Resolve to Be in God's Word

Psalm 119:25-32

25 My soul cleaves to the dust;
Revive me according to Your word.
26 I have told of my ways, and You have answered me;
Teach me Your statutes.
27 Make me understand the way of Your precepts,
So I will meditate on Your wonders.
28 My soul weeps because of grief;
Strengthen me according to Your word.
29 Remove the false way from me,
And graciously grant me Your law.
30 I have chosen the faithful way;
I have placed Your ordinances before me.
31 I cling to Your testimonies;
O LORD, do not put me to shame!
32 I shall run the way of Your commandments,
For You will enlarge my heart.

When I told my dad about how we would be going through Psalm 119 for the blog, he provided me with a great resource to stir my thoughts for my posts - “The Treasury of David,” a commentary on the Psalms by Charles Spurgeon. I read some of Spurgeon's notes on this section, and my post borrows the structure he pointed out in these verses.

The letter this section starts with is Daleth, or D. Spurgeon writes, “It sings of Depression, in the spirit of Devotion, Determination, and Dependence.”

In verse 25, the author is in sorrow as he writes, “my soul cleaves to the dust.” Again in verse 28, “my soul weeps because of grief.” In this grief, he makes seven petitions of God - “revive me,” “teach me,” “make me understand,” “strengthen me,” “remove the false way from me,” “graciously grant me your law,” and “do not put me to shame.”

As with the entire chapter, the answer to all troubles, including this sadness, is God's Word. In each of these requests is a reference to the means of joy. The only thing that can cure the sorrowful soul is the written Word of God.

After these, the author makes a resolution and states it in three ways. First, he says, “I have chosen the faithful way.” Second, he writes, “I cling to your testimonies.” Finally, in verse 32, “I shall run the way of Your commandments.” He has chosen his path, he has been equipped by God's Word, and the final step is to run in that path.

For us, I'd like to take three applications from this text. To make it easy to remember, I've come up with three R's for your consideration. First, Request. Pray! Talk to the Lord at all times, but especially during rough times when your soul is grieving. Come to Jesus, “casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Bring your petitions to God.

It's also important that you know the means God will use to answer your requests, and that's the second R – Read. If you only get one thing from reading Psalm 119, you'll see the importance the author places on God's Word. It's repeated in nearly all the verses, called by various names. This section is no exception. Be in God's Word together with diligent prayer and He will answer you and “enlarge [your] heart.” The life, the strength, the truth, the honor, and the glory of the Christian is God and His Word.

Finally, Resolve. David here resolves to follow God's precepts – so should we. As I said before, this resolution comes in three parts – choose the path, be equipped with the Bible, and then follow that path.

Every time I think of resolutions, I am reminded of Jonathan Edwards. That's a whole 'nother post for a whole 'nother day, but I'll close with one of his many resolutions (and I encourage you to look up his resolutions sometime, they are incredible examples).

Resolution 63
On the supposition, that there never was to be but one individual in the world, at any one time, who was properly a complete Christian, in all respects of a right stamp, having Christianity always shining in its true luster, and appearing excellent and lovely, from whatever part and under whatever character viewed: Resolved, to act just as I would do, if I strove with all my might to be that one, who should live in my time.

Request, Read, and Resolve!

For Christ!

Luke