Psalm 119:89-96 “Lamed”

Psalm 119:89

89 Forever, O Lord, your word
is firmly fixed in the heavens. (ESV)

There are a lot of people in the world today who believe that the Bible was written for a backwards people in a backwards time, and has no truth for us today. They are, of course, wrong, and the plain testimony of scripture about itself is that God’s word is eternal. This verse is just one of many testimonies of that divine truth.

Psalm 119:90

90 Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
you have established the earth, and it stands fast. (ESV)

Again, David reminds us of the eternity of God’s revelation and promises. His mercy and faithfulness extend even to us today. God created the earth, and it remains to this day as well.

Psalm 119:91

91 By your appointment they stand this day,
for all things are your servants. (ESV)

Of course, not everyone is God’s servants. David refers to those who continue according to God’s ordinances – those who walk in obedience to Him.

Psalm 119:92

92 If your law had not been my delight,
I would have perished in my affliction. (ESV)

If God’s law does not delight us, then we shall die in our sin.

Again, a lot of people say that obedience to Christ is optional, or something you can “add later” to your faith. The testimony of scripture tells us different.

Psalm 119:93

93 I will never forget your precepts,
for by them you have given me life. (ESV)

And this is exactly why obedience isn’t optional. He has given us life, and by the gift of His grace, we are His.

Psalm 119:94

94 I am yours; save me,
for I have sought your precepts. (ESV)

The saved seek God’s precepts regularly. It is not an option, it is evidence of our faith.

Psalm 119:95

95 The wicked lie in wait to destroy me,
but I consider your testimonies. (ESV)

Even in the face of destruction from our enemies, God’s word is our refuge, our strength, and our hope.

Psalm 119:96

96 I have seen a limit to all perfection,
but your commandment is exceedingly broad. (ESV)

The earthly idea of perfection is very narrow, but the word of God is very broad. As I study God’s word, I am truly amazed that it covers as much as it does. The Bible, in most translations and printed editions, only covers about 1,000 pages, give or take. And look at all of the literature – commentaries, systematic theologies, dictionaries – that have been written about the Bible. They use far more words to not say nearly as much. Thank you, Father, for your broad commandment! Amen.

Pyromaniacs: Is Christianity rational?

Dan Phillips at Team Pyro blogs on whether Christianity is rational. He describes the anti-intellectuals in Christianity thusly:

Their religion is a Schleiermacheranian mish-mash of feelings and sentimentality; and, lazily, they like it that way. Like Alice’s queen, they have ‘believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.’ They can splop! down an absurd statement and, when challenged to try to make any kind of sense of it—let alone Biblical sense—they can loftily murmur that their religion is a matter of the heart, not of the mind.

This is of course to stand Biblical religion on its head (pun noted, but not intended). As soon as you assert anything about God, life, reality, you find yourself in the arena of thought and ideas. Even the assertion that nothing can be asserted about God is an assertion about God, open for analysis, criticism, acceptance or rejection.

This is by the design of God, who crafted us to analyze, understand, exercise dominion (Genesis 1:26-28). Thus He positions the first commandment as ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind’(Matthew 22:37; cf. Deuteronomy 6:5).

Tim Challies covered similar ground about 5 months ago reviewing J. P. Moreland’s book Love Your God With All Your Mind.

Pagans Ancient and Modern

Albert Mohler has a wonderful excerpt from a commentary by Joy Davidman (Mrs. C. S. Lewis) on Pagans Ancient and Modern:

The old pagans had to choose between a brilliant, jangling, irresponsible, chaotic universe, alive with lawless powers, and the serene and ordered universe of God and law. We modern pagans have to choose between that divine order, and the gray, dead, irresponsible, chaotic universe of atheism. And the tragedy is that we may make that choice without knowing it — not by clear conviction but by vague drifting, not by denying God, but by losing interest in him.

Psalm 119:81-88 “Kaph”

Psalm 119:81

81 My soul longs for your salvation;
I hope in your word. (ESV)

The psalmist again expresses his joy at God’s word and God’s mercy. Does my soul faint for God’s salvation? We who are saved from the second death, do we realize the full meaning of His salvation the way the psalmist, who know only the promise of Christ, does? Does the idea that God saved us make us faint?
Again, also, is the idea of God’s word as His promise and our hope.

