Psalm 120
A Song of degrees.
1In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and he heard me.
2Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips, and from a deceitful tongue.
3What shall be given unto thee? or what shall be done unto thee, thou false tongue?
4Sharp arrows of the mighty, with coals of juniper.
5Woe is me, that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar!
6My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace.
7I am for peace: but when I speak, they are for war.
Psalm 121
A Song of degrees.
1I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.
3He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
5The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.
6The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
7The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
8The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
Chapter 120
Here's Henry's insight on the first two verses, "The psalmist was brought into great distress by a deceitful tongue. May every good man be delivered from lying lips. They forged false charges against him." In my darkest moment, what caused me distress was the fact that the enemy was trying to get me to believe his lies. The Lord delivered me from the lies and deceit before things got worse, which I am thankful for. Verses 3-4 don't seem to be directed at the reader, but what the verses mean to me is that since the enemy was really working on me to deceive me, God's gonna punish Him for that. That also relates to God's people in general and I praise Him for His sovereignty in the sense that the enemy won't overtake or dethrone Him. I'm not sure if I can relate to verses 5-6, but for clarity, here's Henry's insight on the verses, "It is very grievous to a good man, to be cast into, and kept in the company of the wicked, from whom he hopes to be for ever separated. See here the character of a good man; he is for living peaceably with all men." I haven't had an experience similar to the one described in verse 7, but what I will say about it is that there have been others in the past who wanted to fight and stuff, but I think my Christlike character shows that I try to make peace when possible. If someone hits me, I will most likely hit them back out of self-defense, not revenge since venegeance belongs to God. I do not believe Jesus was a pacifist, so I think that also contributes to it.
Chapter 121
In my darkest moment, I did look up the (metaphorical) hills (v. 1). Doing so was what was brought about my help from the Lord (v.2), which was His bringing me out of it. I like verse 3 because it reminds that God sees the little details and not just the big picture. The little detail in this case being that fact that He doesn't let His people move or slip even in the most trying of times. I think He uses the little things to bring about His plan in the lives of His people. Since I like Henry's insight on verse 4, I thought I'd include it, "He is a wakeful, watchful Keeper; he is never weary; he not only does not sleep, but he does not so much as slumber." I am thankful that He watches over me even in my sleep and that He can protect me during that time from an any evil, which He did during my darkest moment. I guess God never gets tired and never sees the need to sleep, which isn't a really need for an entity or spiritual being. I don't have a lot to say about verse 5 since I pretty much covered things in verse 4, but the fact that He is shade lets me know that He covers me (metaphorially) so darkness can't remain and have an influence on me. He was my shade during my darkest moment when He protected me while dealing witht the enemy. I'm not sure how I'd relate to verse 6, but in my darkest moment, He did preserve (v.7) or watch over me so the enemy wouldn't have an influence on me. Same goes when He preserved my soul (or life). I like the idea that He preserves (or watches over) me (v. 8), particularly on a constant basis because it lets me know that even if took His eyes off His people for just a second, they wouldn't be under His protection. "Coming and going" has to do with a believer's time on earth and his or her time in eternity. I believe that God is with His people every step of the way as long as they are loyal to Him.
Source used:
Henry, Matthew. "Concise Commentary on Psalms 120". "Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
on the Whole Bible". <http://www.searchgodsword.org/com/mhc-con/view.cgi?book=ps&chapter=120>.
Henry, Matthew. "Concise Commentary on Psalms 121". "Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
on the Whole Bible". <http://www.searchgodsword.org/com/mhc-con/view.cgi?book=ps&chapter=121>.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Reflecting on the Psalms: Chapter 119 verses 161-176
Psalm 119:161-176
161Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
162I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.
163I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.
164Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.
165Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
166LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.
167My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly.
168I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.
169Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word.
170Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word.
171My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes.
172My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.
173Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts.
174I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.
175Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.
176I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.
Chapter 119 verses 161-176
I'm not sure how I'd relate to verse 161 since I don't recall a prince or ruler or anyone in general who has persecuted me without cause, but in case I do, I can use His Word as a foundation to get me through, which I (also) see in verse 162. Not only do I hate to lie (v. 163), but I hate it when others lie to me. I'd imagine God is offened when people lie as He is offended by all sin. I try and express to Him that I love His law and I hate sin even though I have troubles with taming my tongue at times. I'm not totally sure how I'd relate to verse 164, but I do praise Him for His judgments (or laws) as an expression of thankfulness for the guidance and direction they provide. Without, I'd still be stuck in my darkest moment to this day. I like Matthew Henry's comment on verse 165, "Those that love the world have great vexation, for it does not answer what they expect; those that love God's word have great peace, for it outdoes what they expect." I've noticed that some people that love the world tend to have less patience and worry more than Christians do. I have a lot of patience and I don't worry about stuff in life that much, which I think results from having His Word as a foundation and trusting in Him. For clarity, here's Henry's insight on verse 166, "A good hope of salvation will engage the heart in doing the commandments." I do look forward to His return, which I think drives me to do things to love on others and have a heart for them as best as I can because it's never too late to make a difference in someone's life and the next day isn't promised, so I should take advantage of those opportunities when they present themselves. I try and keep (or obey) His testimones (v. 167) and I've talked about the basic ones that I continue to try to keep. That idea carries over into verse 168, which reminds me that I can't hide from God whether or not I choose to follow His precepts. I can't say I attempt to hide from Him, but maybe I should keep that mind in regards to my own issues in life in fear of a brother in Christ finding out about something.
I would relate verses 169-170 to my darkest moment because during that time I cried out to Him and He helped me out by saving me from it and He saves people from their problems, which is described in His Word. Perhaps verse 171 is a verse I should start putting into practice in regards to thanking for what He has taught from His Word so far and what He has yet to teach me. Speaking in verse 172 is referring to the act of signing or praising Him for the promises found in His Word. I do somewhat do that in church, but probably moreso on my own -- both in prayer and vocally. I like verse 173 because it means to me that since I have made the choice to follow Him and live His precepts, He'll honor that helping me out with whatever I'm dealing with. I did fall away from Him during my darkest moment, yes, but years before that I decided to follow Him, so my covenant with Him was still intact. I also like Hnery's insight on the verse, "His own hands are not sufficient, nor can any creature lend him help; therefore he looks up to God, that the hand that had made him may help him." Since verse 174 is a similar verse to verse 166, just look at my thoughts on that. I will praise Him as long as I live (v. 175) and will continue to do so when I'm with Him in eternity. I don't have much to say about the "let thy judgments help me" part, but I know whenever God helps me out, I am thankful for out and I think, it encourages me to continue to rely in Him so He can be glorified in my victories, such as passing algebra. In my darkest moment, I did stray fomr Him (v. 176), but I cried out to Him so He could seek me to bring me to bring me back to Him. I didn't forget that He would help me out and He honored that, which no man could've lived up to.
Source used:
Henry, Matthew. "Concise Commentary on Psalms 119". "Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
on the Whole Bible". <http://www.searchgodsword.org/com/mhc-con/view.cgi?book=ps&chapter=119>.
161Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word.
162I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.
163I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love.
164Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.
165Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.
166LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments.
167My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly.
168I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.
169Let my cry come near before thee, O LORD: give me understanding according to thy word.
170Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word.
171My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes.
172My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments are righteousness.
173Let thine hand help me; for I have chosen thy precepts.
174I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.
175Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.
176I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments.
