But the Word of the Lord…

The great Marquia of Montrose as he was called, would have been executed but for the following singular expedient.  When upon the scaffold, he availed himself of the custom of the times, which permitted the condemned to choose a Psalm to be sung.  He selected the 119^thPsalm, and before two thirds of the Psalm had been sung, a pardon had arrived and his life was preserved. 

(picture of Marquia of Montrose)

There is no title to this Psalm, neither is any author’s name mentioned. 

It is the longest Psalm, and this is a quiescently no distinctive name for it. 

It equal in build twenty-two Palms of the average length.

The Psalm is alphabetical. 

Eight stanzascommence with one letter, and then another eight with the next letter, and so the whole Psalm proceed by octonaries through the 22 letters of the Hebrew Alphabet. 

The holy spirt thus designed to speak to men in forms which were attractive to the attention and helpful to the memory. 

The word of the Lord is in each verse under some form or another.  It is pursued in every stanza.  He used many names but the theme is always there.

God’s law

His Way

His testimonies

His commandments

His precepts (something entrusted to man)

His word

His judgements

His righteousness

His statues (to engrave or inscribe)

His truth

There is an evident growth in subject matter.

The earlier verses are of such a character as to lend themselves to the hypothesis that the author was a young man, while many of the later passages could only have suggested themselves to age and wisdom. 

In every portion, however, it is the fruit of deep experience, careful observation, and earnest meditation.  It seems to be the short and sudden breathings of his soul to god, which he wrote down as the occurred.  The manner it is composed in, or the matter is composed of is very excellent.

It is a prolonged medication upon the excellence of the word of God, upon its effects, and the strength and happiness which it gives to every man in every position.

YOU GROW AS YOUR LOVE FOR THE WORD OF GOD GROWS

It is a prolonged medication upon the excellence of the word of God, upon its effects, and the strength and happiness which it gives to every man in every position.

Aleph

1^aBlessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD!
2Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
who seek him with their whole heart,
3who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways!
4You have commanded your precepts
to be kept diligently.
5Oh that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping your statutes!
6Then I shall not be put to shame,
having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
7I will praise you with an upright heart,
when I learn your righteous rules.^b
8I will keep your statutes;
do not utterly forsake me!

Beth

9How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word.
10With my whole heart I seek you;
let me not wander from your commandments!
11I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
12Blessed are you, O LORD;
teach me your statutes!
13With my lips I declare
all the rules^cof your mouth.
14In the way of your testimoniesI delight
as much as in all riches.
15I will meditate on your precepts
and fix my eyes on your ways.
16I will delight in your statutes;
I will not forget your word.

Heth

57The LORDis my portion;
I promise to keep your words.
58I entreat your favor with all my heart;
be gracious to me according to your promise.
59When I think on my ways,
I turn my feet to your testimonies;
60I hasten and do not delay
to keep your commandments.
61Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,
I do not forget your law.
62At midnight I rise to praise you,
because of your righteous rules.
63I am a companion of all who fear you,
of those who keep your precepts.
64The earth, O LORD, is full of your steadfast love;
teach me your statutes!

Mem

⁹⁷ Oh how I love your law!
    It is my meditation all the day.
⁹⁸ Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,
    for it is ever with me.
⁹⁹ I have more understanding than all my teachers,
    for your testimonies are my meditation.
¹⁰⁰ I understand more than the aged,^[h]
    for I keep your precepts.
¹⁰¹ I hold back my feet from every evil way,
    in order to keep your word.
¹⁰² I do not turn aside from your rules,
    for you have taught me.
¹⁰³ How sweet are your words to my taste,
    sweeter than honey to my mouth!
¹⁰⁴ Through your precepts I get understanding;
    therefore I hate every false way.

Taw

¹⁶⁹ Let my cry come before you, O Lord;
    give me understanding according to your word!
¹⁷⁰ Let my plea come before you;
    deliver me according to your word.
¹⁷¹ My lips will pour forth praise,
    for you teach me your statutes.
¹⁷² My tongue will sing of your word,
    for all your commandments are right.
¹⁷³ Let your hand be ready to help me,
    for I have chosen your precepts.
¹⁷⁴ I long for your salvation, O Lord,
    and your law is my delight.
¹⁷⁵ Let my soul live and praise you,
    and let your rules help me.
¹⁷⁶ I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek your servant,
    for I do not forget your commandments.

Or what about

Psalm 119:105  Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

lm 119:11  Your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Psalm 119:9  How can a young man keep his way pure?  By keeping it according to your word.

Psalm 119:89 Forever O Lord your word is settled in heaven.

Psalm 119:97 O how I love your law it is my mediations all the day.

Psalm 119:18  Open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things from your law.

In 176 verses the writer understood that one thing

If in the Sanctuary God speaks to you the Word keeps you…

Think of Moses at the Burning Bush, a type of sanctuary

Isiah receiving his vision in the temple, an actual sanctuary

Jeremiah starts with a sanctuaryexperience “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you, and before you were born I consecrate you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations.”

Jesus being Baptized is the sanctuarycoming down

Paul and his encounter on the way to Damacus the sanctuarywas all around

There are some things that need sanctuary experiences

The overwhelming crisis at our borders and ungodly living with believers needing to step up

The acute homelessness and mental issues on our street

Addiction at all-time highs

Abortion, single parent families, kids raising kids, disrespect, poverty…

The people that don’t follow Jesus

All of these problems God gives us a mission for in the sanctuary.

Emotions are high.  God is good. Victory is coming.  Hope for your future.

But the Word of the Lord is what keeps you.

William Wilberforce writes in his Diary in 1819—“Walked from Hyde Park quoting the 119^thPsalm to great profit.”—You might not know who he is but…

Wilberforce headed the parliamentary campaign against the British slave trade for twenty-six yearsuntil the passage of the Slave Trade Act of 1807.  Twenty years later, (13 years in he walks home from parliament quoting Psalm 119) Wilberforce supported the campaign for the complete abolition of slavery and continued the involvement after 1826 when he resigned from Parliament because of his failing health.His work on the slave trade led to the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 which abolished slavery in most of the British Empire.

And he walks home from Parliament quoting Psalm 119.

His word is what will keep you through every high and every low. 

Where being in the sanctuary reminds you, His word steadies you.