Psalm 119 1-8

March 20, 2013

Psalm 119:1-8  a  Aleph: Our Walk

1 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD! 2 Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart.  3 They also do no iniquity; they walk in His ways.

The undefiled – <ym!T* ‎tamiym (taw-meem’); integrity, truth, without blemish, complete.  Paul tells us that we are complete in Him (Jesus) according to Colossians 2:10a.  The way speaks about our walk in life which is marked out by God’s law.  Zacharias and Elizabeth were great examples of this type of walk, for the Bible tells us, they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless (Lk 1:6).  Luke was not saying that they were perfect, but found in a right standing with God.  The only way for us to accomplish this today is through faith in Jesus Christ.

Keep and seek.  This is an interesting balance because one can attempt to keep God’s testimonies without truly seeking Him with a whole heart.  The Pharisees of the New Testament are a great example of this, of whom Jesus said, “All their works they do to be seen by men” (Mt 23:5).  They had the works, but not with the right heart attitude.  When we strive to keep God’s testimonies while seeking Him with our whole heart we will discover that the Holy Spirit will aid us in our quest.

Ezek 36:27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

No iniquity?  The psalmist isn’t speaking about sinless perfection, for he understood that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23).  It is through faith Jesus that our iniquities are forgiven.

Isa 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.

4 You have commanded us to keep Your precepts diligently. 5 Oh, that my ways were directed to keep Your statutes!  6 Then I would not be ashamed, when I look into all Your commandments.

The psalmist reveals an enigma that we all face, our struggle in keeping the commands of God.  God had commanded us to keep His precepts diligently, a word that speaks about might or force.  Like the psalmist, we understand God’s command, but when we look into His commandments we are faced with shame as God’s Word confronts our sins.  The psalmist realized that he needed help, as he sought direction that would help him keep God’s statutes.  We can have our ways directed through a number of different ways: through studying God’s Word, hearing God’s Word being expounded, finding a mature believer to help us in our walk, but most importantly, by the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Jn 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth;

7 I will praise You with uprightness of heart, when I learn Your righteous judgments. 8 I will keep Your statutes; oh, do not forsake me utterly!  

Learning God’s righteous judgments helps us to praise God with upright hearts.  The psalmist strived to walk in the ways of the LORD, in His laws and statutes, but seeing his inability to keep the whole law, he cries out to God to not utterly forsake him.  We also have this same struggle and must continually allow God to help us in our walk, knowing that He will never utterly forsake those whom He has redeemed.

Heb 7:25 Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

 

Pastor John