Prayer of a Weary Servant | Psalm 119
Book of Psalms • Sermon • Submitted
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Start of Service: Let’s memorize a passage. Psalm 119:124 “124 Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.”
After Missionary Updates: Update concerning Living Hope
Prayer for another church: Mansfield Baptist Temple - Mansfield, Ohio, Pastor Rob Kurtz
Scripture for our prayer for MBT: Col 1:9-10 “9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;”
Psalm 119:121–128 (KJV)
121 AIN. I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to mine oppressors.
122 Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.
123 Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.
124 Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.
125 I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.
126 It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law.
127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.
128 Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.
Posture of a servant
Request of all those who are weary
Clear conscience leads to confident prayers
Love expressed for God’s infallible Word
Posture of a servant
Posture of a servant
We come in prayer as a servant
Psalm 119:122 “122 Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.”
Psalm 119:124 “124 Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.”
Psalm 119:125 “125 I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.”
Challenge of keeping the posture of a servant when under attack
Challenge of keeping the posture of a servant when under attack
Not to make light of a situation, but any time when people come home from war that can’t leave the battle. We all deal with this on a small, but real level.
The less I am in charge of my day, the more I want to feel like I am in charge at home.
The more I am disrespected by oppressors, the more demanding of respect I am from my family.
Such freedom and relief in being the servant of a gracious, King
Such freedom and relief in being the servant of a gracious, King
Acts 13:36 “36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption:”
Odd, life verse.
Service normally sounds like bondage, but I realized it was freedom.
I know longer had to worry about who I would become but rested in whom I belong to.
I know longer had to worry about what I would produce but my attention could be given to Whom I would please.
Request of all those who are weary
Request of all those who are weary
Psalm 119:122 “122 Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.”
Pledge to do good on his behalf.
Pledge to do good on his behalf.
Unusual as it would be odd for my kids to make me promise that I wouldn’t leave them at church tonight.
It is only right that God champion the cause of righteous and not allow the arrogant unbelievers to gain the upper hand. Psalm 119:122 “122 Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.”
Lamentation of the weary
Lamentation of the weary
Psalm 119:123 “123 Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.”
The idea is that of longing for something to the point of weakness. Psalm 119:82 “82 Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?”
Eyes fail looking for ..
Eyes fail looking for ..
1. his salvation from the oppressors
2. word of righteousness / promise to be fulfilled
Simpy, he has obeyed God’s word, and the enemies have not; therefore he prays for God to keep his word to him.
A clear conscience leads to confident prayers
A clear conscience leads to confident prayers
Psalm 119:121-122 “121 AIN. I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to mine oppressors. 122 Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.”
Psalmist is not saying he is perfect or incapable of sinning.
He is innocent regarding the slander of those who desire to oppress him.
Those who trust in the LORD and obey his word may pray with confidence for deliverance from oppressors
A clear conscience and knowledge that God knows you are not what the accusers say about you, is of far greater value than being vindicated by all people and courts of this world.
Contrast Adam in Genesis 1 to the Psalmist of Psalm 119:121 “121 AIN. I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to mine oppressors.”
Appeal to God is based upon mercy and not merit
Appeal to God is based upon mercy and not merit
Psalm 119:124 “124 Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.”
Something bigger than his personal offense
Something bigger than his personal offense
Psalm 119:126 “126 It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law.”
On a personal level, move from anger that you have been offended to a concern for God’s glory and see how it transforms your response.
Love expressed for God’s infallible Word
Love expressed for God’s infallible Word
Psalm 119:127-128 “127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. 128 Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.”
Therefore I love thy Word
Therefore I love thy Word
The trial has made a greater appreciation for His commandments. Psalm 119:127 “127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.”
Greg and I used to have a breakfast routine at McDs that ended with drinking our carton of milk.
Exactly how and why should trials cause a greater appreciation for God’s commandments?
Exactly how and why should trials cause a greater appreciation for God’s commandments?
Affliction draws us to the things of God because we realize the things of this world are broken.Psalm 119:67 “67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.”
Affliction makes us aware of our sin by bringing our buried struggles to the surface. 2 Cor 12:9 “9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
Both Satan and God have purposes in affliction.
Both Satan and God have purposes in affliction.
Satan uses suffering to turn people from faith and to convince them that God is indifferent to their deepest struggles Psalm 34:21 “21 Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.”
How? Satan uses affliction to bring disillusionment and doubt, in attempts to deconstruct our faith and to ultimately destroy us.
Therefore I will esteem all thy precepts
Therefore I will esteem all thy precepts
Psalm 119:128 “128 Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.”
This weary servant clings onto God’s Word and encourages others.
Esteeming is to speak well of them to others.
Heard preacher say this after Bible reading and have always considered it: Amen. And thus ends this reading of God's holy, inspired, inerrant, and authoritative word. May He write its eternal truth upon our hearts.
Closing
Closing
Before I invite you to a time of prayer.
Let us consider how God in the New Testament will confirm this idea by that the fervent prayer of the righteous is effectual. James 5:16 “16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”
It’s commonly understood like this: Be righteous, and your prayers will work.
It’s commonly understood like this: Be righteous, and your prayers will work.
Context shows we are looking at the power of prayer. James 5:13 “13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.”
His concern is not how prayer is made effective, but that prayer is effective. James 5:17 “17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.”
Prayer is effective not because of great men who pray, but because of a great God who graciously hears his people.
Review what we have seen in this “prayer of the weary” tonight
Review what we have seen in this “prayer of the weary” tonight
Posture of a servant
Request of all those who are weary
Clear conscience leads to confident prayers
Love expressed for God’s infallible Word