PSALMS LESSON 130

     We will continue the verse by verse study of the 119th Psalm with
Psalms 119:137 "{TZADDI.} Righteous [art] thou, O LORD, and upright
[are] thy judgments."

     LORD, here, is Jehovah. Righteousness is the character of
Jehovah. Jesus Christ {the Word} is, also, righteous. The judgements
of God are above all other judgements. They are right, they are pure,
they are truth. Just as there is no blemish to be found in the
judgements of the LORD, there is no blemish in His Word.

     Psalms 119:138 "Thy testimonies [that] thou hast commanded [are]
righteous and very faithful."

     This is so clear in its meaning, that it leaves nothing to be
said. The Word is beyond question. It is absolute truth. You can
depend on it, it will not let you down. This is, also, true of not
just the testimonies, but of the One who spoke them, as well.

     Psalms 119:139 "My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies
have forgotten thy words."

     David is so heart sick, because their enemies {his and God's},
have not realized how perfect the Words of God are. They not only did
not realize, but they did not even accept them as the Word of God. If
they did not believe there was a God, then possibly that explains why
they do not believe His Word. If they would stop and listen to it, or
read it, then they would have to admit that it far surpassed all other
things written or spoken. This is just saying, that he is utterly
grieved by them not accepting God's Word.

     Psalms 119:140 "Thy word [is] very pure: therefore thy servant
loveth it."

     If this were speaking of gold, it would be stated that it was 24
Kt. All of the imperfections of most writings are not found in this
Word. It is perfect. It must not be added to, or taken away from.
David loves it, because it is perfect. It can not be improved upon.
Truth, in its purest form, can not be improved upon, and that is what
God's Word is. Perfection would be a good description.

     Psalms 119:141 "I [am] small and despised: [yet] do not I forget
thy precepts."

     This would almost make you believe that this is not David, but
you must remember he is doing the talking here. This is his own
description of himself. Even though those around him despise him, he
still remembers the teachings of God.

     Psalms 119:142 "Thy righteousness [is] an everlasting
righteousness, and thy law [is] the truth."

     The righteousness of God is like God himself, it has no beginning
and has no end. Jesus said I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. Jesus
is the fulfillment of the law.

     Psalms 119:143 "Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: [yet]
thy commandments [are] my delights."

     David's life had been full of sorrow and anguish over his
children and grandchildren. Absolom, had given him many
heartaches, because of his jealousy over Solomon. Power and money in
this life have a tendency to bring sorrow more than poverty does.
Families that are torn apart can bring more sorrow than we can bear.
The delights that helped David through all of this was the
commandments of God. The covenant that God had made with man was an
unbreakable covenant. David looked at God's Word in time of sorrow,
and it helped him.

     Psalms 119:144 "The righteousness of thy testimonies [is]
everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live."

     If he could only truly understand the teachings of God, it would
cause him to have life back in his spirit. Family problems can break
your spirit to the point, that sometimes, it seems hardly worth the
effort to go on. If David's understanding were opened, he would be
able to see the end of all this and a better tomorrow.

     Psalms 119:145 {KOPH.} "I cried with [my] whole heart; hear me, O
LORD: I will keep thy statutes."

     This prayer to God is a sincere prayer from the heart. The fact
that the prayer brought tears, is another sign of the sincerity of the
prayer. Open your ears to me, and do not close me out LORD. Notice,
the determination of David in this prayer to keep the ways of the
LORD. The keeping of the statutes is not a condition of the prayer.
David would keep the statutes anyway. He is just reminding God that he
does keep his statutes.

     Psalms 119:146 "I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy
testimonies."

     This keeping of the testimonies is conditional. He would keep the
testimonies, if the Lord saved him. If he were not saved, he would not
be wishing to do the testimonies of the LORD. The only way to get
saved, is to sincerely cry out to be saved.

     Psalms 119:147 "I prevented the dawning of the morning, and
cried: I hoped in thy word."

     This is saying, he was up all night praying. He did not wait
until break of day to begin. He has studied God's Word, and knows that
it promises salvation to all who seek it. His hope is that he has
fulfilled his part, so that salvation will come to him.

     Psalms 119:148 "Mine eyes prevent the [night] watches, that I
might meditate in thy word."
     This is just saying, that he did not go to bed at the usual
bedtime.  He stayed up and prayed, and thought on God's Word. He finds
comfort in God's Word. He knows it is true, and he is praying that it
will come true in his life.

     Psalms 119:149 "Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness:
O LORD, quicken me according to thy judgment."

     He is asking God to hear him, because God is kind, and loving and
good. David does not even try to claim any rights with God. He wants
God to hear him, because God is kind, not because he deserves to be
heard. We said, in a previous lesson, that the quickening is of the
spirit, and not of the flesh. You can read about this in the 15th
chapter of 1 Corinthians. He does not fear the judgement of God,
because he knows God is merciful to those who admit their sin.

     Psalms 119:150 "They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they
are far from thy law."


     Those who do not keep the law of God are not of God, they are of
the devil. They are like the devil, in that they roam around seeking
whom they may destroy. They are not happy to be lost themselves, they
would like to cause others to get in the mischief with them. They prey
on those they believe to be helpless. This would have been the case
with David, but he had the LORD on his side. One, and the LORD, are a
majority.

     Psalms 119:151 "Thou [art] near, O LORD; and all thy commandments
[are] truth."

     We are promised in the Word of God that He will never leave us,
or forsake us. He is always as close as our next prayer. David is now
feeling the presence of God. He glorifies the commandments of the LORD
one more time.

     Psalms 119:152 "Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old
that thou hast founded them for ever."

     From the time that David had been a young lad, he had known and
loved God. He knew that God had been with him, when he herded the
sheep and fought off the wild animals. When David came against
Goliath, he came in the name of God. He had always known and trusted
the testimonies of God. This same God had kept Saul from killing him.
He had known from his old time relationship with God, that The LORD
God He is God. He knew that He was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob, from the things he had read about them. There had never been a
doubt with David that God had founded His testimonies forever.






                             Questions 130

1.  LORD, in verse 137, is whom?
2.  What is the character of Jehovah?
3.  Describe the judgements of God.
4.  Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are __________ and ____
    __________.
5.  This not only covers the testimonies, but who?
6.  What has consumed him in verse 139?
7.  What is verse 139 talking about?
8.  What explains why they do not believe His Word?
9.  What Kt. would the Word be, if it were gold?
10. Why does David love the Word so much?
11. What would almost make you believe that it is not David
    writing verse 141?
12. Why can we assume it is David?
13. What is the righteousness of God like?
14. _______ is the fulfillment of the law.
15. What was the anguish in David's life?
16. What helped David through the anguish?
17. Why would it help David, if his understanding were opened?
18. What is verse 145?
19. How do you know it is in earnest?
20. What did preventing the dawning mean?
21. What was meant by, preventing the night watches?
22. What did David do, while he was up?
23. Hear my voice according to thy ____________.
24. Where do we read more about the quickening Spirit?
25. Those who are not following God are who?
26. How do we know God is near?
27. Name several times when David knew for sure God was with him.