First Christian Church

By Bruce Humes

Pastor

The 119th Psalm is all about the Bible, God’s word. It’s the longest psalm with 176 verses. F.W. Grant titles the first eight verses as “The Blessedness of Obeying God’s Word.” What better way to start a psalm than by recognizing the blessings we enjoy from being obedient to God’s word.

Verse one says, “Blessed (Greek meaning happy, or happiness) are the undefiled (blameless) in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord!” Those who conform, or live their life in obedience, to God’s word are promised happiness. God’s word provides provision through confession, repentance and restoration by nothing other than belief in Jesus Christ.

Verse two continues with, “Blessed are those who keep His testimonies, who seek Him with the whole heart.” The psalmist may have had Deuteronomy 6:5-6 in mind when he penned this verse which states, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart.” God wants us to seek him with our whole heart not just when it’s convenient, or on Sunday.

Verse three says, “They also do no iniquity; they walk in His ways.” Iniquity speaks of perversion, mischief, evil and sin. All those things that are in direct opposition to the way God wants us to live our lives for him. Verse four continues this thought with, “You have commanded us to keep your precepts diligently.” Here the psalmist recognizes the command from God to keep His precepts, statutes, and commandments, and not only that, but to be diligent about it. It’s not something we should approach hap-hazardously, but with diligence and enthusiasm. God wants us to actively seek after him.

Verses 5-6 state, “Oh, that my ways were directed to keep your statutes! Then I would not be ashamed, when I look into all your commandments.” In all we do and say each day, our thoughts and actions should be directed towards God’s commands, living our lives for the Lord.

Jesus had a lot to say about following God’s commandments. In Mark 12:29-31, Jesus answers a question asked by a scribe asking what the greatest commandment was. Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is; Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this; you shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.”

In verse seven, the psalmist goes into an attitude of praise, “I will praise you with uprightness of heart, when I learn your righteous judgments.” The psalmist recognizes the righteousness of God’s judgments and still praises Him with his whole heart.

Verse 8 says, “I will keep your statutes; Oh, do not forsake me utterly!” Here the psalmist commits to keeping God’s commandments, precepts, and statutes, and ends with a prayer. The psalmist may have forgotten that in Deuteronomy 31:6, God had made a promise to Moses and the Israelites that they should “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them, for the Lord your God, He is the one who goes with you. And He will not leave you nor forsake you.” This message is as good for us today as it was for the Israelites, if we diligently seek him with our whole heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and all our strength, he will not leave us or forsake us. What a comforting promise for those who believe, even as we go through these very difficult and trying times.

If you wish to speak to someone at the church or if you have a need, call the First Christian Church office at (562) 431-8810.