BIG IDEA:
CALLING UPON THE MERCY OF GOD IS THE PATHWAY TO
DELIVERANCE FROM SUFFERING FOR THE RIGHTEOUS
I. (:153-156) THREE PLEAS FOR DELIVERANCE FROM SUFFERING
A. (:153) Rescue Me
1. Appeals to the Lord’s Compassion
"Look upon my affliction and rescue me"
Look with the idea of seeing my need and doing something to alleviate it
2. Argues on the basis of his Personal Faithfulness to God’s Word
"For I do not forget Thy law"
B. (:154) Redeem Me
1. Appeals to the Lord’s Advocacy
"Plead my cause and redeem me"
2. Argues on the basis of God’s Own Faithfulness to His Word
"Revive me according to Thy word."
C. (:155) Aside: The Wicked have no Grounds for Deliverance
"Salvation is far from the wicked, For they do not seek Thy statutes."
D. (:156) Revive Me
1. Appeals to the Lord’s Mercy
"Great are Thy mercies, O Lord"
2. Argues on the basis of God’s Own Faithfulness to His Word
"Revive me according to Thine ordinances."
II. (:157-159) THREE PERSPECTIVES OF THE RIGHTEOUS WHEN SEEKING DELIVERANCE
A. (:157) Persevering in Faithfulness In the Face of Opposition
"Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, Yet I do not turn aside from Thy testimonies."
B. (:158) Despising the Path of Disobedience
"I behold the treacherous and loathe them, Because they do not keep Thy word."
C. (:159) Appealing to God’s Lovingkindness
"Consider how I love Thy precepts; Revive me, O Lord, according to Thy lovingkindness."
III. (:160) CONCLUSION: THE BOTTOM LINE IS ALWAYS GOD’S TRUTH AND EVERLASTING RIGHTEOUSNESS
A. God’s Truth
"The sum of Thy word is truth."
B. God’s Righteousness
"And every one of Thy righteous ordinances is everlasting."
* * * * * * * * * *
DEVOTIONAL QUESTIONS:
1) Do we remember that the Lord Jesus is our Advocate, “pleading our cause” – just as
the psalmist desires?
2) Note the threefold repetition of the plea for God to “Revive me”:
- according to His “Word”
- according to His “ordinances”
- according to His “lovingkindness”
What things need to be removed from our life, what changes need to be made in our hearts in order for us to experience the joy of our salvation fully?
3) What encourages perseverance here on the part of the psalmist in the face of so many persecutors and adversaries?
4) Note how both the sum and the individual parts of God’s “Word” and God’s “righteous ordinances” are “truth” and “everlasting” (vs. 160).
Download the entire Psalms commentary in pdf format
(including notes on each psalm from other commentators)
from:
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