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PSALM 119:73-80 JOD (YODH)

One of the attitudes, - even as Christians, - we can so easily adopt is

running to God only when we need Him. In the previous section the

psalmist reminded us how necessary Gods Word is when we are

experiencing trials. However, we have read and studied enough of thispsalm to know that the psalmist teaches us not only to come to God in the

hard times, but also to come to Him regularly and consistently during our

whole experience of life. Indeed, he wrote this long psalm, - led by the

Holy Spirit, - to convince us to come to know and obey Gods Word.

Very simply here is how he, - in this section, - would seek to

encourage us

We Learn About Ourselves

We Become A Blessing To Others

We Receive Gods Best In Our Afflictions

WE LEARN ABOUT OURSELVES

Its coming up to Christmas time and you might be getting some new

appliance for your home. If you have never used the type of appliance

before it is obviously very important to read the instructions.

The Bible is the instructions for you to live as a child of God. Yes, itis good to read other books by faithful men and women of God who

present Him and all about Him in a manner commensurate with faithful

teaching based on His Word, but, - at the end of the day, - the Bible is

unique and is the final authority and ultimate guide for the believer.

No matter how well a Christian author tries to deal with a particular

subject Gods Word is the only Book ever written that is totally inspired

and inerrant and the only Book ever written that has Gods seal of

imprimaturupon it. It tells the truth about where we come from, why we are here, what

we must do to succeed, and where we are going.

God has laid out before us His plan that He will bring to pass. He is

the God of glory, the eternal God, the holy and just God, the God of His

people, there never has been Another like Him nor there never will be.

This God, - throughout the Old Testament, - laboured with His

chosen people, the children of Israel, and He appeared in their midst to

guide and direct them to the place He had for them to be.

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2 In the New Testament He introduces to us the Lord Jesus Christ, -

God Who became man while still retaining His Godhood. While on earth

Jesus never stopped being God not even for a moment

His purpose in coming to this earth was that He would redeem His

people on to Himself a people who would stretch out into the futurefor as long as the dispensation of grace would continue.

In the sovereign plan of God He loved you and He began the process

whereby you would be saved. His Word taught you that you were a

sinner heading towards a lost eternity in Hell but God stepped in, lifted

you onto Himself and saved you.

The Bible tells you what you could have been like had Jesus not

saved you. It tells you that you would have kept on heading downward

and away from God.

The Bible causes you to glory in the fact of your salvation in Christ

and it teaches you to become what God desires His children tobecome.

It is a beautiful statement, v.73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned

me. That means that God created you the way He desired you to be.

When God was speaking with Moses on Mount Horeb He said to

him, Ex. 4:11 Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf,or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?

If a little baby in the womb is found to have a handicap of some sort,the Bible would teach us that we do not have the right to opt for

termination of that childs life (abortion, the killing of a baby) because

the Bible would teach us that is how God has made that little baby.

Yes, it is sad news about Gordon and Sarah Browns wee baby but

the Bibles teaching on this matter is very definite. God does not make

mistakes when He creates a little child.

Thy hands have made me and fashioned mesaid the psalmist yes, the

same God about whom the earlier psalmist wrote, Ps. 102:25 Of old hastthou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands .

The same hands that made the mountain range of Everest are the

same hands of the same God that made you and me.

When you read through the Bible you meet ordinary people like us; it

is not a fairy story we are reading with fictional characters these are

real people whom God is working with and through.

We see ourselves in Moses, when he was afraid to stand before the

court of Pharaoh, in Thomas, when we doubt, in Peter, when wefirst put our mouths into gear without exercising our minds

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3 Yes, we see ourselves in Scripture and actually the Word of God

describes itself as a mirror, I Cor. 13:12 For now we see through a glass,darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as

also I am known, and again in II Cor. 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding

as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory toglory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Yes, in Gods Word we learn about ourselves, we learn that living as

a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ is a true and real and genuine

experience.

And when you know Christ no-one can argue you out of the

experience.

The unsaved have no idea what it is all about; Paul told the

Corinthians (II Cor. 4:4), the god of this world hath blinded the minds of themwhich believe not, - they just cannot grasp of what it is to know Christ

personally.

Yes, and knowing Christ personally has a tremendous hold over us

and it is accompanied with great responsibility, James said, 1:22 But be yedoers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any

be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his

natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and

straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into

the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer,

but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man

among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his

own heart, this man's religion is vain. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before Godand the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to

keep himself unspotted from the world. We learn about ourselves

WE BECOME ABLESSING TO OTHERS

The psalmist believes this is a product of living close to God, v.74They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thyword v.79 Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy

testimonies.

