TEXT: Psalm 119:137-144

SUBJECT: Exposition of Psalm 119 #18: Tsadde

Psalm 119 is David's tribute to God's Word. But not his alone, for the Psalms belong to the whole people of God--including you and me. The Psalmist has paid his tribute; now it's our turn. May God give us the hearts to do so, for Christ's sake. Amen.

This stanza takes the form of a deductive argument. By deduction, one reasons from the greater to the lesser. We use it all the time, mostly without much thought. A deductive argument goes like this:

If the premises are true, the conclusion follows by necessity. It cannot be otherwise. If Rover comes out as a plant, a gas, or an asteroid, we've got it wrong.

David isn't trying to prove the "animalness" of Rover, you know, but something much more important than that--the Rightness of God's Word.

God's Righteousness, vv.137, 142.

Before he comes to the Word of God, he tells us something about the God of that Word--"Righteous are You, O LORD". He adds "Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness".

The word "righteous", as used here, means "good"--that God is thoroughly and perfectly good. He is good in every aspect of His being and His goodness cannot be improved upon.

This needs little proof, for the Bible teaches it on just about its every page. The friends of God have confessed it. Abraham, for example, assumed "The Judge of All the Earth" would "Do right". But not only His friends; God's enemies agreed: Pharaoh, for instance, cried, "The LORD is righteous and I and my people are wicked". The Seraphim never get tired of singing refrain, "Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty". The holiest man in the world felt himself "vile" in the Presence of Absolute Goodness. The Song of Moses has Him "Glorious in holiness/Fearful in praises".

The righteousness of God is sometimes doubted; but when it is, we're counseled to wait patiently and see His goodness in the end. The story of Joseph illustrates this beautifully--"God meant it for good".

The Divine goodness is not a passing quality, but one that does not change; it's an "Everlasting righteousness".

The Word's Righteousness.

If the Giver of this Word is "righteous", what kind of Word do you suppose He'd give? You needn't wonder: It's a righteous Word. He calls it "upright...righteous...very faithful...and very pure".

"Upright" means morally straight. It is emphatically not shrewd in its content or clever in its presentation. God is not a politician putting "spin" on His Word. Paul picks up this theme in II Corinthians, where he says, for example, "Our word to you was not Yes and No", and later, "We are not, as so many, peddling the word of God", and then, "We have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness". The LORD, in short

"Says what He means and

Means what He says".

"Righteous" means in conformity with the highest moral standard. The standard, of course, is God Himself. That Word is worthy of God. Thus, it can no more lie or deceive or mislead than God can!

"Very faithful" stands for its firmness or dependability. The truth is unchanged and unchanging. What was true for David is true for us. The Word mustn't be adjusted to the times; the times must be adjusted to the Word.

"The counsel of the LORD stands forever;

The thoughts of His heart to all generations".

"Very pure" means tested and true. The Word is no theory that sounds good but hasn't been applied to real life. It has been applied to real life--men have trusted it wholly--and found it wholly true. The Word went into Egypt with Joseph and ascended to the throne! The Word walked into the fiery furnace and came out unsinged! The Word went into the rich man's grave and rose to life!

The Word is of the same character as its Author. The sophistry that one can trust God while doubting His Word is repugnant to every honest mind. The Sage has it: "Believe in the LORD your God, so you shall be established; believe His prophets, so shall you prosper".

David's Devotion to the Word of God.

How does David feel about the Word? The same way he feels about God. He is eaten up with grief when men "forget [God's] Words". It matters to him what people think of the Word. We have become entirely too blase'. A man who loves his wife won't let other men to talk her down. Yet we routinely allow people to mock and curse the Holy Word of God. Without so much as a Word of protest! Shame on us! Our Lord was enraged when men turned His Father's House into a den of thieves. Yet we think it holy and humbled to let people say whatever they want about our Father's Word.

He loves that Word and makes it his highest pleasure. "Your servant loves it...Your commandments are my delight". Love implies interest, devotion, and service. We ought to find that Word of endless fascination. We ought to be in it as much as we can. And, learning its will for our lives, we ought to pursue it from the heart and with joy. We take pleasure in the most vain and even hurtful things! Would to God we'd make the Word our chief delight!

He seeks to understand the Word and to keep it in mind. "Give me understanding...I do not forget Your precepts". There is a richness in the Word that is not easy to mine. Thus, we ought to be much in prayer for God's blessing on our study. And the Word mustn't end for us when the Holy Book is closed. Then it's time to mull over it, to meditate on it "day and night".

We won't be the losers for this. No! When God gives understanding, then we--like David--"shall live". We will live our lives to the full now and even more in the world to come.

Close.

Whatever the details may be, the big idea of this passage is clear. This Word is God's Word. And it is worthy of the God who inspired it long ago and preserves it to this day. As a doctrine, this is easy to maintain.

But as a practice? It's much harder. How often do we open this Sacred Volume and think--"This is God's Word!" No less than the Spoken Word that thundered from Sinai! Would we tremble before that Voice of Majesty? Then let us tremble before this one. For this is no less the Word of God.

May God impress this upon us. For Christ's sake. Amen.