Chapter 119 verses 161-176
I'm not sure how I'd relate to verse 161 since I don't recall a prince or ruler or anyone in general who has persecuted me without cause, but in case I do, I can use His Word as a foundation to get me through, which I (also) see in verse 162. Not only do I hate to lie (v. 163), but I hate it when others lie to me. I'd imagine God is offened when people lie as He is offended by all sin. I try and express to Him that I love His law and I hate sin even though I have troubles with taming my tongue at times. I'm not totally sure how I'd relate to verse 164, but I do praise Him for His judgments (or laws) as an expression of thankfulness for the guidance and direction they provide. Without, I'd still be stuck in my darkest moment to this day. I like Matthew Henry's comment on verse 165, "Those that love the world have great vexation, for it does not answer what they expect; those that love God's word have great peace, for it outdoes what they expect." I've noticed that some people that love the world tend to have less patience and worry more than Christians do. I have a lot of patience and I don't worry about stuff in life that much, which I think results from having His Word as a foundation and trusting in Him. For clarity, here's Henry's insight on verse 166, "A good hope of salvation will engage the heart in doing the commandments." I do look forward to His return, which I think drives me to do things to love on others and have a heart for them as best as I can because it's never too late to make a difference in someone's life and the next day isn't promised, so I should take advantage of those opportunities when they present themselves. I try and keep (or obey) His testimones (v. 167) and I've talked about the basic ones that I continue to try to keep. That idea carries over into verse 168, which reminds me that I can't hide from God whether or not I choose to follow His precepts. I can't say I attempt to hide from Him, but maybe I should keep that mind in regards to my own issues in life in fear of a brother in Christ finding out about something.
I would relate verses 169-170 to my darkest moment because during that time I cried out to Him and He helped me out by saving me from it and He saves people from their problems, which is described in His Word. Perhaps verse 171 is a verse I should start putting into practice in regards to thanking for what He has taught from His Word so far and what He has yet to teach me. Speaking in verse 172 is referring to the act of signing or praising Him for the promises found in His Word. I do somewhat do that in church, but probably moreso on my own -- both in prayer and vocally. I like verse 173 because it means to me that since I have made the choice to follow Him and live His precepts, He'll honor that helping me out with whatever I'm dealing with. I did fall away from Him during my darkest moment, yes, but years before that I decided to follow Him, so my covenant with Him was still intact. I also like Hnery's insight on the verse, "His own hands are not sufficient, nor can any creature lend him help; therefore he looks up to God, that the hand that had made him may help him." Since verse 174 is a similar verse to verse 166, just look at my thoughts on that. I will praise Him as long as I live (v. 175) and will continue to do so when I'm with Him in eternity. I don't have much to say about the "let thy judgments help me" part, but I know whenever God helps me out, I am thankful for out and I think, it encourages me to continue to rely in Him so He can be glorified in my victories, such as passing algebra. In my darkest moment, I did stray fomr Him (v. 176), but I cried out to Him so He could seek me to bring me to bring me back to Him. I didn't forget that He would help me out and He honored that, which no man could've lived up to.
Source used:
Henry, Matthew. "Concise Commentary on Psalms 119". "Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
on the Whole Bible". <http://www.searchgodsword.org/com/mhc-con/view.cgi?book=ps&chapter=119>.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Reflecting on the Psalms: Chapter 119 verses 145-160
Psalm 119:145-160
145I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes.
146I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.
147I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word.
148Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
149Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness: O LORD, quicken me according to thy judgment.
150They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.
151Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth.
152Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.
153Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law.
154Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word.
155Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.
156Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments.
157Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.
158I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.
159Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness.
160Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
Chapter 119 verses 145-160
I see verses 145-146 as verses that relate to my darkest moment, so I think I'll talk about that. I did cry out to Him with my whole heart, which I believe was represented by the fact that I needed Him to free me and help me out. And He answered my need by freeing me and working in me so I could grow closer to Him. I didn't say to Him that I'd keep His statutes, but that was something that I did and He knew I was going to do as a result of His freeing me. Verse 146 is pretty much the same, so I'm not gonna comment on it. For clarity, here's Matthew Henry's insight on verses 147-148, "Christians who enjoy health, should not suffer the early hours of the morning to glide away unimproved. Hope in God's word encourages us to continue in prayer." I can't say I can relate to those verses, but I thought I'd provide clarity anyway. I like verse 149 because it reminds that He's always there and He will always hear my voice according to His lovingkindness. In my darkest moment, He did hear me according to His lovingkindness, which He expressed by freeing me from the enemy and protecting me from his attacks. How I would relate to the "quicken me according to thy judgment" aspect because in my darkest moment, He revived me and renewed my relationship with Him, which is what that means to me. I can't relate to verse 150 since it doesn't apply to me, but I am thankful that He's always near (v. 151) and that His commandments consist of a foundation of truth. Verse 152 reminds me that His Word was made to be eternal. I've learned from it since I was young and I never plan on quitting nor do I believe that His Word will stop enduring. Since it's eternal, it's an infallible foundation to have. All the Bibles in the world could be burned, but since God is eternal, His Word won't be forgotten from His people who have taken the time to learn and study it.
He did consider my affliction in my darkest moment (v. 153) and He did deliver me, as I've talked about before. What caused was the fact that I didn't forget His law -- more specifically, the promise that He would free me. Verse 154 rings true because during my darkest moment, He knew that I needed to be freed and that I was asking Him with the right reasons in mind. He pleaded (or defended me) in case the enemy were to attack. I can't personally relate to verse 155, but will I will say is that the wicked would be doing themselves a favor if they seeked His statutes. His tender mercies (or compassions) are great (v. 156), which He illustrated to me in my darkest moment by freeing me from the enemy's grip, protecting me, and helping me to develop a stronger walk with Him, which was more than I could've asked for and I thank Him for helping me out. I probably don't have to go into detail about the "quicken me according to thy judgments" part since I already did in verse 149. But since God blessed in my darkest moment, as I've listed, His blessings towards me reminded me that He cares about me and He'll do all that He can to keep me bound to Him. I can't say I've had many persecutors and enemies throughout my life who didn't like the fact that I was a Christian (v. 157), but in case I do, I'm not gonna stray from His testimonies because His testimonies have been tried and have endured in my life and they'll do the same in case I ever deal with the, I guess, level of enemies described in that verse. It's kinda cool how His Word gives me hope for stuff I may face later on. I can't relate to verse 158 and I guess in order for me to do, I'd have to have a similar experience to the one described in the previous verse. I haven't dealt with a group and transgressors who have grieved (or disgusted) me because they acted in a way that was rebellious to His Word. If I were to catch someone in the act of doing something that was rebellious towards Him, I'd be pretty pissed and wouldn't wanna associate with them. He knows I love His precepts (v. 159), which I express to Him by applying them to my life. I believe that at as I apply His precepts, He quickens me or gives me life as a result since I find life and how He wants me to live it in His Word. I applied the promise that He would free me from my darkest moment and He did, which resulted in me being closer to Him. I am thankful that His Word has been true from the beginning (v. 160) and that it will never lose its truth. That means to me that His Word has endured over time and continues to do so in this modern age.
Source used:
Henry, Matthew. "Concise Commentary on Psalms 119". "Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
on the Whole Bible". <http://www.searchgodsword.org/com/mhc-con/view.cgi?book=ps&chapter=119>.
145I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes.
146I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.
147I prevented the dawning of the morning, and cried: I hoped in thy word.
148Mine eyes prevent the night watches, that I might meditate in thy word.
149Hear my voice according unto thy lovingkindness: O LORD, quicken me according to thy judgment.
150They draw nigh that follow after mischief: they are far from thy law.
151Thou art near, O LORD; and all thy commandments are truth.
152Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.
153Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: for I do not forget thy law.
154Plead my cause, and deliver me: quicken me according to thy word.
155Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes.
156Great are thy tender mercies, O LORD: quicken me according to thy judgments.
