FIRE
OPAL FREEDOM
PSALM
119:41-48
ו
(Vav)
Psalm
119:41 Let thy mercies come also unto me, O
Lord, even thy salvation, according to thy
word.
Susie: Another
theme that is repeated in Psalm 119 is that of God’s merciful, gracious
salvation which He promises based not on our ability to perfectly keep the law
but on His lovingkindness to those He has chosen. We will type the words
related to this theme in purple.
Psalm
119:42 So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust
in thy word.
Psalm
119:42 (CJB) then I will have an answer for those who taunt me; for I trust in
your word.
Susan: Because
the Lord is pouring His faithful love into the psalmist and fulfilling His
promise to save him, the psalmist has assurance in His word. God’s promises are
true and certain, and He keeps them. The Bible, God’s word, is artillery for
the psalmist against those who hurl insults and taunts.
Susie: The
psalmist is secure in the word of the Lord and, therefore, has a response for
any who mock his belief and trust in God. We are to be prepared to respond to
those who do not understand our faith as well. The ability to do so is found in
having a working knowledge of the Bible.
1
Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to
give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you
with meekness and fear:
Susan: When we answer our critics, it must be
done with humility and love toward them and reverence for the Almighty.
Psalm
119:43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped
in thy judgments.
Susan: The
psalmist wants his mouth to be filled with God’s word which is truth.
Susie: The
word of God gives us hope, and we need to share that hope with others by
speaking the truth, God’s word, to them.
Romans
10:14-15 How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and
how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they
hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it
is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace,
and bring glad tidings of good things!
Romans
10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Ephesians
1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel
of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with
that holy Spirit of promise,
Susan: It is
not just pastors, missionaries, and others in full-time ministry who are to
speak the word of God. They are to prepare the entire congregation to minister
the truth of the Gospel to the world:
Ephesians
4:11-12 And he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some
evangelists, some pastors and teachers, equipping the saints for the work of
ministry, to build up the body of Christ
Psalm
119:44 So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.
Treasury of Scripture at
so
shall. The language of this verse is very emphatic. Perfect
obedience will constitute a large proportion of heavenly happiness to all
eternity; and the nearer we approach to it on earth, the more we anticipate the
felicity of heaven.
Susan: The psalmist has a deep desire to be
consistent in his obedience to the word of God.
Psalm
119:45 And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.
Psalm
119:45 (CSB) I will walk freely in an
open place because I study your precepts.
Susan: Understanding
and following the precepts, the principles, of God’s word frees a person from
the constraint of the world. Then a person is able to operate from a place of
grace and gratitude rather than in slavery to sin.
Matthew
Henry’s Commentary
The service
of sin is slavery; the service of God is liberty.
John
8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Susan: To
know the truth is to know God’s word, but it is more. Jesus says He is the Truth. We are to know Him
intimately in order to be set free from sin and welcomed into the familyship of
God.
John
14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh
unto the Father, but by me.
John
8:36 (NIV) So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Galatians
5:1 Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and
be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.
Susie: However, we are not to use our freedom to
engage in worldly behavior. We are freed from serving sin in order to serve the
Lord and the body of Christ, His church.
Galatians
5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for
an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.
Psalm
119:46 I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be
ashamed.
Susie: The
psalmist tells the Lord that he will boldly proclaim the word of God before
those in authority, even kings. He is not ashamed of his trust in God.
Matthew
10:18-20 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a
testimony against them and the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, take no
thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour
what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father
which speaketh in you.
Romans
1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God
unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the
Greek.
Psalm
119:47 And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.
Susan: Commandments
in this Psalm is referring to all of Scripture, the whole counsel of God. He
finds complete elation in saturating himself in the law of God. By being
totally immersed in God’s word, he has found supreme satisfaction.
Psalm
1:1-2 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor
standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But
his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and
night.
Psalm
119:48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved;
and I will meditate in thy statutes.
Susie: The psalmist
lifts his hands in praise of the commandments which is ultimately praising the
Lord for them. He has learned to love God’s word as it has set him free to
fully love God. His desire is to dwell on God’s word. Not only to read it but
to mull it over in his mind, internalizing what he learns, and applying it to
his daily life.
Points
to Ponder:
· The
Holy Spirit uses the Bible to draw us to salvation
· The
word will help us answer those who question our trust in Jesus
· Knowing
the word leads to obedience
· God’s
word frees us from sin and fits us for service
· We can
boldly share the word of God by the power of the Holy Spirit in us
· We
need to praise God for the Bible
· We
need to meditate on God’s word
Reflection
Question:
Non-believers sometimes see
Christianity as limiting or constraining. They cannot see themselves following
“all those rules.” However, in Christ, we experience true freedom. Living
within God’s boundaries is the safest place to be. I remember a cartoon in
which a man is about to jump a fence because he doesn’t like boundaries.
However, what he cannot see is that the other side of the fence is a sheer drop
to death! God’s boundaries are for our good and our peace. God’s word frees us!
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