A Short Answer To a Tough Question

A Short Answer To a Tough Question (Psalm 119) For this lesson, we will look at one of the most unusual passages in the Bible, Psalm 119. To start with, this is the longest chapter 1 in the Bible; it has 176 verses! 2 (This makes Psalms 119 one of the most intimidating psalms to preach on!) Further, each of those 176 verses (with a few exceptions 3 ) uses a synonym for God s Word. It is a song of praise to God s Word. Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem based on the Hebrew alphabet: It has eight verses that begin with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet aleph, then eight verses that begin with the second letter beth, and so on through the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. 4 Psalm 119 has been called the most perfect alphabetic acrostic in Hebrew and possibly in any language. 5 Finally, if Jewish tradition is correct and the psalm was written by Ezra, 6 it was one of the last psalms written. It is not only an unusual passage of Scripture; it is also a powerful one. We may not see this at the first reading. Because of the form constrictions, Psalm 119 does not flow as many of the psalms do, and it repeats a great deal. Thus, this psalm may not stir us as other psalms do. Do not, however, underestimate it. It is a great psalm. Late in life, John Ruskin wrote, It is strange that of all the pieces of the Bible which my mother taught me, that which cost me the most to learn, and which was to my childish mind most repulsive the 119th Psalm has now become of all the most precious to me in its overflowing and glorious passion of love for the Law of God. 7 William Wilberforce, the statesman, wrote in his diary, Walked from Hyde Park corner, repeating the 119th Psalm in great comfort. 8 This caused one writer to suggest: If you can t sleep at night, don t count sheep. Count the letters of the Hebrew alphabet and recall the verses of this psalm. 9 Many great truths are found in this psalm, but our approach will be that it contains A Short Answer to a Tough Question. The final form of the psalm suggests that much editing and polishing took place, but we need to realize that the basic message of the psalm did not arise from a linguist s composing in the quiet of his study. It is a psalm full of passion and emotion. Verse 53 mentions the burning indignation that consumed the psalmist because of the attitude of many toward the Word of God. Verse 120 speaks of trembling; verse 136 speaks of the writer s tears. This psalm is written out of the life experience of the psalmist. I suggest that the psalmist was struggling with a tough question. I also suggest that, in the psalm, he gave a short answer to that tough question. Though Psalm 119 may be long, the answer is short and to the point. It is an answer repeated again and again in the psalm. Let us first look at the psalmist and the an- 1

swer to his tough question; then we will make application to ourselves. THE PSALMIST The psalmist had a multiplicity of problems. He spoke of these in a number of verses. In verse 50 he spoke of my affliction. In verse 107 he said, I am exceedingly afflicted. Verse 28 reads, My soul weeps because of grief. The original language in verse 28 speaks of the soul as it were melting away in the trickling down of tears. 10 We do not know the exact nature of the psalmist s many afflictions. They were possibly like our own, all the problems that affect us in life: family problems, health problems, and emotional problems. The writer, however, mentioned one specific problem: He was being persecuted. He said, Many are my persecutors and my adversaries (v. 157). He listed a variety of forms the persecution took. They spoke against him (v. 23). They slandered him (v. 69). (The NASB has forged a lie against me. The Hebrew has smeared me with lies. They used smear tactics against him. That sounds up-to-date, doesn t it?) They robbed him (v. 61). They laid traps for him (v. 108). They tried to destroy him (v. 95). The psalmist said, My life is continually in my hand (v. 109), a Hebrew figure of speech meaning My life is constantly in danger! Verses 83 through 87 are typical of the passages on his persecution: I have become like a wineskin in the smoke (v. 83). A wineskin would become dry, cracked, blackened, and useless if left in the smoke and heat of a fire. The writer was saying, Because of all I m going through, I m becoming useless! He continued, How many are the days of Thy servant? When wilt Thou execute judgment on those who persecute me? The arrogant have dug pits for me.... They have persecuted me with a lie; help me! They almost destroyed me on earth (vv. 84 87a). Observe how he followed the listing of his problems in verse 88: Revive me according to Thy lovingkindness. (Emphasis mine.) Some translations say, Bring me back to life again! He felt dead inside! At least nine times in the psalm he said, in effect, Revive me; bring me back to life again! (vv. 25, 37, 40, 88, 