This is a note of encouragement. Being a believer faithful to the Lord

has repercussions for good towards our fellow-believers.

Concord and harmony and agreement among Gods people flows out

of faithfulness to Him. Ps. 133:1 how good and how pleasant it is for brethren

to dwell together in unity! Keep the unity of the Spirit Paul tells the

believers in Ephesus (Eph. 4:3).

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4 I know God is watching me and I want to be obedient in

encouraging His people amongst whom He has placed me.

It is grieving to the Lord when His people fall out and argue and twist

among themselves. If you are in a mood and you are struggling to find

something good to say it is better to say nothing rather than cause yourbrother and sister hurt.

Sometimes in our fellowship people do become hurt because of an

unguarded tongue.

We have a responsibility before our Heavenly Father in our conduct

towards our family in the Lord Jesus Christ.

And what the psalmist is saying here is that when you have

confidence in the Word of God it helps you to encourage others.

Someone has said (Ian Maclaren), Be kind, for everyone you meet isfighting a battle. And it is true.

Its not the first time I have heard of someone saying something nice

to someone else and the person to whom they said it nearly bit their head

off! Okay so the person who nearly bit their head off was having a bad

day, but it is no excuse, because the person saying it in the first place was

simply seeking to be kind.

It is often my experience that people who have a sharp tongue have a

heart full of sores, but its still no excuse for we are brothers and sisters inthe faith and in a society so virulent against Christianity we need to be

upholding each other and encouraging each other.

Are people happy to see you coming towards them or would they

be happier if they would see you go some other direction?

Surely it ought to be that when our friends and acquaintances have

their burdens they would turn to us for help. I trust we dont add to their

burdens.

Indeed what did Paul plainly say to the Galatians, 6:2 Bear ye oneanother's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.

Yes, it is a beautiful and a very practical lesson for every

congregation made up of more than two people It comes from a

compassionate heart, doesnt it? It is a desire to see others grow.

Think of some of the folk who encouraged you in your Christian

walk and they are in glory today. Wouldnt you just love to be

remembered as you remember them? We become a blessing to

others.

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5WE RECEIVE GODS BEST IN OUR AFFLICTIONS

Life is difficult sometimes, and we must accept from the hand of God

the pleasant experiences along with the unpleasant. When extremely hard

times fell upon Job and his wife, she said to him, 2:9 Dost thou still retain

thine integrity? curse God, and die. Out of his pain and bereavement hesimply replied, v.10 What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shallwe not receive evil?

Yes, many people think becoming a Christian does away with the

hard times but it doesnt, but even when the night is at its darkest

God often shines His brightest.

In fact, the psalmist says in 119:105, Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,

and a light unto my path.

When you are walking along a very difficult road, always rememberyou have the love of God to comfort you and the promises of God to

encourage you. Just think of it He has you in the palm of His hand and

He said, Jn. 10:28 I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish,

neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

What! even when a serious illness takes over my life? even

when my family circumstances are turned upside-down? Yes even

then for the Bible says, 75 I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right,

and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. 76 Let, I pray thee, thy mercifulkindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. 77 Let thy

tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.

Yes, once again there are the proud adversaries of the believer

mentioned in v.78 but once again the psalmist says, they are not going to

keep me from my God, I will meditate in thy precepts.

If the devil can, he will try to use every trick in the book and every

person at his disposal to make it difficult for you but we have a wonderful

God Who loves His people and accompanies His people through the

rough and over the holes in the road.

We dont need to delight in our circumstances to understand that God

can use the hardest of circumstances for the benefits of His glory. When

the enemy attacks, I trust the enemy sees us running into the shelter of

God, Ps. 18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; myGod, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, my salvation, and my

high tower.

The psalmist here is determined in his walk with God. Nothing is

going to keep him back.

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6 I cherish the faith that teaches me that all of Gods decrees are

perfect, - every one of them. He never makes a mistake or puts us through

anything which does not have our best in His mind.

As I get older I dont know what the Lord has planned to come across

my path but whatever it is He has it in His Sovereign plan.

So many years ago the meningitis could have taken me but it

wasnt His will. Many of you have been in similar situations too, but it is

our testimony that even in our afflictions, we receive Gods best.

Conclusion

Once again this passage is very personal and very simple. It is telling

us we need to learn about ourselves, and it tells us too about the

importance of becominga blessing to others, and also that we receiveGods best in our afflictions.

He is a personal God, He is my God and He is my Saviour. He is

in control not the devil, not fate, or anything or anyone else. He is.

When all seems to be crumbling round you do what the psalmist

teaches you here read the instructions! v.80 Let myheart be sound in thy statutes.