157Many are my persecutors and mine enemies; yet do I not decline from thy testimonies.
158I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.
159Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness.
160Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever.
Chapter 119 verses 145-160
I see verses 145-146 as verses that relate to my darkest moment, so I think I'll talk about that. I did cry out to Him with my whole heart, which I believe was represented by the fact that I needed Him to free me and help me out. And He answered my need by freeing me and working in me so I could grow closer to Him. I didn't say to Him that I'd keep His statutes, but that was something that I did and He knew I was going to do as a result of His freeing me. Verse 146 is pretty much the same, so I'm not gonna comment on it. For clarity, here's Matthew Henry's insight on verses 147-148, "Christians who enjoy health, should not suffer the early hours of the morning to glide away unimproved. Hope in God's word encourages us to continue in prayer." I can't say I can relate to those verses, but I thought I'd provide clarity anyway. I like verse 149 because it reminds that He's always there and He will always hear my voice according to His lovingkindness. In my darkest moment, He did hear me according to His lovingkindness, which He expressed by freeing me from the enemy and protecting me from his attacks. How I would relate to the "quicken me according to thy judgment" aspect because in my darkest moment, He revived me and renewed my relationship with Him, which is what that means to me. I can't relate to verse 150 since it doesn't apply to me, but I am thankful that He's always near (v. 151) and that His commandments consist of a foundation of truth. Verse 152 reminds me that His Word was made to be eternal. I've learned from it since I was young and I never plan on quitting nor do I believe that His Word will stop enduring. Since it's eternal, it's an infallible foundation to have. All the Bibles in the world could be burned, but since God is eternal, His Word won't be forgotten from His people who have taken the time to learn and study it.
He did consider my affliction in my darkest moment (v. 153) and He did deliver me, as I've talked about before. What caused was the fact that I didn't forget His law -- more specifically, the promise that He would free me. Verse 154 rings true because during my darkest moment, He knew that I needed to be freed and that I was asking Him with the right reasons in mind. He pleaded (or defended me) in case the enemy were to attack. I can't personally relate to verse 155, but will I will say is that the wicked would be doing themselves a favor if they seeked His statutes. His tender mercies (or compassions) are great (v. 156), which He illustrated to me in my darkest moment by freeing me from the enemy's grip, protecting me, and helping me to develop a stronger walk with Him, which was more than I could've asked for and I thank Him for helping me out. I probably don't have to go into detail about the "quicken me according to thy judgments" part since I already did in verse 149. But since God blessed in my darkest moment, as I've listed, His blessings towards me reminded me that He cares about me and He'll do all that He can to keep me bound to Him. I can't say I've had many persecutors and enemies throughout my life who didn't like the fact that I was a Christian (v. 157), but in case I do, I'm not gonna stray from His testimonies because His testimonies have been tried and have endured in my life and they'll do the same in case I ever deal with the, I guess, level of enemies described in that verse. It's kinda cool how His Word gives me hope for stuff I may face later on. I can't relate to verse 158 and I guess in order for me to do, I'd have to have a similar experience to the one described in the previous verse. I haven't dealt with a group and transgressors who have grieved (or disgusted) me because they acted in a way that was rebellious to His Word. If I were to catch someone in the act of doing something that was rebellious towards Him, I'd be pretty pissed and wouldn't wanna associate with them. He knows I love His precepts (v. 159), which I express to Him by applying them to my life. I believe that at as I apply His precepts, He quickens me or gives me life as a result since I find life and how He wants me to live it in His Word. I applied the promise that He would free me from my darkest moment and He did, which resulted in me being closer to Him. I am thankful that His Word has been true from the beginning (v. 160) and that it will never lose its truth. That means to me that His Word has endured over time and continues to do so in this modern age.
Source used:
Henry, Matthew. "Concise Commentary on Psalms 119". "Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
on the Whole Bible". <http://www.searchgodsword.org/com/mhc-con/view.cgi?book=ps&chapter=119>.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Reflecting on the Psalms: Chapter 119 verses 129-144
Psalm 119: 129-144
129Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them.
130The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
131I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.
132Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.
133Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.
134Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts.
135Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.
136Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.
137Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments.
138Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful.
139My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.
140Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.
141I am small and despised: yet do not I forget thy precepts.
142Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.
143Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights.
144The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.
Chapter 119 verses 129-144
His testimones are indeed wonderful (v. 129), which I express to Him by obeying (or keeping) them. If God tells me to do something that is in line with His will for my life, I'm gonna do it without question. I try to keep the commandments in His Word, which isn't always an easy thing to do. Some days the whole taming my tongue thing is easier said than done. I may not always know what will result from something that God is doing in my life (v. 130), but trusting Him is what will bring life. In my darkest moment, I did trust trust in Him even though I didn't know what was gonna result from that, but I did begin to see the fruits of trusting Him when He started to keep me from the enemy's influence. One of the fruits was that He dealt with the enemy while I focused on my relationship with Him. I'm not sure exactly how verse 131 would relate to my darkest moment, but it does comfort that if I'm waiting on God for Him to tell me what to do, I'm waiting on something that pertains to His plan for my life and I won't get short changed. For clarity, here's Matthew Henry's insight on the verses 132-133, "And every one may pray, Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. We must beg that the Holy Spirit would order our steps." What I get out of verse 132 is that God express His mercy towards me because He loves me. Even though I rebelled against Him in my darkest moment, He was still waiting for me to come back to Him (through prayer) because He wasn't finished with me. In prayer, I do ask Him to direct my steps, but perhaps I should metnion that to Him more often. It could help me to tame my tongue and not say a curse word just to hear myself say it. I can't say I've dealt much with the oppression of man (v. 134), but I can trust in God when I deal with it because doing so will result in deliverance from any oppression I may deal with, which was the case with my darkest moment. I do desire to learn His statutes (v. 135) and I feel that His face shines upon me when His Word touches me in a way it was something I needed, such as the time I was reading the Book of Joshua for a while while I was taking algebra. I had finished the book before the sememester was over, yes, but what I had learned about crossing over my Jordan and God being my inheritance didn't lose relevance or whatever. I'm not how I'd relate to verse 136, but sometimes I feel bad about disobeying His law -- whether it be by my tongue slipping or watching a movie that goes outside biblical boundaries in terms of content. I am thankful, though, that when I mess up, I can come back to Him and try not to mess up again.
For clarity, here's Henry's thoughts on verses 137-139, "God never did, and never can do wrong to any. The promises are faithfully performed by Him that made them. Zeal against sin should constrain us to do what we can against it, at least to do more in religion ourselves." I could relate to verses 137-138 because in my darkest moment, I kept in mind God's promise that He would free me from the enemy's grip and He proved to be faithful by answering my prayer, which resulted in Him protecting me and helping me out during that rough time. I can't say I can relate to verse 139 in the sense of my enemies forgetting (or disregarding) God's Word, but I hate sin, which I think is represented by the fact that I love Him and that some people in my church see me as someone in my age range who cares the most about my relationship with Christ. Not to say that I'm better than anyone, but I think it's a shame that myself and a young lady (in my church) are the one two are seen as the ones in our demographic as the ones who are the most passionate about the Lord. I'm not gonna point fingers at anyone either, but I wish more people would realize that God wants your all and not some half way deal. I'm not judging their relationships with Christ either -- the ones who aren't as passionate about Him -- but I feel that some people in age group take their relationship with Him for granted, which makes me somewhat about where they're at in their walk with Him, especially if they don't come from a Christian background. Enough getting off on tangent, though -- just felt like getting that off my chest. In regards to verse 140, I will say that God's Word is pure, which I express to Him by following it because I love it. "Very pure" in this case can mean "refined" or "thoroughly tested." And don't tell me His Word wasn't tested during the time I went through the Book of Joshua while taking algebra. Small, in the case of verse 141, means "insignificant," according to Bullinger. When that guy was giving me a hard time in my amth class, I did feel small and despised, but God's precepts were what helped me get through. Verse 142 pretty much speaks for itself, but I would say that verse 143 relates to my darkest moment because even though Satan was causing me trouble and trying to get me to fall, I decided to cling to His Word and find delight in the fact that He would help me out and free me, which I am forever grateful for. I am thankful that the righteousness of His testimonies (or statues) is everlasting, which means to me that they've stood the test of time and continue to. What "give me understanding, and I shall live" means to me is that by understand His Word, I will live the life He wants me to live and trust in Him when the hard times hit in order to live out the life He had (and still has) in mind, which I trying to live as best I can. Some examples that fit into that would be my darkest moment and the time I read Joshua while taking algebra. In relation to the latter, I understood and applied the priniciples from the Book of Joshua that would help me to succeed, particualrly because God knew I needed to read that book at the time. I believe if I read some other book at the time or didn't bother read Joshua at all, I wouldn't have gotten as much out of His Word in terms of applying it to passing algebra.
