souls. Now once again we'll turn
to the 119th Psalm and this evening we'll read the four verses, verses
33 to 36. So Psalm 119, reading verses
33 to 36. Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes. and I shall keep it unto the
end. Give me understanding and I shall keep thy law, yea, I
shall observe it with my whole heart. Make me to go in the path
of thy commandments, for therein do I delight. Incline my heart
unto thy testimonies and not to covetousness. It's a wonderful privilege really
to be able to read the Word of God and to read the testimony
of a child of God and to read in that testimony the outpouring
of his heart to his God. It is really a wonderful testimony
and a wonderful example for us today and the 40th Psalm that
we've just read is also very similar and how wonderful it
is therefore that God in his amazing love and providence has
recorded these writings and it's been maintained down through
the ages so that we are able to read them now this evening.
And so this section starts off with those words, teach me, O
Lord, the way of thy statutes. And what a blessing, surely,
that is if our desire is that the Lord, nonetheless, will teach
us the way of thy statutes, the way of the law of God, the way
of the commandments of God, the way of the instruction of God,
to come and pray that the Lord will teach us, because we're
very ignorant, left to ourselves. In actual fact, we're left to
ourselves enmity against God. So it's a great blessing if we
have been brought to that place, like the psalmist, with that
real prayer, because the whole psalm is really a prayer. Teach
me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes. It's a great blessing to desire
to walk in the right way, in the Lord's way and not our way.
And so he carries on and says, and I shall keep it. unto the
end. It's a mercy isn't it to have
faith to believe that we shall keep it unto the end and we desire
therefore to walk before the Lord in the light of his countenance. We have other examples of the
contrary way. In Job, Job tells us about those
who are not like that at all. And he gives us an example in
the 21st chapter of Job and verses 13 to 14. He says, they spend
their days in wealth and in a moment go down to the grave. Therefore,
they sound to God, depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge
of his, of thy ways. And if we just ponder for a moment
to think we have the two examples, really them, The one set before
us in this 119th Psalm and then the ungodly who really do not
want the knowledge of God because the knowledge of God will cut
across their plans, their way of living. And what a mercy then
to be found amongst those who desire to keep the blessed law
of God unto the end. And then he says, give me understanding
and I shall keep my law. Again, it's good to realize that
here was a very able person, a child of God, wonderfully blessed,
praying that he would be given understanding. And therefore
we should not be ashamed or embarrassed to come to God and pray that
he will give us understanding because naturally we are very
ignorant and it's good to come to God like that and pray for
spiritual understanding and as he goes on to say and I shall
keep thy law yea I shall observe it with my whole heart and that's
a tremendous statement really because Our heart by nature are
deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. So to be
brought to a position before God where we desire to observe
the law of God with our whole heart not half-hearted, not just
some things which suit us, but here with our whole heart. And again, when in the New Testament
we've written and we have a wonderful statement by the Apostle John
who tells us in the first epistle, in the second chapter, verses
27, But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth
in you. And ye need not that any man
teach you, but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and
is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye
shall abide in him. And that's a wonderful blessing.
If we have the evidence of the work of the Spirit of God within
us, instructing us and directing us, as the Lord grants us that
tender conscience to desire to do his will and not walk in a
contrary way, but to be blessed with that holy anointing to do
the will of Almighty God. And then indeed, to do it with
all our heart. Again, in the same chapter in
this gospel, sorry, this epistle of John, we read, but ye have
an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. That's
amazingly humbling, isn't it? To think that God comes to his
church and instructs us in this way and gives us unction from
the Holy One, the Holy Spirit. And through that, we are taught
and we are instructed. Well, you see, whoso is wise
and will observe these things, even they shall understand the
loving kindness of the Lord. It's beautiful, isn't it, really,
if we ponder these things, to realise the relevance of them. And he goes on to say, He desires
God to make him. We might say, why is that? Perhaps
to be made willing in the day of His power. That's when the
Word of God is applied to our hearts with power and directs
us in the right path, the path of Thy commandments. And then
He tells us, for therein do I delight. I read that 40th Psalm, really,
because it has a very beautiful verse in it, the 8th verse, and
this is what it says, I delight to do thy will, O my God, yea,
thy law is within my heart. It's a wonderful testament, isn't
it, to delimit, to do God's will. And we won't go through it all
this evening, but it's a lovely psalm to meditate upon. And he tells us, for innumerable
evils have compassed me about. My iniquities have taken hold
upon me so that I am not able to look up. They are more than
the hairs of my head. Therefore, my heart faileth me. Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver
me. O Lord, make haste to help me. David knew where to go for help,
didn't he? What a blessing it is if you and I know where to
go for help, that you and I might truly delight in the commands
and the ways that God leads us in, and to be humbled to realise
He has and does take notice of us, and indeed, He leads us in
the right way. that goes to a city of habitation. Really, as we read this psalm,
what stands out is this. The fervent prayer and the cheerful
obedience really mark the experience of a healthy Christian. We don't
want to be backward, do we? We don't want to be against these
things. We want to be for them and realise
the wonderful relevance of them and the wonderful blessing they
are. If the Lord gives us grace to walk in them, fervent prayer,
cheerful obedience to do God's will and as that He is set forth
and shows forth as evidence of God's mercy and God's love toward
us. And then he says, incline my
heart unto thy testimonies and not to covetousness. By nature
we are covetous. It's a great blessing then to
have our heart inclined not to covetousness, although we are
told to cover earnestly the best things, which of course speak
to us about the salvation of our soul. But incline my heart
unto thy testimonies and not to covetousness. When Paul wrote
to Timothy, he instructed him really in this statement, and
he said, for the love of money, and don't forget that it doesn't
say money, it says the love of money is the root of all evil,
which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith
and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou,
O man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness,
godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. fight the good fight
of faith they hold on eternal life whereunto they are also
called and has professed a good profession before many witnesses. Well Paul's instruction to Timothy
is God's instruction to us today and what a blessing it is that
we have the word of God to direct us in this way and to direct
us to none other than the Blessed Saviour himself, that we might
be a true follower of our Lord Jesus Christ. Well, may God be
with us and bless these few remarks and