Psalm 119. The Greatness and Glory of the Word of God. Part 6

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Psalm 119. The Greatness and Glory of the Word of God. Part 6.

The Yod, Kaph and Lamed file.
PSA 119:73-88.

The tenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the letter Yod and it refers to a hand or security.

PSA 119:73-80, Thy hands made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Thy commandments. May those who fear Thee see me and be glad, Because I wait for Thy word. I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are righteous, And that in faithfulness Thou hast afflicted me. O may Thy lovingkindness comfort me, According to Thy word to Thy servant. May Thy compassion come to me that I may live, For Thy law is my delight. May the arrogant be ashamed, for they subvert me with a lie; But I shall meditate on Thy precepts. May those who fear Thee turn to me, Even those who know Thy testimonies. May my heart be blameless in Thy statutes, That I may not be ashamed.

We begin with phrase, Thy hands made me and fashioned me; this refers to the hands of God, as we studied on Sunday morning, as the hands of Jesus Christ, the creator. When PSA 119:73 says Thy hands made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Thy commandments it refers to God as the potter having power over man as the clay.

ROM 9:21, Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use, and another for common use?

As the potter, God knows just how to mold each one of us and chisel us in order to do what is best and put us in top form. Now he says in PSA 119:73b, Give me understanding, that I may learn Thy commandments. The understanding he realized was that it is not because God was unfaithful that he found himself in this mess, but just the opposite reason, which is the fact that God is faithful. And also notice why he wants to have understanding? That he may learn God’s commandments.

PSA 119:74, May those who fear or respect Thee see me and be glad, Because I wait for Thy word.

In the chain gang, there are other believers who are now beginning to fear or respect God and are becoming more and more occupied with the Lord.

Why?

Because sometimes it takes a divine wake-up call for God to get our attention. In other words, many of the Jews would die during the night from being horribly abused. I told you this was a very horrific Psalm. But in the morning when the dawn came no one knew who would be alive or wounded. You see lions and wolves would follow the chain gang and wait for the Chaldeans to leave the wounded behind to have them for breakfast. So many people looked up to the writer of this Psalm because he was their Bible teacher and in times of adversity and unimaginable suffering, many believers seek out the teacher of doctrine who has the answers.

In verse 75 we have the best testimony you could ever have as a believer with the Hebrew verb  ud^y* ‎yada` (yaw-dah’); meaning “I know,” beginning with the first word in the Hebrew with a Yodh, Yada, meaning to know. observe, recognize, acknowledge, to be aware, to learned.

Now please notice what he says that he knows; PSA 119:75  I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are righteous,

Judgments = the Hebrew noun mishpats in the plural refers to God’s judgments and righteous decisions which he says in effect I know that even my sorrows and afflictions are perfectly right given by you----for me----- and for my own benefit! Notice, he has no bitterness! He is saying God you have done the only perfect thing you could do to me.

And not only that but notice what he says next: PSA 119:75, I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are righteous, and then next “And that in faithfulness Thou hast afflicted me.” He knows that no matter what happens in his life and what he goes through, in spite of all that God is faithful! He no longer sees his afflictions and sufferings but sees the faithfulness of God. He knows God has been faithful to him even though he has not been faithful to God.

Faithfulness is based upon the immutability of God who cannot change His character because of our instability. This means that we change toward Him, but He never changes toward us. So, how do you get back with it, when you have been involved with the details of life, etc? You cling on to the faithfulness of God. No matter how much of a disaster you face remember that He is faithful to do the right thing for you. You see, even discipline and affliction is based on God’s love for the believer, REV 3:19;HEB 12:6.

REV 3:19-20, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; be zealous therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him, and will dine with him, and he with Me.”

And never forget that there are actually three stages of divine discipline:

1. Warning discipline, REV 3:20; JAM 5:9. This is a general type of discipline that can only be removed by rebound and recovery.
2. Intensive discipline, PSA 38:1-14, in which a person may lose his health or end up in strong delusion as David did. It’s very interesting in this stage of discipline that some of the effects are as follows:

PSA 38:3 - Loss of health, restlessness, not being able to sleep

PSA 38:4 - depression

PSA 38:6 - crying for no reason

PSA 38:7 - break down in the nervous system.

PSA 38:8 - David would scream and holler.

