular term refers to the covenant regulations God laid down for His people, and that which a master may rightly demand of his servants. God doesn’t give suggestions, recommendations, or helpful hints. So, we must acknowledge His authority.
Our obedience to God’s Word must also include the confession of our shortcomings: “If only my ways were committed to keeping Your statutes!” The psalmist knew that joy comes from obeying God, yet he acknowledged his failure to do that as he should.
We see three important elements in his confession:
1. Honesty. The psalmist was open about his shortcomings. He was a godly man—you only have to read through Psalm 119 in its entirely to see that—yet he confessed his failure to remain steadfast in keeping God’s statutes.
2. Repentance. The psalmist wasn’t content with where he was. He desired to change—and that desire was explicit: “If only my ways were committed to keeping Your statutes!”
3. Petition. Implicit in the psalmist’s statement is a recognition that he needed help. On our own, we cannot change our sinful attitudes, subdue our sinful thoughts, overcome our sinful habits, tame our sinful tongues, or break our sinful relationships. We can only keep God’s statutes by depending on Christ to help us resist temptation, live obediently, and endure hardship.
God has provided a way to avoid the shame of sin that tortures the mind, reddens the cheeks, hangs our head, burdens our hearts, droops our shoulders, ruins our reputations, and troubles our steps. We will not be put to shame when our minds are focused and our eyes are fixed on God’s Word.
Psalm 119:7-8
7 I will praise You with a sincere heart when I learn Your righteous judgments. 8 I will keep Your statutes; never abandon me.
How can you identify those who are devoted to God’s Word? Such people depend on God. They lean on Him because they know they cannot fully obey in their own power. Verses 7-8 teach us two ways to lean on God’s presence as we seek to obey His Word.
First, we lean on God’s presence through praise. Verse 7 makes it clear that you can only praise God properly if you know His Word. We see this truth revealed all throughout Psalm 119. For example:
- “LORD, please accept my willing offerings of praise, and teach me Your judgments” (v. 108).
- “I praise You seven times a day for Your righteous judgments” (v. 164).
- “My lips pour out praise, for You teach me Your statutes” (v. 171).
Knowing the Word of God and worshiping God go hand in hand. We will praise God more often and more sincerely as we deepen our understanding of His word.
Second, we lean on God’s presence through prayer. The first part of verse 8 is a vow: “I will keep Your statutes.” The psalmist had made a personal decision and was absolutely determined to live in obedience to God’s Word.
As we embrace that same resolve, we should simultaneously affirm the second part of the verse: “never abandon me.” The psalmist admitted he cannot obey in his own strength, power, or resources, so he prayed that God’s dynamic presence would faithfully support him and strengthen him in the process. The psalmist didn’t think his faithful God would truly abandon him (see Heb. 13:5), but he expressed his dependence on God’s presence to live obediently.
LIVE IT OUT
How will you seek joy through God’s Word in the week to come?
Consider the following suggestions:
- Read the Bible daily. Many Bible reading plans are available—visit DevoHub.com, for example, to find several options. Pick one and begin a daily quiet time of prayer and Scripture intake. It’s okay to start small, but get started.
- Dig deeper for personal growth. Is there a specific area where you need to change or grow? Dig deeper into God’s Word in that specific area. Then submit yourself to the truth of God’s Word. Obey His commands. Trust His promises.
- Disciple a new believer. One way to discipline yourself to read and study God’s Word is to invest in someone else. You may feel you don’t know much, but you can learn as you walk alongside someone and help him or her learn more.
It may be strange to think of the Bible as a source of delight—stranger still to think of obedience as a pathway to joy. But the author of Psalm 119 knew the truth of those statements. So can you.
Teacher Notes
Are you in tune?
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Spoken: The Rhythm of God’s Word
Our series is called the Rhythm of God’s Word. God’s Word is His revelation or it reveals who He is and what He is like. When you think of the rhythm of God’s Word, it can remind you of a song.
Video: Rhythm-Rob Bell: 1 Thessalonians 5:21 “test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.”
For both the musician and the lover of music, rhythm is important.
- Rhythm provides a measured, systematic arrangement of the music so that each note is sounded at the proper time contributing to a beautiful melody.
- God’s spoke His Word with the same systematic, measured approach. Each of the 66 books of the Bible is different in style, purpose, and authorship, but together the books present a beautiful, complete picture of God’s revelation. It’s a song!