Psalm 119:82

82 My eyes long for your promise;
I ask, “When will you comfort me?” (ESV)

Despite many prayers over many years, I am not a morning person. I don’t know if I ever will be. I am, however, a night owl. For this reason, I often do my Bible study at night, before going to sleep. But still, many nights, I neglect my duty because I’m “too tired.”
Not the psalmist. He searches the word of God until his very eyes fail. He seeks God’s comfort until his eyes can no longer look at the text. Ironically, the comfort of God is an area I find my own faith weak – too much, I worry, I trouble myself over tomorrow, I am anxious for far more than nothing. If only I would search His word, like the psalmist, until my eyes failed me.

Psalm 119:83

83 For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke,
yet I have not forgotten your statutes. (ESV)

The first part of this verse is obscure to those of us who have never aged wine in skins – which I’m guessing includes most of the readership. John MacArthur says this:

Just as smoke will dry out, stiffen, and crack a wineskin thus making it useless, so the psalmist’s affliction has debilitated him.

David is describing his “affliction.” Yet despite his troubles, David remembers God’s statutes. It is easy, sometimes, to blame our misfortunes on Him. But just because we are in the midst of difficulty, doesn’t mean we should ignore God’s commandments. Like David, we must remember them always.

Psalm 119:84

84 How long must your servant endure?
When will you judge those who persecute me? (ESV)

It is interesting that David pairs the idea of his own mortality with his desire for justice. And indeed, we shall not know the true, full measure of God’s justice until we come into His presence.

Psalm 119:85

85 The insolent have dug pitfalls for me;
they do not live according to your law. (ESV)

Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown explain “pits” as “plots for my destruction.” The ESV uses the term “pitfalls” here, the NCV “pits to trap me.” Those who try to trap us are, as the psalmist says, not in accorance with God’s law. If they were, they would not try to trap us!

Psalm 119:86

86 All your commandments are sure;
they persecute me with falsehood; help me! (ESV)

Here the psalmist again shows a contrast, this time between the faithfulness of God’s commandments, the persecution of the ungodly. He rightfully cries to God for help, and with appropriate boldness, as well – he knows God’s commandments are faithful.

Psalm 119:87

87 They have almost made an end of me on earth,
but I have not forsaken your precepts. (ESV)

Even in the face of death, David does not forsake God’s law.

Psalm 119:88

88 In your steadfast love give me life,
that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth. (ESV)

He asks God for revival, for strength, through His mercy. And for what end? So that David may keep God’s word and not sin against Him. Oh, that this would be our prayer as well! Amen.

Mark Dever: “A Good Offense”

Mark Dever at Together for the Gospel has some excellent insights into common mistakes with evangelism. He’s apparently writing a book on the subject, and I can’t wait…

One part of clarity sometimes missed by earnest evangelists, however, is the willingness to offend. Clarity with the claims of Christ certainly will include the translation of the Gospel into words that our hearer understands, but it doesn’t necessarily mean translating it into words that our hearer will like. Too often advocates of relevant evangelism verge over into being advocates of irrelevant non-evangelism. A gospel which in no way offends the sinner has not been understood.

How many of us are willing to offend with our evangelism? Dr. Dever is not advocating intentional offense, or offense that is caused for our own pride or pleasure. Rather, he’s talking about realizing that the message of the gospel, that we are all sinners, is by its very nature offensive. If sharing the gospel doesn’t produce some small indignation, then you’re probably not sharing the full message. Think about it. The gospel says “You are a sinner. You can’t get into heaven. No way. You can’t do it. There is no way. You are completely helpless. Only God’s grace can do it for you. Oh, and you don’t do it with God’s grace… God’s grace does it for you. It’s not a tool for you to use. It’s purely His. So as you say that sinner’s prayer, keep that in mind. It’s not you. It’s Him. Cast your eyes on Him. Cast your sin upon His cross. Not yours.” Are you getting the point? If not, then I’m not doing it right…

(Side note – at some point, I am going to have read Mark Driscoll’s book. I can only imagine how he shares the gospel…)