PE
March 14, 2012
Oak Park Baptist Church – Wed Bible Study Series
Psalm 119:129-136 (ESV) – 17 of 22
PE – 17th letter of the Hebrew Alphabet
Read/show ALL verses b4 verse by verse teaching…
The goodness of God is found in all of creation. The apostle Paul reflects this in his opening chapter of the letter to the churches in Rome, where he details God’s presence and glory has been revealed to all the earth.
In our stanza tonight (Ps 119:129-136) we find the psalmist revealing how wonderful God’s word is for his life, and how God’s word brings about understanding, even for those who feel they could never understand it!
He reveals his desire for God and God’s word in his expressions and rests on the promise of God to deliver and guide him to where God desired him to go… here we find the psalmist truly dwelling on the goodness of God that is revealed THRU His word!
So tonight I want us to look at these 8 verses and determine what the point the psalmist is driving home for his readers…
[show verse]
129Your testimonies are wonderful; therefore my soul keeps them. OR 129Your laws are wonderful. No wonder I obey them!
We can see a picture here of a happy and eager servant who is delighted to serve his master. This verse reveals one who looks forward to his service to his master.
Why? Because there is joy in his service… joy because of an obvious love FOR his master, which implies an obvious love FROM the master to the servant!
Matthew Henry Commentary:
See here how was affected towards the word of God.
The psalmist admired the word of God and to him it was most excellent by itself!
Here the majesty of style, purity of matter, the harmony of its parts is all wonderful to the psalmist. Its effects upon the consciences of men, both for conviction and comfort, are wonderful!
The psalmist also implies here if we do not admire God’s Word that it is a sign we are not acquainted with them OR we do not understand them.
Another aspect for the psalmist here is that he recognizes God’s word as USEFUL in his life! “Therefore my soul keeps them…”
Henry states that we don’t keep God’s commandments in any significant way unless our souls keep them. In other words it is a heart issue… They must have the innermost and uppermost place in a man’s heart. God’s word is prized and highly desired and kept carefully!
So what we can gain from this opening verse is a picture of a man who is eager and excited about the Word of God… a man willing to serve and a man fully trusting in the master to whom he is serving…fully trusting in his master’s direction for his life!
[show verse]
130The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple. OR 130The teaching of your word gives light, so even the simple can understand.
The unfolding of God’s word is how the psalmist describes his revelation from God through God’s commandments.
The word for ‘unfolding’ here is the Hebrew word pay-taackh which is a masculine noun meaning to reveal. It gives a picture of a doorway or a gateway or entrance into a previously closed chamber. This is an unveiling of unknown knowledge to the psalmist.
This is the revealing of information unavailable or not understandable before… it is the comprehension of the incomprehensible!
What this does is tell us that God breaks down complex spiritual matters into a ‘meat/potatoes’ simplicity that anyone can come to understand thru the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit… which is great news because it means that anyone can read it and know it…
However, this light, given by God for our lives, requires a faith IN it… a trust FOR it… to move ahead because OF its teaching. The psalmist reveals this faith in his simple admission of understanding, “…your word gives light…” it ILLUMINATES the life and guides the heart!
The psalmist uses the word ‘light’… it is the Hebrew word ORE which means to GIVE light to an unlit place… to shine light… this is an willful act BY God to provide understanding to us through His word! God is SHINING His light… actively opening up our eyes to His understanding…
God is seeking to do what we sing about… to “Open the eyes of our hearts so that we can SEE Him!” What we see here is a picture of a teacher who is opening the eyes of her student’s minds to a vast new world of information that produces a thirst for more knowledge and growth… the more we come to know about God the more we want to learn… we desire to grow closer and closer to Him!
[show verse]
131I open my mouth and pant, because I long for your commandments. OR131I pant with expectation, longing for your commands.
With expectation is what the NLT Bible reveals… the psalmist had a great yearning for the Word of God… the Reformation Study Bible: tells us that the word “Pant” here describes a powerful and very deep desire of the psalmist for the presence of God.
This verse reflects back to Ps 42:1 where the psalmist describes a yearning to be in the presence of God by describing a deer panting for water… We sing about this today… but the question is do we have that same yearning in our hearts to KNOW His word, to experience His word, to understand His word?
This is the reason the psalmist LONGS for… yearns for God’s word. It is because of his intense NEED of it… the word here used by the psalmist for pant points toward a picture of man in the desert with NO water… parched with extreme thirst and in great need of the life giving effects of water!
Have you ever been in desperate NEED of water? I don’t know if any of us can say that we have been that desperate for water, but I can bet we all have been hot and tired from working outside or working in the heat and water was on our mind and we wanted it in the worst way… here this is the description of the psalmist who is seeking God’s word… he thirsts FOR it!
Just like the deer pants for the water, but it is not for his love of water… but it out of his intense NEED for the water! He is instinctively drawn TO the water and knows that it brings life…refreshes…sustains…restores
God’s word does all of the above… & what the psalmist is saying here is that our desire for it should be LIKE that of the deer yearning after a fresh stream… NOT simply out of love for or a gluttony over the water, but it must be out of our intense NEED of that spiritual water!
In John 4 Jesus spoke to the women at the well and ask for a drink… a discussion about her heritage and Jesus responded by offering her living water, she did not understand…
Jesus responded to her and said, “…those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again, it becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life…”
To which the woman cried out with a great yearning in her voice, “…Please Sir, give me this water!!” She recognized the significance of water, and although she did not fully understand at that moment, she knew she NEEDED what Jesus had to offer!