Sources used:
Henry, Matthew. "Concise Commentary on Psalms 119". "Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
on the Whole Bible". <http://www.searchgodsword.org/com/mhc-con/view.cgi?book=ps&chapter=119>.
Bullinger, E.W. The Companion Bible.
129Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them.
130The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
131I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.
132Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name.
133Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me.
134Deliver me from the oppression of man: so will I keep thy precepts.
135Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.
136Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law.
137Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments.
138Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful.
139My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words.
140Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it.
141I am small and despised: yet do not I forget thy precepts.
142Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.
143Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights.
144The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.
Chapter 119 verses 129-144
His testimones are indeed wonderful (v. 129), which I express to Him by obeying (or keeping) them. If God tells me to do something that is in line with His will for my life, I'm gonna do it without question. I try to keep the commandments in His Word, which isn't always an easy thing to do. Some days the whole taming my tongue thing is easier said than done. I may not always know what will result from something that God is doing in my life (v. 130), but trusting Him is what will bring life. In my darkest moment, I did trust trust in Him even though I didn't know what was gonna result from that, but I did begin to see the fruits of trusting Him when He started to keep me from the enemy's influence. One of the fruits was that He dealt with the enemy while I focused on my relationship with Him. I'm not sure exactly how verse 131 would relate to my darkest moment, but it does comfort that if I'm waiting on God for Him to tell me what to do, I'm waiting on something that pertains to His plan for my life and I won't get short changed. For clarity, here's Matthew Henry's insight on the verses 132-133, "And every one may pray, Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. We must beg that the Holy Spirit would order our steps." What I get out of verse 132 is that God express His mercy towards me because He loves me. Even though I rebelled against Him in my darkest moment, He was still waiting for me to come back to Him (through prayer) because He wasn't finished with me. In prayer, I do ask Him to direct my steps, but perhaps I should metnion that to Him more often. It could help me to tame my tongue and not say a curse word just to hear myself say it. I can't say I've dealt much with the oppression of man (v. 134), but I can trust in God when I deal with it because doing so will result in deliverance from any oppression I may deal with, which was the case with my darkest moment. I do desire to learn His statutes (v. 135) and I feel that His face shines upon me when His Word touches me in a way it was something I needed, such as the time I was reading the Book of Joshua for a while while I was taking algebra. I had finished the book before the sememester was over, yes, but what I had learned about crossing over my Jordan and God being my inheritance didn't lose relevance or whatever. I'm not how I'd relate to verse 136, but sometimes I feel bad about disobeying His law -- whether it be by my tongue slipping or watching a movie that goes outside biblical boundaries in terms of content. I am thankful, though, that when I mess up, I can come back to Him and try not to mess up again.
For clarity, here's Henry's thoughts on verses 137-139, "God never did, and never can do wrong to any. The promises are faithfully performed by Him that made them. Zeal against sin should constrain us to do what we can against it, at least to do more in religion ourselves." I could relate to verses 137-138 because in my darkest moment, I kept in mind God's promise that He would free me from the enemy's grip and He proved to be faithful by answering my prayer, which resulted in Him protecting me and helping me out during that rough time. I can't say I can relate to verse 139 in the sense of my enemies forgetting (or disregarding) God's Word, but I hate sin, which I think is represented by the fact that I love Him and that some people in my church see me as someone in my age range who cares the most about my relationship with Christ. Not to say that I'm better than anyone, but I think it's a shame that myself and a young lady (in my church) are the one two are seen as the ones in our demographic as the ones who are the most passionate about the Lord. I'm not gonna point fingers at anyone either, but I wish more people would realize that God wants your all and not some half way deal. I'm not judging their relationships with Christ either -- the ones who aren't as passionate about Him -- but I feel that some people in age group take their relationship with Him for granted, which makes me somewhat about where they're at in their walk with Him, especially if they don't come from a Christian background. Enough getting off on tangent, though -- just felt like getting that off my chest. In regards to verse 140, I will say that God's Word is pure, which I express to Him by following it because I love it. "Very pure" in this case can mean "refined" or "thoroughly tested." And don't tell me His Word wasn't tested during the time I went through the Book of Joshua while taking algebra. Small, in the case of verse 141, means "insignificant," according to Bullinger. When that guy was giving me a hard time in my amth class, I did feel small and despised, but God's precepts were what helped me get through. Verse 142 pretty much speaks for itself, but I would say that verse 143 relates to my darkest moment because even though Satan was causing me trouble and trying to get me to fall, I decided to cling to His Word and find delight in the fact that He would help me out and free me, which I am forever grateful for. I am thankful that the righteousness of His testimonies (or statues) is everlasting, which means to me that they've stood the test of time and continue to. What "give me understanding, and I shall live" means to me is that by understand His Word, I will live the life He wants me to live and trust in Him when the hard times hit in order to live out the life He had (and still has) in mind, which I trying to live as best I can. Some examples that fit into that would be my darkest moment and the time I read Joshua while taking algebra. In relation to the latter, I understood and applied the priniciples from the Book of Joshua that would help me to succeed, particualrly because God knew I needed to read that book at the time. I believe if I read some other book at the time or didn't bother read Joshua at all, I wouldn't have gotten as much out of His Word in terms of applying it to passing algebra.
Sources used:
Henry, Matthew. "Concise Commentary on Psalms 119". "Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
on the Whole Bible". <http://www.searchgodsword.org/com/mhc-con/view.cgi?book=ps&chapter=119>.
Bullinger, E.W. The Companion Bible.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Reflecting on the Psalms: Chapter 119 verses 113-128
Psalm 119:113-128
113I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.
114Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.
115Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.
116Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.
117Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.
118Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is falsehood.
119Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross: therefore I love thy testimonies.
120My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.
121I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to mine oppressors.
122Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.
123Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.
124Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.
125I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.
126It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law.
127Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.
128Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.
