Psalms 119, verses nine through 16. Psalm 119, it's all about giving God all the glory for his righteousness. And it's about revival too, for us to remember all the great works of God and all his wonderful attributes. So I think it's only appropriate that a song that we can start with this morning is Revive Us Again, because Psalm 119 is all about revival.

Psalm 119, starting in verse 9, going 9 through 16, this is the section called Beth. It's actually spelled B-E-T-H, Beth, but it's pronounced Beth. That's the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and we talked about how the 119 is an acrostic poem where each Each section starts with the letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and then also each verse is themed after that letter as well.

And so in this section, the Hebrew alphabet letter called bet, it signifies house or dwelling. It represents the foundational concept of making one's heart a home for God's word. focusing on purity, obedience, and mediating, meditating, I mean, on the divine precepts to guard one's life against sin. Bet also has another meaning. As a prepositional word, it means in. The first word in the Bible is in.

Genesis 1.1 says, in the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. This this kind of interesting about the Hebrew letter bet that the first scripture in the word of God has the dual meanings of the letter bet as in in the beginning and God created the heaven and the earth which is the earth is essentially our home for the time being or at least our dwelling place for we know this earth is not our home.

We are just merely passing through. but we do dwell here right now. Hebrews 11 13 says these speaking of Abel Enoch Noah Abraham and Sarah talking about their faith. These all died in faith not having received the promises but having seen them at a far off and were persuaded of them and embrace them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth as are we. Back to the idea that bet means dwelling place.

Let's see what the scripture says about that in first Corinthians 6 chapter 6 verse 19 and 20 what know you not that your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which you have of God and you are not your own for you are bought with a price therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. 1 Corinthians 3, verse 16, back a couple pages here, says, know ye not that ye are the temple of God and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you? So this goes right along with Psalm 119. Our bodies are a temple of God, a dwelling place, and the spirit of God dwells in us.

Romans chapter 8 starting at verse 8 so then day that are in the flesh cannot please God but he are not in the flesh but the spirit but in the spirit if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his and if Christ be in you The body is dead because of sin, but the spirit is life because of righteousness.

But if the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal body by his spirit that dwelleth in you. In our unregenerate state, the word of God is foolishness because we are born spiritually dead. But we see here in Romans 8, verse 11, when God shines his glorious light in the heart of a poor and needy sinner, giving them the precious free gift of faith to believe in the finished work of Jesus Christ and him crucified as our only hope for salvation, sanctification, regeneration, and all the other words that describe God saving our souls from going to hell, like we deserve. When God saves someone through the preaching of the gospel and gives that spiritually graveyard dead body life, it is by the spirit dwelling in you. As the scripture says in Romans chapter eight, verse 11, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken, make alive your mortal body by his spirit that dwells in you. And the psalmist just really nails that on the, on the head of the nail in this section, bet the spirit dwelling in you. That's what gives your mortal body life. Psalm 119 verse nine through 16.

I'm going to go ahead and read it. Bet where with shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed there to according to thy word with my whole heart have I sought thee. Oh, let me not wander from thy commandments Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee. Blessed art thou, O Lord, teach me thy statutes. With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes. I will not forget thy word. Starting in verse nine of Psalm 119, we read, wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way by taking heed thereto according to the word.

The word of God is the foundation of our faith. We can't base the foundation of our faith on our personal beliefs or experiences or what someone told us. we've seen or especially heard from a source other than the Word of God, and even what a pastor preaches to you, even a God-honoring preacher such as Pastor John or previously Gene or Don Fortner or any of the amazingly wise and knowledgeable pastors that visit us at our conferences or occasionally. No, we must test the spirits of everything. Every preacher that I've ever heard standing in the pulpit has said, Every preacher of God has said, don't take my word for it.

Read the word of God and determine yourself of what I'm saying is true. And if I ever preach anything that doesn't glorify, lift, exalt, and magnify the Lord Jesus Christ and his finished work on the cross, and his preeminence in all things for that matter, for the redemption and salvation of our souls, then run him out of town. Run me out of here. I've heard John and Jean both say this numerous times, and I echo their words. First John chapter four, verse one through six.

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the spirit of God, every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God. And every spirit that confesses not that Jesus Christ has come into the flesh is not of God. And this is that spirit of Antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come, and even now already is in the world.

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. They are of the world, therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God. He that knoweth God, heareth us. He that is not of God, heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

I am reminded of when Paul was in Berea and he spoke of the Bereans. He said that in the brethren in Acts chapter 17, verse 10 and 11, he said, and the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea, who coming tither went into the synagogue of the Jews. Those were more noble than those in Thessalonica, and that they, the Bereans, received the word with all readiness of mind and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so. 1 Thessalonians chapter five, verse 21, reads, prove all things, hold fast that which is good, prove all things, use scripture to interpret scripture.