PSA 38:10 - He even had trouble with his cardiovascular system.

PSA 38:11 - Aside from lack of fellowship with God, He began to have no fellowship with other people.

PSA 38:11 - Even his own family stayed away.

PSA 38:12 - God gave his enemies the freedom to defeat him.

PSA 38:13 - He also had give-up-it is.

The only way to get out of this 1JO 1:9 - EPH 4:23.

3. Dying discipline, 1JO 5:16, this is when God takes home the believer early. Don’t ever pray for someone under this penalty. The reason is they are in a place where they have no hope unless there is a personal miraculous response!

1JO 5:16, If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask and God will for him give life to those who commit sin not   leading to death. There is a sin leading to death; I do not say that he should not even pray for this.

When a person continues to reject the Lord through passivity, slothfulness, backsliding, apathy, etc., there is a point when God says in effect, “I’ve had enough - their heart has become too hard.”

Psa 119:75, I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are righteous, And that in faithfulness Thou hast afflicted me.

The point is that God is not only faithful in protecting us from afflictions but He is faithful in sending them. And He wouldn’t be faithful unless He did all things for our own benefit.

PSA 119:76, O may Thy lovingkindness comfort me,

Now, what does this man to be comforted with? What do you want for comfort? Money, win the lottery? A New house? Some of you are even so dumb that you would like a boy or girl friend as your comfort. But notice that this man says May Thy lovingkindness comfort me. It may seem strange that a man should seek comfort from the same hand that strikes him, the hand of God. But look at HOS 6:1, “Come, let us return to the Lord. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.”

PSA 119:76-77, O may Thy lovingkindness comfort me, According to Thy word to Thy servant. May Thy compassion come to me that I may live, For Thy law is my delight.

Note that he doesn’t ask for food or protection or even for the disaster to be removed but for the tender mercies and compassions from God.

PSA 119:78, May the arrogant [Chaldean soldiers] be ashamed, for they subvert me with a lie;   But I shall meditate on Thy precepts.

In other words, he is not going to try and fight back but instead he puts the Chaldean soldiers in the hands of the Lord,  the Yodh file! Notice he is leaving the arrogant in God’s hands and giving himself to study the word instead. He would study the law of God and not the law of retaliation. The worst injury people can do to us is to take us away from our daily devotions. The more we are occupied with Christ, the more we baffle the enemy.

PSA 119:79-80, May those who fear Thee turn to me, Even those who know Thy testimonies. May my heart be blameless in Thy statutes, That I may not be ashamed.

As the enemies sought by “evil means” to hurt him, he sought a “good conscience” so he wouldn’t hurt himself.

The point is that we are in the hand of God or in His plan as long as we are alive, ISA 49:13-16.

ISA 49:13-16, Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth! Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people, And will have compassion on His afflicted. But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, And the Lord has forgotten me.” Can a woman forget her nursing child, And have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, but I will not forget you. Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.”

The next file is the Kaph file which looks like this in the Hebrew k  and that is the small letter, I like the capital letter because it looks like  this K the little dot or vowel reminds me of us about being in, not the hand of God, but the palms of His hand, found in verses 81-88.

We just read it in ISA 49:16, “Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me.

So, first of all, let’s read the passage:

PSA 119:81-88, “My soul languishes for Thy salvation; I wait for Thy word. My eyes fail with longing for Thy word, While I say, “When wilt Thou comfort me?” Though I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget Thy statutes. How many are the days of Thy servant? When wilt Thou execute judgment on those who persecute me? The arrogant have dug pits for me, Men who are not in accord with Thy law. All Thy commandments are faithful; They have persecuted me with a lie; help me! They almost destroyed me on earth, But as for me, I did not forsake Thy precepts. Revive me according to Thy lovingkindness, So that I may keep the testimony of Thy mouth.”

This file is a reminder that we are in the palm of His hand or in His plan as long as we are alive.

There are two basic principles that we need to note concerning the plan of God:

1. The plan of God or what I have entitled as the PPOG does not depend on us, grace means that God’s plan for your life depends on God’s character.

ROM 11:6, But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.

From God’s character comes God’s provisions.

2. Secondly, the plan of God de-emphasizes who and what we are.

Therefore all we have to do to be in the plan of God is be alive and in fellowship.

