Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord. ² Happy are those who keep his decrees, who seek him with their whole heart, ³ who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways. ⁴ You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. ⁵ O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! ⁶ Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments. ⁷ I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous ordinances. ⁸ I will observe your statutes; do not utterly forsake me. You have dealt well with your servant, O Lord, according to your word. ⁶⁶ Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. ⁶⁷ Before I was humbled I went astray, but now I keep your word. ⁶⁸ You are good and do good; teach me your statutes. ⁶⁹ The arrogant smear me with lies, but with my whole heart I keep your precepts.” Psalm 119:1-8, 65-69

There is so much to say about Psalm 119, but I want to highlight verses 65 – 69.  They read as follows, “Do good to your servant according to your word, O Lord.  Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands.  Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word.  You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees.  Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep your precepts with all my heart.”  The words from this wonderful Psalm are so much more meaningful and real than, for example, the Prayer of Jabez that we encountered in 1 Chronicles 4:9 – 10.  The words of the Psalmist are words of a person aware of their own failings, and the need for grace and mercy. The words of the Prayer of Jabez are almost self-righteous. If you remember the prayer it included these words: “Lord, bless ME and enlarge MY border, that your hand might be with ME, and that you would keep ME from hurt and harm.”  What is our attitude as we approach G-d in prayer?  How do we see ourselves in our relationship with G-d? Is it ok to pray for more stuff, more property, more money, more possessions? Both of these prayers are in our Bible – and they deserve our attention. But I believe one is profitable and one is un-achievable.

Pastor Dave

I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my supplications. ² Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live. ³ The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish. ⁴ Then I called on the name of the Lord: “O Lord, I pray, save my life!” ⁵ Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; our God is merciful. ⁶ The Lord protects the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me. ⁷ Return, O my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you. ⁸ For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. ⁹ I walk before the Lord in the land of the living. ¹⁰ I kept my faith, even when I said, “I am greatly afflicted”; ¹¹ I said in my consternation, “Everyone is a liar.” ¹² What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me? ¹³ I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord, ¹⁴ I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people. ¹⁵ Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones. ¹⁶ O Lord, I am your servant; I am your servant, the child of your serving girl. You have loosed my bonds. ¹⁷ I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice and call on the name of the Lord. ¹⁸ I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people, ¹⁹ in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the Lord!” Psalm 116:1-19

Our worldly and often secular wisdom comes up with phrases like “the Lord helps those who help themselves” – and I have said before that I did not believe that this saying was biblical. Well, Psalm 116 makes the opposite claim – the Lord helps those who cannot help themselves. Psalm 116 invites not our self-reliance but stakes a claim on our utter dependence upon G-d – dependence that begins with our trust in G-d. We are to love and trust G-d which is manifested in gratitude first, and then humble service. And it is this faith that hopefully keeps us strong as we work through those times of suffering and affliction. We often spend so much time looking for earthly things to give us peace and well-being – when, in essence, we have all that we need – for only G-d can give us a peace that surpasses all understanding. And once we feel that peace, it will guide us through all of the other decisions and actions that we are called to make and endure every day.

“O Lord, I am your servant; I am your servant...You have loosed my bonds. ¹⁷ I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice and call on the name of the Lord.”

Can we begin each day with these words, and then the words of Psalm 56: 10-11: “In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, ¹¹ in God I trust; I am not afraid.”

Pastor Dave