“Princes also did sit and speak against me: but Thy servant did meditate in Thy statutes” (Psalm 119:23 KJV). What princes did David intend in this verse? The princes against him in the court of Saul, his own son Absalom, the counselor Ahithophel, or the princes of the Philistines? Whenever representatives of human government may be oppressive to the godly, what are we to do? David’s inspired solution was to “meditate on Thy statutes” (119:23). This suggests not that no other action be taken, but preeminently, council from God’s Word must be sought to know what to do. And, if nothing else was done, this would be well done. Escalating reprisals against those, who attack us, may be the politics of man, but “love covers a multitude of sins” (1Peter 4:8 NET). Conflict will cease only when there is strength enough to resist war. Love “is not glad about injustice, but rejoices in the truth.” (1Corinthians 13:6). Father, may we study Your Word that we may know how to answer the affront of princes. May we know the ways of peace. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Meditation
Delight Myself in Thy Statutes (Psalm 119:16)
“I will delight myself in Thy statutes: I will not forget Thy word” (Psalm 119:16 KJV). Strange words. Delight in God’s statutes. The Hebrew for “delight” can be rendered “soothing touch,” as in, “When worries threaten to overwhelm me, Your soothing touch makes me happy” (94:19 NET). No experience can surpass God’s “soothing touch”! His law is not the straitjacket of the Pharisees, but the sweet guidance of our Heavenly Spouse. Notice the experience of delight in God’s Word motivates us to choose or will, not to “forget Thy word” (119:16). In other words, Yahweh seeks to delight us in His Word, so we will choose not to forget Him. May we purposely enter into our Quiet Time with Him, seeking to experience such delight that we would not forget Him or His Word. Father, You are the joy and rejoicing of our heart. May we seek You more than our necessary food. May we crave You and Your Word more than any experience sought after or known to man. Lord Jesus, return quickly, for we are eager to see You face to face. In Jesus’ name, we humbly pray. Amen and amen.
Meditate in Thy Precepts (Psalm 119:15)
“I will meditate [Hebrew, sîyach, ponder] in Thy precepts, and have respect [Hebrew, nâbat, focus upon] unto Thy ways [Hebrew, ôrach, behavior]” (Psalm 119:15 KJV). To ponder God’s Word means staying awake and thinking about His precepts. Our estimation of His utterances gives us a picture of God. We need to be careful about our own speech, since it gives others a measure of who we are. Though meditation can take place anywhere and at anytime, morning is a favored place because our mind has been rested, cleared of distractions, and reset to pursue the LORD. “Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah” (4:4). To “have respect” (119:15) or focus on God’s behavior means to consider God’s ways or contemplate, Why did God do that? Modern psychoanalysis concentrates upon why we do something, but meditation preeminently focuses upon the why of God’s behavior. God demands implicit but not thoughtless obedience. Medication and drugs may mask and control our ability to clearly focus upon God, but must be overcome like anything else in our environment. “They will attack you but they will not be able to overcome you, for I will be with you to rescue you, says the LORD” (Jeremiah 1:19 NET). Father, give us understanding of Your behavior that we may imitate You. Lord Jesus, return quickly. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Only Whole-Hearted Seekers Prevented From Wandering (Psalm 119:10)
“With my whole heart have I sought Thee: O let me not wander from Thy commandments” (Psalm 119:10 KJV). Every young person should aspire to walk in obedience to God’s Word. Nothing at all should be surprising about God’s expectations of us. None of us would expect or care for anyone approaching us half-heartedly or insincerely. Others may deal with us deceitfully, but God sets the standard for appropriate conduct. God expects from us the same sincerity of conduct, which He gives us. “God is not a man, that He should lie; neither the son of man, that He should repent: hath He said, and shall He not do it? or hath He spoken, and shall He not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19). God’s history of dealing with us has been to keep us from wandering from Him. God Only Wise has arranged His dealings with us to gain not simply our outward obedience, but our heartfelt love for Him. “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not” (Luke 13:34). The Atonement revealed His heart to us. “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). Yahweh has always known we need a progressive revelation of Himself, since too much at once would overpower us. “I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.” (1Corinthians 3:2).
