Tag: psalm 119

Be Helpful, Not Harmful (Psalm 119:113-128)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

I hate two-faced people,
but I love your teachings.
You are my hiding place and my shield.
My hope is based on your word.
Get away from me, you evildoers,
so that I can obey the commandments of my God.
Help me God, as you promised, so that I may live.
Do not turn my hope into disappointment.
Hold me, and I will be safe,
and I will always respect your laws.
You reject all who wander away from your laws,
because their lies mislead them.
You get rid of all wicked people on earth as if they were rubbish.
That is why I love your written instructions.
My body shudders in fear of you,
and I am afraid of your regulations.

I have done what is fair and right.
Do not leave me at the mercy of those who oppress me.
Guarantee my well-being.
Do not let arrogant people oppress me.
My eyes are strained from looking for you to save me
and from looking for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.
Treat me with kindness,
and teach me your laws.
I am your servant.
Help me understand
so that I may come to know your written instructions.
It is time for you to act, O Lord.
Even though people have abolished your teachings,
I love your commandments more than gold, more than pure gold.
I follow the straight paths of your guiding principles.
I hate every pathway that leads to lying. (God’s Word Translation)

I don’t know about you, but disingenuous people drive me nuts. This is the type of person who is nice as pie to your face, but then walks away and talks smack about you to another. They seem to always have an agenda in order to get ahead, gain power, and be in the know, so that they can have leverage against you.

There are other people who try to avoid doing wrong and always try to do right. There are yet others who either bulldoze or sleepwalk through life, doing what they will, with impunity, unaware of how they’re damaging people’s lives. And then there are those who try to steer clear of what they consider the biggie sins, while having no problem indulging in so-called little sins. 

Selfishness, self-centeredness, and unawareness of the self’s impact on this world will create all sorts of problems for others. Indeed, sin is messy business. 

No matter the form or the attempt at dealing with one’s selfish proclivities, the bottom line is that we all engage in such behavior because it benefits us, that is, we like doing it. We might not always like the consequences and the fallout of self-centered living, but it sure feels good while it lasts.

Humanity needs a complete reorientation of the heart. Rather than hating every way that doesn’t benefit me, we must learn to hate every way which is contrary to God’s good commands.

The psalmist proclaims and affirms that all God’s precepts are right. It’s important to hate every false path which deviates from the true self and the common good of all persons. 

If we indulge in self-centered ways because we like them, the road to thinking of others and their needs is learning to hate my false self and false belief systems – to loathe them so much that it’s like a nasty stench in our nostrils. 

Hating sin comes from the acquired taste of loving God’s commandments. When we come around to cherish and desire God’s Word, then selfish sinful desires gradually become so odious to us that we want nothing to do with them.

The reason the psalmist could proclaim such an extended love song to the commands of God, is that he tried them, ate them, and imbibed them. And how good they were! It caused him to forsake every selfish way in trying to achieve human enjoyment. 

I encourage people to have a solid plan for reading (or listening to) Scripture every day – because it really has the power to reorient us from being selfish jerks who harm others to becoming unselfish thinkers who help others.

Scripture changes our taste buds. Sustained, consistent, daily eating of the psalms will teach us to want God and God’s ways – while forsaking the dark path of insolence and oppression in order to satiate our own selfish wants.

The psalmist committed himself to avoiding worthless selfish situations, as well as steering clear of harmful people with the propensity to doing wrong. They are fickle, double-minded, two-faced people, divided in their loyalties.

On one side of their mouth, they talk a good line about faith; and then talk out the other side of their mouth, spewing a bunch of worthless gobbledygook which, at the least, adds no value to anything, and, at worst, wrecks good plans and harms others.

If there are people in authority over us who don’t give a wit about our most cherished values, we will likely find ourselves tasked with doing things which rub against our understanding of Holy Scripture. In this state of moral distress, we are pushed, pulled, and tested in our single-minded devotion by the double-minded selfish person to do what we are uncomfortable with.

In the stress and crucible of trouble, we need the courage to speak up, despite the fear of repercussions. And that strength is only possible if we have a resilient spirit with the capacity to sustain our personal integrity in the face of distress. That is, we need God and God’s Holy Word.

