2. Psalm 119: “Joy in the Journey”
There is a joy in the journey
There’s a light we can love on the way
There is a wonder and wildness to life
And freedom for those who obey
I’ve enjoyed studying this Psalm this week; want to share with you my impressions from reading the Psalm and studying the words of others who love this Psalm; and one verse that seemed to capture this sense of “Joy in the Journey”; what motivates the person who is trusting the Lord and living for him.

3. Psalm 119: a Song to Savour
“A chest of gold rings, not a chain of gold links”
A song praising God’s word; and a prayer to make best use of it
Here we are in the longest chapter in the Bible, the longest Psalm – Psalm 119. It’s a song to savour! You wouldn’t try (at least I hope you wouldn’t) – to eat a whole jar of sweets at once; but you might well look forward to trying a different sweet each day and discerning the distinctive flavour of each one. Each one would be a combination of bitter, sour, even salty flavours, but each one would be packed with sugar so the overall taste is always sweet.
Enjoy one verse at a time. And yet it’s good for us to get a sense of the Psalm as a whole. “A chest of gold rings, not a chain of gold links” (anon)
J A Alexander (professor in Princeton Seminary in the 19th C) said this Psalm is “wholly occupied with praises of God’s word or written revelation, as the only source of spiritual strength and comfort, and with prayers for grace to make a profitable use of it.”

4. Psalm 119: A Labour of Love Expansive acrostic poem “A pattern…
like embroidery…
leisurely, disciplined craftsmanship” (C S Lewis)
22 stanzas; 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet; each verse in each stanza with the same letter. A poet’s challenge… undertaken with deep love, delight and reverence.

5. Why study Psalm 119? To learn how to love our God
To learn how to delight in his word
To see the link between rules and a relationship with God
This Psalm is all about our relationship to God, and it corrects many misunderstandings of grace and law; here we don’t see God’s law and God’s grace in opposition to each other, but hand in hand. It teaches us how to love God by delighting in his word. It links the rules of God to the rule of God; he is the Saviour God and he is the Sovereign Lord of all.
To address the modern heart & mind:
Harsh Old Testament vs gracious New Testament?
How on earth can laws be attractive?

6. too much for one mouthful?
However…
too much for one mouthful?
Springwatch – saw an owl bringing in food for its chicks – they somehow swallow it whole – equivalent of you eating a cushion! Have you been put off Psalm 119 by its size? We need a way in – and our God in his goodness has provided for us!

7. Ways into Psalm 119? Try the start of the Psalms…
Psalm 1 – The blessed man delighting in the law of the LORD Psalm 2 – Blessed are all who take refuge in “the Son” Psalm 119:1 “Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD”
Even though we see in the Psalms a passion for holy living, we don’t see any sense of earning our way to God. The blessing of living God’s way comes to those who are trusting and hoping in God’s salvation. The law is based on the grace of God. That is the same in the OT and in the NT. He’s the same God with the same promises and the same plan. He saves those who trust in him and he calls those who trust in him to a holy life. He is a holy God who loves his people and calls them to be holy. He is a Saviour God who takes the initiative to cleanse his people. And they in turn long to cleanse their ways by taking heed according to his laws.

8. Ways into Psalm 119? From the Lord’s Prayer…
“Our Father in heaven… your will be done” (Matthew 6:9-10) “Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!” (Psalm 119:5)
There’s no gear-change or Plan B when we move from the Old to the New Testament… the LORD’s people always have a passion in their heart to put all of his words into practice. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. It’s just what we find in Psalm 119 – a passion to keep his word, to keep his statutes. And that’s a word we’re going to think some more about, because we’re going to focus on a single verse – see next slide

9. Ways into Psalm 119? From a single verse…
“Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage”
(PSALM 119:54 NKJV)
We’ll consider this verse as a way in, considering its message in the light of the whole Psalm, and the NT as well. We’ll think about how and why we can sing when we consider what our God has revealed in his word and what he has instructed and commanded in his word. Only those who know YHWH have this song; only those who know the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ have this good news in their hearts that makes them sing and gives them hope. And it’s good for us to hear the passion of an OT saint; the writer of Psalm 119 – with the prayer that his passion will stir our passion in the full light of the gospel.

10. Ps 119v54
“Your statutes” – The word of our God “have been my songs” – makes me sing “in the house of my pilgrimage” – and gives me hope and direction

11. It’s Personal
… the law of the LORD (v1) … his testimonies… seek him (v2) … his ways (v3)… your precepts (v4) ... your statutes (v5, 8) ... your commandments (v6) … your righteous rules (v7)
Just look back at the first stanza (1st eight verses) – see how personal this Psalm is – every verse is about the LORD, and his word, and mostly in the second person – you, your; it’s addressed to God with his revealed, personal covenant name – YHWH; the Saviour God of Israel.
Law (Torah) – YHWH’s teaching
Commandment – YHWH’s authority
Testimonies – YHWH’s witness
Statutes (or decrees - NIV)
Root: to hew, cut in, engrave, inscribe…
Meaning: what is ordained, decreed, prescribed, enacted.”
(W G Scroggie)

12. “Your statutes” The Psalmist’s desire: “keeping your statutes” (v5)
“teach me your statutes” (v12)
“your servant will meditate on your statutes” (v23)
The picture is of a man or a woman simply delighting in God’s word, longing to be immersed in it like an ocean, saturated with it like a sponge, sitting at the feet of a beloved teacher, hanging on his every word; and with a determined passion to live it out.

13. “Your statutes… my song”
Songs help us remember
Songs help us rejoice
Our song: that YHWH is Father, Lawgiver, Teacher, Saviour… to us!
A song of Amazing Grace!

14. Sing of the One who fulfilled the law
Jesus: God’s righteousness revealed
Perfect life and perfect redemption

15. Who’s listening to my song?
“him who taunts me” (v42)
Kings (v46)
those who fear the LORD (v79)
Him who taunts me (v42) – look through Psalm 119 and you will find it full of references to the opposition the Psalmist faced. Standing for the Lord puts us in opposition to a world determined to live without him.
It may be that kings or people in authority ask us to give an account of ourselves. Whoever it is who asks the question, we need to be ready to give a reason for the hope that we have.
Eg Billy Graham had great opportunities to witness to powerful people. Some Christians today have similar opportunities. You may have cause to chat to people in local government, or business people, or people in the media. We have a song; a hope; a gospel message; we need to be prepared to share it.
Our song is a witness to the world – we can still sing even though people may mock, criticise, oppose and persecute; if we are walking with the Lord we have no reason to be ashamed. We can keep singing this song!

16. A Pilgrim?
“Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage” (PSALM 119:54 NKJV) ESV – “in the house of my sojourning”
But there’s a final section to our verse,

17. A Pilgrim
“his first avowed intent - to be a pilgrim” (John Bunyan) “I urge you as sojourners and exiles” (1 Peter 2:11) “These all died in faith… having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth” (Hebrews 11:13)

18. Direction Direction; destination; hope Jesus said “Follow me”
Turning, serving, waiting (see 1 Thess 1:9-10)
- Are you a “singing sojourner”?

19. Psalm 119: “Joy in the Journey”
There is a joy in the journey
There’s a light we can love on the way
There is a wonder and wildness to life
And freedom for those who obey
I’ve enjoyed studying this Psalm this week; want to share with you my impressions from reading the Psalm and studying the words of others who love this Psalm; and one verse that seemed to capture this sense of “Joy in the Journey”; what motivates the person who is trusting the Lord and living for him.