In these NT times, we have access to God’s greatest gift beyond the Atonement — the gift of His Spirit to inspire our obedience. “I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27 ). We need to believe and act like we already have everything we need to live a godly, well-pleasing life. “According as His divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue” (2Peter 1:3). Father, You have already given us the forgiveness of our sins through Your Son’s death on the Cross, and we now have the assistance of Your Holy Spirit to live an obedient, well-pleasing life. Help us to resist the wicked one and overcome the temptation to give in to the world. Make us a walking testimony of Your grace and truth. Lord Jesus, return quickly. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Praise From an Upright Heart for God’s Judgments (Psalm 119:7)
“I will praise Thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned Thy righteous judgments” (Psalm 119:7 KJV). Praise pours from an upright heart, when learning of God’s judgments. Even without the benefit of the NT Indwelling Holy Spirit, the Old Covenant Psalmist would praise God for His commands and judgments, instead of protesting God’s laws as chains and shackles. It has always been an issue of the heart, more than of our head or understanding. When we take pride in our intellect to the exclusion of our devotion to God, then we fall into the same trap as Lucifer, and need to seek God’s help for deliverance. “13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. 15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit” (Isaiah 14:13-15). Father, grant us Your help to avoid Lucifer’s mistake. Guard our heart. Cause Your Spirit’s influence to be felt not just within ourselves but in those around us, for good. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Directed to Keep His Statutes (Psalm 119:5)
“O that my ways were directed to keep Thy statutes” (Psalm 119:5 KJV). The “grievous wolves” (Acts 20:29 KJV) Paul warned the Ephesians elders about, entered into the flock of the Ephesian Church, though they patiently struggled to maintain fidelity to apostolic doctrine, they lost their devotion to Jesus, who is the True Reason for obedience. Sadly, Jesus had to condemn the Apostolic Church of Ephesus, “Thou hast left thy first love” (Revelation 2:4). Even so, the Psalmist yearned for a devotion to the LORD, which would cause him to keep the LORD’s statutes. “O that my ways were directed to keep Thy statutes” (Psalm 119:5). The form of obedience without the heart of devotion to the LORD is reprobate. But, now we have the NT gift of the Holy Spirit, who is our primary aid in keeping our focus upon Jesus. “And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27). LORD, cause us to be ready for Your appearing. Give us a heart of devotion and love to You that we may walk in True Obedience. Return quickly, in Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Diligently Keeping Precepts (Psalm 119:4)
“Thou hast commanded us to keep Thy precepts diligently” (Psalm 119:4 KJV). How are we to keep Your precepts? Diligently. We are to treat the keeping of God’s precepts carefully, as if we were handling our own soul. “Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently” (Deuteronomy 4:9). God uses careful language, when He wants our attention about how we should handle our relationship with Him. He invites us to receive deeply from Himself, but we must be aware. “Unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required” (Luke 12:48). The LORD is willing to show more of Himself to us, but it comes with greater responsibility. Prepare ourselves for exercise. LORD, You know best what we need. We ask for a greater revelation of Yourself and Your glory. And, we ask for the grace, faith, and diligence to receive it. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Ways of His Words (Psalm 119:3)
“They also do no iniquity: they walk in His ways” (Psalm 119:3 KJV). Negatively, we do no evil. How can we be so sure? Because, positively, we are walking in His ways. This is positive holiness, for we are separated to “walking in His ways.” In our Unity of Moral action, we cannot be both holy and sinful at the same time. If we are truly doing no iniquity, then we are walking in His ways. Our purpose, intention, or emphasis must be Him. Loss of that intention, all is lost. We must persevere “to the end” (Matthew 10:22) with wholehearted devotion to Him. LORD, make it so. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Treasuring His Word (Psalm 119:2)
“Blessed are they that keep [Hebrew, nâtsar, guard, watch, observe] His testimonies, and that seek Him with the whole heart” (Psalm 119:2 KJV). Why are they blessed? For two reasons. They (1) “keep His testimonies,” i.e., because they are important, so they obey them, and (2) “seek Him with the whole heart,” i.e., emphasis is upon the LORD, and absolute giving of the heart to Him. None other than “whole heart” seeking is possible, since “no man can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24). LORD, deliver us from half hearted seeking, believing we can be blessed by such deceptiveness. Show us Your glory. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Happiness From His Word (Psalm 119:1)
“ALEPH. Blessed [Hebrew, esher, happiness or blessedness] are the undefiled [Hebrew, tâmîym, whole, sound, healthful] in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD” (Psalm 119:1 KJV). Yes, we are blessed or happy, but why? We are as Noah was a “just [Hebrew, tâmîym, perfect]” (Genesis 6:9 KJV), or undefiled by the physical and spiritual curse of the Nephilim, but why? We are undefiled, because we walk in the law of the LORD. True, we walk not in the “counsel of the ungodly” (Psalm 1:1), but we “delight” and “meditate” in the “law of the LORD” (1:2). If we stop there, we miss the point. It is the LORD’s law. Without Him, we have no source or focus. He alone is able to give meaning to the law. We learn of Him and His character by our association with that law. Unless we view our time around His Word as something more than a word study, then we escape the grand point of our existence — to “know Him” (Phillippians 3:10).
We Need A Miracle 