Scripture and fellow believers provide support; we need to care for one another as a community of redeemed persons who seek to live into the words of ways of almighty God.

It can be tricky business, wisely trying to discern between what we to accept and what to pushback against. Yet, with God, God’s Word, and God’s people, we possess all the resources required in living the spiritual life and navigating the selfish world we inhabit.

Almighty God, I pray that you will deal with me according to your steadfast love and teach me your statutes. I am your servant; give me understanding so that I might know and live by your commands and forsake the evil of the world. Amen.

How Can Young People Keep Their Lives Pure? (Psalm 119:9-16)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year BLeave a comment

How can young people keep their lives pure?
    By obeying your commands.
With all my heart I try to serve you;
    keep me from disobeying your commandments.
I keep your law in my heart,
    so that I will not sin against you.
I praise you, O Lord;
    teach me your ways.
I will repeat aloud
    all the laws you have given.
I delight in following your commands
    more than in having great wealth.
I study your instructions;
    I examine your teachings.
I take pleasure in your laws;
    your commands I will not forget. (Good News Translation)

Every historical age, and every generation of people has its own struggles. Of course, the challenges vary widely depending on who you ask – young adults of different races, income levels, and geographic locations often have different concerns or prioritize the same concerns differently.

Young people today have particular challenges concerning money, school, violence, sex, climate change, social media, and many other issues. And they face them in different ways than I had to deal with them (back when I was considered young).

Yet, no matter the struggle, nor the concern, the ability to remain set apart for godly purposes is perhaps the main challenge for a spiritual young person. How can a young person keep their life pure?

The psalmist asked the question, and gave a straightforward answer: By obeying God’s commands.

Knowing the answer, however, is only part of attaining and maintaining purity of life. One must put in the hard work necessary to achieve it and hold onto it. And the psalmist helps out with that, as well.

An engagement with the following spiritual practices is how the young person can live into obedience to God and be pure. It’s necessary to frame them as “I will” statements, so that we continually understand that these spiritual practices are vital, and not optional, to a successful life of purity.

I Will Put Energy Into Prayer

It’s one thing to throw up a few prayers in the heat of the moment. But it’s an altogether different thing to devote oneself to prayer and intentionally put the time and energy into praying.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. (Colossians 4:2, NIV)

Let there be no excuses in developing a robust prayer life – with the content of those prayers including petitions to avoid falling into disobedience.

I Will Hold God’s Word In My Heart

This is the primary means of keeping sin at bay and maintaining purity and holiness. The Scriptures are meant to be read, ingested, meditated upon, ruminated on, contemplated, and lived. Bibles are not intended to adorn coffee tables; they are designed for their contents to be known.

We can only hold what we have. To keep God’s Word in the heart, it must be taken into that heart.

I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. (Psalm 119:11, NLT)

I Will Praise God

Praise to God arises organically whenever we truly take in the words of God. That’s because God’s Word is life. Praising the Lord is a consistent theme throughout Holy Scripture, as people experience the grace and goodness of God.

I will praise you, Lord!
    You always do right.
I will sing about you,
    the Lord Most High. (Psalm 7:17, CEV)

I’ve thrown myself headlong into your arms—
    I’m celebrating your rescue.
I’m singing at the top of my lungs,
    I’m so full of answered prayers. (Psalm 13:5-6, MSG)

I Will Repeat Aloud God’s Word

It’s a good thing to read the Bible and know the commands of God. It’s an even better thing to read, out loud, and read it more than once.

“…Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly, which was made up of men and women and all who were able to understand. He read it aloud from daybreak till noon… in the presence of the men, women and others who could understand. And all the people listened attentively to the Book of the Law.” (Nehemiah 8:2-3, NIV)

Ezra Reads the Law to the People, by Bernadette Lopez

This, in fact, is how we actually get God’s Word impressed on our minds and into our hearts. It’s important for Scripture to move from our short term memory into our long term memory. Then, we can draw from it, especially in those times when we need immediate wisdom or comfort or help.

Just as praise is organic, so God’s Word can spontaneously come out of us – that is, if we have prepared ourselves by filling up the soul to the full of Scripture. Then, helpful words and theology begin to overflow out of us, and benefits everyone.