And when we don't understand something, which in my case is a lot, pray for understanding, but ultimately trust the scripture for the word of God has the answer to everything we will ever experience the side of that doormark death. Back to our scripture in Psalm 119 in verses 10 and 11. With my whole heart have I sought thee, oh let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee. The psalmist says, with my whole heart have I sought thee, and let me not wander from thy commandments. I think the most important thing about the scripture is to always keep your eyes on Christ.

If we take our eyes off Christ for one second, we will surely be consumed by our nature, which is sin. We take our eyes off Christ for one millisecond, and we will, as the psalmist said, we will wander from thy commandments. We are forgetful and prone to wander.

That's why God commands us to not forsake the fellowship and to make the sacrifice of worship. In Hebrews chapter 10, Verse 25, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another and so much more as you see the day approaching. And in Hebrews chapter 13, verse 15, by him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifices of praise to God continually. That is the fruit of lips giving thanks to his name. Psalm 119, verse 10, with my whole heart have I sought thee. Oh, let me not wander from my commandments.

Peter took his eyes off Christ and look what happened. He almost drowned in Matthew chapter 14 verse 29 and 30 and he said, come. And when Peter was coming down out of the ship, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid. And beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. The Lord said, come, like he has for each and every child of God. The Lord calls his lost sheep out of darkness, saying, come, believe, live, have faith in my blood to cleanse you from all unrighteousness. And Peter obeyed, and he walked on the water.

I can only think that this scripture is a metaphor as to come, look to Christ, and walk upright in the word of God, living within the confines of God's will, expressing the God-given fruits of the Spirit, loving God and his people in all our actions. We may not be able to walk on water, but Philippians chapter four, verse 13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthened me. That's an encouraging scripture. We can do all things through Christ which strengthened me.

I love the wonderful ETH that they've taken out of all the new vengled versions of the Bible. They don't have a proper translation for words that end in ETH because it has a past, present, and future connotation. That means God who has strengthened us in the past is doing so right now and will do so in the future. And that's a wonderful thing.

Charles Spurgeon wrote this about the first part of Psalm 119, verse 10. With my whole heart have I sought thee. This is what he said. He said, can each of us say that? With my whole heart have I sought thee? What the psalmist proclaims Spurgeon turned into a question. A question that we should probably ask ourselves more than we think, because we're prone to wander and forgetful. With my whole heart, have I sought thee? On the second part of Psalm 119 verse 10, where it says, oh, let me not wander from thy commandments. Spurgeon writes, for though I have sought thee with my whole heart, yet my heart may in the future go astray.

Do not permit it. Lord, do not permit it. It is a very sorrowful thing, a very sorrowful thought to me that there are many who once sat in these seats and resolved to maintain a holy life, who nevertheless are at this moment in the seat of the scornful, some perhaps in prison, and many of them where they ought not to be. They determined to be right, but destitute of divine grace, they have gone astray. Let, therefore, each of us pray. Oh, let me not wander from thy commandments.

Spurgeon goes on to say, you know what John Bradford used to say when he saw a man taken out to be hanged? And so I had to look up who John Bradford was, because my history is terrible. But apparently, he was a chaplain to the King Edward VI. Early 1510 to 1555 was his life. He was a preacher known for powerful sermons that reprove sin, and he was dedicated to preaching Christ and him crucified as a sinner's only hope for salvation. So naturally, Charles Spurgeon looked up to that guy. John Bradford used to say this when he saw a man taken out to be hanged. There goes John Bradford, but for the grace of God. There goes Mike Jaladi, but for the grace of God. God lifts his finger of grace from any of us for one second, we're in big trouble.

And when you see others wander, you may say the same about yourself, Charles Spurgeon goes on to say, and then breathe the prayer, oh, let me not wander from thy commandments. In Psalms chapter 119, verse 12, blessed art thou, oh Lord, teach me thy statutes. Oh, bless God for teaching us his statutes. The psalmist praises the Lord here for the glorious virtue of God teaching us his word. As we read earlier, this is done by the spirit giving you life, by the spirit dwelling in you.

Because his very word is foolishness to the unregenerate heart. And it's just, it means nothing. People who said, oh yeah, I've read that Bible three times over. Well, you really didn't hear anything, and you didn't see anything, because you know that you didn't learn anything. It's the living word of God, and Bible scholars who've been reading it their whole lives will tell you the same thing. I'm just now beginning to unlock some of the mysteries of God, and it'll never happen in this lifetime.

John chapter 14, verse 26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you. That's what the psalmist is praying for God about. Teach me thy statutes. In second Timothy chapter three, verse 15, and that from a child thou hast known the Holy Scripture, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Blessed art thou, O Lord, teach me thy statutes. Second Timothy, chapter three, verses 15 through 17, and 15 I just read, 16 and 17, is, all scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly finished unto all works.

The Lord himself, By the word of God and the Holy Spirit, making his word effectual in our hearts, is what teaches us his statutes. For if we can't hear or see, we can't be taught. And for this reason alone, we see how blessed our God is, and God receives all the glory all the time for everything we learn of him, the great three in one, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Spirit. He receives all the glory.

