Psalm 119:129-136

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GOOD MORNING! The seventeenth part of Psalm 119 begins with exclamations: "Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them. The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments. Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts. Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes. Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law." [1]

The Psalmist says: "Thy testimonies are wonderful." Has this been the experience of your life? Have you examined God's word, the Bible, and found it to be full of wonderful revelations, and commands, and promises, and soul-saving comforts?

The Scriptures are truly "wonderful" in their nature, and they are without error, and bear within themselves overwhelming evidence of their truthfulness.

Thy testimonies are wonderful. God's word is in its effect upon the life instructing, elevating, strengthening, and comforting to the soul. The LORD JESUS CHRIST is called Wonderful, and this book, the Bible, testifies of Him. He says, "Search the scriptures; … they are they which testify of me."[2]

Have you seen the LORD JESUS on the pages of the Old Testament of the Bible? The Old Testament was completed some five hundred years before our Saviour was born in Bethlehem of Judah. The Old Testament symbols point to the coming of "the Just One;" [3] our LORD and Saviour, JESUS CHRIST.

Do you see in the New Testament, which was completed during the first century AD, the one true portrait of the Saviour? "But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons,"[4] The New Testament is the one absolutely full and complete portrait of the gift of God, our LORD JESUS CHRIST.

If you will cherish the holy Bible with all your soul, you will see the LORD of glory, yes, and you will most assuredly recognize Him. Also, if you will cherish His word you will not be ashamed before Him, your LORD, at His coming. God’s word is, by all who by faith claim the LORD JESUS CHRIST, adored as the "scripture of truth." [5]

The Psalmist goes on to write, "The entrance of thy words giveth light." When God's word enters through the eye gate or the ear gate into the soul, it gives light. The word of our LORD is, "I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."[6] Again, "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." [7]

What a power rests upon the reading and the hearing of the word of God! Notice carefully: the word of the LORD "giveth understanding."

The Scriptures teach us: "But be ye doers of the word. ... whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, … this man shall be blessed in his deed."[8] The holy love that God has for men and women of faith can be, by faith, both seen and experienced in the keeping of God's word.

Let us never be delinquent as were the people in Hosea’s day, when the LORD said through His prophet, "I have written unto him the great things of my law, but they were counted as a strange thing." [9] The people of Israel were habitually neglecting the Scriptures. They were not even concerned with seeing what God was saying to them!

"I longed for thy commandments." Longed to know them; longed to be corrected by them; longed to share them with others. May God help each one of us to be an earnest disciple in the school of God's written word.

Yes, the New Testament writes concerning the Old Testament Scriptures, "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope."[10]

Finally, let us dwell a moment upon the Psalmist's petition: "Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me." A New Testament passage illuminates the Psalmist: "But I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. … I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."[11]

Again, in the model of prayer as it is given to us in the New Testament: "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever." [12]

Let us, each faithful follower of the LORD JESUS, continually bow in humble adoration before our gracious LORD; let us diligently bring every thought into harmony with His will.

Thou my everlasting portion, More than friend or life to me;
All along my pilgrim journey, Saviour let me walk with Thee.

Not for ease or worldly pleasures, Nor for fame my prayer shall be;
Gladly will I toil and suffer, Only let me walk with Thee. [13]

AMEN.

[1] Psalm 119:129-136
[2] John 5:39
[3] Acts 7:52
[4] Galatians 4:4-5
[5] Daniel 10:21
[6] John 8:12
[7] 1 John 1:5-7
[8] James 1:22,25
[9] Hosea 8:12
[10] Romans 15:4
[11] Philippians 3:12-14
[12] Matthew 6:13
[13] From "Close to Thee" by Fanny J Crosby

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