The Word of God: A Light to Guide Me

I Will Trust the Word When I Am Troubled (119:107-108)

The psalmist is going through a tough time. He is not just afflicted; he is “severely afflicted.” His trials are great, even life-threatening. This is not the first time he has been here (vv. 67,71,75), and it will probably not be the last. Does he turn inward, have a pity party, and sing, “Woe is me?” No! He turns to the Lord and prays, “Lord, give me life according to your word.” The idea is for the Lord to revive him and renew his life so that he may “keep [the Lord’s] righteous judgments” as he has sworn.

Do not miss what follows this plea for life. Yes, the Lord must save him. But he will not sit idly. In an act of worship, he will present to the Lord “freewill offerings of praise” (cf. 50:14; Heb 13:15). Further, he prays that the Lord will “teach me your judgments” (“rules” ESV). Once again, he calls on the master Teacher to be his instructor (vv. 12,26,29,33,63,68,99). Exaltation and edification are the powerful one-two punch the Lord uses to revive our souls and enable us to victoriously face the most severe afflictions. “Life without light, or zeal without knowledge, would be but half a blessing” (Spurgeon, Treasury, 343). The psalmist wants all of the Lord, especially when he is hurting.

I Will Trust the Word When My Life Is in Danger (119:109-110)

The affliction the psalmist suffers is almost certainly the result of persecution. We see this when he says in verse 109, “My life is constantly in danger” (“I hold my life in my hand continually” ESV), and in verse 110, “The wicked have set a trap for me.” He has lived a life of faithfulness for all to see. The wicked hate the way of the righteous and have tried to ensnare him. However, they will fail. Note the beautiful Hebrew parallel in the second lines of verses 109-110:

I do not forget your instruction. (v. 109)

I have not wandered from your precepts. (v. 110)

The second idea reinforces the first. Because we think a certain way, we will love a certain way, even when our life is in danger. God’s Word, which we love, informs our mind and lights our path. It shows us where to go, and we will not stray from its path. After all, it is the path of life. All other paths lead only to death. Proverbs 14:12 remains true: “There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.”

I Will Delight in Your Word until the End

Psalm 119:111-112

The last two verses of stanza Nun have an eschatological ring. They look forward and reflect on “some of the blessings that come from living a life committed to obeying the Lord” (Ross, Psalms, 553). The value and worth he ascribes to the Word of God are impressive. He stakes his entire future on it. The Scriptures are his personal promised land. Hassell Bullock puts it nicely: “In that inherited land of the Torah life, joy is the tone of existence” (Psalms 73–150, 365).

The Word of God Should Be the Joy of My Heart (119:111)

The psalmist boldly declares, “I have your decrees as a heritage forever.” This is the language of Canaan and the promised land. God’s Word is eternal, and its promises are “more sure than the inheritance of the land of Canaan” (Ross, Psalms, 553). Such an inheritance brings pure joy to his heart. Obeying the Word always does. It is not drudgery. It is not a pain. It is not enslaving. It liberates us, sets us free, and thrills our souls. The idea of ever walking away from or walking back on his promises is not even a consideration. They are his inheritance forever. They are the joy of his heart forever as well. He treasures God’s Word. He loves God’s Word.

The Word of God Should Be My Never-Ending Reward (119:112)

The theme of the heart continues into verse 112. Because the Word of God is the “joy of my heart” (v. 111), “I am resolved to obey your statutes to the very end” (v. 112). James Boice sums it all up well when he writes,

In the ending of the nun stanza, we see again that the psalmist was a practical person. The last statement is one of fierce determination: “My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end” (v. 112). The reasons he will keep God’s decrees to the very end are those he has identified in this stanza. He wants to keep God’s decrees because he will be able to live a God-pleasing life, he will understand the nature of true righteousness, he will possess a divine perspective on suffering and will triumph in it, he will be able to worship God rightly, he will not be turned aside from obedience to God’s law by any physical danger, he will not be distracted by the snares of evil men, and he will have a heritage that will last forever. (Living, 110)

Such a treasure of blessings is its own reward and blessing. It is a glorious inheritance that is eternal and can never be taken from us. This is how God’s Word will guide us. This is where God’s Word will take us. What an inheritance! What a reward! This world can offer nothing like this. It never can. It never will. “The grass withers, the flowers fade, but the word of our God remains forever” (Isa 40:8).

Conclusion

Proverbs 4:18-19 teaches us,

The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,

shining brighter and brighter until midday.

But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom;

they don’t know what makes them stumble.

The written Word points us to the living Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, who said, “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). If we follow this theme throughout Scripture, we can understand why the apostle John would write, “If we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Our world is a terrible world of darkness. God’s Word, however, is a wonderful world of light.

Reflect and Discuss