- Jesus came to show us how to live in tune with the song.
Psalm 119 is our study for the next 6 weeks – the Book of Psalms is a collection of musical poems and prayers. Psalm 119:1-8
Facts about Psalm 119
- 176 verses - longest psalm, longest chapter in the Bible - Longer than 30 other entire books of the Bible - Literary style: Acrostic poem - Each stanza uses one of the 22 Hebrew letters - Every stanza extols the value and expresses delight in God’s Word
- The format of Psalm 119 is an alphabetic acrostic, meaning that the first letters of each line in Hebrew follow through the alphabet, 8 lines per letter, thus 8 lines x 22 letters in Hebrew = 176 lines. One message of this psalm is that we are to live a lifestyle that demonstrates obedience to the Lord, who is a God of order (hence the acrostic structure), not of chaos.
- The author of Ps. 119 is unknown, but most scholars agree that it was written by David, Ezra, or Daniel. Each of these proposed authors suffered serious difficulties in his life, and the author of Ps. 119 reflects that in descriptions of plots, slanders, and taunts against him (verses 23, 42, 51, 150), persecutions (verses 61, 86, 95, 110, 121, 134, 157, 161), and afflictions (verses 67, 71, 143, 153). The persecution and affliction of the man (and woman) of God is a major theme of Psalm 119.
We are going to spend 6 weeks going through Psalm 119 and we are going to learn that God’s Word – Delights, Fills my heart, Gives courage, Saves, is always relevant, and is truth.
Where do we typically go for advice on things such as work, career, finances, raising kids, etc.?
- The internet - Google it
- Some will watch Dr. Phil
- Some may look for an app for that
- Hire an expert - Ask a friend
- CNN, Fox News, 60 Minutes, talk radio
Our lesson today says that God’s Word should be our “go to” resource for how to live our lives.
- Through the Bible, God has spoken all we need for life. We experience the fullness of life when we obey His Word. God’s Word reveals our sin by revealing His truth and righteousness. The Word also reveals the solution to our sin. Jesus is the ultimate Word from God who brings salvation.
- We experience joy as we follow God’s Word. Heart-fellowship with God is enjoyed through a love of that Word which is God's way of communing with the soul by His Holy Spirit.
I. Blessed by God’s Word (Listen for who will be blessed.)
Psalm 119:1-3 (NIV)
Blessed are they whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. 2 Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. 3 They do nothing wrong; they walk in his ways.
Who will be blessed by God?
- Those whose ways are blameless - who walk according to the law of the Lord
- Those who keep God’s statutes - who seek Him with all their heart
Meaning of Happy and Blameless
Psalm 119 opens very much like the beatitudes we read about in the NT. Describing people who are following God’s instructions as happy or blessed. The Hebrew term translated “happy” denotes great joy. It suggests the experience of good fortune or favorable circumstances, in this case resulting from one’s obedient relationship with God. A person can be blessed either by pronouncement (God’s action), by doing what God commands (a person’s action), or a combination of both.
In Psalm 119:1, God’s blessing is achieved by a person’s lifestyle (way), which is described as blameless. Being blameless means to stand before God without having fault by living according to God’s instruction. It describes people who are totally committed to God and living in obedience to His ways. In this context, live has the meaning of a person’s lifestyle – how that person consistently lives his or her life. It’s not enough to know what God says in His Word and know how God desires for us to live. What we know God requires must be lived out in our daily lives.
How would you describe your relationship with the Bible over the years?
- How has it developed, changed?
- What have you learned or unlearned?
Highlight from lesson: Our devotion to God’s Word must be steadfast. It must also be sincere. In verse 1, the psalmist focused more on our actions (the external), while in verse 2 he turned the focus to our heart (the internal). Happy people are devoted to God’s Word because they “seek Him with all their heart.” And when we seek God through His Word, we will find Him.
When has God’s, Word brought happiness to your life?
How do we seek God with our whole heart?
- daily conversation with God
- prayer, study and meditate on Scripture
- make choices according to God’s principles
Point: The Lord’s blessing comes to those who diligently and faithfully live according to His Word. Instructions for knowing what the Lord expects of us, for living as one freed from the devastating effects of sin, and for doing that which brings honor to Him are given to His Word. Living according to God’s Word demands a desire for it, a decision to learn it, and a dedication to applying it.
