Psalm 119- The Law and the Spirit

 Psalm 119- Meditations on the Law and the Spirit

Psalms 119:65-72 (NASB95) 

65 TETH. You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word. 

66 Teach me good discernment and knowledge, For I believe in Your commandments. (James 1:5, Phil 1:9)

67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word. (Hb12:5-11)

68 You are good and do good; Teach me Your statutes. (Mt 5:45, Mt 19:17, Mk 10:18, Lk 18:19)

69 The arrogant have forged a lie against me; With all my heart I will observe Your precepts. 

70 Their heart is covered with fat, But I delight in Your law. (Acts 28:27)

71 It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes. 

72 The law of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of gold and silver pieces.

Psalms 119:75 (NASB95) 

I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are righteous, And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me. (Hb 12:10)

Psalms 119:64 (NASB95) 

The earth is full of Your lovingkindness, O LORD; Teach me Your statutes. (Mt 11:29)

Psalm 119 was never one of my favorites. For one thing, it is very long, 176 verses. For another, it is all about the law. The title in NASB is “Meditations and Prayers Relating to the Law of God”. I started to rethink my attitude to Psalm 119 when I read “Bonhoeffer” a few years ago. When the NAZIs started to crack down on the German church prior to WWII, he used to walk from town to town in order to preach and teach. To pass the time, he would recite Psalm 119 from memory. I don’t know if he did it in German or Hebrew, but he could probably have done both! My my, I was having trouble reading this psalm but Bonhoeffer had it committed to memory. If such a great New Testament theologian thought it was important enough to memorize, then maybe I should look more closely at it.

For one, it is helpful to adjust our thinking when we read about the law in the Psalms. It is helpful to New Testament believers, at least to me, to think of “meditating on the law” as “Meditating on Jesus”, and “Obeying the statutes” as “Obeying the Holy Spirit”,. That puts a different light on the matter and helps us not to thing of the law as a dead dry thing, like the Pharisees did, but as a living thing that is with us and within us always in the form of the presence of the Holy Spirit.

I have chosen this Teth^* section to illustrate the relationship between the Psalm and the New Testament. Note that I have included the cross references from various study Bibles to show where the teachings of this Psalm show up in the New Testament. 

(^*Side note: The section headers in this Psalm are the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, Aleph to Tav. This is a device to help one to memorize Psalm 119 in Hebrew. The first word in each section starts with the corresponding letter of the Hebrew alphabet.)

A prime example is verse 66 (You are good and do good) which is referred to by Jesus in Matthew 19:

Matthew 19:17

And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

Jesus reminds the rich young ruler that the scriptures teach that God is good and if you want to please Him, you should keep the commandments. This is very much in line with the theme of Psalm 119. But sadly, the rich man could not fully comprehend what Jesus was saying and went away sorrowful.

Likewise, in Acts 28, Paul quoted the Old Testament in his message to some troublesome Roman Jews:

Acts 28:25-28

So when they did not agree among themselves, they departed after Paul had said one word: “The Holy Spirit spoke rightly through Isaiah the prophet to our fathers,

saying,

Go to this people and say:

“Hearing you will hear, and shall not understand;

And seeing you will see, and not perceive;

“Therefore let it be known to you that the salvation of God has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will hear it!”

This is a direct quote from Isaiah, but a similar thought is in Psalm 119:70

70 Their heart is covered with fat, But I delight in Your law. 

Paul is making the particular point that the Jews had the law, but didn’t hear it. They didn’t delight in it, as the psalmist did, because their hearts were hard. New Testament believers, on the other hand, if they listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit will delight to do His will.

Another example is in verses 67 and 75:

67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word. 

75 I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are righteous, And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me. 

This is referred to by the writer of the book of Hebrews in chapter 12:

Hebrews 12:5-11

5 And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons:

“My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, (Pr 3:11-12)

Nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;

6 For whom the LORD loves He chastens,

And scourges every son whom He receives.” (ps 94:12)

7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

The writer here is quoting Psalms and Proverbs, but the same thought is in Psalm 119. The New Testament amplification of the Old Testament teaching was that we should not be surprised by some hardship, but regard it as chastening from the Lord, who treats us like sons, and instructs us so that we may “yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness.”