JOB 23:14, “For He performs what is appointed for me, And many such   decrees are with Him.

PHI 1:6  For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

PHI 2:13  for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

1TH 5:24   Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.

This is why one of the hardest things in the Christian way of life is not to learn doctrine but to unlearn tradition and rid oneself of your guilt complex...which we all have in some measure, unless you’re just the epitome of arrogance.

In PSA 119:81, the Psalmist begins with phrase My soul languishes for Thy salvation; (or deliverance)

However, the first word in the file must begin with the letter of the file and it is the Qal perfect of the Hebrew verb for faint which is Kalah (kaw-law’); to cease, to feel  finished, to perish) or to be consumed by something - namely the suffering he is going through on a day by day basis.

When the soul languishes or faints;

1. Self-consciousness feels self pity, feeling sorry for self, etc.
2. In the mentality there will various types of pouting, snapping back, grouchy, critical, judgmental, etc.
3. In the volition you make ridiculous decisions.
4. The emotions go hay-wire with a fainting of the soul getting into tantrums and depression.
5. The conscience - gets distorted, wounded and hurt.

Jeremiah described like this: JER 10:19, Woe is me, because of my injury! My wound is incurable. But I said, “Truly this is a sickness, And I must bear it.”

But then notice what the Lord said to him in

JER 30:12-17, “For thus says the Lord, #’Your wound is incurable, And your injury is serious. ‘There is no one to plead your cause; No healing for your sore, No recovery for you. All your lovers have forgotten you, They do not seek you; For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, With the punishment of a cruel one, Because your iniquity is great And your sins are numerous. Why do you cry out over your injury? Your pain is incurable. Because your iniquity is great And your sins are numerous, I have done these things to you. Therefore all who devour you shall be devoured; And all your adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; And those who plunder you shall be for plunder, And all who prey upon you I will give for prey. For I will restore you to health And I will heal you of your wounds,’ declares the Lord, ‘Because they have called you an outcast, saying: “It is Zion; no one cares for her.”

Now, there is a fainting soul but if you have any of these characteristics then you need deliverance or healing.

Therefore Kaph is a file draw that says; Look we are in His hands, no need for the soul to faint.” There is no need for guilt, fear, worry etc. Doctrine exposes hearts of people, so what!!

This Psalmist knew this fabulous passage about the Chaldeans and what God was actually allowing to happen.

Here it is ---- you ready!

Turn to Hab 1.

HAB 1:2-12, How long, O Lord, will I call for help, And Thou wilt not hear? I cry out to Thee, “Violence!” Yet Thou dost not save. Why dost Thou make me see iniquity, And cause me to look on wickedness? Yes, destruction and violence are before me; Strife exists and contention arises. Therefore, the law is ignored And justice is never upheld. For the wicked surround the righteous; Therefore, justice comes out perverted. “Look among the nations! Observe! Be astonished! Wonder! Because I am doing something in your days‑‑You would not believe if you were told. For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, That fierce and impetuous people Who march throughout the earth To seize dwelling places which are not theirs. They are dreaded and feared. Their justice and authority originate with themselves. Their horses are swifter than leopards And keener than wolves in the evening. Their horsemen come galloping, Their horsemen come from afar; They fly like an eagle swooping down to devour. All of them come for violence. Their horde of faces moves forward. They collect captives like sand. They mock at kings, And rulers are a laughing matter to them. They laugh at every fortress, And heap up rubble to capture it. Then they will sweep through like the wind and pass on. But they will be held guilty, They whose strength is their god. Art Thou not from everlasting, O Lord, my God, my Holy One? We will not die. Thou, O Lord, hast appointed them to judge; And Thou, O Rock, hast established them to correct.”

You see, the Psalmist in Psa 119 knew that God was being just in allowing the evil of the Chaldean soldiers to discipline the Jews. They had rejected the Lord for too long and needed a wake-up call.

As Job said in JOB 13:15, “Though He slay me, I will hope or have confidence in Him.

PSA 119:81, My soul languishes for Thy salvation; I wait for Thy word.

Wait is the Hebrew word yachal meaning to trust under maximum pressure. The emphasis here is even though he is fainting, knows that he is in the palm of God’s hand. He has Faith -Rest under pressure. Moses knew this when he said in DEU 33:27, “The eternal God is a dwelling place, And underneath are the everlasting arms.” No matter what he felt, or what he was going through he said, “but I hope or am waiting with confidence for Your word.” He knows deliverance will come because God cannot break His promises! TIT 1:2; HEB 6:18.

