Psalm 119 (16)

Introduction: When you love a person, it will show up. You cannot love a person without there being evidence to show that love. For example… you might remember the sage advice from Percy Sledge when he said...

When a man loves a woman Can't keep his mind on nothing else He'll trade the world For the good thing he's found If she's bad he can't see it She can do no wrong Turn his back on his best friend If he put her down

Well, in a similar way. When you and I love God’s word there will be evidence of that love. In this stanza entailed Sin & Shin David brings up love for God’s word three different times. That repetition helps us understand that the main theme this prayer reveals is, there is evidence of a person’s love for God’s word.

Evidence of loving God’s awesome word.

Transition: What are the characteristics of a person who loves God’s word? If we love God’s word what should we expect to be the result? What kind of fruit is shown when a person truly loves God’s word? 7 evidences that I really love God’s word.

1. Awe

Explanation: vs. 161

Notice first that his persecutors have not been removed. He is still suffering at the hands of high officials. Without any legitimate reason people in high places are causing him pain. However, his heart stands Trembling with reverence and exultation for God’s word.

Question: What or who am I really honoring today? Who’s words do I most respect, and fear?

2. Rejoicing

Explanation: vs. 162

To rejoice is to find a high degree of satisfaction. To be glad. Notice that David says he rejoices in God’s word like one finding a great treasure. The connotation is that of a king who subdues a city and upon seizing his victory he finds that the place is loaded with gold. And so he rejoices.

Illustration: This reminded me of a family vacation when we found a lot of Canadian change at an rv park. We were dancing!

Question: If I say I love God’s word, then I should rejoice in his word. What we rejoice in reveals what we love. Who’s word am I truly rejoicing in today?

3. Rejecting

Explanation: vs. 163

To hate and abhor means to have a huge aversion to something and loath it. His point is to show the contrast of his deep emotions. IF he in fact deeply loves God’s truth, then he will deeply reject falsehood.

Question: Do I find myself adopting and affirming falsehood? There is no real love in affirming a lie. Since the sum of God’s word is truth, if we love His word then we will love the truth that endures forever and reject falsehood.

Example: There are lies that float around today about how a person can be confident of eternal life. False teachers wan to pervert the gospel and suggest that as long as you just believe then God will accept you.They wrongly suggest that faith in anything or anyone will do and in doing so deny the exclusivity of Christ Jesus. This falsehood should be hated because it ignores the very teaching of Jesus Himself.

4. Praise

Explanation: vs. 164

Question: What is my heart most often attached to throughout the day? What do I find myself talking about? Who’s word am I most admiring?

5. Peace

Explanation: vs. 165

Since the law of God takes a direct flight to he the person and work of Jesus Christ we know that to love God’s law is to love Jesus who fulfilled the law of God by dying for our sin and raising from the dead. And when we welcome that good news and respond to the grace of God by faith in surrender to Jesus Christ , we have peace with God.

Question: Who’s peace am I most concerned about? Am I stumbling and staggering under the pressure of persecution today? Am I experiencing the perseverance of Christ today? If not, perhaps its because I’m loving the wrong word.

6. Hope

Explanation: vs. 166

Question: Who’s salvation am I hoping in today?

7. Obedience

Explanation: vs. 167-168

David declares that his soul, or the core of his being, is obeying God’s covenant words. He declares that is is guarding and watchfully keeping the Lord’s authoritative decrees and witnessing words. Notice the two reasons why he is obeying.

I love them exceedingly, (greatly or with great strength)

for all my ways are before you.

Point: When we truly love the Lord who is always present we are motivated to obey him.

Example: The Word of God has a lot to say about purity. If I love him more than my sin then I will be motivated to obey His word and flee from the temptation. Not only that, but if I love Him and recognize that He always has a front row seat the the activities of my life, then I should think about where am I wiling to take Jesus? Do I really want to take him to that web site, that Facebook page? Love for Jesus who is always present is great motivation and accountability to obey His word!

Question: Where have I taken Jesus this week?

Closing: When we started this series I suggested that one of the discoveries we would make is that Psalm 119 helps us cross a bridge. You might remember the picture of a great canyon. On one side of the canyon s all the right belief statements about god’s word. Its all the things that we affirm and say we believe about the Bible. And on the other side of the canyon is our actual obedience. It the way we either consistently or inconsistently live out the truth of God’s word.

Church, fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, there is no doubt that we need much help and grace to cross this canyon. At the bottom of this canyon rolls the rapids of our failures and fallen attempts to obey His word. However, as we've been seeing the bridge of the cross of Christ emerge from the text of Psalm 119 we should realize that in Christ we have the victory to overcome. In Christ we have the power to say no to sin and walk in newness of life. In Christ we have the bridge to cross this canyon of what we read in the text of Scripture and how we live in alignment to that word.

Church, we need a revival in our hearts and souls. We need revitalized according to the word of Christ. We need our love reformed. A few weeks ago when we had a leadership gathering the deacons and I all came away from that time with a unified awareness that we are in desperate need of crying out to God together as a body of Christ. One key area that has caught my attention in this journey is the necessity of prayer. Prayer is one major key in helping us renew our love for God and his Word. Prayer is a major component of the bridge that will take us from what we understand in Scripture and actually living it. And so today we have a request to make of each one of you. Will you commit to pray with us for the next forty days for revitalization? Have deacons pass out booklets.