I Will Delight in Obedience

Submission doesn’t come naturally to most people; it requires intentional development. We need a plan for getting the commands of God inside us. Then they can be familiar to us. And we can follow those commands with all the grace and ability the Lord grants us.

This is more than woodenly following some rules. Keeping to the letter of the Law only engages the mind. The heart needs to be involved, as well. We must also keep the spirit of the Law. And that can happen by learning to delight in obeying God.

Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart…

The Lord makes firm the steps
    of the one who delights in him;
though he may stumble, he will not fall,
    for the Lord upholds him with his hand. (Psalm 37:3-4, 23-24, NIV)

I Will Study God’s Word

Learning to delight in God’s commands logically leads toward wanting to examine those commands more closely, to take a good hard look at the biblical teachings available to us.

We don’t necessarily need to become Bible scholars in order to study. We just need the desire and a way to take a closer examination at Scripture. A good way to begin is engaging in a practice known as Lectio Divina.

Lectio Divina is an ancient Latin term which means “spiritual reading.” It is to read Holy Scripture not just to know its contents, but to experience its power to restore, heal, transform, and draw close to God. 

This is a simple way to prayerfully read the Bible, meditate on its message, and listen for what God may be saying for us to do. The goal is to become more Christ-like.

Lectio Divina is based upon reading a selected text of Scripture three times. Each reading is followed by a period of silence after which we respond to God with what we are hearing as we listen.

First Reading

During the first reading, read the text aloud twice. Read slowly and carefully. The purpose of the first reading is to hear the text and listen for a word, phrase or idea that captures your attention. Focus your attention on it, repeating it within your mind several times.

Second Reading

During the second reading, read the text again. This time, focus your attention on how the selected word, phrase or idea speaks to your life. What does it mean for you today? How is Christ, the Word, speaking to you about your life through this word, phrase or idea? After reading, observe a period of silence, then express a brief prayer to God.

Third Reading

Read the text again. This time, focus on what God is calling you to do or to become. Experiencing God’s presence changes us. It calls us to something. During this final reading, focus on what God is calling you to do or to be. Again, observe a period of silence, then pray to God about what you believe you are being called to do or to be.

I Will Take Pleasure in God’s Word

It is probably a foregone conclusion, that when we commit our energy to prayer, hold the Word near and dear to our heart, praise God, speak aloud the words of God, delight in and study divine instruction, we will find ourselves enjoying every moment of it – and living a pure and holy life.

We will discover that God takes pleasure in us. This enjoyment of God over us is so compelling and gracious, that it’s almost as if we cannot help but reciprocate with praise, adoration, and devotion to holiness of life.

There is no arm-twisting in this realm of enjoyment. No need to gin-up motivation, nor to try and get obedience and purity out of others.

The sooner we all learn that the world truly spins on an axis of mercy, the quicker folks will realize a better way to live than endless rules and pronouncements.

For the Lord is always true to the basic divine character of pure steadfast love through what is right, just, and good. Amen.

Delight in God’s Word (Psalm 119:41-48)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment

Lord, give me your unfailing love,
    the salvation that you promised me.
Then I can answer those who taunt me,
    for I trust in your word.
Do not snatch your word of truth from me,
    for your regulations are my only hope.
I will keep on obeying your instructions
    forever and ever.
I will walk in freedom,
    for I have devoted myself to your commandments.
I will speak to kings about your laws,
    and I will not be ashamed.
How I delight in your commands!
    How I love them!
I honor and love your commands.
    I meditate on your decrees. (New Living Translation)

Christians often refer to the Bible as “God’s Word.” By that reference is meant that God has graciously given a self-revelation to us through the Holy Scriptures. 

The Jewish people refer to the first five books of the Old Testament as the Law of the Lord or the Torah. They understand God as a great, high and holy Being, who graciously accommodates and communicates to us on our level by giving the Law. 

Just as a parent coos and babbles and speaks in a very different way to a baby in a crib, so God speaks to us in a manner that we can understand divine care, concern, and love for us. Just as an infant cannot understand an adult conversation taking place, so God is a divine being well above our comprehension. We have no ability to understand anything God says unless the Lord graciously and lovingly bends down to speak to us on our level.