Likewise the psalmist KNEW that he not only liked God’s Word, but he understood his VAST NEED for it!
[show verse]
132Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your way with those who love your name. OR132Come and show me your mercy, as you do for all who love your name.
The term ‘turn’ here is expressed by the psalmist and it comes from out of his desire for God’s attention. It almost gives the picture of a child crying out for the attention of their father…
The word for gracious here means to grant favor, to be kind to or to have mercy upon. God’s love and grace cover a multitude of sins is what Peter tells us, and here the psalmist understood that and was crying out to God for him to deliver on that promise of grace!
But we also see a picture of Rom 8:28 in this verse as well as we see the psalmist refer to, “…as You do for ALL who love Your name…” this applies to those who trust in God… those who follow AFTER Him and his ways! For the psalmist this would have meant those who loved God’s law and abided BY it!
Another aspect of this verse is brought out by Matthew Henry in his commentary where he points out the humility of the psalmist here in this request…
He does not ask for the work of God’s hand but only for the smiles of his face! For the psalmist, a good look from God will be enough. However, if he cannot get that, he implores for God’s mercy.
The phrase “…Your way…” used by the psalmist here represents God’s justice, God’s act of deciding and judging the actions of humanity. It is a fair justice that is given out based upon the grace and LOVE of God!
[show verse]
133Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me. OR
133Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by evil.
The term ‘keep’ used in the ESV translation represents the psalmist seeking a firm footing, solid ground upon which to travel, a stable life in which he could serve and a secure standing before God!
His cry is that God will keep him headed in the right direction and on the right path… the implication here is that God had promised this and the psalmist is crying out for God’s keeping of His promise to guide and direct his path…
Matthew Henry Commentary:
Here David prays for two great spiritual blessings, and is, He prays,
1. For direction in his path of duty: IN other words let me walk in the right path as I serve YOU… following YOUR guidance and leadership!
2. For deliverance from the power of sin: He understands the debilitating effects of sin on the soul and knows that without God’s help that he will not be able to stand… but that God’s word will help him to stand! He prays for God’s word to illuminate his path and strengthen his resolve…
When we look at this verse and how it ends with the psalmist asking God to let no iniquity gain dominion over him… I can see a sliver of Paul in this statement!
Do you remember his words to the Philippian believers? In 4:6-7 Paul told the Philippian believers to 1st seek God and His guidance in all things, but 2nd that if they would seek God, then there was a peace that would guard their hearts AND minds in Christ Jesus.
The psalmist wanted to be guided by God and protected by God… he cries out for this!
[show verse]
134Redeem me from man's oppression, that I may keep your precepts. OR134Ransom me from the oppression of evil people; then I can obey your commandments.
The term ‘redeem’ here draws a picture of one being held captive by an evil and oppressive force and then being rescued by the good guys…
Do you remember the old ‘westerns’ we used to watch on Sat afternoons… the frontier family would get into trouble and would be threatened by the Indians and then just in the nick of time… ALONG came the Cavalry to same them…
The word for oppression means to extort, shakedown, coerce or to inflict trouble and pain into one’s life!
The word used here for KEEP is the Hebrew word shaw-marr which is a synonym… different word but same meaning as the word ‘observe’ used in v.129
Matthew Henry Commentary:
The psalmist is praying to live a quiet, peaceable life. He does not want to be harassed by evil men thus his phrase, “Deliver me from the oppression of man”
However what we can see here is that his desire to be free from oppression was not a selfish desire so that he would live a care-free life… but he desired to escape oppression so that he could live out his life in a more godly manner… so that he can live out the law of God!
135Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes. OR 135Look upon me with love; teach me your decrees.
The phrase “…make your face…” is a phrase that signifies an initiative from God. God is interested in us… God loves us... The psalmist cannot demand God’s favor, but he is playing on God’s heart strings here by crying out for his mercy and grace…
The term ‘your servant’ reflects the heart of the psalmist who seems to fully understand who God is… and what He wants!
One final piece is where we see the phrase ‘…teach me…’ this is simply another recognition by the author of his own shortcomings and failures before God. He needs God’s intervention into his life to be saved and kept saved!
Reformation Study Bible:
The psalmist asks for God to come and be with him. He wants to live in the consciousness of God’s favor.
[show verse]
136My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law. OR136Rivers of tears gush from my eyes because people disobey your instructions.
This verse reveals to the reader the very heart of the man we know as the psalmist… this reflects his heart who sees God’s law and God’s love as ONE thing, and his desire is yearning for everyone to know it and experience it! We find that he is absolutely heart-broken about those whom he can reach…
The term ‘streams’ here is the Hebrew word peh-legg which represents a canal OR a water channel where tones of water rush thru… (its is a free flow thing)
The term ‘shed’ in this passage describes one who has prostrated himself before God… this means that the psalmist lowered himself into a submissive relationship with the Father in Heaven.
This is a willing action taken by the psalmist that reveals his broken heart and tortured soul over those who are lost!
Finally tonight the word ‘keep’ here… same word as v.134… but same concept as v.129 and v.134. There is a nuance of difference but with them being used so interchangeably in Scripture, we can know that the meanings are very close in nature…
Pray… dismiss…
