Transcript

Wonder, Delight And Counsel

Psalm 119:17-24
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Pastor Randy Smith

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I suppose it's hard to make sense of things when you are 6 months old with a double ear infection and 103 degree fever. Being new to life you don't know why you feel so bad and being unable to talk you can't tell anybody where it hurts. All you can do is scream at the top of your lungs!

As Shane was suffering this week it seemed only one thing brought our son relief. Only one place would cause his crying to stop. Only one person could comfort his aching heart. Julie said it best as we sat together on the couch with him during the wee hours of the morning: "He just wants to be with his mommy." Without words, the presence of mommy communicated wonder, delight and counsel.

I would like to say we outgrow these needs, but we all know from experience that we don't. We still suffer. We still need someone to give us wonder, delight and counsel. And if they are with us, we still run to mommy. We still know that she is our greatest advocate. If the whole world forsakes us, mom will always remain in our corner. She knows us well and always seems to have the right words at the right time.

We praise God today and everyday for our mothers. And while it's hard to imagine anyone able to comfort our hearts greater than a mother, this morning I wish to remind you that there is Someone. There is Someone who knows us and loves us even more than a mother. Mothers are wonderful, but mothers are only a gift and benevolent extension of this Individual. As we consider our mothers on this special day, may we remember that the source of a mother's goodness is the living God. And that goodness is exemplified when God says, "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest" (Mt. 11:28).

God welcomes us. We have a relationship with Him if we are in Christ Jesus. He talks to us. And this communication comes through His written word. As a mother brought us forth physically through the process of birth, the Bible says that God brought us forth spiritually through the word of truth (Jas. 1:18). And as a mother communicates her love, provides counsel and gives hope, God does the same through the Bible. Using the powerful imagery of motherhood, God said in Isaiah 66:13, "As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you."

Life is difficult. Yet as Jesus said, we are not left as orphans (Jn. 14:18). We have a loving Father who cares for us with the tenderness of a loving mother. And we come to understand this love through God's written Word. The Bible is our golden chain that connects us to the heart of God. The Bible is the tool whereby His heart speaks to our heart.

The unknown author who wrote Psalm 119 definitely valued the Word of God. This morning we will examine the heartache he experienced and comfort he found in the Scriptures which always pointed him to the loving heart of a divine parent.

1. THE AGONY OF LIFE

As we begin the first point let's uncover the agony this man faced.

He starts off in verse 17 by saying, "Deal bountifully with Your servant."

The context implies this man was in tremendous hardship. He had turned to others with no relief. All he had was God. Thus in humble trust he casts himself into the Father's loving arms. He throws himself upon God's grace. He appeals to God's goodness not his own. He identifies himself in verse 17 as the Lord's "servant," fully prepared to accept whatever might come from the Lord's hand. Though human perception might misunderstand, faith knows that the Lord deals bountifully with His servants (2 Cor. 5:7).

Pain is part of the process. Oftentimes the Lord must bring us low before we pant for Him as does the deer for the streams of water (Psm. 42:1). Yet when we seek Him, we will find Him (Jer. 29:13). And when we find Him we learn that He alone is sufficient to meet our heart's deepest desires. As Asaph said in Psalm 73: "Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever" (Psm. 73:25-26).

So what exactly did this author of Psalm 119 face? In this Psalm he reveals three of his difficulties for us.

First, verse 19, he identified himself as a "stranger in the earth."

The true believer understands that this world is not his home. The Bible promises those in Christ Jesus a better place not too distant in the future. It is a place called heaven which is not only more beautiful in appearance than our present home, but also more beautiful in practice. It is a place where sin is absent and good is rewarded and the will of God is always accomplished (Mt. 6:10). It is a place we long to be so much that we agree with the Apostle Peter that we are "aliens" in this world (1 Pet. 1:1; 2:11). And because our Lord is there and our hearts are there, we face an inner conflict with our remaining years down below. We accept the fact that we are pilgrims, but at times it is difficult to be a solitary wanderer, a stranger.

The Psalmist knew that while he was not a stranger to God, he was verse 19, a "stranger in the earth." It was like being at a party where everybody is speaking a different language and the activities are making you uncomfortable and all attendees through their avoidance or mockery are communicating that you are not welcome. That is life in this world for the believer. It is not easy to be a stranger.

Second, in verse 20 the Psalmist says "My soul is crushed."

Soon we will see the specific reason for this agony, but for now we cannot quickly gloss over these words. We are not talking about having a bad day. Here we are talking about a deep heart-wrenching pain. It is the kind of pain that Jonah had when he "became faint and begged with all his soul to die, saying, 'Death is better to me than life'" (Jonah 4:8). It is the kind of pain our Lord experienced in the Garden when "in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground" (Lk. 22:44).

