May 30: Psalm 119:1-88

May 30, Psalm 119:1-88

A note on Psalm 119 from the Reformation Study Bible, “Ps. 119 is the longest (chapter of the Bible). The psalm is an acrostic of twenty-two stanzas, one for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The eight poetic lines of each stanza begin with the same Hebrew letter…

While the psalmist expresses his love for the law and his desire to obey it, he also recognizes his failures. Elements of lament and petition are intertwined with expressions of confidence and innocence.

The law is a faithful expression of God’s character. God sent His Son to keep the law for us. The law no longer condemns us, setting us free to accept it as our own guide for pleasing the One who died in our place.” In Christ, we are no longer bound the letter of the law, but the spirit of the law, that is - Our hearts must incline towards Christ. But we can still and should still love God’s law, as it should be written on our hearts. 

Psalm 119:1-88 This is what our goal in life should be: “Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord! Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways.” As we are pursuing God, we are blessed. Walk in His ways. How can a young man and us as adults stay pure? Simple: Guard our lives according to God’s Word. Store up God’s Words in our heart and meditate and pray on them. God’s law should bring us delight because it is God’s Law that brings life and the opportunity for purity. Our souls should be longing and consumed with His love and law. Ask God to understand His Way and meditate on what He reveals. Chose this day to be Faithful to Him. Run after His commandments and pursue Him. We need to seek His law - for Him to:

• teach us
• Give us understanding
• Lead us in the way to His commandments
• Incline our hearts to His Testimonies
• Turn our eyes from garbage and not self
• Confirm His promises 
• Turn us away from sin
• So that we long to learn more about how He wants us to live and receive His righteousness. 

Let us strive to find delight in His commandments, which we are to love, and take comfort in the Lord because He has given us His law. Trials and afflictions, as hard as they can be, can and should draw us closer to Him. Reality is, God disciplines those He loves and we are drawn closer to Him in times of adversity and discipline. The good thing is that we can ask God to “Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight.” Delight in God’s law? Absolutely!

To sum it all up:

• Does purity sound old fashioned to you, or does it appeal to you? My hope is that it would appeal to you - because that is the life that God is calling us to. Not living for self, but dying to self. Denying the flesh and Glorifying God. 
• We can love God’s law only if we believe in Him, otherwise His law is a snare for us. Instead, if your heart is for the Lord, you will delight in His ways - because we know that following Him brings life.