PSALM 119: 89-96 [The Ministry of The Word Series]
A SETTLED IN HEAVEN WORD
[Matthew 24:34-35 / Psalm 90]
The psalmist begins this segment with the impacting word- "forever." With it God's Word is lifted above all the changes of time, above all the changes of life, above all the temporary and transient of earth, to the transcendent eternal of heaven. What ever goes on in or outside of our life, we are held by the Word of God. God's Word is eternally certain and has been established for all eternity.
Not only is God's Word is settled in heaven, it is attested by His faithfulness (vv. 89-91). The Bible, God's Word to us, not only provides principles that stand forever but it gives delight (119:92,174, 1:2;), it gives life (v. 93), and it provides protection (vv. 94-95) to those who study and obey it. As the Psalmist meditated and obeyed God's Word [Law], it established him and enabled him to win the victory (vv. 92-95) as it revived and saved him. He concluded that God's Word is boundless (v. 96) in its value.
The psalmist made some wonderful affirmations, which if heeded, will anchor us to the eternal and enable us to be used of God during these turbulent times in which we live (CIT). Let's use the following outline to guide us [Lamedh]:
I. An Eternal Word, 89.
II. A Faithful Word, 90-91.
III. A Reviving Word, 92-93.
IV. A Saving Word, 94-96.
As the battles of life rage, the psalmist has one confidence, that God's Word is forever settled in heaven. Verse 89, "Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in heaven."
This is the central verse in the longest chapter in the longest book in the Bible. It is one of the great verses of the Bible. It conveys the amazing news that the Word of God (the theme of Psalm 119) has existed from eternity past and will continue to exist forever in the future. It was settled in the mind of God before the world was created then conveyed over time to men who wrote it down for us (Hebrews 1:1). ["Word" is dabar, "settled" is natsab, lit. "made to stand" i.e. unalterably fixed.]
Life on this planet is filled with flux. The one thing of which we can be certain is change. Beyond earth, however, is heaven. Beyond time is eternity. Beyond change is the changeless promise of God. Thus the psalmist turns to God's Word and finds the stamp of heaven upon it. It is the one absolute for his life. It is settled in heaven because God Himself has given it to us and it will be fulfilled by Him. [Williams, Donald. The Preacher's Commentary Series, Vol. 14: Psalms 73-150. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc, 1989, S. 364.]
When the US CONGRESS convenes each year, Senators and Representatives reopen debate on how to deal with the nation's social and political problems. Throughout the year, more and more laws are passed.
I wonder at the growing mountain of laws. It's sometimes hard to understand why we need to add and change laws so often.
Our government's law-system contrasts greatly with God's system of moral standards. Although the Bible includes ritual and dietary regulations that no longer apply to us, it also sets forth universal truths that never change. As David said, "Forever, O LORD, Your Word is settled in heaven."
Everything God wants us to know and how He wants us to conduct ourselves has been clearly spelled out for us. And God's truth must not be amended, voted on, or vetoed.
Our lawmakers may be doing a important task, but they can never give us anything as valuable as the Lord's permanent statutes. And we can do no better than to live by the settled Word. [JDB. Our Daily Bread] In a changing world you can trust God's unchanging Word.
Ever since Satan asked Eve, "Indeed, has God said..." (Gen. 3:1), the enemy has been attacking the Word of God. Atheists, agnostics, philosophers, scientists, and garden-variety sinners of all kinds have ignored the Bible, laughed at it, and tried to do away with it, but it still stands. Though born in eternity, God's Word is rooted in history and speaks to every generation that will listen. The Word is "founded forever" (v. 152) and will endure forever (v. 162, Mt. 24:34-35). Build your life on the Word of God and you will weather all the changes of life! [Wiersbe, Warren. The Bible Exposition Commentary. Job-Song of Solomon. David Cook. 2004. Colorado Springs, CO. p. 323.]
II. A FAITHFUL WORD, 90-91.
In verse 90 a godly man expresses confidence in the trustworthiness of God's Word. "Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations; You established the earth, and it stands."
The Word of our God is faithful and true. God's faithfulness is something we do NOT have to worry about… it is ALWAYS going to be there for us! Out of His faithfulness [ emunah] God will perform His Word in His season. So He promises that as the rain waters the earth and produces fruit, "So shall My Word be that goes forth from My mouth. It shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it" (Isa. 55:11).
Jim and Carol CYMBALA prayed and praised and preached their way through a two-year nightmare. Their teenage daughter Chrissy had turned her back on the God they loved and served so faithfully. Although their hearts were breaking, Jim and Carol continued ministering to the people of the Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York City.
Some people think that Carol wrote the song "He's Been Faithful" after her daughter's dramatic return to God, but she didn't. She wrote it before. Carol refers to it as "a song of hope born in the midst of my pain." While hurting deeply, Carol said that her song "became like a balm to my heart, strengthening me once again." The words she wrote during that time helped her to move forward. Although her daughter had not yet come back to the Lord, Carol could praise Him for His loving faithfulness in her own life.
Later, when Chrissy showed up at, home and fell to her knees begging forgiveness, the truth of Psalm 119:90 became real to Carol: God is faithful not just to our generation, but to all generations! Carol also experienced in a new way her own song that has blessed so many.