Though not at the same level as these men, this was the kind of pain I experienced the past couple weeks when the doctor's preliminary diagnosis was back arthritis. And when I asked him what the cure was, he said, "There is none, and it's only going to get worse." And as I researched several websites, I read about individuals addicted to pain killers and some even committing suicide. Difficult news to receive when you lead an active life and have several young children. The mind starts wandering: never ever-ending pain, wheelchair, incapacitated…

Have you ever been there when there seems to be no solution to your deepest need? Have you ever gotten to the point when, like this Psalmist, your soul has been crushed? Physical problems? Emotional problems? Social problems? I'm sure we call all identify with our personal conflicts in these areas. Yet I believe this Psalmist was crushed because of spiritual problems. I believe his crushed soul was a result of an overwhelming understanding of his sinfulness in comparison to the mercy and love of God so freely distributed. We will come back to that thought.

And if the agony of being a stranger and having a crushed soul weren't enough, he also says he faced malicious attacks against his character from others. Look at verse 22: "Take away reproach and contempt from me." Verse 23, "Princes sit and talk against me." From close associates to governing officials, he was the object of ridicule, scorn and derision.

I don't know what it is with people who find insidious satisfaction in speaking negatively about another. Quite often their comments are inaccurate and embellished. Quite often they are concealed because they don't have the courage to speak to the individual personally. Yet the people who receive their gossip oftentimes respond to the gossip. They believe the lies. They start to treat you differently. Eventually the gossip makes its circuit and you learn what has been said about you by people you trusted, by people you thought where your friends.

We all know that words can hurt. They can even hurt more than the sticks and stones that break our bones. Painful words are indeed grievous to one with a tender and ingenuous spirit.

Along with all his problems, this author, not unlike us, had his enemies. They taunted him. They slandered him. Why? Was he a jerk? Was he an easy target? Was he just subjected to "bad luck?" Based on all that he reveals to us about himself in the 176 verses of Psalm 119, we have to conclude that it all happened as a result of his godliness. No doubt this man was a faithful servant of God and he was viciously persecuted for his righteousness (Mt. 5:10; 1 Pet. 3:14).

He felt like a stranger. His soul was crushed. He was severely persecuted. And I believe all of this was not a result of his sins, but rather a result of his holiness. Read the Bible carefully and you will soon realize that God's choicest servants are the ones who suffered the most. If you want to save yourself some time, look no further than Jesus Christ.

2. THE SOLUTION FOR COMFORT

So is it all gloom and doom? That is not my intention on Mother's Day. My intention is to give you hope and healing. My intention is to speak to those with spiritual affliction, or any affliction at all, and inform you where you can go for the greatest remedy.

How often would we depend on our mothers if life were without pain? This is not heaven yet. The pain and suffering we face are in place to drive us to God. Is that where you go for relief?

Let's move to the second point. Remember, God loves us. He speaks to us. And God's promises as they are recorded in His written Word are the ultimate solution for our comfort.

Before I break down some of these wonderful verses, let's take a bird's-eye view of these verses to first see the big picture. While this man was suffering, you cannot miss his dependence on the Scriptures. Listen carefully!

• Verse 17 ...
  "Deal bountifully with Your servant (WHY?), that I may live and keep Your word."
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• Verse 18…
  "Open my eyes, (WHY?), that I may behold wonderful things from Your law.
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• Verse 19…
  "I am a stranger in the earth; (THEREFORE) do not hide Your commandments from me
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• Verse 20…
  "My soul is crushed (WHY?) with longing after Your ordinances at all times
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• Verse 21…
  You rebuke the arrogant, the cursed, (BECAUSE THEY) wander from Your commandments
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• Verse 22…
  "Take away reproach and contempt from me, (BECAUSE) I observe Your testimonies
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• Verse 23…
  "Even though princes sit and talk against me, Your servant meditates on Your statutes
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• And verse 24…
  (THEREFORE) Your testimonies also are my delight; they are my counselors.

Can there be any doubt where this man's heart was? Can there be any doubt that he like Jesus lived "on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God" (Mt. 4:4)? Can there be any doubt that during times of suffering he found his relief by meditating on the Scriptures?

With the few minutes that we have remaining, let's closely examine these wonderful verses with the three subpoints I have include on your sermon outline.

Desire to obey the Word

First, the Psalmist had a desire to obey the Word.

Look at the beginning of verse 17. He said, "Deal bountifully with Your servant" (stop right there). In other words, "Bless me, God!"

To ask for God's blessings is nothing new. Most people believe there is a God. And most people pray. And most of those prayers are a desire for God's blessings. It is fine to want God's blessings, but what is our primary motivation? Is it at the lowest level? "Bless me!" Is it at the medium level? "Bless me so that I can bless others!" Or is it at the highest level? "Bless me so that I can bless You, God!" In verse 17 the Psalmist asked for God's blessings so that "I may live and keep Your word." His highest goal in life was obeying God's Word. He understood his shortcomings and prayed earnestly for God's assistance.