As we move to verses 4-6, we’ll see that building our lives around God’s Word isn’t just a good idea – it’s a command.
II. Obeying God’s Word (Listen for a confession.)
Psalm 119:4-6 (NIV)
You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. 5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! 6 Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.
In the first three verses, the writer focused on those who live according to God’s Word and seek Him with all their hearts. At this point, the psalmist addressed God Himself, the One who reveals His precepts, which He requires that all people diligently keep. The psalmist’s words reflect God’s authority as the Creator to direct and instruct His creation. Since God made us, only God knows exactly how we were created and designed to live, and only He has the ultimate authority to tell us how to live. This truth reveals and reflects the permanent authority of the Bible, which is God’s Word (see Isa. 40:8).
There are 4 main points here:
- Don’t miss that word “commanded” in verse 4. We’ve seen that we experience joy when we obey God’s Word. And verse 4 reminds us that we’re commanded to obey God’s Word.
- Our obedience to God’s Word includes an acknowledgment of God’s authority.
- Our obedience to God’s Word must also include the confession of our shortcomings: “Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!”
- God has provided a way to avoid the shame of sin that tortures the mind, reddens the cheeks, hangs our head, burdens our hearts, droops our shoulders, ruins our reputations, and troubles our steps. We will not be put to shame when our minds are focused and our eyes are fixed on God’s Word.
How can we avoid treating God’s Word like helpful hints rather than commands to be diligently kept?
- Cannot keep them haphazardly.
- Must be paying attention.
- God’s precepts are important … cannot let spiritual issues lapse.
- Don’t look for verses that preach at others.
- Look for verses, concepts which apply to yourself.
- I will read God’s Word expecting Him to speak to me.
Point: The Lord expects His people to be obedient to all of His commands. Obedience demands diligence – our best effort. Obeying God’s Word is a path to a right and joyous relationship with God. Our great desire ought to be that we never have any reason to stand in shame before the Lord.
So, we are called to obey all of God’s commands all the time, but we know that we all fall short. Thankfully, verses 7-8 remind us that we’re not alone whenever we seek to build our lives on the Scriptures.
III. Learning God’s Word (Listen for words of resolve.)
Psalm 119:7-8 (NIV)
7 I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. 8 I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.
Two ways verses 7-8 teach us to lean on God’s presence as we seek to obey His Word:
1. Through praise.
2. Through prayer.
A daily encounter with God through His Word should lead to praise.
What are some specific steps we can take to increase the influence of God’s Word in our lives?
- Get into the habit of daily reading and meditation on God’s Word
- If we skip a day, we should feel “hungry” like if we skip a meal
- Participate in group Bible studies
- Talk to God about your spiritual struggles
- Confess them to Him … acknowledge your actions and attitudes as sin
- Tell Him you are trusting Him for enabling to live according to His Word
Consider Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV) The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
So why would the psalmist pray “do not utterly forsake me”?
- Writer promises to obey God’s decrees.
- Struggling with an issue of faith.
- Being honest with God.
- The psalmist intensely desired the Lord’s presence.
- Without it, he knew he would be overwhelmed by the threats and cares of the world.
As God’s people, we are to learn and practice God’s Word. And as God’s people, we are to commit ourselves to obeying His Word.
Point: Those who spend time in God’s Word will know the joy and assurance only the Lord gives.
LIVE IT OUT
God’s Word demands man’s volitional obedience, never just head knowledge or empty emotional feelings. The study of God’s Word is to be more than an academic exercise and more than an intellectual pursuit to discover a philosophy of life that makes us feel good. God’s Word is divine revelation. In His Word, we learn about God, His will, and His expectations for how we are to live lives that are pleasing to Him and express praise to Him. His Word is reliable, therein lies full truth. It delights; in it we find true joy. God’s Word is practical; it gives, restores, and enables life, no matter the situations we face. By it, we are blessed.
May we all come to see that the Song is written on our hearts. And as we live in tune with the Song, in tune with the Creator of the universe, may we realize that we are in relationship with the LIVING GOD!
When we listen, and let God speak through Scripture, the rhythm of God’s Word becomes the rhythm of our own lives.
Hope to see you on Sunday!
In His Love,
David & Susan
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