Chapter 119 verses 113-128
What verse 113 means to me is that I should continue to not associate with double -minded men who try to get me to fall away from God. They could influence me to have vain thoughts and chase after the flesh, which wouldn't be a good thing. His law is something I keep held of and I express love (towards Him) regarding it by applying it to my life, which I think I've talked about before. In my darkest moment, He was my hiding place and my shield (v. 114), which means to me that He protected me from the enemy's influence so I could focus on my relationship with Him and focus on hoping in His Word. The enemy did depart from me as soon as I cried out to Him, which is commandment given by God for His people to apply when they are in trouble (v. 115). I also kept the commandments of not giving up on Him and relying on Him to help me out. When the enemy knows I'm gonna keep God's commandments, he gets outta there. To provide clarity for verse 116, here's Henry's thoughts on verse 116, "The believer could not live without the grace of God; but, supported by his hand, his spiritual life shall be maintained. Our holy security is grounded on Divine supports." When I'm facing trials in life, I can depend on Him to uphold (or sustain me), which I find comfort in. In algebra, He upheld me by helping me to maintain a passing record on my tests and quizzes. I wasn't ashamed of my hope because I didn't take crap from people if they had a problem with me being a Christian. My hope in Him was what kept me going in order to cross over my Jordan. If I was ashamed of my hope in Him, I would've felt that I wouldn't have been able to make it through math even if He did help me. I think I'll also relate verses 116-117 to my darkest moment because God did uphold me according to His Word so I could maintain my spiritual walk. He helped me up by freeing me from the enemy's grip, which meant to me that I was safe from tne enemy's influence. I'm not sure if my drifiting away from God during my darkest moment was a sign of disrespect towards His statutes, but I will say that since my relationship with Him was renewed, I saw His statutes for what they really were: ways He wants me to follow. I can't say I can relate to verse 118, but I will take it as a warning as to what God does to those who stray (or err) from His statutes. I'm not sure if verse 119 could possibly apply to my darkest moment, so I think I'll leave it alone in that aspect. However, when God does put away the wicked, I will know that that is part of His ways, which is what I get out of "therefore I love thy testimonies." How I would relate to verse 120 would be that sometimes I get choked up when prasing Him out loud, which I think I've talked about before, so I'm not gonna go into detail about it. What "My flesh trembleth for fear of thee" means to me in terms of getting choked up while prasing Him out loud is that since I am showing reverence towards Him, my flesh is trembles when I get choked up. I don't have much to expand on about His judgments (or laws), but I am sure that part of my praising Him out loud -- which I should do more often -- tends to include thanking Him for His judgments.
I try to do the right things that will glorify God when the opportunities present themselves (v. 121). One time, in high school, there was just kid who was showing me picutres of girls on his phones. I didn't care to see them and I said that what he was doing could lead to sin, which I said I was saying to him out of love. I don't think he knew what I meant by that, but at least I still did the right thing. I think by doing the right thing for His glory, I will not give into association with the oppressors. I can't think of a time I've dealt with the proud, expect for that time I dealt with that kid in my math class (v. 122). God watched over me during that time and never engaged in a fight with the guy -- which he porbably would have started -- due to His watching over me even though the guy tried to intimidate me. Since verse 123 is a similar verse to verse 82, just look at my reflection on the latter verse. To add to that, however, here's Henry's insight on the verse, "The psalmist expects the word of God's righteousness, and no other salvation than what is secured by that word, which cannot fall to the ground." In my darkest moment, my eyes did fail to see what God was going to do, but I ended up crying out to Him and having faith in Him since, in the flesh, I didn't know what He was going to do. He did deal with me according to His mercy (or love, v. 124) by protecting me from the enemy's influence while He took care of him. I resumed learning His statutes so I could work on incorporating thme in my relationship with Him. I like Henry's insight on verse 125, "If any man resolve to do God's will as his servant, he shall be made to know his testimonies." That verse means to me that if I serve Him, I will be blessed by knowing His ways (or testimonies or statutes in this case). I know that His ways are higher above my ways and that I should try and address others' needs as if they are higher than my own, for example. I can't personally relate to verse 126, but I take comfort in the fact that God will deal with those who try to make void His Word. In these end times, I wouldn't be surprised if sometime tried to do that only to have his or her gourd thumped by the living God. I do love His commandments (v. 127), which I feel I express when I live them out, which I've talk about before. It's not always an easy thing to love by His commandments, but when I do, I'm letting God know that I am thankful to have Him as my teacher. The aspect of loving His law above gold means that I am to love it more than worldly things, which I try to maintain by reading it and applying it. Another way I express my love for His laws is by lining myself with His precepts (v. 128), which is the true I've decided to follow when I became a Christian. Like I said, living by His precepts and following them isn't always an easy thing, particularly because I mess up sometimes and I am thankful that He forgives me. I need help taming my tongue in some instances, so I think I'll ask Him for guidance on that.
Source used:
Henry, Matthew. "Concise Commentary on Psalms 119". "Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
on the Whole Bible". <http://www.searchgodsword.org/com/mhc-con/view.cgi?book=ps&chapter=119>.
113I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love.
114Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.
115Depart from me, ye evildoers: for I will keep the commandments of my God.
116Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.
117Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.
118Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is falsehood.
119Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross: therefore I love thy testimonies.
120My flesh trembleth for fear of thee; and I am afraid of thy judgments.
121I have done judgment and justice: leave me not to mine oppressors.
122Be surety for thy servant for good: let not the proud oppress me.
123Mine eyes fail for thy salvation, and for the word of thy righteousness.
124Deal with thy servant according unto thy mercy, and teach me thy statutes.
125I am thy servant; give me understanding, that I may know thy testimonies.
126It is time for thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void thy law.
127Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold.
128Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.
Chapter 119 verses 113-128
What verse 113 means to me is that I should continue to not associate with double -minded men who try to get me to fall away from God. They could influence me to have vain thoughts and chase after the flesh, which wouldn't be a good thing. His law is something I keep held of and I express love (towards Him) regarding it by applying it to my life, which I think I've talked about before. In my darkest moment, He was my hiding place and my shield (v. 114), which means to me that He protected me from the enemy's influence so I could focus on my relationship with Him and focus on hoping in His Word. The enemy did depart from me as soon as I cried out to Him, which is commandment given by God for His people to apply when they are in trouble (v. 115). I also kept the commandments of not giving up on Him and relying on Him to help me out. When the enemy knows I'm gonna keep God's commandments, he gets outta there. To provide clarity for verse 116, here's Henry's thoughts on verse 116, "The believer could not live without the grace of God; but, supported by his hand, his spiritual life shall be maintained. Our holy security is grounded on Divine supports." When I'm facing trials in life, I can depend on Him to uphold (or sustain me), which I find comfort in. In algebra, He upheld me by helping me to maintain a passing record on my tests and quizzes. I wasn't ashamed of my hope because I didn't take crap from people if they had a problem with me being a Christian. My hope in Him was what kept me going in order to cross over my Jordan. If I was ashamed of my hope in Him, I would've felt that I wouldn't have been able to make it through math even if He did help me. I think I'll also relate verses 116-117 to my darkest moment because God did uphold me according to His Word so I could maintain my spiritual walk. He helped me up by freeing me from the enemy's grip, which meant to me that I was safe from tne enemy's influence. I'm not sure if my drifiting away from God during my darkest moment was a sign of disrespect towards His statutes, but I will say that since my relationship with Him was renewed, I saw His statutes for what they really were: ways He wants me to follow. I can't say I can relate to verse 118, but I will take it as a warning as to what God does to those who stray (or err) from His statutes. I'm not sure if verse 119 could possibly apply to my darkest moment, so I think I'll leave it alone in that aspect. However, when God does put away the wicked, I will know that that is part of His ways, which is what I get out of "therefore I love thy testimonies." How I would relate to verse 120 would be that sometimes I get choked up when prasing Him out loud, which I think I've talked about before, so I'm not gonna go into detail about it. What "My flesh trembleth for fear of thee" means to me in terms of getting choked up while prasing Him out loud is that since I am showing reverence towards Him, my flesh is trembles when I get choked up. I don't have much to expand on about His judgments (or laws), but I am sure that part of my praising Him out loud -- which I should do more often -- tends to include thanking Him for His judgments.
