In Psalm 119:129-136, the psalmist continued to know the power of evil, which tried to subvert him from the living God. He prayed against iniquity and oppression. He wept over those in rebellion against God’s Word. In the midst of darkness, however, there was the light, which shined from divine revelation. God offers one of life’s greatest wonders: the inner light that gives understanding even to the unlearned person. Brokenhearted over those who do not keep God’s law, the psalmist uses “mouth” metaphors to suggest his great appetite for God’s commandments.
The psalmist revealed a solemn truth. Straying from God’s Word is nothing but bad news. If God’s instruction doesn’t rule our lives, sin will. When God’s law is ignored sorrow is inevitable. He’s been there and done that and doesn’t want to be there and do that again. To be a faithful disciple is to commit to knowing and being guided by God’s truth.
The psalmist identified with Israel’s experience in this passage. A price was paid so that Israel could go free from oppression. That price was paid both at the expense of Israel’s enemies and the death of innocent lambs. The ransom thus accomplished, God led Israel out into the wilderness and gave them His Law. He redeemed them to make them His own people. As His redeemed people, they were to keep his promises.
Israel’s redemption and the redemption the psalmist sought in this passage point to the work of Jesus. God redeemed all His chosen people by ransoming them from the oppression of sin, again in two ways: at the expense of the enemy of our soul, who was bound with all his angels and is destined to eternal condemnation; and at the price of Jesus. By binding the devil and taking our sins on Himself, Jesus redeemed us from sin’s oppression and set us free to live according to the Law of liberty and love.
God hasn’t changed. He still promises to guide us. God’s Word teaches us sound doctrine. This testimony exalted the Word of God-the complete and perfect standard of truth, values, reality, and behaviour. God’s Word is entirely sufficient for godly living. By grasping its powerful message, we can be pure.
As God feeds us from His Word, He also increases our thirst after Him. He both fills us and leaves us unsatisfied at the same time. With his need pressing, the psalmist prayed for God to see him; God’s face turned toward him was a sign of His favour. Mercy leads to obedience. The psalmist will be controlled by God rather than by sin and the devil.
The Holy Spirit unfolds God’s Word to us throughout our lives. He uses preachers, friends, our own minds, Christian books, teaching and his own illumination in our minds as we read the Bible to open our understanding more and more to his truth. That is why a young Christian can love God with all their heart and be very close to God relationally but can’t gain the maturity and spiritual wisdom of a Christian who has been walking with God through the Scriptures for years.
The psalmist asked for a full, open relationship with God as he prayed, “Make your face shine upon your servant.” The request recalled the benediction of Aaron and his sons:
The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord make His face shine upon you.
And be gracious to you.
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you.
And give you peace.
God didn’t leave us in a murky, dusky twilight. He created light, and while the light was literal, it has a wonderful analogy and personal meaning for us. Light in the spiritual sense represents the truth, clarity, spiritual understanding, and discernment we receive from God’s written Word.
Reading the Bible is like looking in a mirror with a very bright light. The light reveals what is wrong with our lives and what we need to have cleaned up. It reveals the things that cause a barrier between us and God. This barrier was removed when Jesus provided cleansing for our sins. Through Jesus, we can be confident that God’s face will shine upon us.
God’s instructions teach us how to navigate through life, and they can protect us from a lot of destructive falls. We need to join the psalmist and do some serious crying because all of us know people who believe flying through life without God’s guidance is the ultimate free thrill ride.
We receive nourishment from God’s wisdom through our study and contemplation of His Word. What can be more important than searching for understanding? What would life be like without some kind of framework to bring it into focus-without a refuge to retreat to or a day of rest? God’s statutes shape our lives by giving us structure, but also by insisting that we play within the space the God gives us.
It doesn’t matter what God sets before us to do on any specific day. We need to be true to Him in every way we can. This involves the way we think, what we say, and how we behave. This is quite a challenge, but our desire and the Holy Spirit will help us to grow spiritually every day. We must take the Word of God everywhere we go. We might not know much about it, but we do know enough to know that in the words of Psalm 119:105, the word of God is a lamp under our feet and a light onto our path. God’s Word is all we need to stand on. It cools us in the desert heat and warms us in the icy breeze on the mountainside.
Bibliography
- Jeremiah, David: The Jeremiah Study Bible: New King James Version (Nashville, TN: Worthy Publishing; 2013; p. 789)
- Williams, D., & Ogilvie, L.J.: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Vol. 14: Psalms 73-150 (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.; 1989; pp. 373-375)
- MacArthur, J.F. Jr.: The MacArthur Study Bible: New American Standard Bible (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers; 2006)
- Ann Graham Lotz, “Turn on the Light!” Retrieved from info@angelministries.org
- “It’s Amazing What Sticks” Retrieved from seeds@ellel.org
- T.M. Moore, “Ransom Me.” Retrieved from noreply@ailbe.org
- Dave Wyrtzen, “Tears for the Disobedient.” Retrieved from truthnote@gmail.com
- Ron Moore, “Longing for God’s Word.” Retrieved from ronmoore@ronmoore.org
- The Rev. Dr. Billy Graham, “Do We Understand What it Means to be a Disciple of Jesus Christ?” Retrieved from www.arcamax.com/healthandspirit/religion/billygraham
- “Your Key to Life.” Retrieved from bibleinoneyear@htb.org.uk
- Ryan Pusch, “Psalm 119:129-136.” Retrieved from communic@luthersem.edu.
Sermons From My Heart 