There are many more examples, but from these you should be able to see that the New Testament explains and amplifies the teachings of the Old. The Old Covenant gave the law, but it didn’t give the Spirit, which enables us to joyfully obey. So remember, when you read the Psalms, to think with a New Covenant frame of mind, and think about how Jesus is revealed in the Psalms, and how the Holy Spirit lives in us and teaches us and motivates us to obey His word cheerfully. That produces the “peaceable fruit of righteousness” that brings joy and peace to our souls.

Psalm 116- Walk with God

 Psalm 116- Walk with God

Psalms 116:5-9 (NASB95) 

5 Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate. 6 The LORD preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He savedme. 7 Return to your rest, O my soul, For the LORD has dealt bountifully with you. 8 For You have rescued my soul from death, My eyes from tears, My feet from stumbling. 9 I shall walk before the LORD In the land of the living.

Walking with God. That is a common metaphor in the Bible. As I contemplate Psalm 116 today, walking with God seems to refer to old age in many cases. In this psalm, they use the phrase “rescued… my feet from stumbling”. I can increasingly appreciate that sentiment as I get older. Just walking without falling becomes more of a blessing when it becomes harder to do! Anyway, consider some other scriptures about walking.

Proverbs 10:9 (NASB95) 

He who walks in integrity walkssecurely, But he who perverts his ways will be found out.

Genesis 17:1 (NASB95)

1 Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, “I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless.

1 Kings 8:25 (NASB95)

25 “Now therefore, O LORD, the God of Israel, keep with Your servant David my father that which You have promised him, saying, ‘You shallnot lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your sons take heed to their way to walk before Me as you have walked.’

Luke 1:6,75 (NASB95) - Zacharias and Elizabeth

6 Theywere both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. 75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.

Abraham, King David and Zacharias all walked with God until they were old. Walking is more associated with old people. Running is for the young. For instance, it is said of my oldest child that she never learned to walk… she just stood up one day and started to run,,, and hasn’t stopped since! (Except when she was in the water, and then she swam fast.) but now, back to our regularly scheduled broadcast…

In scripture, walking with God also implies walking blamelessly and walking in righteousness. The Apostles Paul exported the Colossians to walk in a worthy manner.

Colossians 1:10 (NASB95)

so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledgeof God;

And in his letters to the Corinthians and Galatians, he tells us how to walk blamelessly.

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NASB95)

forwe walk by faith, not by sight--

Galatians5:16 (NASB95)

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

Walking by faith, in the Spirit is the key. The way to walk in the way that we should go is to constantly have an ear, tuned to the voice of the Spirit, who teaches us and guides our feet in the ways of righteousness. One other thing is key… what we look at.

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NASB95) 

1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easilyentangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

To walk straight, we need to have a goal. The Christian walk depends on fixing our eyes on Jesus, and walking directly towards Him. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we are able to walk in a manner worthy of our calling, even into our later years. If we continue in that way, then we can end our days in blessing, just as the psalmist says as he confuse to describe his walk, even to the end of his days.

Psalms 116:12-15 (NASB95) 

12What shall I render to the LORD For all His benefits toward me? 13 I shall lift up the cup of salvation And call upon the name of the LORD. 14 I shall pay my vows to the LORD, Oh may it be in the presence of all His people. 15 Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His godly ones.

Amen

Deliver us from Evil

 Deliverance & Inner Healing

I’ve had some comments that indicate that there are some that don’t fully understand the role of deliverance and inner healing in the life of the believer. Therefore, I’ve going to be like Jesus and tell a story.

Once upon a time, the city of Huntsville decided to hold a marathon race. Now it so happened that two inmates at the Huntsville penitentiary were excellent runners and wanted to enter the race. They were both in good standing with the warden, so they petitioned to be allowed to run the race.

The first one was granted a temporary release for long enough to train and to participate in the race. The stipulation was that he had to wear a ball and chain whenever he was off of the prison grounds. He was promised, though, that if he did well and obeyed all the restriction, he would be up for parole at the end of the race. He trained hard and built up his strength so that he could run while carrying the ball and chain. By race day, he was ready to run.

The second was granted a pardon by the governor and was released from prison without restrictions. He also trained hard to build up his strength and endurance for the long race. By race day, he was also prepared to run the race.

