PSALM 119:129-136 QUARTZ QUENCHING COUNSEL

QUARTZ QUENCHING COUNSEL

PSALM 119:129-136

פ (Peh)

Psalm 119:129 Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them.

Susan: The psalmist did not obey the Law out of obligation only, but because it is righteous and God is worthy of exaltation, praise, and our obedience.

Susie: God’s rules and ways are also what is best for us. They are wonderful because they lead us into peace and joy as well as right relationship with Father God.

Susan: Following God’s commands brings us into sweeter “familyship” with the Lord and with each other.

Psalm 25:10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.

Isaiah 25:1 O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.

Psalm 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

Susan: When God’s word permeates our lives, we are no longer blinded by sin. We are able to see Jesus, the Incarnate God-Man, for who He is—the almighty, precious, Son of God, the Light of the World.

2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Susie: Even people with limited mental ability are made capable of understanding God’s love through the illumination of His word. I once substitute taught in our “Special Friends” class at church. Most of the people in it, though they are adults in age, function as children. However, upon entering their classroom, I was regaled by a simple but beautiful testimony of the Good News as the group tag-teamed telling me what Jesus had done for us. Gods word helps the “simple” to understand.

Psalm 119:131 I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.

Susan: We should be relentless in our pursuit of the Father, His Son Jesus, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We should thirst for all that God was, all that He is, and all that He will be.

Psalm 63:1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

Susie: If we are truly thirsty for God, we need to be soaking up His word and allowing the Holy Spirit to shine the light of understanding as we read.

Psalm 42:1-2 As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

1 Peter 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

Psalm 119:132 Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.

Psalm 119:132 (Easy-to-Read Version) Look at me, and be kind to me, just as you always are to those who love your name.

Psalm 119:132 (VOICE) Acknowledge me and show me Your grace as is Your habit toward all those who love Your name.

Susie: The psalmist confidently seeks God’s mercy and grace because he knows it is God’s character to show lovingkindness toward those who seek Him and love Him.

Psalm 5:11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

Susan: The Lord does not say that our circumstances will bring us joy. The fount from which we draw the water of joy is Jesus. Joy is derived by trusting Him through the counsel of His word.

Psalm 119:133 Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.

Susan: The psalmist asks the Lord to be his life’s compass, directing him away from deceitful ways that might misdirect him in the journey of life.

Susie: He knows that if the Lord plans out his steps, sin will not be able to defeat him or hold him down. Therefore, he will live meaningfully and joyfully.

Psalm 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.

Proverbs 16:9 A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.

Psalm 119:134 Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts.

Susie: The psalmist wants the Lord to free him from relationships that would hold him back from obedience to God. That might be literal oppressors or even bad influences.

Susan: The young people might say, “Free me from the haters and lead me to the soarers;” or as the Canadian band “Daggermouth” put it, “You Can't Soar Like an Eagle When You Hang Out With Turkeys.”

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Luke 1:74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

Psalm 119:135 Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

as quoted at www.Biblehub.com

Make thy face to shine upon thy servant.... That is, lift up the light of thy countenance on me; favour me with thy gracious presence, and communion with thyself; manifest thyself unto me, and shed abroad thy love in my heart; cause the sun of righteousness to arise upon me, and commune with me, from above thy mercy seat; restore to me the joys of thy salvation, and let me have the comforts of thy good Spirit: this prayer is a part of the blessing of the high priest, Numbers 6:25

Susie: As a child, I knew when I had pleased my dad because he would be beaming with joy. His face would light up. We should desire not only the material things God provides or even the gracious gift of salvation, but the delight of His presence as well. We are to seek His face!

Susan: I have a dad in the Lord, a former pastor and mentor named Doug, whose approval means a great deal to me. He was in the waiting room with Susie and my family when I was having a permanent med-port installed.

Susie: As we were waiting, a nurse from Susan’s first day or two in the hospital saw me sitting there. She came up and gushed over how much Susan had ministered to her and other staff members, challenging them to do whatever God had called them to do with “no excuses.” Susan’s bonus dad, Doug, lit up like a Christmas tree to hear how she had shared Jesus even while awaiting major surgery to amputate both legs. This is another illustration of how the Lord’s face shines upon us.

Psalm 27:8 When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.

Numbers 6:25 The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

Susie: The coolest part, though, is that God chooses to shine down on us despite our sin because He sees the righteousness of Jesus in us when we have trusted Him for salvation.

Psalm 119:136 Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.

Susan: The psalmist sobs convulsively, almost inconsolably distraught because of the rampant disregard for the Lord and His ways.

Susie: Oh, that Christians today would sincerely weep over the state of the world.

Points to Ponder:

·     God’s word is wonderful because it shows us how to have peace with God and live abundantly

·     God’s word sheds light on our understanding of His character

·     We should hunger and thirst for more of God’s word

·     God is merciful and gracious to those who love Him

·     God uses His word to guide us in the path of His purpose

·     God delivers us in order to enable us to follow to Him

·     God beams with delight when we turn to Him as Father

·     The fallen state of our world should cause us to weep and urgently share His message with others

Reflection Question: Do we honestly seek God’s face and desire to see pleasure there? Or are we only looking for a hand-out from the heavenly Father? Are we sincerely moved to tears by the unrepentant state of our nation? Are we allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us into the people the Lord would have us be?