I try to do the right things that will glorify God when the opportunities present themselves (v. 121). One time, in high school, there was just kid who was showing me picutres of girls on his phones. I didn't care to see them and I said that what he was doing could lead to sin, which I said I was saying to him out of love. I don't think he knew what I meant by that, but at least I still did the right thing. I think by doing the right thing for His glory, I will not give into association with the oppressors. I can't think of a time I've dealt with the proud, expect for that time I dealt with that kid in my math class (v. 122). God watched over me during that time and never engaged in a fight with the guy -- which he porbably would have started -- due to His watching over me even though the guy tried to intimidate me. Since verse 123 is a similar verse to verse 82, just look at my reflection on the latter verse. To add to that, however, here's Henry's insight on the verse, "The psalmist expects the word of God's righteousness, and no other salvation than what is secured by that word, which cannot fall to the ground." In my darkest moment, my eyes did fail to see what God was going to do, but I ended up crying out to Him and having faith in Him since, in the flesh, I didn't know what He was going to do. He did deal with me according to His mercy (or love, v. 124) by protecting me from the enemy's influence while He took care of him. I resumed learning His statutes so I could work on incorporating thme in my relationship with Him. I like Henry's insight on verse 125, "If any man resolve to do God's will as his servant, he shall be made to know his testimonies." That verse means to me that if I serve Him, I will be blessed by knowing His ways (or testimonies or statutes in this case). I know that His ways are higher above my ways and that I should try and address others' needs as if they are higher than my own, for example. I can't personally relate to verse 126, but I take comfort in the fact that God will deal with those who try to make void His Word. In these end times, I wouldn't be surprised if sometime tried to do that only to have his or her gourd thumped by the living God. I do love His commandments (v. 127), which I feel I express when I live them out, which I've talk about before. It's not always an easy thing to love by His commandments, but when I do, I'm letting God know that I am thankful to have Him as my teacher. The aspect of loving His law above gold means that I am to love it more than worldly things, which I try to maintain by reading it and applying it. Another way I express my love for His laws is by lining myself with His precepts (v. 128), which is the true I've decided to follow when I became a Christian. Like I said, living by His precepts and following them isn't always an easy thing, particularly because I mess up sometimes and I am thankful that He forgives me. I need help taming my tongue in some instances, so I think I'll ask Him for guidance on that.
Source used:
Henry, Matthew. "Concise Commentary on Psalms 119". "Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
on the Whole Bible". <http://www.searchgodsword.org/com/mhc-con/view.cgi?book=ps&chapter=119>.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Reflecting on the Psalms: Chapter 119 verses 97-112
Psalm 119:97-112
97O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
98Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.
99I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.
100I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.
101I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.
102I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.
103How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.
105Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
106I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.
107I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word.
108Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments.
109My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.
110The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.
111Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.
112I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end.
Chapter 119 verses 97-112
I like Matthew Henry's comment on verse 97, "What we love, we love to think of. All true wisdom is from God. A good man carries his Bible with him, if not in his hands, yet in his head and in his heart." I do love His law and I do take the time to memorize scripture. I'd say that I express my love for His law by applying it since doing so glorifies Him. I try to love everyone, which isn't always easy, but when I do it, God is glorified. I can't say I've had an instance where I had an enemy that I depend on God's wisdom for (v. 98), but it encourages me knowing that as a result of learning His wisdom, I can overcome my enemies through prayer and reliance on Him instead of taking revenge on them. For clarity, here's Henry's insight on verses 99-100, "The written word is a more sure guide to heaven, than all the fathers, the teachers, and ancients of the church." I don't depend on man to get me to God or to to grant me salvation since Christ's death on the cross was what granted me salvation, which I honored by coming to Him. Those verses remind me that God's Word should be my ultimate authority. It reminds of this quote by Petr Chelčický, "The man who obeys God needs no other authority (over him)." Those verses also remind me that it's good idea to read and interpret the Bible myself, especially if I don't agree with something man says, such as the (false) doctrine of baptism being a requirement for salvation, which illustrates that me that some people believe that Christianity is works-based when it's supposed to be (and is) faith-based. Learning God's Word from an early age, I'd say it was what influenced me to not live a lifestyle of sin and evil (v. 101). I am thankful that God's Word influenced me that way from the beginning and continues to do so. It kinda reminds me of being dead to sin and alive in Christ and starving the flesh and feeding the spirit. It wouldn't be a good idea for me to get drunk every night and yet still think of myself as a Christian. The more I expose myself to His Word, the less desire I have to sin, which I think relates to sanctification because if I make the effort to live a holy life, I'm gonna see the fruits of that. Some days are worse than others in terms of not watching my tongue, for, example but sanctification is a process and I am thankful that God's grace is expressed through that. Hopefully I have the right idea about santification because I haven't done much study on it. What I have to say about verse 102 is that since God teaches me valuable lessons from His Word, I keep coming back for more. I don't plan on quitting and it's always an awesome thing when God opens my eyes to His relationship with Joshua or Solomon's speech in 2 Chronicles chapter 6. I do pray before reading the Word and I typically ask that God will help me to understand. I also ask, afterwards, that He'll help me to apply what I've learned, which makes a difference. I already discussed math being a Jordan for me, so I'm not gonna talk about it again, but I do believe that crossing over my Jordan was something that resulted from prayer and faith in God. His Words are sweet (v. 103) and they give me hope, especially in the most doubtful of times. I had my doubts going into algebra, thinking it was gonna be a difficult class, especially because the only way to earn credit was through tests and quizzes. However, reading the Book of Joshua at the time was what gave me hope and influenced me to push though. I also like Henry's insight on the verse, "The soul has its tastes as well as the body. Our relish for the word of God will be greatest, when that for the world and the flesh is least." What understanding do I get from His precepts? (v. 104) I get the understanding that I am to hate sin and reflect that by following Him and living a holy life. I have no desire to live a sinful life and I don't plan on starting anytime soon.
Verse 105 relates to my darkest moment because I relied on God's Word for light, which helped to direct towards Him and away from the enemy's influence. Knowing God would free me was enough to know because it was that aspect of His Word that gave me light. When I became a Christian, part of that covenant included and still includes performing or living out His Word (v. 106), which I think I've touched on before. I do try to love others, which isn't always easy, but I thank Him for counting trying as doing. I'm not sure how I'd relate to verse 107, but I do like Henry's insight on it, "The psalmist is often afflicted; but with longing desires to become more holy, offers up daily prayers for quickening grace." Perhaps I need to take time to really look at that verse and examine myself to see if I need to ask for God's grace. What I get out of verse 108 is that God always accepts my praise, which I can choose whether or not I want to, I guess, partake in. I thank Him (or praise Him for) the little things, such as His Word, food to eat, and a roof over my head. How I would relate to "teach me thy judgments" would by asking God to help to learn from His Word before reading it in the mornings. I can't say I can relate to verse 109, but verse 110 relates to my darkest moment because even though the enemy tried to lay a trap before me and trip me up by trying to get me to believe his lies, he didn't influence me to go away from God's promises because I knew I could rely on them to help me out. What verse 111 means to me is that I when I leanr from His testimonies (or statutes) found in His Word, I illustrate that His testimones are my hertiage (or treasure) when I apply them. By applying them, I show to God that I have taken the time to inherit wheat I have learned, which pleases Him. Verse 112 reminds of the covenant I made with Him when I decided to follow Him -- the covenant of keeping His Word till the end. And when there's a situation where I have to show patience or thank the Lord for my trials, I will try my best to do those things because doing things will not only show the character of Christ, but they will also show that I care about glorifying God.
