god’s word ps. 119 described, exalted and praised 1

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God’s WordPs. 119

Described, Exalted and Praised

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• Ps. 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible with 176 verses

• It is divided into 22 sections and each section begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet

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• This chapter exalts and praises the Word of God

• “The greatest feature of this Psalm is it being a tribute to the Law of God.” Bill Jackson

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•I. Ten words used in this chapter to describe God’s

Word

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1. Testimonies

• “to bear witness or testimony”• They are styled testimonies

because “they are solemnly declared to the world”

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Ps. 119:2

• Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart

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2. Commandments

• “to command, order or ordain”• God’s commandments are

“given with authority and lodged with us as a trust”

• The commandments tell us what to do and what not to do

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• They provide the boundaries of obedience

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Ps. 119:172

• My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness

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3. Precepts (directive, order, guide, prescription)

• “to take notice or care of a thing, to attend, have respect to, to appoint, to visit”

• These precepts are God’s rules which have been “prescribed to us”

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Ps. 119:104

• Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

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4. Word

• “to discourse, utter one’s sentiments (feelings or thoughts), speak intelligently”

• This is a favorite word of the inspired writers to refer to all of the inspired revelation – the Bible

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Ps. 119:89

• For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

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5. Law

• “direct, guide, teach, make straight, or even, to point forward”

• God’s law shows us what is right and wrong

• It encourages us to do right

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Ps. 119:142

• Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.

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6. Way

• “to proceed, go on, walk, tread”

• The ways of God point to His providence over us and to our obedient response to the way of life He wants us to follow

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Ps. 119:30

• I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me.

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7. Truth

• “to make steady, constant, to settle, trust, believe”“God’s truth may be accepted in all confidence because He cannot lie”

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• The Bible said it; that settles it; I believe it

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Ps. 119:151

• Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth.

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8. Judgments

• “to judge, determine, regulate, order, and discern”

• They are called judgments because by them “we must both judge and be judged”

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• They help us to determine right over wrong

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Ps. 119:75

• I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.

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9. Righteousness

• “to do justice, to give full weight”

• To be righteous we must give to God His due and to others their due as well

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Ps. 119:172

• My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness

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10. Statutes

• “to mark, trace out, describe, and ordain”

• In God’s statutes we have marked out for us the direction for our journey; the manner of life we are to live is clearly described

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Ps. 119:117

• Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.

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•II.“True-Hearted, Whole-Hearted”

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• The title of this section is taken from a song written by Frances R. Havergal – the music was written by George C. Stebbins

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• Ps. 119 is a clear call for the true in heart and the whole in heart to serve God

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Ps. 119:2,10,34,69

• Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

• With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

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• Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

• The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.

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• The heart in these verses refers to the heart of man – The heart consists of mans intellect, emotions, will-power and conscience

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•III. “How Shall The Young Secure Their Hearts?”

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• This is the title of a song written by Isaac Watt and set to music by Beethoven

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Ps. 119:9-11

• Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee…

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• O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against the.

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• The following kept their way clean by heeding the Word of God:

• Joseph• Daniel• Jesus

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• Verse 11 pictures for us the greatest thing in this world (God’s word) hidden in the greatest human vessel (man’s heart) producing the greatest fruit (not sinning against God)

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• Here is God’s formula for all – young and old and all in between – to secure their hearts