Psalm 119: Focus On God's Word Pt. 68 God's Word Comforts and Delights Us.

Psalm 119:17  GIMEL. Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word. 

A prayer to live a godly life. 

18)  Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. 

A prayer for the Holy Spirit's help to illuminate our minds and open our eyes to Bible truth. 

19)  I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me. 

A prayer to live as a humble stranger and pilgrim on this earth and for God to show us His commandments. 

20)  My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times. 

A praise expressing the longing the Psalmist has for the Word of God. 

21)  Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments. 

A praise that God will ultimately rebuke the proud ones who err with regard to the scriptures. 

22)  Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies. 

A prayer for God to remove reproach from the Psalmist's life, whether of his own making or directed at him by his enemies. 

23)  Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes. 

A praise for how meditation on the scriptures overcomes the malicious words uttered against us by other people.

Now, we come to the last verse of this eight verse section of Psalm 119.

Delight and guidance from God's Word

Psalm 119:24  Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors. 

The Psalmist concludes this section by pointing us to the benefits of God's Word. Scripture gave him wisdom on how to conduct himself during the troubles he encountered and gave him comfort when facing trouble and counsel for faithfully discharging his duties.

The testimonies of God were both the Psalmist's source of constant delight and the good wisdom from all the writings of holy men who were moved by the Holy Ghost to write God's Word. 

Gladness that exceeds temporary pleasures. 

Psalm 4:7  Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. 

The delight we find in the Bible is more than the carnal rejoicing of wicked men. What Jehovah gives us in His word is far better than the temporal things of this world. 

Rejoicing in tribulation through faith in Christ. 

1 Peter 1:6-9  Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7)  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: 8)  Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: 9)  Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

This kind of delight fills us with great joy. Yes, believers will endure hardships, trials and troubles for their faith in Christ, but this is alright, and cause for rejoicing. Christ is going to purify us through those trials and we learn to look to Him at all times. 

Though we have not yet seen Jesus in person, we love Him, we believe on Him and we rejoice with unspeakable joy and full glory. 

Carnal rejoicing makes a way for sorrow to enter in, for "the end of that mirth is heaviness" (Proverbs 14:13). 

Filled with the joy of the indwelling Spirit of God. 

1 Thessalonians 1:6  And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:  

Delight in the scriptures overcomes our sense of affliction and all the evil things that may happen to us. This delight is strong and supports and revives us during troubles. 

The church at Thessalonica endured troubles and affliction as they received and believed the word of God. Yet, they were full of the joy of the Holy Ghost. 

Joy during trials and troubles. 

James 1:2  My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 

We are not only to submit to the will of God patiently, but also to rejoice in it. We are to rejoice when men persecute us, revile us or say malicious and false things about us (Matthew 5:12). 

Paul said that we glory in tribulations because God is at work, advancing His kingdom (Romans 5:3). 

Scripture reminds us that afflictions and troubles are a medicine not a poison and they purge out the dross from our lives. 

Hope because the love of God is poured into us. 

Romans 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 

Delight in the scriptures brings consolation to our soul for we learn that the love of God is poured into our hearts like a heavy rain or a river that overflows. We are reminded that God will never leave nor forsake His children (Hebrews 13:5). 

Rejoicing even when our labors are not rewarded. 

Habakkuk 3:17,18  Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18)  Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 

Though the crops may fail and the herds may die off and the farmer's wages dry up, Habakkuk said I will rejoice in Jehovah and find joy in the God of his salvation.

Scripture gives us wise counsel.

Proverbs 12:15  The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise. 

Fools may seem like they get away with sin but be sure, their sins will find them out. They will be judged by Holy God. 

Believers who listen to the counsel of God's Word are wise and will be safely guided onto the narrow way that leads to eternal life. 

God will guide us with His Word. 

Psalm 73:24-26  Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. 25)  Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee. 26)  My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

The sure counsels of God will guide us all the way through this life and Jehovah will receive us into glory. There is no one else that we could desire except God alone. Though things are hard for a while, He is our strength and our portion. 

The Spirit of God is a sure guide and the Word is a clear rule. We are often in the dark but the scriptures are not dark. Thus, we ask the Spirit of God to send light into our eyes so that we can see and understand the Bible (Psalm 119:18). 

Light and comfort from God's Word. 

Proverbs 6:23  For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: 

Psalm 119:105  NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. 

The scriptures give us light needed for safely navigating our way through this life and to prepare us for eternal life with Him.

It lights up the immediate areas where we are going to set our feet down so that we can see any holes or obstacles, and thus avoid them.

It lights up the path ahead of us so that we can see more clearly where we are going. 

Jehovah will work all things out for our good. 

Psalm 37:5  Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 

The scriptures teach us that when we understand our duty, and we have God's permission to pursue it, then we may be sure of success, comfort and support. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

We can be confident when we trust what God says in His Word.

He will give us His wonderful guidance and show us the way that we should go. 

He will fill our hearts with joy and gladness even as we go through trials and troubles.

God will comfort our hearts and work all things out for our good and His glory.

Bob