What I thought was impossible, I've seen my God do!
Looking back, His love and mercy I see,
Though in my heart I have questioned,
Even failed to believe,
Yet He's been faithful, faithful to me. -Cymbala
When we have nothing left but God, we find that God is enough.
To emphasize the truth of God's faithfulness, the verse ties it to creation. When you or I walk out of this building and find no air to breathe then we can begin to doubt God's promises. When we look up and there is no light or sun or stars, when there is no ground beneath our feet, no water in the sea, no beauty to fill our eye; then we can say God will not keep His promises. But until those things happen, trust God. All of those things operate because of the Word of God and they are His sign that His promises are true and trustworthy. [Even though the earth is in constant flux there is nevertheless an overriding stability to it.] The rising of the sun day by day speaks of the faithfulness of God. God's faithfulness to His promises is attached here to the same power that established [koon] the earth and has watched over it ever since. With the same providence He cares for us and establishes us through His Word.
Verse 91 proclaims that the heavens and the earth still stand because of the faithful Word of God. "They stand this day according to Your ordinances, For all things are Your servants."
Until that last day when God's fire purifies all things and He ushers in a new heaven and earth (2 Peter 3; Rev. 21-22), this present creation will stand. The laws that He built into creation will also stand, whether scientists understand them or not.
The elements serve the God who rules them and witness to His faithfulness. Everything in creation serves the Lord except human beings made in the image of God. What a tragedy. Still, the promises of God are sure to every age. They will never wear down or wear out.
III. A REVIVING WORD, 92-93
The faithfulness of God is not only reflected by His upholding creation; it is supremely seen in His Word. As the psalmist confesses in verse 92. "If Your law had not been my delight, then I would have perished in my affliction."
We may not be able to delight in what is going on in the world, but we can delight in what God says in His Word. For the Word equips us to deal with the changes of life and the crises that come.
One day, I was hurrying to THE HOSPITAL to visit a young lady who was seriously ill. Upon reaching ICU I met a nurse who told me the young lady had just died. Two days later, I went to the a small country funeral home where the service was being held.
I passed by the casket and all the flowers in the front room, by all the friends who had gathered. I then went to the room where the young lady's mother was waiting. As I took her hand in mine to try and be some comfort to her, she looked up and said, "Pastor, what would I do now without Jesus?"
I wonder what we would do in the time of trouble and sorrow if we didn't have a Savior? In God's Word we learn of Jesus and listen to all His precious promises. Surely we can say, with the psalmist, we would have perished in our afflictions if we had, not been able to rest upon His Word.
As we learn and trust the Word of God, we are prepared to withstand whatever pain may come our way. In His Word God shows us the secret of suffering. He shows us Satan as our true enemy. He shows us what sin has done to ravish His earth. He shows us that He is not distant from our sorrow, but in His Son He is a participant in it. He also shows us how suffering can become redemptive, and He gives us hope that He will come and save us and heal us from evil.
I pray that God will be near you in every trouble and will help you find help and strength in His Word.
We are revived through obeying the Word as verse 93 indicates. "I will never forget Your precepts, For by them You have revived me."
God's Word had not only taught him the way of life, it brought life to him ["revived me" or "given me life"vv. 67, 71]. [NIV - "preserved me"; NASB - "revived me"; CEV - "you give me new life"] The Word of God has the power to breathe new life, a fresh anointing in your life. God's Word is creative, it created life and it recreates live in those who receive it. When God spoke creation came into being (Gen. 1:1ff.). As He speaks His Word into our life, new sanctification comes into being. As Paul says the Word of the Cross is the power of God to those who are being saved (1 Cor. 1:18).
We tell new believers that those who get into the Word will grow spiritually (1 Pet 2:1-3). However, what is true of new believers is also true of us who have been saved for a long time. The Word has the power to breathe new life into your life. So we should continually seek to be refilled with the truths of God. We must always remember that the Word and the Spirit go together. Only through the Word does the Spirit renew us inwardly.
IV. A SAVING WORD, 94-96.
The Word of God leads the psalmist to God Himself. So, having said that His precepts have given him life, he immediately asked in verse 94 to be saved [delivered, sanctified] because he has sought after God through seeking His Word. "I am Yours, save me; For I have sought Your precepts."
The Psalmist does not mean that he has earned God's help. That help is guaranteed by the unconditional covenant that He established with His people. It does mean that he is diligent in seeking the God who saves. As he seeks God's precepts, he learns again and again of His gracious promise of salvation.
The verb "sought out" means "to consult, to inquire, to beat a path, to read repeatedly." Here is a believer who beat a path to the Bible, read it over and over, studied it, and when he had to make a decision, consulted it carefully. Philosophies change, political expedients fail, promises and contracts are broken, but the Word of God is always true. [Weirsbe, p. 323]
The Word brings about our sanctification as well, but only if we will allow it! Let's consider John 8:31-32. "To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'"
Are you holding onto God's Word so that it can be the liberating, saving force in your life that God intends for it to be?
