Category Archives: Bible Exposition

11/17/2019

On Psalm 119.17-24 (Gimel)

¹⁷Deal generously with your servant
so that I might live;
then I will keep your word.
¹⁸Open my eyes so that I may contemplate
wondrous things from your instruction.
¹⁹I am a resident alien on earth;
do not hide your commands from me.
²⁰I am continually overcome
with longing for your judgments.
²¹You rebuke the arrogant,
the ones under a curse,
who wander from your commands.
²²Take insult and contempt away from me,
for I have kept your decrees.
²³Though princes sit together speaking against me,
your servant will think about your statutes;
²⁴your decrees are my delight
and my counselors.

In the third stanza, ג (gimel), our psalmist begins with what seems to be a condition to his obedience. Verse 17 reads, “Deal generously with your servant so that I might live; then I will keep your word.” However, we must not read this is a quid pro quo request. Our psalmist is not basing his obedience on the condition of God’s grace. He is not saying, “if you do this for me, then I’ll do this for you.” The footnotes in the NET Bible state that the cohortative verbal forms in this line indicate purpose or result. In other words, our psalmist is requesting the empowerment of God’s grace so that he will be able to keep God’s Word. This understanding is confirmed in verse 18, where we read, “Open my eyes so that I may contemplate wondrous things from your instruction.”

This is a much needed corrective in the contemporary understanding of the role of obedience in the Christian life, that the empowerment of God’s grace precedes all our effort to obey. Grace results in obedience, and not the other way around, because that would be legalism. In other words, what our psalmist is requesting is exactly what we have been given in the New Covenant. In Ezekiel’s description of the New Covenant (36.24-30), we read, “I will put my place my Spirit within you and cause you to follow my statues and carefully observe my ordinances” (verse 27). And the Apostle Peter confirms, “His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1.3).

And why is this gracious empowerment necessary? Well, our psalmist gives us the answer in verse 19, “I am a resident alien on earth.” The word is variously rendered as “foreigner”, “sojourner”, “stranger.” In other words, our psalmist understands that this world is not his native home, that his values, convictions, and principles are of another reality altogether. As he says, “I am continually overcome with longing for your judgments.” However, he also understands that while we live “on earth”, it is so easy to become distracted, confused, and misdirected in our lives, which is why we need the constant favor of God’s empowering grace to regularly reorient our perspectives. As our psalmist understands, “you rebuke the arrogant, the ones under a curse, who wander from your commands” (verse 21).

Of course, our psalmist knows that walking to the beat of God’s drum will necessarily result in misunderstandings, in ridicule, scorn, and contempt. One person’s obedience must necessarily expose someone else’s disobedience, and when that happens, we can automatically expect to face opposition. But our psalmist knows the source of his strength, “Your decrees are my delight and my counselors” (verse 24), and so he prays, “Take insult and contempt away from me, for I have kept your decrees” (verse 22). The psalmist understands that the one who has so graciously empowered his obedience will also graciously protect and sustain him through any circumstance.

This should be the perspective of every follower of Jesus. We are strangers living in a foreign land; we do believe, speak, feel, and behave according to another reality. We are “continually overcome with longing for [His] judgments.” And as long as we live in this already/not yet season, we can trust that our God will empower us for obedience by His grace, even while He sustains us to perfection in glory.

For further study:
Introduction/Overview
Psalm 119.1-8
Psalm 119.9-16

8 Comments | tags: Christian Life, Grace, Meditation, New Covenant, Obedience, Phillip Powers, Psalm 119, Spiritual Formation | posted in Bible Exposition, Psalm 119, Spiritual Formation

10/30/2019

On Psalm 119.9-16 (Beth)

By Phillip Powers

⁹How can a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping your word.
¹⁰I have sought you with all my heart;
don’t let me wander from your commands.
¹¹I have treasured your word in my heart
so that I may not sin against you.
¹²Lord, may you be blessed;
teach me your statutes.
¹³With my lips I proclaim
all the judgments from your mouth.
¹⁴I rejoice in the way revealed by your decrees
as much as in all riches.
¹⁵I will meditate on your precepts
and think about your ways.
¹⁶I will delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word. (CSB)

The second stanza of Psalm 119, ב (beth), begins with a verse that has probably been drilled into the mind of every young man who has ever struggled with his thought life. But clearly these verses have application beyond that one application. In the wisdom literature, the word “young man” (verse 9) is metaphor for anyone who is naive, inexperienced, ignorant, or unlearned. And so, here in this stanza, the psalmist is reflecting on how the Word of God trains us in the way of purity. Of course, the basic assumption here is that a “young man” would want to keep his way “pure”, that this is understood as something that is both desirous and beneficial.

