Psalm 119.89-96 (7)

Pray Psalm 119.89-91.
Forever, O LORD,
Your word is settled in heaven.
Your faithfulness endures to all generations;
You established the earth, and it abides.
They continue this day according to Your ordinances,
For all are Your servants.

Psalm 119.89-91.
(Finlandia: Be Still, My Soul)
Forever, Lord, Your Word abides in heaven; Your faithfulness to every age is sure.
You made the earth; to us it has been given, and it abides, because Your Word is pure.
All of creation serves Your holy pleasure, thus we, Your servants, by Your grace endure.

Read Psalm 119.89-96; meditate on verses 89-91.

Preparation
1. What endures for all generations?

2. What serves the purposes of God?

Meditation
We are a little past half-way in our study of Psalm 119, so it’s time for a quiz. One question: What’s the most prominent idea in Psalm 119?

If you said, “The Word of God”, you get partial credit. If your answer was, “Trials and Tribulations”, same score.

But if you read carefully through verses 89-96, you will discover that the most prominent idea in this stanza is “You” or “Your.” One or another of these words is the focus of every term that stands for the Law and Word of God. And if you go back to verse 4 and skim forward, you’ll find one or the other of these words in every verse of Psalm 119!

Which is to say, Psalm 119 is all about “You”, that is, “God”, and in particular, “Jesus” (Jn. 5.39). Verse 89 reminds of this. The Word of God which we have in our hands and cling to for help in this life is settled in heaven. The Word points us heavenward, to where Jesus is seated at the right hand of God (Col. 3.1-3). As we read and study the Word, our goal must be to see more of Jesus, to draw near to Jesus, delight in the Presence of Jesus, draw on the power of Jesus, and be transformed into the image of Jesus (2 Cor. 3.12-18).

If we’re just reading our Bible to learn doctrine or neat verses to memorize or penetrating points to ponder, we’re not reading far enough. Or, actually, high enough. Let the Word of God lift your soul heavenward until you connect with Jesus.

Then, when you get there, say to Him, “Lord, it’s all about You!”

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
Our daughter Ashley teaches third grade. This is how she explains the homework assignment to her students:
First, she tells them their assignment.
Second, she shows them the assignment on the board or on a paper.
Third, she has them hold their homework folder and put the assignment in it.
She is imparting the assignment to her students in the way they each learn best.
Those that listen and learn aurally, those that see and learn visually, and those who touch and learn tactilely.

Yes, I know, wouldn’t we all have loved to have a teacher like Ashley!

Well, in fact, we do. The Holy Spirit speaks to each one of us from God’s Word in the unique way that we learn. We hear the Word, we see the Word, we touch the Word. “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good…” (Ps. 34.8).

We read the Word and see Jesus. We can hold the Word in our hands. We hear the Word read to us. We hear and sing of His greatness and his faithfulness.

We look at creation and see the Creator. Creation puts all our senses to work: vision, hearing, smelling, tasting, and touching.

And it is all about the Triune God: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit – His sovereignty, His majesty, His omnipotence, His omniscience, His omnipresence, His perfection.

Moses was a good teacher too. He told the people:
“Your eyes have seen what the LORD did…” (Deut. 4.3).
“…you who held fast to the LORD your God are alive today…” (Deut. 4.4).
“…be careful to observe them [the statutes, judgments, commandments of God] …” (Deut. 4,6).
“…take heed to yourself, and diligently keep yourself, lest you forget the things your eyes have seen…” (Deut. 4.9).
Then God told Moses to say, “Gather the people to Me, and I will let them hear My words, that they may learn to fear Me all the days they live on the earth…” (Deut. 4.10).

Solomon wrote, “A wise man will hear and increase learning…” (Prov. 1.5).

“As we read and study the Word, our goal must be to see more of Jesus, to draw near to Jesus, delight in the Presence of Jesus, draw on the power of Jesus, and be transformed into the image of Jesus.”

As Ashley lovingly teaches her students, so the Holy Spirit teaches us (Lk. 12.12).

You, Lord, and Your Word, aurally, visually, and tactilely are our love, and Your Law is our delight (Ps. 1.2).

For reflection
1. What do we mean by saying that reading the Word of God should lead us to look up?

2. Read, hear, sing, meditate, hold: Why are all these important in learning God’s Word?

3. In what sense is the Word of God all about Jesus (Jn. 5.39)? What can you do to make sure you meet Jesus during your time in God’s Word?

These two things, then, are quite consistent; first, that the steadfastness of God's word is not to be judged of according to the condition of the world, which is always fluctuating, and fades away as a shadow; and, secondly, that yet men are ungrateful if they do not acknowledge the constancy which in many respects marks the framework of the world; for the earth, which otherwise could not occupy the position it does for a single moment, abides notwithstanding steadfast, because God's word is the foundation on which it rests. John Calvin (1559-1564), Commentary on Psalm 119.89-91

Pray Psalm 119.92-96.
Spend some time in silent meditation, using these verses. Focus on the Lord Jesus and the joy of knowing Him, on the gift of salvation, and on the perfections of His Word.

Psalm 119.92-96.
(Finlandia: Be Still, My Soul)
Unless Your Law had been my great delight, I would have perished when affliction came.
I will Your precepts ever keep in sight, for by them I have life -I praise Your Name!

Lord, I am Yours, deliver me from night! I seek Your precepts for Your praise and fame.

The wicked lie in wait to trouble me, but to Your testimonies I will cling!
In them perfection I delight to witness, to know the peace and joy to me they bring.
Your holy Word is broad exceedingly; my faith, my trust, my hope in You I sing!

T. M. and Susie Moore

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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.