Sermon Tone Analysis
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We need God’s awesome word because we are surrounded by opposition.
See this first by the requests that psalmist makes, which reveal the life, light, and lucidness of God’s word.
(17-20)
Then we see the opposition that surrounds as he reflects on the standard, steadfastness, strength and sufficiency of God’s word.
(21-24)
I. Section one of Gimel (17-20) records A humble servant’s prayer for understanding.
What we need and what is provided in God’s awesome word.
Vs.
Psalm 119:17
Observation: A request is being made by a humble servant to be treated thoroughly by the Lord so that he might flourish in life and grow in obedience to the Word.
Interpretation: The psalmist recognizes his position with the Lord, and as such he can confidently request kind and complete treatment.
However, he makes his request with a proper motivation.
In order that he might keep God’s word.
In other words, he realizes who he is in relationship to God , he makes a rightly motivated request to God.
Will you treat me good so that I can live and obey you?
Key Point: When we know Who’s we are, then we know where to go in order to gain what we need.
The implication is that we need the Lord to deal with us graciously.
He has done so especially in sending His Son jesus Christ.
And when we are called to trust in Christ we are called to actually find real life, we find true identity.
We find ourselves with the right motivation when we are found in the right relation to God.
Verse 17 teaches us that in keeping God’s word we truly live.
His word brings us to new life in Christ and His word enables us to walk in that life.
Application: He is requesting life for a reason.
That he might keep God’s word.
Why do we ask God for life?
Vs.
Psalm 119:18
Observation: Now, the writer goes on to request that his eyes would be uncovered so that he might perceive wonderful things from the Lord’s instructions.
He is admitting that his spiritual eyes are dim and he needs help to see correctly.
Interpretation: Illumination is necessary in order to gain the bountiful and extraordinary truths from God’s awesome Word.
Key Point: We need to behold the wonderful things that come from God’s laws.
However, we need help in order to see these amazing truths.
Illustration: In 1895 Clara Scott published these words to the hymn entitled “Open my eyes, That I my see.”
I think she captures the point of verse 18 very well.
Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth Thou hast for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for Thee,
Ready my God, Thy will to see,
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
Application: Am I aware that I need God’s word to bring me life?
Am I aware that I need the light of God’s word in order to see His truth?
Have I simply asked him to open my eyes that I may see?
Vs.
Psalm 119:19
Observation: Not only does the psalmist recognize his identity as a servant of the Lord but also as a stranger on the earth.
He is a sojourner who finds himself away from his home country.
Since he recognizes his being out of place, he also realizes that he needs the Lord’s commands to be clearly evident to him.
Interpretation: If we truly belong to Christ, then we are a people displaced from our eternal home.
This earth is only a temporary dwelling.
However, it is a very real and tangible environment in which we soon realize that we desperately need the Lord’s commandments in order to function.
And the confidence we have since we know who’s we are is that when we ask for illumination is will be clearly revealed.
Key Point: The key point concerning God’s awesome word is that it is lucid.
Application: Lucid… Intelligible, knowable, comprehensible, it is not hidden.
The reason this is so important today is that many Jesus followers have fallen into the trap of believing God’s word is illusive rather than illuminating.
Often times the way we speak of God’s word is that is is wrapped in some unknowable mystery.
For those who are truly converted, for those who are in Christ the truth of the Bible is not hidden.
See John 14:15-17 and John 16:13
Vs.
Psalm 119:20
Observation: Verse 20 captures the expression of one who recognizes their identity, realizes who to go to for help, and then expresses a broken longing from the depths of his soul.
As a humble servant of the Lord his longings have reestablished to represent his deepest need.
What we find in verse 20 is further expression of the point that our identity will direct our desire.
The humble servant of the Lord desperately needs God’s ruling ordinances at all times!
In other words his soul is crushed with yearning for the only source of true justice.
The just judgments of God will satisfy passionate longings.
It's much like the weary traveler who is crawling across the sandy desert without a drop of water.
Everything in his body is consumed with desire for water.
And the only thing that will satisfy is a drink of life giving , soul renewing, water.
So to it is with the humble servant of the Lord who lives on this earth waiting for our full redemption.
The awesome word of God is satisfying to our weary souls.
Application: What am I longing for?
What am I yearning for that consumes my soul.
Nothing else will satisfy like the Word of God.
It just like Jesus told the woman at the well in John 4:13-14
Transition: Verses 17-20 answer for us the question, “What do I need.”
The answer.
We need our identity in Christ so that we truly live with illuminated longing to obey God’s awesome Word.
God’s word gives life.
God’s word illuminates our darkened eyes.
And God’s word is not hidden, but rather is the source of true satisfaction for our soul.
Now, in verses 21-24 we will discover, “Why” we needs God’s awesome word.
The primary answer has already been hinted at in verse 19.
It is this, since we are sojourners on this earth, we are surrounded by opposition.
II.
A humble servant’s commitment for counsel in midst of opposition.
Why we need the provisions that are only found in God’s awesome word.
Vs.
Psalm 119:21
Observation: The tone changes here from prayer to proposition.
He makes a declaration about the proud.
He says that those who are insolent and presumptuous are actually cursed because they have wandered from God’s commands.
This is the very derailment that he prayed would not happen to himself in verse 10.
The psalmist is preparing to make a request by praying back to the Lord the truth of His word.
He is basically praying Deuteronomy 27:26
Key Point: Presumptuous and proud wandering from God’s commands will receive the cursing of harsh rebuke from the Lord.
Those who in their arrogance will not align to the standard of God’s word will find themselves in opposition to God.
Application: What this reveals to us about God’s awesome word is that it is the ultimate Standard.
It is the standard for life that we should be in alignment with.
It is also worth noticing the difference of an ignorant or unwise wandering or being lead astray to that of what is mentioned here, which is an ardent egotistical steering away from God’s word.
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