PSA 119:82, My eyes - fail with longing for Thy word, While I say, “When wilt Thou comfort me?”

My eyes fail i.e., a sign of his mental exhaustion under pressure. Many times tired eyes is the result of pressure.

The writer would be pressured in the day time but especially during the night by the Chaldean soldiers. One way to break a man down is through sleep deprivation. Our military uses this method in special training. One form of torture is keeping the victim up all night and questioning him with bright lights in his eyes.

The next phrase says in the Hebrew not when will you comfort me but when I’m receiving comfort (there is no question mark). So he is like some of us, his eyes fail when he is receiving comfort.

We are told that on the Cross when MAT 27:46 took place it was doctrine that sustained the Lord and doctrine that comforted Him.

PSA 119:83, Tough I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, I do not forget Thy statutes.

Some people when they get under pressure are dried up in their facial expressions, as ISA 3:9 teaches.

ISA 3:9, The expression of their faces bears witness against them. And they display their sin like Sodom; They do not even conceal it. Woe to them! For they have brought evil on themselves.

A good worry many times brings on a good wrinkle. Your countenance and your facial expressions are expressed overtly without you even knowing at times. For example, in GEN 4:6, Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?

When he murdered his brother Abel. Anger-hatred & jealousy made Cain’s countenance ugly.

In GEN 31:2, Jacob beheld Laban’s countenance against him.

In MAT 6:16 our Lord said to His disciples about the self-righteous legalistic Pharisees, “And whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance in order to be seen fasting by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.”

As we continue our study of this acrostic Psalm we are now ready for the Lamedh file which is known as an Ox goad and has a smooth top and a sharp bottom. And the Ox goad reveals two concepts which are both found in this file.

1. You can learn from what the O.T. says in PRO 28:13; or what the N.T. says in 1JO 1:9; which is as follows:

In PRO 28:13 we read, He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes[rebound and recovery] them will find compassion. I say that because it says He who confesses and forsakes [rebound and recovery] them - will find compassion - which is mercy. Or in 1JO 1:9, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just or righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness.

So the smooth part of the Ox goad is learning the easy way which is rebound and recover.

2. The other end of the Ox goad is pointed which means you can, or rather, you will learn the hard way. For in the O.T. we read in ISA 29:24, “And those who err in mind will know the truth, And those who criticize will accept instruction. Or in the N.T., you will learn the other end of the Ox goad - the hard way. Now, one of the most undisputed passages on this principle is found in the N.T. passage of REV 3:14-19.

REV 3:14-18, “And to the angel or messenger, in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:  3:15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I would that you were cold or hot. ‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit or vomit you out of My mouth. Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you [DO NOT KNOW]  that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked, I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich, and white garments [UNIFORM OF THE WHITE GSRMENTS], that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed [YOU WILL BE A WINNER BELIEVER]; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.”

Rebound and recover (the smooth end of the Ox goad. The faithfulness of God will discipline us or teach us the hard way, the pointed end of the Ox goad. The point is that the Ox goad was used to keep the Ox moving and motivated and rebound and recovery or divine discipline to do that for the believer. And so, just as the Ox goad keeps the Ox moving so “confessing and forsaking” sin keeps the believer moving - PRO 28:13. Or divine discipline gives the believer the motivation to keep moving in the spiritual life; REV 3:19-20. God pushes us along with the smooth side of the Ox goad with His matchless and marvelous grace. Or, He puts us back on the narrow road that leads us to life, MAT 7:14; through divine discipline.

HEB 12:5-15, and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,  Nor faint when you are reproved by Him; For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives. It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed. Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled;

In reality, the point of the ox goad was stuck in TLJC on the Cross when He died for our sins. This represents God’s justice and righteousness. The smooth part represents God’s love while the pointed part of the Ox goad represents God’s justice and righteousness.

PSA 119:89, Forever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven.

We begin with the first word which is the noun La’owlaam which means time beyond the past or future, eternity; or eternal past and eternal future. The word means that what is being said comes from eternity past, billions and billions of years ago, and also applies to eternity future, billions and billions of years from now. The point is when you see the word forever or eternal, it means that what is being said applies to eternity past and eternity future.