Now, purity here is simply another way of saying holy, and it is God’s clear expectation that His people will be holy, even as He is holy. (c.f. Leviticus 11.44-45, Matthew 5.48, 1 Peter 1.16). As it pertains to God, holiness refers to His divine otherness, that He is set apart, unique, and wholly different from His creation. However, it is much more than that; it also implies His moral rectitude, His absolute sinlessness, the unassailable perfections of His character. And we are told to be holy, even as He is holy. So, as it pertains to us, as believers in Jesus, it refers to the distinction of our behavior, values, and attitudes over and against the world. As James writes, “Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: … to keep oneself unstained from the world.” (James 1.27)

And, how can we keep ourselves unstained from the world? Answer, “By keeping your Word.” But, the “keeping” that our psalmist has in mind here is much more than a rote dutiful obedience. No, it is to be sought with all the heart (verse 10), treasured in the heart (verse 11), and proclaimed with the lips (verse 13). It is something to be rejoiced in (verse 14), meditated on (verse 15), and delighted in (verse 16). And this is both a timely and a timeless affirmation, that the standards for living a holy life which are commanded in God’s Word are good and glorious and to be joyously embraced rather than begrudgingly accepted.

It is no secret that the current cultural climate is becoming more and more hostile to these standards, that the commands of God are increasingly seen as outdated, bigoted, prejudicial, and simply unfair. But, our psalmist understands that the ways of God as He has prescribed them in His Word are good, and they are meant for our satisfaction and enjoyment. And the way that we learn to enjoy God’s ways is not simply by a begrudging reluctant external obedience. No, we must relish in them internally by pouring over them in meditation, treasuring them in our hearts, and rejoicing gladly in them. And so, may we pray with the Psalmist, “ Lord, may you be blessed; teach me your statutes.”

For further study:
Introduction/Overview
Psalm 119.1-8

9 Comments | tags: Holiness, Meditation, Phillip Powers, Psalm 119, Psalms, Sanctification, Spiritual Formation | posted in Bible Exposition, Psalm 119, Spiritual Formation

10/21/2019

On Psalm 119.1-8 (Aleph)

By Phillip Powers

Aleph
¹How happy are those whose way is blameless,
who walk according to the Lord’s instruction!
²Happy are those who keep his decrees
and seek him with all their heart.
³They do nothing wrong;
they walk in his ways.
⁴You have commanded that your precepts
be diligently kept.
⁵If only my ways were committed
to keeping your statutes!
⁶Then I would not be ashamed
when I think about all your commands.
⁷I will praise you with an upright heart
when I learn your righteous judgments.
⁸I will keep your statutes;
never abandon me. (CSB)

ℵ (aleph) is the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and therefore, it is the first stanza of Psalm 119. And when we read the first two verses, we are immediately confronted by the simple truth that obedience to the Word of God is the only way to experience God’s blessing. The CSB (see above) renders the verb as “happy”, whereas the majority of modern translations (NET, ESV, NASB, NIV) render it as “blessed”. Interestingly, the NLT renders this word as “joyful”, and this perhaps most accurately reflects the psalmists intent. “Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the Lord. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts.” Nevertheless, no matter which English rendering we prefer, it is clear that something more than pleasing circumstances is being described here.

In the Bible, blessing or joy is something that is experienced more deeply in the human soul than mere surface level happiness. It is that inner sense of complete satisfaction and total contentment, of unwavering peace and ultimate fulfillment. It is nothing less then the ultimate thriving of the human soul as God intended it. And lets be clear, the source of this blessed joy is completely divine. It is not something that we can manufacture or achieve on our own. Our psalmist is clear that the only way into this experience of divine blessing is by obedience to the Word of God. In fact, he goes on to say in these verses that obedience is the only way that we can be set free from the bondage of guilt and shame and bring praise into his abiding presence.

Sadly, obedience is under emphasized in most Protestant versions of spirituality. Because of our Reformation heritage, we are quick to react against anything that smacks of works based salvation. We champion the cause of sola gratia, sola fide, solus Christus, that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. As Paul said in Ephesians, chapter 2, verse 9, “not from works, so that no one can boast.” However, in our haste to affirm the unconditional nature of grace, we have neglected and omitted the role that obedience plays in the Christian life. As Paul went on to say in that very next verse, “ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” (Eph. 2.10) The simple truth that the psalmist is affirming in this first stanza of Psalm 119 is that obedience to God’s Word is the only available way into the fullness of divine blessing.

