POST 3--PSALM 119;2

''BLESSED ARE THEY THAT KEEP HIS TESTIMONIES, AND THAT SEEK HIM WITH THE WHOLE
HEART.''

The 2nd of the two-fold blessing introducing this beloved and famous chapter,
every verse of which extols the efficacy and worth of the holy scriptures, is here
pronounced. It is limited to, or assigned to those who fulfil the conditions
required, who ''keep his testinmonies,'' and who ''seek him with the whole heart.''
In the psalms, the word ''testimony'' in the singular usually refers to the whole of
inspired scripture, whereas ''testimonies'' as it here appears has reference to the
specific commandments of God's Word. God, being sovereign and all-wise, from the
beginning deemed it necessary and good to give man, whom He created in His own image
[GENESIS 1;27], commandments to keep. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, had many
delightful duties and but one prohibition to observe, not to eat of the tree of the
knowledge of good and evil, in the Garden of Eden [GENESIS 2;17]. Their disobedience
in eating of the fruit of this tree plunged themselves and every subsequent member of
the human race under condemnation and death. The moral law of God later revealed in
the Ten Commandments given through Moses on Mount Sinai reveals the holy, unchanging
nature of God, and is binding on every son of Adam. By this law God's will and man's
duty are clearly set forth, yet fallen man has not power in himself to fulfill the
law's demands, for the more he understands of it, the more does his own sinfulness
appear to him. This is the very purpose for which God has given His law--
ROMANS 3;19-20--''Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them
who are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world become
guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be
justified in his sight; for by the law is the knowledge of sin.''

Man, therefore, in seeking salvation is driven out of trusting in his own
righteousness which he thinks to have by his own imperfect keeping of the law, to
trust in the righteousness of Another for justification before God. see
Romans 3;21-22.

POST 2--PSALM 119;1

PSALM 119;1--''Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the
LORD''.

The longest of the psalms, and longest of all the chapters of the Bible, begins
as does the first psalm, with a pronouncement of blessing upon a life lived in
righteousness and true holiness [EPHESIANS 4;24]. This way of holiness, also called
the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus [ROMANS 8;2], is the way of all God's
true children by virtue of His very nature being implanted in them through the
miracle of regeneration.

An altogether different law, an opposing law, the law of sin and death, is served by
the one who habitually walks in the counsel of the ungodly, stands in the way of
sinners, and sits in the seat of the scornful [PSALM 1;1].

This stark contrast between the heirs of heaven and those who continue to obey Adam's
fallen nature is further noted in descriptions given by the Apostles. Paul, in
Hebrews commends the faith of those who ''confessed that they were strangers and
pilgrims on the earth'' [11;13]; to such Peter says, ''Dearly beloved, I beseech you
as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul''
[I PETER 2;11]; and John sets forth the same contrast; ''Love not the world, neither
the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father
is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of
the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world''
[I JOHN 2;15-16].

This promised blessedness encompassing spiritual life and health, communion with
God and saints, and the obtaining of His many promises concerning every area of life
is joined to walking, not to professing. A lifeless, hypocrital, empty profession of
faith costs nothing, but walking with God implies a movement forward, even when the
way is through adversity, persecution, and temptation. GGod's Word does not teach
that this way must be or will be sinless. The desire of God's child, as he meditates
upon His goodness and glory is like that of the disciples who asked to stay on the
mount of transfiguration with Christ [MATTHEW 17;7], or like the spouse in Song of
Solomon who said, ''I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on/ I have washed my
feet; how shall I defile them/'' [5;3]. But return he must to the arena of daily
battle with sin which does so easily be set him. Yet he has the promise of the Saviour's cleansing blood to be ever his. SEE I JOHN 1;7, 9.

INTRODUCTION

All the Word of God is precious treasure to the child of God, but certain
portions of holy scripture lend themselves to frequent meditation and exegesis.

Few passages excel Psalm 119 in its worshipful, heart-searching, and praise-evoking
matter.

Solomon, the wisest of men said, ''Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and
liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou searchest her as silver, and
searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the
LORD, and find the knowledge of God.''

Psalm 119 contains the heart cries of David after God's own heart for the granting
of knowledge and understanding, enablement for service, deliverance from evils, and
quickening grace for every need.

As we approach this study of Psalm 119, we do so reverently, acknowledging our
inability in ourselves, but with a total dependence upon the Holy Spirit for
guidance and discernment.

Dr. Paul W. Foltz