Psalm 119.25-32 (6)

Pray Psalm 119.30-32.
I have chosen the way of truth;
Your judgments I have laid before me.
I cling to Your testimonies;
O LORD, do not put me to shame!
I will run the course of Your commandments,
For You shall enlarge my heart.

Sing Psalm 119.30-32.
(Festal Song: Revive Thy Work, O Lord)
I choose the way of truth; Your judgments I proclaim.
Your testimonies I embrace, Lord put me not to shame!

Command my course, O Lord; Your gracious truth impart.
I cling to You and know You will enlarge my seeking heart.

Read Psalm 119.25-32; meditate on verses 31, 32.

Preparation
1. To what does the psalmist cling now (cf. v. 25)?

2. What is he expecting God to do for him?

Meditation
By the grace of God, the psalmist has emerged from the darkness of sin into the freedom and light of forgiveness, repentance, and renewal. He began by telling us that his soul clung to the dust; now he joyously asserts that he is clinging to the testimonies – the Law – of God. He calls on God to lead him out of all fear of shame (v. 31) into greater exertions (“run”, v. 32) in the course of God’s commandments.

When sin worms its way into our soul, we must deal with it aggressively. The Holy Spirit will point out our sins as we wait on Him, allowing Him to search every nook and cranny of our lives (Jn. 16.8-11; Ps. 139.23, 24). When He does, we must get right on it, confessing our sin, setting a new course for our lives, and turning to the Word of God to remind and redirect us.

But all this requires the grace of God. We cannot confess, we cannot repent, we cannot take up the Lord’s course again apart from His grace. He must “enlarge” our heart (v. 32), increasing our desire for Him and our delight in His Law. But we must call out to Him continually.

It’s grace that we need, and for this grace we joyfully and expectantly plead day by day.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
We are in a competition. But instead of trying for a win on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? we are trying to succeed at Who Wants to Run on God’s Track? We are about to use our “lifeline” call because we are in dire need of help. Would we prefer our helper to be made of dust, or to be the most solid and trustworthy Helper known?

Our psalmist tried clinging to the dust, but found that to be a losing battle, one that left him in dire need of revival (vs. 25). Then he decided to try God’s Word, which was the winning ticket (vs. 32).

When we cling to God’s wisdom, we have this promise: “When you walk, your steps will not be hindered, and when you run, you will not stumble.” Back on track. In fact, “Take firm hold of instruction, do not let go; keep her, for she is your life [line]” (Prov. 4.12, 13).

“But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Is. 40.31). Because we have an enlarged heart. (Ps. 119.32) And through His mercies “we are not consumed” (Lam. 3.22).

Our Lifeline is with us constantly to help us: “But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me.” But it is for a purpose. And this purpose is that we live and speak the Word of God into our Personal Mission Field. He stands with us and strengthens us “so that the message might be preached fully through me, and that all [those that God has called me to] might hear” (2 Tim. 4.17).

So, “let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus…” (Heb. 12.1, 2).

Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace, Freely bestowed on all who believe;
All who are longing to see His face, Will you this moment His grace receive?
Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin.
(Johnston/Towner, 1911)

God’s grace puts us back on track, running the course, with an enlarged heart. Guided by the Law, the ultimate Lifeline.

For reflection
1. What do we mean by saying that the Law of God is our “Lifeline”?

2. If we fail to follow the course marked out by God’s Law, where will we end up?

3. How can Christians help one another stay the course with God’s Law and all His Word?

Those that are going to heaven, should still press forward. God, by his Spirit, enlarges the hearts of his people when he gives them wisdom. The believer prays to be set free from sin. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on Psalm 119.25-32

Pray Psalm 119.25-29.
Thank God that He has delivered you from the guilt and shame of sin, and that He has set you on His path for righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.

Sing Psalm 119.25-29.
(Festal Song: Revive Thy Work, O Lord)
My soul clings to the dust; revive me by Your Word!
My ways I have declared to You; teach me Your statutes, Lord!

Make me to understand your precepts and your ways,
as on Your works I meditate with wonder and with praise!

My soul weighs down with woe, I need Your strength, O Lord!
Remove from me all lying ways; grant me Your holy Word!

T. M. and Susie Moore

You can listen to a summary of last week’s Scriptorium study by going to our website, www.ailbe.org, and clicking the Scriptorium tab for last Sunday. You can download any or all the studies in this series on Psalm 119 by clicking here.

What is the Law of God and how should we learn and obey it? Two books can help. The Law of God arranges the statutes and precepts of God’s Law under their appropriate number of the Ten Commandments. This book is an excellent tool for meditating on God’s Law and thinking about its application in our time. The Ground for Christian Ethics, on the other hand, explains why the Law matters and how we are to use it. You can order free copies of each of these here and here.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.