Savoring the Scripture

Upheld by God’s Hand Psalm 119:113-120 While it’s true that “sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6: 34), God’s grace is equally sufficient to aid the believer when he faces trouble. The same circumstances that often tempt us to anxiety, the ones that pinpoint our weakness, are opportunities for God to show off his power and the sufficiency of his grace. Katie Faris, He Will Be Enough Last week our youth class studied Psalm 34:19-22, and we observed the contrast of the wicked and the righteous. We noted that trouble and affliction comes to us all, but whereas “affliction will slay the wicked” (34:21), the Lord delivers the righteous out of all his afflictions (34:19). Also, the wicked will be condemned, however, “none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned” (34:22). Likewise, in this section of Psalm 119, we see a contrast. The wicked are spurned and discarded like dross, whereas the Lord is a hiding place and shield, the upholder of the one who hopes in His W...

Praise in the Pain Psalm 119:105-112 The nature of the psalmist’s affliction is such that he is continually at risk. He is determined to be loyal to the Lord…His joy and determination to please the Lord are much greater than the constant affliction with which he lives. VanGemeren  Many of us have heard the story of Paul and Silas in the Philippian jail. In Acts 16, Paul and Silas had come to Philippi, and while preaching the gospel, Paul liberates a young girl from a demon. However, her masters who had gained profit through her fortune-telling are enraged and they bring Paul and Silas before the city magistrates. Paul and Silas are stripped, beaten with many blows with rods, thrown into prison, and their feet are fastened in stocks. However, God’s Word tells us that “about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them” (Acts‬ ‭16‬:‭25‬). In the dark hours of the night and the dark place of affliction, they were praying and s...

Governed by the Attitude of the Savior Psalm 119:97-104 When he meditates, the believer fills his mind with truth so that his life becomes governed by the attitude of the Savior. David Saxton Saturation means to hold as much moisture as possible, to be filled with something to a very full extent. It is to be filled so completely with something so that no more can be added. Jesus Christ was so saturated with the Scriptures that even in His darkest hour, He was speaking the Scriptures (Keller). From the cross, He cried, "My God, My God, Why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34) Words which come directly from Psalm 22. Truly this demonstrates for us the words of the psalmist, "Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day" (Psalm 119:97). Meditation on the Word of God saturates the mind and heart so much so that in any circumstance, even adversity, truth flows through and from the one who meditates, effecting their words and actions. Their meditation has so fil...

I Would Have Perished in My Affliction Psalm 119:89-96 Our affliction, if it had not been for divine grace, would have crushed us out of existence, so that we should have perished.  Charles Spurgeon Have you ever been in a situation where you felt desperate? Did suffering ever lead to feelings of despair? In this section of Psalm 119, the psalmist's trouble had him to the point of despairing of life. He says, “I would have perished in my affliction” (Psalm 119:92). However, his life was sustained. The psalmist says he would have perished. Which means, though death seemed the natural outcome, he had not perished. The conditional clause that precedes this statement tells us why he didn’t die in his affliction; why he continued to press on despite his dire situation. It was not dependent on his deliverance from his affliction, because just a few verses later he cries to God, “Save me!” because the wicked are still pursuing him. So what kept him from perishing in his affliction? “If y...

How Long Must I Endure? Psalm 119:81-88 So strong was his desire that it produced prostration of spirit. He grew weary with waiting, faint with watching, sick with urgent need. Charles Spurgeon  Lament. This word has entered my vocabulary this past year as I have journeyed through the psalms, praying and seeking the Lord. I was first introduced to this word when I read Dark Clouds Deep Mercy by Mark Vroegop. He defines lament as, "the honest cry of a hurting heart wrestling with the paradox of pain and the promise of God's goodness." One-third of the psalms are lament psalms. God knew His people would face hardships in this broken world, and He gave us ways by which we can cry out in our deepest pain and confusion. He knows we are hurting. He knows we are wrestling. He knows we experience profound pain but still look for His goodness. Psalm 119:81-88 is one of these laments that give voice to our own cries in the midst of pain and waiting on the Lord for deliverance.  Th...

Prayer to be a Faithful Example Psalm 119:73-80 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭17‬ ‭ In several places in Scripture we hear Paul exhort other believers to follow his example. “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬) is probably the most familiar one. God, in His Word, and among His faithful people, has given us examples after which we can pattern our lives. In as much as a fellow believer is imitating Christ, we can look at their life and example as a living pattern to imitate. God also gives us examples of disobedience and unbelief in order to warn us. In speaking of the disobedience of the Israelites Paul warns, “Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did” (1 Corinthians‬ ‭10‬:‭6‬). The life we live, then, can be an example for others to follow or avoid. As believers, our desire should be to live in such a way that we...