107, 149, 154, 156, 159). On top of all his problems, the writer struggled with what God was doing about all this. Note the verses before those we just read: Verse 81 says, My soul languishes for Thy salvation;... The literal Hebrew is My soul is worn out waiting for you to deliver me. Verse 82 says, My eyes fail with longing for Thy word, while I say, When wilt Thou comfort me? (Emphasis mine.) What is the tough question the writer was struggling with? It is How can I cope with life, with all that is happening to me? This brings us to the short answer. The writer answered his own question in almost every verse in the chapter: I can cope through the Word of God. We have already noted the great emphasis in the psalm on the Word of God. Eight synonyms are used for God s revelation (plus some related words). Here are the eight in the order used in the psalm in the NASB: 11 (1) Law (v. 1). Incidentally, in this psalm, the word law is not restricted to the books of law, the first five books of the Old Testament; rather, it refers to the totality of God s revelation. (2) Testimonies (v. 2). (3) His ways (v. 3). Some translations have paths. (4) Precepts (v. 4). (5) Statutes (v. 5). (6) Commandments (v. 6). (7) Judgments (v. 7). Some translations have ordinances. (8) Word (v. 9). Like eight notes of music, these eight words are repeated again and again in new combinations, new chords if you please, in this song of praise to God s Word. Of course, the writer was not saying that the mere existence of God s Word enabled him to cope. The Bible lying on the coffee table will not help anyone. Rather, he said that when the Bible became a part of him, he was able to meet whatever challenges life brought: Thy word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee (v. 11; emphasis mine). The KJV has Thy word have I hid in mine heart. (Emphasis mine.) How did the writer hide the Word in his 2

heart? He did not have a heart surgeon insert a Bible into the muscle that pumps the blood through his body. Rather, he hid the Word in his heart his inner being by reading the Word, studying the Word, memorizing the Word, and striving to understand the Word. Again and again the psalmist pleaded for God to teach him the Word (vv. 12, 26, 33, 124; see also vv. 66, 108) and to help him to understand it (vv. 27, 34, 73, 169; see also vv. 99, 100, 104, 130). The psalm puts special stress on the matter of meditating on God s Word thinking about it and pondering it (vv. 15, 48, 78). The writer said that he meditated on God s revelation all the day (v. 97) and through the night (v. 148). The key to hiding the Word in his heart was the attitude the writer had developed toward the Word. God s Word was precious to him. In verse 14 he said, I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. The Word was worth more to him than thousands of gold and silver pieces (v. 72). In verse 162 he declared, I rejoice at Thy word, as one who finds great spoil [or, great treasure]. In verse 103 he changed the figure: How sweet are Thy words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! One way the psalmist expressed his appreciation of God s revelation was by using the word delight. Nine times in the psalm he said that God s Word was his delight. He described God s Word as wonderful (v. 129). The most expressive term used, however, is the word love. Again and again the psalmist expressed his love for God s Word. Verses 47 and 48 refer to Thy commandments, which I love. Verse 97 is one of the more familiar verses from the psalm (and the basis of a familiar song): O how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Other verses emphasize the same point: I love Thy law (v. 113; see also 163). I love Thy testimonies (v. 119). Therefore I love Thy commandments above gold, yes, above fine gold (v. 127). I love Thy precepts (v. 159). Verse 167 refers to God s testimony, saying, I love them exceedingly. (Emphasis mine.) Sometimes as parents, we shake our heads in bewilderment over the actions of a wayward child. We taught him God s Word, we say. We don t know what went wrong. He knows what the Bible teaches. Maybe, just maybe, we failed to teach him to love God s Word. There are some in prison who memorized Scriptures and can still quote verses, but they did not learn to love God s Word when they were children. With an attitude of love for God s Word, everything involved in hiding the Word in his heart became automatic to the psalmist: reading, studying, striving to understand the Word, memorizing it, and meditating on it. In verse 131 he said, I opened my mouth wide and panted, for I longed for Thy commandments. The illustration is that of a thirsty animal (when I read verse 131, I think of a panting dog). You do not have to persuade a thirsty animal to drink and you do not have to force someone who loves God s Word to study it, whether personally or in Bible class and worship! Further, with that attitude of love, obeying the Word became automatic for the