God’s Law, the Torah, was the curriculum for Israel’s religious instruction. The Law of the Lord is meant to be a behavior pattern, to be embodied in the lives of God’s people through both teachers and parents who learn God’s Word and, in turn, pass it along to others. Both those within the faith, such as children, and those outside of the faith, such as aliens or immigrants, can have a guide for how to live in the world.

God’s Law is an extension of God’s grace. And we can gratefully accept the grace of God expressed in God’s Word. We have the opportunity to ingest it, eat it, reflect on it, and dwell with it, in order to know God and be the sort of people God who can bless the world.

There are several Hebrew language words that come from the root word of Law, or Torah.  A teacher is a “moreh.” A parent is a “horeh.” Parents and teachers are to be living guides in the way of God’s Word. What’s more, the Hebrew word for teaching is “yarah.” 

So, in other words, the moreh’s and the horeh’s are to yarah the Torah. Parents and teachers are to point and lead others into the ways of the Lord. And how do they do this?…

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9, NIV)

God’s Law (God’s Word) is to be as familiar to us as our back door; it is to be in front of us all the time. We might put a modern spin on the Deuteronomy passage to help us understand our privilege when it comes to God’s Word:

Attention, Church! God, our God! God the one and only! Love God, your God, with your whole heart: love God with all that is in you; love God with all you’ve got! 

Write these commandments that I’ve given you today on your hearts. Get them inside of you and then get them inside your children. 

In order to do this, talk about God’s Word at home when you are eating supper together, and when you are working or playing with each other. 

Start your day with God’s Word when you get up, and end your day with God’s Word when you go to bed at night. Put God’s Word on your refrigerator, and your car’s dashboard; have it on your smartphones, and let it be available to you anywhere, anytime. Use every opportunity you have to incessantly chatter about God’s Holy Word.

Someone may say, “That’s pretty radical – I don’t need to do all that!” Then I would say you are missing out on living a blessed life, because people are blessed when they walk according to God’s Word and keep God’s Law in front of them, seeking God with all their heart. 

Eleanor Turnbull, a veteran missionary to Haiti, collected and translated some simple but powerful prayers of the Christians who live in the Haitian mountains. Here are four prayers that they pray every day – and take note of their high view of God, and their longing to know God’s Word: 

  1. “Our Great Physician, Your word is like alcohol. When poured on an infected wound, it burns and stings, but only then can it kill germs. If it doesn’t burn, it doesn’t do any good.” 
  2. “Father, we are all hungry baby birds this morning. Our heart-mouths are gaping wide, waiting for you to fill us.” 
  3. “Father, a cold wind seems to have chilled us. Wrap us in the blanket of your Word and warm us up.” 
  4. “Lord, we find your Word like cabbage. As we pull down the leaves, we get closer to the heart. And as we get closer to the heart, it is sweeter.”

Let’s not be so busy, pre-occupied, or worried that we push God’s Word to the margins of our lives as only something for our discretionary time. 

Instead, let’s commit ourselves, like the psalmist, to learning and loving God’s commands and decrees.

Let’s be intentional about connecting with the God who has so graciously given us a guide for grateful living. 

Let’s lay solid plans to catechize people into the basics of faith and holy living. 

May your efforts both honor God and build up Christ’s Church. Amen.

How Can I Live a Pure Life? (Psalm 119:9-16)

On By Tim EhrhardtIn Christian Spirituality Blog, Daily Bible Reading Blog, Year ALeave a comment
Statue of Saint Valentine in Terni, Umbria, Italy

How can a young person live a pure life?
    By obeying your word.
I try with all my heart to serve you.
    Help me obey your commands.
I study your teachings very carefully
    so that I will not sin against you.
Lord, you are worthy of praise!
    Teach me your laws.
I will repeat the laws we have heard from you.
I enjoy following your rules
    as much as others enjoy great riches.
I will study your instructions.
    I will give thought to your way of life.
I enjoy your laws.
    I will not forget your word. (Easy-To-Read Version)

There was an actual Saint Valentine (c.226-269 C.E.) who lived and served as a Bishop in Rome. The Roman Emperor of the time, Claudius II, was vehemently opposed to Christianity. Claudius forbad Christian marriages from taking place – which was something Bishop Valentine was unwilling to do, and was supposedly jailed for his refusal to stop performing Christian weddings. Hence, one of the reasons for Valentine being the patron saint of lovers.