Think about it, every day the Bible is attacked but it has never been destroyed and notice where it is settled... “in heaven.” The book that we study every week was written in heaven billions and billions of years ago, in fact it has always existed and really, like God, has never a beginning.

PSA 119:90, Thy faithfulness continues throughout all generations; Thou didst establish the earth, and it stands.

The first word in the sentence begins with the letter Lamedh and it is translated throughout all, it is the Hebrew noun Lador throughout all or every generation. He is not only faithful to one generation, but to all generations. He is not only faithful to one man through-out his life, but to His children and His children’s children. Every generation has seen God’s faithfulness. Next He uses an illustration of God’s faithfulness.

The Bible is a supernatural book! If individuals would only take some time to examine the evidence, they would discover that the Bible is the Word of God! For instance, the Bible claims that at one time the entire earth was covered with water in GEN 1:9, Then God said, “let the waters below the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear” and it was so. The evidence from science indicates that the whole earth was originally covered by water. Then as the mountain ranges were raised and the ocean beds deepened, dry land appeared as islands and continents surrounded by seas and oceans. The Bible claimed this thousands of years before science finally caught up to the Bible.

In GEN 1:14-16, the Bible states, thousands of years before telescopes, the purpose of the sun, the moon and the stars.

GEN 1:14-16, Then God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days and years; and let them be for lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth “ and it was so. And God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; he made the stars also.  

The seas today are still full of fish that God created according to their species and the air is still filled with the birds that He created according to their species. God’s faithfulness holds the universe together. In reality there is no such thing as scientific laws because science has no way of enforcing them or guaranteeing them.

All science is, is a matter of statistics assuming things will continue to remain the same.

Even though TLJC overrules His natural laws whereby miracles take place, He never ever over rules or changes His promises of doctrine to us. And so there are two types of individuals: Those who live as though the word is settled forever or those who live as though the world is settled forever.

PSA 119:91-92, They (the laws of the universe and the faithfulness of God) stand this day according to Thing ordinances. If Thy law had not been my delight, Then I would have perished in my affliction.

If he had not been in love with doctrine - he would have perished in his affliction. The love of his life was the word of God. The point being is that the same word which establishes and preserves the heavens and the earth also preserves the people of God in time of trouble.

PSA 119:93, I will never forget Thy precepts, For by them Thou hast revived me.

Disaster has brought out the value of doctrine.

Precepts = B.D. presented and learned categorically.

The easiest way to learn and remember doctrine is to learn it categorically through repetition. Categorical doctrine is under real attack today. Verse by verse teaching is being replaced by fancy illustrations, great moving testimonies, emotional stories, etc. God’s categorical doctrines were spirit and life to him when he was in a disaster situation.

PSA 119:94, I am Thine, save me; For I have sought Thy precepts.

Notice the proof that He gives of us belonging to the Lord is the phrase -- I am Thine, for I have sought Thy precepts.

If we are confident that we are the Lord’s we will be confident that He will deliver us.

PSA 119:95, The wicked wait for me to destroy me; I shall diligently consider Thy testimonies.

There are traps and enemies waiting to destroy the believer in disaster testing. However, notice what he says I shall diligently consider Thy testimonies. It is a great virtue to do God the honor of resting in contentment as others conspire to destroy you.

PSA 119:96, I have seen a limit to all perfection; Thy commandment is exceedingly broad.

This is a Hebrew idiom meaning - I have been disillusioned about people and things considered to be right prosperous. He has seen the so-called hero’s and big mouths freak out and fall apart under pressure. So he says Thy commandment is exceedingly broad or without limits. Doctrine teaches us how to appreciate and enjoy people rather than depend on them, JER 17:5. But Thy commandment is exceeding broad. There is no limit to what God’s word can do for you.

Now, there are actually at least 9 things we have studied in the doctrine of spiritual self esteem that God’s word can do for you:

1. Contentment in the soul.
2. Stability of mentality.
3. Composure marked by self-assurance.
4. Being grace oriented and adjustment to life.
5. Good decision making from a position of strength.
6. Personal control of one’s life.
7. Continuance in the plan of God.
8. A personal sense of visions and goals.
9. Capacity for divine blessing.