Source used:
Henry, Matthew. "Concise Commentary on Psalms 119". "Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
on the Whole Bible". <http://www.searchgodsword.org/com/mhc-con/view.cgi?book=ps&chapter=119>.
97O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
98Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.
99I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.
100I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.
101I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.
102I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.
103How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.
105Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
106I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.
107I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word.
108Accept, I beseech thee, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me thy judgments.
109My soul is continually in my hand: yet do I not forget thy law.
110The wicked have laid a snare for me: yet I erred not from thy precepts.
111Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.
112I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end.
Chapter 119 verses 97-112
I like Matthew Henry's comment on verse 97, "What we love, we love to think of. All true wisdom is from God. A good man carries his Bible with him, if not in his hands, yet in his head and in his heart." I do love His law and I do take the time to memorize scripture. I'd say that I express my love for His law by applying it since doing so glorifies Him. I try to love everyone, which isn't always easy, but when I do it, God is glorified. I can't say I've had an instance where I had an enemy that I depend on God's wisdom for (v. 98), but it encourages me knowing that as a result of learning His wisdom, I can overcome my enemies through prayer and reliance on Him instead of taking revenge on them. For clarity, here's Henry's insight on verses 99-100, "The written word is a more sure guide to heaven, than all the fathers, the teachers, and ancients of the church." I don't depend on man to get me to God or to to grant me salvation since Christ's death on the cross was what granted me salvation, which I honored by coming to Him. Those verses remind me that God's Word should be my ultimate authority. It reminds of this quote by Petr Chelčický, "The man who obeys God needs no other authority (over him)." Those verses also remind me that it's good idea to read and interpret the Bible myself, especially if I don't agree with something man says, such as the (false) doctrine of baptism being a requirement for salvation, which illustrates that me that some people believe that Christianity is works-based when it's supposed to be (and is) faith-based. Learning God's Word from an early age, I'd say it was what influenced me to not live a lifestyle of sin and evil (v. 101). I am thankful that God's Word influenced me that way from the beginning and continues to do so. It kinda reminds me of being dead to sin and alive in Christ and starving the flesh and feeding the spirit. It wouldn't be a good idea for me to get drunk every night and yet still think of myself as a Christian. The more I expose myself to His Word, the less desire I have to sin, which I think relates to sanctification because if I make the effort to live a holy life, I'm gonna see the fruits of that. Some days are worse than others in terms of not watching my tongue, for, example but sanctification is a process and I am thankful that God's grace is expressed through that. Hopefully I have the right idea about santification because I haven't done much study on it. What I have to say about verse 102 is that since God teaches me valuable lessons from His Word, I keep coming back for more. I don't plan on quitting and it's always an awesome thing when God opens my eyes to His relationship with Joshua or Solomon's speech in 2 Chronicles chapter 6. I do pray before reading the Word and I typically ask that God will help me to understand. I also ask, afterwards, that He'll help me to apply what I've learned, which makes a difference. I already discussed math being a Jordan for me, so I'm not gonna talk about it again, but I do believe that crossing over my Jordan was something that resulted from prayer and faith in God. His Words are sweet (v. 103) and they give me hope, especially in the most doubtful of times. I had my doubts going into algebra, thinking it was gonna be a difficult class, especially because the only way to earn credit was through tests and quizzes. However, reading the Book of Joshua at the time was what gave me hope and influenced me to push though. I also like Henry's insight on the verse, "The soul has its tastes as well as the body. Our relish for the word of God will be greatest, when that for the world and the flesh is least." What understanding do I get from His precepts? (v. 104) I get the understanding that I am to hate sin and reflect that by following Him and living a holy life. I have no desire to live a sinful life and I don't plan on starting anytime soon.
Verse 105 relates to my darkest moment because I relied on God's Word for light, which helped to direct towards Him and away from the enemy's influence. Knowing God would free me was enough to know because it was that aspect of His Word that gave me light. When I became a Christian, part of that covenant included and still includes performing or living out His Word (v. 106), which I think I've touched on before. I do try to love others, which isn't always easy, but I thank Him for counting trying as doing. I'm not sure how I'd relate to verse 107, but I do like Henry's insight on it, "The psalmist is often afflicted; but with longing desires to become more holy, offers up daily prayers for quickening grace." Perhaps I need to take time to really look at that verse and examine myself to see if I need to ask for God's grace. What I get out of verse 108 is that God always accepts my praise, which I can choose whether or not I want to, I guess, partake in. I thank Him (or praise Him for) the little things, such as His Word, food to eat, and a roof over my head. How I would relate to "teach me thy judgments" would by asking God to help to learn from His Word before reading it in the mornings. I can't say I can relate to verse 109, but verse 110 relates to my darkest moment because even though the enemy tried to lay a trap before me and trip me up by trying to get me to believe his lies, he didn't influence me to go away from God's promises because I knew I could rely on them to help me out. What verse 111 means to me is that I when I leanr from His testimonies (or statutes) found in His Word, I illustrate that His testimones are my hertiage (or treasure) when I apply them. By applying them, I show to God that I have taken the time to inherit wheat I have learned, which pleases Him. Verse 112 reminds of the covenant I made with Him when I decided to follow Him -- the covenant of keeping His Word till the end. And when there's a situation where I have to show patience or thank the Lord for my trials, I will try my best to do those things because doing things will not only show the character of Christ, but they will also show that I care about glorifying God.
Source used:
Henry, Matthew. "Concise Commentary on Psalms 119". "Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
on the Whole Bible". <http://www.searchgodsword.org/com/mhc-con/view.cgi?book=ps&chapter=119>.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Reflecting on the Psalms: Chapter 119 verses 73-96
Psalm 119:73-96
73Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.
74They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.
75I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.
76Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.
77Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.
78Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.
79Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies.
80Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.
81My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.
82Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?
83For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes.
84How many are the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?
85The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy law.
86All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.
87They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts.
88Quicken me after thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth.
89For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
90Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.
91They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.
92Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.
93I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me.
94I am thine, save me: for I have sought thy precepts.
95The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I will consider thy testimonies.
96I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad.
Chapter 119 verses 73-96
I like Matthew Henry's comment on verse 73, "God made us to serve him, and enjoy him; but by sin we have made ourselves unfit to serve him, and to enjoy him. We ought, therefore, continually to beseech him, by his Holy Spirit, to give us understanding." I am thankful that I have opportunities to serve Him and He presents those opportunities to me without playing games. I do wanna (continue to) serve Him and I pray that opportunities will come along to do so. That way I will know (or understand) what He wants me to do. I can relate to verse 74 because it reminds me of when I go to Bible study on Thursday nights. Usually, the people there greet me, especially if I show up at a decent time. They know that I'm there to get something out of God's Word and I might even bless 'em with an insight or a scripture. I could pick a verse on overcoming, for example, and it could really hit home for another person. To me, that shows God at work and that He really knows how to stir in the hearts of His people. I can also relate to that verse because during the Bible study, there is a ten minute break and it's always a good thing to get a hug or two during break time. It really shows the camaraderie of God's people and that they're excited to see each other and study His Word together. I also get hugs from elderly ladies on Sundays in church, which is how the excitement of seeing each and knowing that we're excited to enjoy God also applies. I've gotten some compliments from some elderly women about my article in my church's newsletter on being a worship host, which I think I talked about before. In my article, I illustrated God's work in me as a worship host and I kinda figure that the compliments were related to my describing how God has worked in me as a worship host. So knowing (or finding out) that some of the elderly women know how God's worked in my life as a worship host resulted in them being glad when they saw me and continue to see me because I have illustrated that I served God and continue to do so with Hosea 6:6 in mind. Sorry if took a while to get to the point there...I'm just kinda trippin' out tonight. I am thankful for His judgments (or laws) and that they're true (v. 75). If they weren't true, I wouldn't trust in them. I'm nost sure how I'd relate to the "and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me" part since I don't recall being punished by God, but I do find comfort in His merciful kindness (or love), as verse 76 mentions. In my darkest moment, I did find comfort in His love because it protected me from the enemy and helped tme to draw closer to Him. His tender mercies did come to me (v. 77), mostly as a result of others praying for me and being freed from the enemy's grip. To me, the most obvious one(s) would be that my relationship with God was renewed and that the enemy wasn't trying to get me to believe his lies. I did find delight in His law and trust in His promises because doing helped me to overcome. God helps out His people when they experience days of trouble, which was something I remember trusting in. I can't think of an instance in which I've experienced what is described in verse 78, but it gives me confidence in case I ever do. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to get out of verses 79-80, but I do like Henry's insight on them, "He valued the good will of saints, and was desirous to keep up his communion with them. Soundness of heart signifies sincerity in dependence on God, and devotedness to him." I do desire to learn from His Word (v. 80), the more I apply it, the more I imagine God's judgment towards me when that time comes.
