Shin - Psalm 119:161-168 Series

In other words, when we begin to speak their ‘love’ language! The book has sold millions and I even use it in my pre-marital counseling sessions!

Well using that approach we need to understand that the language of love that God understands and responds to is the language of OBEDIENCE! If we are obedient to Him He knows we love him!

Here the psalmist understands the language of God and also we see that he understands the nature of God as well. Here he lays out how he understands the sovereignty of His God!

Look what he says in v.168:

168I keep Your precepts and testimonies, for all my ways are before You.

168 Yes, I obey your commandments and laws because you know everything I do.

He has expressed his obedience and why he is obedient… it is because of his love for God and God’s law, but here he confesses the sovereignty of God by saying God I am also obedient because YOU are everywhere and see everything…

God, I cannot fool you or deceive you… my life is an open book to You! Now I want to ask you tonight, “How often do you deceive yourself when you attempt to ‘hide’ things from God?”

I believe that there are times when we can actually TRY to hide things from Him, even when we know what the psalmist is saying here is true, ‘…for all my ways are before You…’

Today

In our stanza tonight we learned that we are persecuted… as believers this is something we must learn to expect.

In our lives, we may not experience physical persecution, but we WILL experience harassment, mocking and ridicule from this world…but our focus must remain on God and never stay on that which comes against us… [Peter, walking on water, sink]

We also saw a great respect and awe from the psalmist in many of these verses about the sovereignty and power of God! We need to remember WHO we serve! He is the Creator of the universe, the Master of all things, the King of kings!

The psalmist gives us a great picture of the value of serving and knowing God and God’s Word… it is like the most valuable treasure imaginable…

The psalmist then shares his hatred of falsehood and sin… and extols the virtues and goodness of God’s law! I want to remind you that it is SIN and FALSENESS that we must hate, and NOT the people in bondage to these things!

Peace and comfort come to those who trust in and obey God’s Law is the next msg from the psalmist here and he expresses his great desire to be FULLY delivered [into the presence of God] free from sin, falsehood and the brokenness of this world!

The psalmist ends with his confidence expressed in God’s faithfulness… He says his HOPE is in God’s salvation! His praise proclaims the sovereignty of God and then reveals the omnipresence of God…

We face difficulties in life and many of us seek peace in this life… the psalmist here instructs us on how peace can be obtained and that is thru obedience to God’s Word…

PRAY!