The cry for salvation can be seen in its proper context as the psalmist reveals in verse 95. "The wicked wait for me to destroy me; I shall diligently consider Your testimonies."
Nevertheless, he continues to hope in God's Word. Despite the persecution, he vows "but I will consider Your testimonies." His promise to consider [Heb. verb bene] indicates a thought through and fixed decision. The effect of his enemies plots is a more fix determination to follow God's Word.
You and I have an enemy who is looking for ways to destroy us. His name is Satan, the devil. He wants to set snares to destroy your testimony, your family, your joy, your life if possible. The Word reassures us that as we follow God advise, God wisdom. God's word He will keep us no matter the tribulation until the day we will see Him in glory.
When people get out of fellowship with God one of the first things they do remove themselves from fellowshipping with God's people and stop going to the place where they could hear the Word taught and preached. Someone has said, "The Word will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from the Word." It is tragically true that sin keeps many from the Word when they most need it. David said when his enemies and trials overwhelmed him, he sought the Word. That is a lesson for us.
Verse 96 speaks to the limits of existence. "I have seen a limit to all perfection [the end to all (earthly) perfection]; Your commandment is exceedingly broad" [‘wide, unlimited'].
Whatever mankind does will never reach perfection, because our human work comes from our limited mind, strength, and ability. Even the most nearly perfect things in this world come to an end.
[This could mean that David has not found an end to the perfection of God Word. The Word of God is perfect. It is inerrant and infallible. INERRANT means "containing no error." INFALLIBLE means "incapable of error." The Word of God contains no errors because the God of the Word can make no errors. God is truth. Every word of the Bible is truth. (Ps 119:160) "Thy word is true from the beginning..."]
In contrast to the limits of mankind, God's Word and works have no limits. Only God and His Word are "exceedingly broad," that is, unlimited and endless. His commandment (singular-it is one united Book) is limitless, boundless, immeasurable. God's Word is an inexhaustible source of wise counsel for life (vv. 97-100).
Only the Bible gives us the total view of life, death, and eternity. It never becomes irrelevant, outdated, old-fashioned or behind times. The settled truth is unchangeable. What are some of those settled truths? God's holiness, God's love and God's only way to salvation; Jesus Christ are a few. There is nothing that needs to be added. God gave us all we need to know. In fact, He warns us not to take away from or add to the Word. We don't need dreams or visions in the night to hear from God. Everything He needed to say to us, you hold in your hands. All we need to do is read the words on the page, absorb them and obey them as we let the Spirit of God guide us.
[The Hebrew word meh-ode is used within Hebrew idioms to describe something so grand that it is impossible to fathom… it ‘exceeds' anything we can imagine. What the psalmist is saying is that…God's Word is wider than we can ever imagine, they are deeper than we can grasp, they are higher than we can understand, they are FAR MORE than we can EVER comprehend! Our perfection has its limits but God's Word is a perfection that is limitless…that knows NO bounds…]
[The Word of God is so boundless and there are no limits to what He can do! We may not like all the changes going on in the world, but we need not be frustrated and afraid. Although the news coverage was not as good, the situation was not much different in the days of the apostles, and they turned the world upside down! God is on the throne; He holds the world in His hands; His promises can never fail; so, let's get moving! [Weirsbe, p. 323]
IN CLOSING
Indeed, "Your word is settled in heaven" (v. 89). When we are engaged with God's Word, we are engaged with that which lasts forever. Stand fast Church on the power of the living Word of God. It will endure forever.
In an age like this when all around us seem unsettled, there is only one thing guaranteed to be unshakable. There is only one place to put our confidence, the Word of God, for Jesus say, "Heaven and earth will pass away but My words will not pass away" (Mt. 24:35).
HE'S BEEN FAITHFUL
In my moments of fear,
Through Every Pain Every Tear
There's A God Who's Been Faithful To Me
When My Strength Was All Gone
When My Heart Had No Song
Still In Love He's Proved Faithful To Me
Every Word He's Promised Is True
What I Thought Was Impossible
I've Seen My God Do
He's Been Faithful, Faithful To Me
Looking Back His Love And Mercy I See
Though In My Heart I Have Questioned Even Failed To Believe
Yet He's Been Faithful, Faithful To Me
When My Heart Looked Away
The Many Times I Could Not Pray
Still My God He Was Faithful To Me
The Days I Spent So Selfishly
Reaching Out For What Pleased Me
Even Then God Was Faithful To Me
Every Time I Come Back To Him
He Is Waiting With Open Arms
And I See Once Again
He's Been Faithful
Faithful To Me
Looking Back His Love And Mercy I See
Though In My Heart I Have Questioned
Even Failed To Believe
Yet He's Been Faithful, Faithful
"OOOOOH, In My Heart I have Questioned
Even Failed To Believe
Yet He's Been Faithful
In my heart I have questions, even failed to believe
He's been faithful, faithful to me
Oh He's been so faithful to me" [Carol Cymbala]
Where are we in our faith in God's Word… and how it can sustain us in all our life's journey? The psalmist cast his lot with God and God's Word and knew that God would sustain and keep him! Let us cast our lot with God's Word and know that God is going to be true to His promises!