Of course, the reality is that none of us are able to perfectly keep the commands of God. As the Apostle James reminds us in chapter 2, verse 10 of his letter, “For whoever keeps the entire law, and yet stumbles at one point, is guilty of breaking it all.” The Gospel teaches us that we are all sinners, that we are all utterly incapable of obeying God’s Word. And left to ourselves, we can never experience the fullness of God’s blessing. This is why our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ became incarnate. He lived a life of perfect obedience to God’s Word in every way. And because we are united to Him by faith, His perfect obedience has become our obedience, His righteousness has become our righteousness. This is why Paul writes in Ephesians, chapter 1, verse 3, “Blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens in Christ.”

And it is precisely because His perfect obedience has been graciously reckoned unto us as righteousness that we should value and cultivate the habits of obedience to God’s Word. We should love obedience the way that the psalmist does here, because when we walk in His ways, then we are able to experience the fullness of blessings that are already ours in Christ by the Spirit.

For further study:
Introduction/Overview

10 Comments | tags: Obedience, Phillip Powers, Psalm 119, Psalms, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Formation, Spirituality | posted in Bible Exposition, Biblical Theology, Psalm 119, Spiritual Formation

10/13/2019

On Psalm 119: An Introduction and Overview

By Phillip Powers

megillat-esther-persia-long-view

The Psalms are perhaps the best kept secret of the Old Testament; they are a deep well of food for the weary Christian soul. They are a rich resource for our spirituality, but sadly, more often than not, we neglect this spring of spiritual life in favor of the well worn tracts of the New Testament. However, this is merely a symptom of the larger problem, that being our fundamental neglect of the Old Testament in general, but more on that another time. For the purpose of this post, it is enough to say that most Christians are suffering from a feeble weakened spiritual life due to a basic disregard for the Book of Psalms.

Of course, there isn’t enough time or space here to completely explore the spiritual richness of each and every chapter in this central Old Testament Book, but there is one chapter in particular that demands our attention – Psalm 119. This chapter is a vast ocean of refreshing spiritual water for the dry and weary soul, and yet, so often, we fearfully ignore it simply due to its size. And at first glance it can be overwhelming; there are 176 total verses in this single chapter. However, in spite of its imposing length, there is an artistry about this chapter that is beautiful and majestic. It lifts us out of the despair of our circumstances into the glory and hope that is the Word of God.

From a composition perspective, this chapter is an absolute masterpiece of literary artistry. It is structured in a Hebrew acrostic pattern, which means that each successive stanza begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. There are twenty-two stanzas, one each for every letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and each stanza contains eight lines, each beginning with the designated Hebrew letter for that stanza. (22 x 8 = 176) However, what is truly masterful is that almost every line contains some synonym for the Word of God. Law, testimonies, ways, precepts, statutes, commandments, judgments/ordinances, Word, promises, etc. The psalmist enumerates the perfections of God’s Word in every line literally from A to Z.

And this is perhaps the most important aspect of this glorious chapter, namely that it is written as poetry, and as such, it is intended not only to speak to our intellect but to stir our affections, to lift our souls, to restore our hope and joy. It is impossible to read this psalm and not be completely awestruck by the authors absolute joy in God’s Word. In other words, for the psalmist, the Word of God is more than a mere resource for right thinking and right doing. No, it is so much more than that. It is the foundation upon which he stands; it is the source of all his hope and joy and comfort and assurance. It is the sustenance and provision for all of his being, all of his spirituality and devotion. The Word of the one true and living God is all that he needs.

However, in spite of all of this magnificent and majestic artistry, this Psalm is still largely neglected and/or completely ignored in the devotions of most Christians and their churches. Whether it is because we find it imposing and off putting due to its length, or simply because we believe it to be redundant and repetitive, we refuse to refresh our souls at this inexhaustible spring of spiritual life. And this is absolutely to our spiritual detriment. We severely need the testimony of this Psalm in both our personal and corporate devotions, especially at a time when the sufficiency of God’s Word is being questioned more and more. Let us turn back once again to the well worn paths of biblical spirituality, and linger long over Psalm 119.

For further study:
Spurgeon, Charles H. The Golden Alphabet: An Exposition of Psalm 119. Revised and Updated. Abbotsford, WI: Aneko Press, 2018.

11 Comments | tags: Church, Devotional, Phillip Powers, Psalm 119, Psalms, Spiritual Disciplines, Spiritual Formation, Spirituality, Word of God | posted in Bible Exposition, Biblical Theology, Psalm 119, Spiritual Formation

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Category Archives: Bible Exposition

On Psalm 119.17-24 (Gimel)

On Psalm 119.9-16 (Beth)

On Psalm 119.1-8 (Aleph)

On Psalm 119: An Introduction and Overview

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Category Archives: Bible Exposition

On Psalm 119.17-24 (Gimel)

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On Psalm 119.9-16 (Beth)

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On Psalm 119.1-8 (Aleph)

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On Psalm 119: An Introduction and Overview

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