For everything we learn, that's why the psalmist says, blessed art thou, O Lord, teach me thy statutes. Matthew chapter 13, verse 16. But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them, or to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them. So the psalmist is right on key when he says, bless you, Lord, teach me thy statutes. He knows that it's a blessing to have eyes that see and ears that hear. Psalm 119, verse 13.

With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth. This scripture serves to remind us that God's word is not to be just in my mind, but also on my lips. Ready to give a reason for my faith. Ready to be a witness of God's grace, of God saving sinners like me. The sign on the wall as you leave this building, right above that door back there, you are entering the mission field.

That's to remind us, we are the Lord's hands and feet. Let's face it, the only reason the sun rises each day is because the Lord has lost sheep that he will save. God cannot fail. God's plan is perfect. Everything God does is perfect. And God will not lose one of his sheep. That's what this entire book is all about. This is great news. It's really great news because we all have unsaved loved ones.

Back to our scripture reading in Psalms 119, verse 14. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies as much as in all riches. The psalmist is describing God's word as the richest of riches a person could have on this earth. And that joy is also found in the riches. Philippians four, verse four. Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice. Romans chapter 11, verse 33. Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out.

Now riches are in Christ. In Mark, I know one more Philippians chapter three, verse one. Finally my brethren rejoice in the Lord to write the same things to you to me indeed is not grievous but for you it is safe. That's everything in this book by the way it's safe. The Lord's testimonies are safe and we rejoice because he revealed them to us. It's a great gift.

Mark chapter 8 verse 36. Mark chapter 8 verse 36. For what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world, but lose his soul? All of our riches are in Christ. Ephesians chapter 3, verses 8 and 9. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ. So as the psalmist says in the last part of verse 14, as much in all riches, the New Testament goes on to make us understand that all the riches are in Christ. and all things were created by Christ. Christ receives the glory for everything, and he has the preeminence in all things. He created everything, he saves everybody, he rules everything, he is God, and the Spirit, they are three in one. We can't understand that completely, but we do believe it through faith. Just like predestination, it's a tough thing to understand. We can't understand the mysteries of God. We believe it by faith.

Psalm 119, verse 15, I will meditate in my precepts and have respect unto thy ways I will meditate in my precepts Joshua chapter 1 verse 8 this book of the law shall not depart out of my mouth but thou shalt meditate there in day and night that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous and then thou shalt have good success.

In the beginning of the Psalms, it also refers to meditating on God's word. As the psalmist says in verse 15, in Psalm chapter one, verse one. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful, but his delight is in the law of the Lord. In his law doth he meditate day and night.

Second part of verse 15, and have respect unto thy ways. In James chapter one, verses 22 through 25, it gives us a good account of how to respect unto God's ways. James chapter one. verses 22 through 25 see a style how faith brought be doers of the word and not here's only deceiving your own selves for if any be a hearer of the word and not a doer he is like a man unto a he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in the glass for he behold it himself and go with his way and straightway forget it what manner of man he was but who so looketh into the perfect law of liberty and continue it therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. That's having respect unto the way of God, be a doer, not just a hearer.

And finally, the last part of 119, Vett, in verse 16, we read, I will delight myself and thy statutes I will not forget thy word this verse reminds us to continually search the scriptures as the Bereans immerse ourselves in the word of God daily as a food for our spirit because we are forgetful and need to be reminded not only that the word of God being food for our spirit if the body doesn't eat it gets weak and unhealthy just like our spiritual body it needs to be fed Deuteronomy chapter 8 verse 3 chapter 8 verse 3 of Deuteronomy reads and he humbled thee and suffered thee to hunger and fed thee with manna which thou knewest not neither did thy father's know that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only but by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live and in Matthew When the Lord Jesus is being tempted by the devil himself, in Matthew chapter four, verse one through four, then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.

And when he had fasted for 40 days and 40 nights, he was afterward and hungered. I don't even think there's a man alive today that could not eat for 40 days and 40 nights. And when the tempter came to them, he said, if thou be the son of God, command that these stones be made bread. But Jesus answered and said, it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeded out of the mouth of God.

The word of God is alive. In Hebrews chapter four, verse 12, For the word of God is quick, that means alive, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

You can read the same scripture for years, and then all of a sudden, God will reveal something to you that is completely new, That's the wonderful, unsearchable mystery of God's word. It's called a mystery because we can't explain it, but we believe it by faith. For the word tells us without faith, it is impossible to please God. In Colossians chapter two, verse two, Colossians chapter two, verse two, we read that their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God and of the Father and of Christ.

In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. So just as the psalmist was saying that, what's the exact word he said? On Psalm 119 verse 16. No, he was talking about in 14, as much in all riches, how the word of God is a treasure, and the knowledge of God is a treasure. And it's in Christ that's hidden all the treasures of the wisdom and knowledge of God.

In 2 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 7, I'll close with this scripture. Let's see here, 2 Corinthians chapter 4, verse 7. verse seven, but we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us. We have this treasure in earthen vessels. God's orders are treasure.