psalmist. In verse 106 he spoke of the vow he had made to God: I have sworn, and I will confirm it, that I will keep Thy righteous ordinances. (Emphasis mine.) We can make no more solemn promise to God than We will obey Your Word! In verse 60 the psalmist said that he did not hesitate to keep that sacred promise: I hastened and did not delay to keep Thy commandments. Let me stress, however, that he did not just go through the motions of obeying dry, lifeless rules. He said, With all my heart I will observe Thy precepts (v. 69; emphasis mine). What did the Word do for him when he had that sort of attitude? Did it answer his tough question? Did it enable him to cope with all that life was throwing at him? God s revelation gave him blessings which may be summarized with three L s. (1) Liberty And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Thy precepts (v. 45). The Jerusalem Bible translates the first part of the verse, I shall walk in all freedom. Through God s Word, the psalmist had freedom from sin. Verse 9 is one of the more familiar verses from the psalm (and another passage that inspired a famous song): How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Thy word. The psalmist also had freedom from fear. Further, he had freedom for the full expression of a God-centered life. (2) Light Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path ; The unfolding of Thy words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple (vv. 105, 130). The Word gave him un- 3

derstanding and guidance. The Word gave him insight insight, for instance, into the value of the things happening to him. Note verses 67 and 71: Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Thy word.... It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Thy statutes. (3) Life Remember that the psalmist asked repeatedly to be revived or made alive. God s Word did that for him. I will never forget Thy precepts, for by them Thou hast revived me [made me alive] (v. 93). Thus, the psalmist said, Those who love Thy law have great peace (v. 165). When the writer considered all that God s Word did for him, he automatically wanted to praise God (vv. 7, 62, 164, 171, 175), and he wanted to share the Word with others (vv. 13, 26, 27, 108, 172). When we speak of the psalmist s love for the Word and his being able to cope through the Word, we are not merely talking about letters inked on a piece of parchment. Some who do not believe in the verbal inspiration of the Bible ridicule this psalm and call it Bibliolotry making an idol out of the Bible, worshiping the Bible instead of God. After all, almost two hundred references to the Word and the strong emotions concerning the Bible are impressive. However, we need to look more closely at what the psalmist was saying. Let us review the short answer, emphasizing the two last words: The writer said, I can cope through the Word of God. Somewhere in your home you probably have a letter or a note you have saved. It is in a special place maybe in a drawer, maybe in the Bible. From time to time you take it out and look at it. When you do so, you are filled with a warm feeling. Let me ask you: Do you feel that way because there is something special about the paper... or the pen or pencil strokes... or the combination of letters? Instead, is it not because that letter came from someone very special? I suspect that if you have such a note, you love it not just because of the words on a piece of paper, but because you love the one who sent you the note. That is the case in this psalm. We have noted the emphasis in this psalm on the Word of God. When we look at it more deeply, we see that actually the emphasis is on the Author of the Word: on God. Starting with verse 4, the psalm becomes a prayer addressed to God. Notice how the psalm reaches out to God. Verse 10 says, With all my heart I have sought Thee. (Emphasis mine.) Verses 76 and 77 say, O may Thy lovingkindness comfort me,... May Thy compassion come to me that I may live. Simplified, verse 86 says, Help me! The writer was not praying to the Bible; he was praying to God! Note verse 57: The Lord is my portion. (Emphasis mine.) We sing a song based on this verse: Thou, My Everlasting Portion. The TEV translates this verse, You are all I want, Lord. We cannot separate God from His Word. His Word is an expression of Himself. In fact, it is the most complete expression we have of Him. This is different from most laws and regulations of men. When I stop at a stop sign or pay taxes, I have no idea who originated those laws and it is not a matter of great significance. With God s laws, it is different. Obeying or disobeying His laws is based on a relationship we have with God. Since we cannot separate God from His Word, two conclusions must be reached. (1) Our obedience to God s Word is not something we do just so we will not be punished. Rather, we are to obey because we love God and His Word. We need to obey from the heart: How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, who