That’s certainly one way of helping to keep young Christians pure. I, in fact, have more than once advocated on behalf of a young couple in love. Their parents, who wanted a large wedding and plenty of time to prepare for it, simply didn’t realize what they were asking of their kids and how much that put them in an awkward position.

To be pure means to be holy or set apart for a special or specific purpose. Christians are to be completely devoted to their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. In order to do that, they will need to pay particular attention to God’s commands and Christ’s teachings.

The Will

The whole person must be involved in obeying the teachings given to us. It begins with our will. Notice that the psalmist sets his resolve toward this great task by stating:

  • I will repeat (out loud) the divine laws I hear
  • I will study God’s instructions
  • I will give thought to my way of life with Yahweh
  • I will not forget the Lord’s words

I have considered my ways
    and have turned my steps to your statutes.
I will hasten and not delay
    to obey your commands. (Psalm 119:59-60, NIV)

We need strong affirmations toward engaging our will toward reading aloud, studying, and remembering biblical commands, so that we will succeed in our quest for purity and holiness.

The Emotions

Our affections also need to be involved. We are emotional creatures, having been formed by a Creator with deep feelings. Therefore, our own emotions are meant to be acknowledged and engaged. The psalmist enjoys God’s Law and is emotionally draw to it’s beauty and light.

Oh, how I love your law!
    I meditate on it all day long.
Your commands are always with me
    and make me wiser than my enemies. (Psalm 119:97-98, NIV)

We need strong feelings toward desiring God’s Word, so that there will be effective action toward a life of purity. Overall, we do what we want. Continually doing something we don’t really want to do ends up being either legalistic or loathsome.

The Body

Our bodies are the vehicles to doing and accomplishing God’s will on this earth. Thus, our physical selves must be animated toward the good, the right, and the just. The psalmist worshiped and praised God.

I, by your great love,
    can come into your house;
in reverence I bow down
    toward your holy temple. (Psalm 5:7, NIV)

Hear my cry for mercy
    as I call to you for help,
as I lift up my hands
    toward your Most Holy Place. (Psalm 28:2, NIV)

Our bodies need to move in physical rhythms of praise and worship to God, so that there will be purity of life. Holiness needs hands and feet to walk into the way of the Lord and obey God’s commands.

Philosophies of Purity

There are some unsound approaches to becoming pure and remaining holy:

  1. It’s up to me. God is too far away, maybe even absent altogether. This is a philosophy which ignores the gut. Yet, if we seek to connect with our innards, we’ll discover quickly that purity is not all on me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, then you will produce much fruit. Without me, you can’t do anything. (John 15:5, CEB)
  2. Follow your heart. Doing this has significance; however, if that’s the exclusive approach to purity, the mind gets left behind and the heart ends up vulnerable to deceit. The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9, ESV)
  3. Knowledge is power. Yes, of course it is; but by itself, knowledge puffs up. We need the affections, particularly love, or else we become brains-on-a-stick, denigrating the body as superfluous to spirituality. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. (1 Corinthians 8:1b, NRSV)
  4. Control everything. There are certainly forces in operation in this world; yet we are never called to try and manipulate them. We may will ourselves to do many things, yet God has control of all things. Humanity is called to self-control, which takes up all our energy because it’s no easy feat. For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age. (Titus 2:11-12, NIV)

A sound philosophy of being holy and pure recognizes that we need divine help in strengthening our faith; the assistance of others who can walk alongside us and provide encouragement; and the engagement of our entire person, utilizing all our faculties in order to live a life of purity. Obedience to God’s Word is vital to a holy life; and to obey requires our entire selves.

There is to be a marriage between God’s commands and human obedience. The world may forbade this, but much like St. Valentine, we’ll let love have its way – and not the ruler of this present evil age.