SIN ALWAYS OFFENDS GOD
Psalm 119:129-136
Your testimonies are
wonderful;
therefore my soul keeps
them.
The unfolding of your
words gives light;
it imparts understanding
to the simple.
I open my mouth and pant,
because I long for your
commandments.
Turn to me and be gracious
to me,
as is your way with those
who love your name.
Keep steady my steps
according to your promise,
and let no iniquity get
dominion over me.
Redeem me from man's
oppression,
that I may keep your
precepts.
Make your face shine upon
your servant,
and teach me your
statutes.
My eyes shed streams of
tears,
because people do not keep
your law.
This stanza is divided in
two parts: in the first half, the psalmist enjoys the benefits of the Word of
God in the midst of others who also love it; in the second part, he keeps the
Word while his unbelieving enemies turn their backs on it.
Loving the Scriptures is a
reality for the believer, and navigating the responses of those around us is a
responsibility that we all have.
The writer lives the
scriptures. They are wonderful and precious to him, as he enjoys the light they
bring to his life. He realizes that the Word always has more depth of meaning. It unfolds, bringing more and more understanding
to him.
Oh, that we would realize
that there is always more to learn, that knowing and understanding God is an
inexhaustible pursuit! This life-long journey brings unparalleled joy. The
crescendo in this section rises from the writer’s realization of how wonderful
the Scriptures are and then builds to desiring the wisdom that he receives as
the Word unfolds before him, until he has an unquenchable
desire to know more and more. This desire is never completely satisfied, for
the riches of the Word become brighter and brighter to a believer.
What keeps us from having
this kind of desire? Certainly a worldly mindset and sin, but also a lack of
study. Longing for the Word grows more intense, the more we dive into the
inexhaustible depth of truth. How valuable it is to surround ourselves with
those who share in this love. How important it is to be part of a local church
where the preacher manifests this kind of love for the Word by the seriousness
of his study before he preaches. A focused study causes
him to be single-minded, as he explains the riches of the Word to a
congregation hungry for the Scriptures and submissive to its truth. How
gracious is God, to have given us His Word, as well as the ability to
understand it and the power, through the Spirit, to implement it!
What a wonderful and
necessary preparation, as we are reminded that we learn and live the Word in a
dark and crooked world!
We are so needy of God’s
protection because we so quickly forget the value of His Word and stray, following
the way of the world. We are surrounded and oppressed by the iniquity of the
world.
We are in danger when we lose
sight of the teaching of God, and allow the perspectives of the world to
infiltrate our minds, instead. Only the Scriptures can alert us when our goals
and thinking have become polluted by worldliness. When we become accustomed to
the darkness of the world, we need God’s face to shine upon us. When we are
oppressed, we need His loving and caring guidance to encourage us in what is a
difficult journey.
The reality of a dark
world should bring tears to our eyes; there should be no arrogance or
haughtiness, but an amazed and humble gratitude for God’s care for us. We
should be Gospel-minded, remembering that the world does not need political or
human transformation, but heart transformation!
I realize that my attitude
improves greatly when I look at the sinfulness of men as an offense to God,
instead of a wrong committed against me. When I have God’s glory in focus, I am
saddened by the offense to my Savior and for the utter darkness that envelopes lost
mankind.
May we enjoy and long for
the Scriptures, and may they give us a godly perspective toward the unsaved!
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