Now the question is, since both men were prepared to run the race, which one had the best chance to finish the race with a good time? It would seem obvious that the one without the ball and chain would have the best chance.

Now both of these were “saved” from prison, but only one was “delivered” from his shackles. They both had to train for an equal amount of time, and both had to run the marathon, but the one without shackles had a much better chance of doing well in the race.

Another way to look at this is to consider the topic of yesterday’s blog. Psalms 106 and 107 were about praising the Lord while remembering how the Lord had delivered them from Egypt and provided for them across the wilderness. Now in this case, the people were removed from Egypt (delivered) in a single day (Passover), but it took 40 years to remove Egypt from the people. 

Jesus didn’t always explain his parables, but I will say this. There is great benefit from deliverance and inner healing for the believer. It can remove shackles and heal things that hinder your walk with the Lord. However, deliverance alone does not remove the need to continue to walk in obedience to the Lord. The writer of the book of Hebrews put it like this;

Hebrews 12:1-2 - Jesus, the Example

1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easilyentangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

So we need to lay aside those things that encumber us but we then need to run the race with endurance, always fixing our eyes on the goal, Jesus. And like Jesus, we need to endure whatever hardships we encounter along the way until we finish the race and win the prize, just like the Apostle Paul instructed the Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 9:24-27

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 Everyone whocompetes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

But always remember, you cannot endure on your own strength, but you need to ask for the Lord’s help. This is why the Lord taught us to pray thus:

Matthew 6:13

13 ‘Anddo not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. 

[ForYours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]

Therefore, bless the Lord that He is willing and able to deliver us from evil and to heal our infirmaries, even those that result from emotional and spiritual hurts. This healing allows us to throw aside those encumbrances that hinder us and run the race successfully, until the day that we meet Jesus face to face and receive our reward.

Psalms 106-107; Rejoice and Remember

 Psalms 106-107

Rejoicing and Remembering

Psalms 106:1-2 (NASB95) 

1Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. 2 Who can speak of the mighty deeds of the LORD, Or can show forth all His praise?

Psalms 106:4-5 (NASB95) 

4 Remember me, O LORD, in Your favor toward Your people; Visit me with Your salvation, 5 That I may see the prosperity of Your chosenones, That I may rejoice in the gladness of Your nation, That I may glory with Your inheritance.

Psalms 107:1-3 (NASB95) 

1Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. 2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary 3 And gathered from the lands, From the east and from the west, From the north and from the south.

Psalms 107:5-9 (NASB95) 

5 They were hungry and thirsty; Their soul fainted within them. 6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He delivered them out of theirdistresses. 7 He led them also by a straight way, To go to an inhabited city. 8 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men! 9 For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good.

Psalms 106 and 107 are all about praising the Lord for the things He has done. You can’t properly rejoice if you can’t remember. That is one of the main purposes of the Jewish festivals. They celebrate Passover every spring to remember the deliverance of their people from Egypt. These psalms recount many of the details of that exodus and the journey through the wilderness so that the people can remember and rejoice in that memory.

What has the Lord done for you? We recently went through a Cleansing Stream retreat where we experienced much healing and deliverance. Many people were set free during that retreat. But it is not enough to merely be set free… we must remember. If we don’t remember, and rejoice in that memory, we have a tendency to fall back into the old ways. We can be like the Israelites in the wilderness that longed to return to the leeks and garlic of Egypt, even if it meant returning to slavery. Rejoicing in the memory of our deliverance is a great antidote to wanting to return to the pit. Memory is selective and we tend to forget the bad things. Thus we need to continually rejoice, remembering how the Lord has delivered us from bondage. Like Psalm 40 reminds, us we need to sing a new song every day so that we don’t return to that pit of miry clay.

Praise the LORD! 

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

Praise the LORD! 

Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting.

 Psalms 107:43 (NASB95) 

Whois wise? Let him give heed to these things, And consider the lovingkindnesses of the LORD.

Psalms 106:48 (NASB95) 

Blessedbe the LORD, the God of Israel, From everlasting even to everlasting. And let all the people say, “Amen.” 

Praise the LORD!

So let us be wise and remember the lovingkindness of the Lord and all the things he has brought us through. Let us bless the Lord and rejoice always.

Let all the people say “Amen”.

Praise the Lord!