seek Him with all their heart (v. 2); With all my heart I have sought Thee (v. 10); Give me understanding, that I may observe Thy law, and keep it with all my heart (v. 34). (2) We cannot love God without also loving His Word. If we neglect the Word, we are neglecting God. We cannot have a right relationship with God without having a right relationship with His Word! Keep these conclusions in mind as we make application to ourselves. US We, too, have our tough questions. We have troubles of all kinds, all the problems life can bring. Perhaps, like the psalmist, we even have people who oppose us and give us a hard time. Maybe, like the psalmist, we also struggle with why these things are happening and where God is in all this. Thus, we ask the question How can we cope? The short answer remains the same: We can cope through God s Word. The Bible is God s spe- 4

cial provision to help us learn about Him, His character, His plans and purposes, and how we can draw closer to Him by obeying His will. To benefit from this provision, we need to learn to love God s Word, all of God s Word. Verse 160 reads: The sum [the totality] of Thy word is truth and every one of Thy righteous ordinances is everlasting. (Emphasis mine.) In 2 Timothy 3:16, 17, Paul said basically the same thing: All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate [or, complete], equipped for every good work. (Emphasis mine.) We need to love God s Word and we need to hide it in our hearts by reading it, studying it, meditating on it, and obeying it. Colossians 3:16 could serve as a good summary of Psalm 119: Let the word of Christ richly [underline that word richly ] dwell within you. (Emphasis mine.) Let me make special application to those of us who teach God s Word, whether parents, grandparents, Bible class teachers, or Christians trying to help those we love: Our children or grandchildren or students or friends come to us with tough questions. Let us understand that the help they most need is to be found in the Bible. Our wisdom, experience, education, or human knowledge is limited; the complete answers are in God s Book. Therefore, let us teach that Book. Let us teach it, teach it, teach it. However, we must not just teach facts and dry laws. We must present it as God s love letter to men and lead those we teach to love the God who gave it! I know that is what many of you are striving to do. God bless you for that! CONCLUSION Let me close by looking at the last verse of the psalm, verse 176. As we read Psalm 119, we must be impressed with the fact that the writer is what we would call a good man, better than most of us. However, the light of God s Word (vv. 105, 130) is like a searchlight exposing a man s shortcomings. Therefore, notice how the psalm ends: I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Thy servant, for I do not forget Thy commandments (v. 176). Through his examination of the Word, the psalmist was made aware of the needs of his life and appealed to God for help. As we have considered the wonder of God s Word, it is possible that we also have been made aware of our sinfulness. Perhaps our response is We, too, have gone astray like lost sheep. Never forget that back of the Word that exposes our sin is the Author of that Word, who loves us and who desires to forgive us of our sins through His grace and mercy if we will repent and return to Him! Won t you come to Him today? NOTES 1 I put chapter in quotation marks because strictly speaking, the Book of Psalms is not divided into chapters, but into psalms. However, it is usual to speak of Psalm 119 as the longest chapter in the Bible and Psalm 117 as the shortest chapter. 2 The shortest is two chapters earlier: Psalm 117, which has only two verses. 3 One, two, or three verses are exceptions, depending on what one considers to be synonyms. 4 Most modern translations indicate this. 5 H. L. Ellison, The Psalms (London: Scripture Union, 1968), 100. 6 Some believe it was written by David. 7 Quoted by J. Vernon McGee in Psalms, Vol. III (Pasadena, Calif.: Thru the Bible Books, 1977), 102. 8 Ibid. 9 J. Vernon McGee. 10 C. F. Keil and F. Delitzsch, Commentary on the Old Testament (Vol. 5): Psalms (Peabody, Mass.; Hendrickson Publishers, 1989), 248. 11 The KJV uses the same synonyms for the Word in the first nine verses. Copyright, 1997, 1998 by Truth For Today ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Reflections on Psalm 119... the paradox of seeming simplicity overlying fathomless depth. Henry Parry Liddon... there is music in its monotony, which is subtilely varied ; there are but few pieces in the Psalmist s kaleidoscope, but they fall into many shapes of beauty. Ian Maclaren... it equally excels in breadth of thought, depth of meaning, and height of fervour ; it is as weighty as it is bulky. Charles H. Spurgeon... a sweetly monotonous meditation. Thomas Kelly Cheyne... a star in the firmament of the Psalms, of the first and greatest magnitude. Charles Simmons 5