Earlier in verse 17 he called himself a "servant." Shouldn't a servant desire the will of his master? In verse 21 he said God rebukes those "who wander from [His] commandments." To avoid God's displeasure shouldn't we pray that God would help us keep His commandments? Would we not wish to be identified with the Ezras and Esthers and Davids and Daniels and Marys and Matthews - God's blessed people of obedience - rather than the Herods and Hamans and the Pilates and Pharoahs who rejected the Word and consequently suffered as a result?

This Psalmist prized holiness. He knew that doing God's Word would bring him the greatest joy. He knew that God's blessings rested upon those who submit themselves to His law. But in his striving after God, he also understood his own insufficiencies. Therefore in prayer he begged God for divine assistance to obey the Word. What a heart of humility!

Desire to know the Word

Second, the Psalmist had a desire to know the Word.

Look at verse 18: "Open my eyes, that I may behold wonderful things from Your law."

We know that before we come to Christ our eyes are blinded to the truths in God's Word. As Paul told the Corinthians, "A natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised" (1 Cor. 2:14). What did Jesus tell His disciples? "Blessed are your eyes, because they see" (Mt. 13:16). Before Christ a veil does not lie over the Bible, it lies over our hearts. But as Paul said, "Whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away" (2 Cor. 3:16).

Yet even though we see, we understand that we still need God's insight. We need illumination. We need what McCheyne called, "Eye-salve of the Spirit." We need a supernatural enabling to understand the Word and accept it as truth. And obviously the greatest evidence that we really do desire to know the Word is also the desire to do what it says. It makes no sense to say we desire to know the Word if we have no desire to follow it!

The Psalmist desired to know the Word better not because it is some dead book, but rather because it contained, verse 18, "wonderful things." For him, coming to the Scriptures was like a rock enthusiast approaching a virgin mine filled with precious gems just waiting to be uncovered. How many times have you read a passage dozens of times, but all of a sudden the reality of what you once overlooked comes jumping off the page? This man loved the Word. He wanted a deeper knowledge of the Word. And yet he would not open the Word without God's assistance of opening his spiritual eyes.

In verse 20 he said his soul was crushed because he was "longing after [God's] ordinances at all times." That is the beauty of God's Word. It satisfies, but always keeps us wanting more. Remember our Lord's fourth Beatitude? "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied" (Mt. 5:6). This guy lived it out. He was continually consumed, hungering and thirsting for God's righteous Word, verse 20, "at all times."

Thomas Brooks, a famous Chaplin during the Civil War once said, "Mark that word, at all times. Bad men have their good moods, as good men have their bad moods. A bad man may, under gripes of conscience, a smarting rod, the approaches of death, or the fears of hell, or when he is sermon sick, cry out to the Lord for grace, for righteousness, for holiness; but he is the only blessed man that hungers and thirsts after righteousness at all times."

Psalm 16:11, "You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever." If we really believe that, we are fools to not desire God's Word as well!

Desire to be comforted by the Word

So he had a desire to obey the Word and a desire to know the Word. Third, and this is the main point of our Psalm, he had a desire to be comforted by the Word.

In verse 19 he said, "I am a stranger in the earth." He was having a very difficult time. So where did he go? He went to God in prayer and said, verse 19, "Do not hide Your commandments from me." Comfort from the Word!

Look at verse 23. "Even though princes sit and talk against me." So while he was maligned and slandered, where did he go? He said, "Your servant meditates on Your statutes." Comfort from the Word!

No wonder he said in verse 24. "Your testimonies also are my delight; they are my counselors."

Let me see if I can illustrate how this works. As a family we are reading through the Bible this year. And as I was having a difficult time these past few weeks I read in 1 Samuel: "For those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be lightly esteemed" (1 Sam. 2:30). And that redirected my heart! And I read in 2 Samuel: "For this reason You are great, O Lord GOD; for there is none like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears" (2 Sam. 7:22). And that encouraged my heart! And two nights ago I read in Jonah that God is "a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness" (Jon. 4:2). And that blessed my heart! The power of God's Word! It is as if He were sitting next to me and personally speaking these words audibly.

Psalm 119 - a firm commitment and a fervent love and an unwavering trust in the Word of God.

But Pastor, I can't do this! That view of Scripture is too high for me. I want it, but compared to this Psalmist I can't get there. That is the point! That is the conflict! And that is why we need God's help! Run to Him; He wants to work with us. Then drink deeply from His Word. Discover the wonder and delight and counsel from the Scriptures. For the more we prize the Scriptures, the more we learn He is the heavenly Father with a motherly affection.