To put things into perspective, here's Henry's insight on verses 81-82, "The psalmist sought deliverance from his sins, his foes, and his fears. Hope deferred made him faint; his eyes failed by looking out for this expected salvation." In my darkest my moment, I did kind of wonder when God was gonna exactly get me out of it (v. 82). I do believe that He started working as soon as I called upon Him, but He completely freed from it in His timing since I had to depend on Him to do so. I didn't lose hope in His Word because it was gave me confidence during that time. Knowing He would free me was what kept me going and I will say that if one's faith doesn't endure and if he or she doesn't trust God even in the most unsure of times, his or her faith won't build and mature. "Bottle" (v. 83) can be translated as "wine-skin." To provide clarity, here's Henry's insight on the verse, "He was become like a leathern bottle, which, if hung up in the smoke, is dried and shrivelled up. We must ever be mindful of God's statutes." I must've felt like a bottle in the smoke since I was spiritually dried, but I didn't forget His statutes. His statutes are my foundation and since they endure forever, they're a good foundation to have. I'm not sure how I'd relate to verse 84, but I do like Henry's comment on it, "The days of the believer's mourning shall be ended; they are but for a moment, compared with eternal happiness." That reminds that the trials I face in this life are nothing compared to eternity with God. The enemy did try to dig pits for me (v. 85) in my darkest moment by trying to get me to believe his lies, but I trusted in His commandments (v. 86) -- such as I described before. I am thankful that His promises never fail and that they helped me to deal with the enemy. The fact that the enemy tried to consume me in my darkest moment (v. 87), I feel, was, I guess represented by the fact that I could trust in God to help me out. It was that bad, yes, but when it pours He reigns. How I would relate to verse 88 would be that God helped me out during my darkest moment by His expressing His love towards me by freeing me from the enemy and helping me to grow closer to Him as a result.
I am am thankful that is set heaven in heaven eternally (v. 89). That reminds me that His Word endures forever, which means to me that even though all the Bibles in the world may get taken away on account of liberal agenda in the future, God's people will still know His Word as a result of studying in it. That reminds me that studying His Word is something that is worthy of my time. I like verse 90 because I see God's glory in the fact that His faithfulness has and continues to reveal itself to generations. I praise Him for that because He's not gonna stop working on people even if they've gone off into the deep end and never came to know Him. It, to me, really shows how far His love stretches and that He has a plan for eveyone who comes to Him. And His truth won't go away -- it will keep abiding or remaining, which is carried over in verse 91. What "They continue this day according to thine ordinances" means to me is that heaven and earth operate how God has planned. It's bad on earth now, but I know that eternity with Him will more than make up for that. His law is something in which I find delight (v. 92), which I think is represted by the fact that I wanna read and learn from it as much I can. I also like Henry's thoughts on the verse, "We may make the Bible a pleasant companion at any time. But the word, without the grace of God, would not quicken us." I don't take His Word for granted, which I think I've kind of already expressed already. I don't plan on forgetting His precepts (v. 93) because if I did, they wouldn't quicken me or give me strength when I need it. In my darkest moment, I was reminded that I belonged to Him and knew that He could free me from it according to His precepts (v. 94) -- such as the one about crying out to Him and being freed from trouble. The enemy tried to get to mess up by trying to get me to believe his lies (v. 95), but concentrating on the fact that God was gonna free me was what helped me push through. What verse 96 means to means is that it's a good idea to find perfection in spiritual things than worldy things since worldly things have their flaws.
Source used:
Henry, Matthew. "Concise Commentary on Psalms 119". "Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
on the Whole Bible". <http://www.searchgodsword.org/com/mhc-con/view.cgi?book=ps&chapter=119>.
73Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.
74They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.
75I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.
76Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.
77Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.
78Let the proud be ashamed; for they dealt perversely with me without a cause: but I will meditate in thy precepts.
79Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy testimonies.
80Let my heart be sound in thy statutes; that I be not ashamed.
81My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word.
82Mine eyes fail for thy word, saying, When wilt thou comfort me?
83For I am become like a bottle in the smoke; yet do I not forget thy statutes.
84How many are the days of thy servant? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me?
85The proud have digged pits for me, which are not after thy law.
86All thy commandments are faithful: they persecute me wrongfully; help thou me.
87They had almost consumed me upon earth; but I forsook not thy precepts.
88Quicken me after thy lovingkindness; so shall I keep the testimony of thy mouth.
89For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.
90Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.
91They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.
92Unless thy law had been my delights, I should then have perished in mine affliction.
93I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me.
94I am thine, save me: for I have sought thy precepts.
95The wicked have waited for me to destroy me: but I will consider thy testimonies.
96I have seen an end of all perfection: but thy commandment is exceeding broad.
Chapter 119 verses 73-96
I like Matthew Henry's comment on verse 73, "God made us to serve him, and enjoy him; but by sin we have made ourselves unfit to serve him, and to enjoy him. We ought, therefore, continually to beseech him, by his Holy Spirit, to give us understanding." I am thankful that I have opportunities to serve Him and He presents those opportunities to me without playing games. I do wanna (continue to) serve Him and I pray that opportunities will come along to do so. That way I will know (or understand) what He wants me to do. I can relate to verse 74 because it reminds me of when I go to Bible study on Thursday nights. Usually, the people there greet me, especially if I show up at a decent time. They know that I'm there to get something out of God's Word and I might even bless 'em with an insight or a scripture. I could pick a verse on overcoming, for example, and it could really hit home for another person. To me, that shows God at work and that He really knows how to stir in the hearts of His people. I can also relate to that verse because during the Bible study, there is a ten minute break and it's always a good thing to get a hug or two during break time. It really shows the camaraderie of God's people and that they're excited to see each other and study His Word together. I also get hugs from elderly ladies on Sundays in church, which is how the excitement of seeing each and knowing that we're excited to enjoy God also applies. I've gotten some compliments from some elderly women about my article in my church's newsletter on being a worship host, which I think I talked about before. In my article, I illustrated God's work in me as a worship host and I kinda figure that the compliments were related to my describing how God has worked in me as a worship host. So knowing (or finding out) that some of the elderly women know how God's worked in my life as a worship host resulted in them being glad when they saw me and continue to see me because I have illustrated that I served God and continue to do so with Hosea 6:6 in mind. Sorry if took a while to get to the point there...I'm just kinda trippin' out tonight. I am thankful for His judgments (or laws) and that they're true (v. 75). If they weren't true, I wouldn't trust in them. I'm nost sure how I'd relate to the "and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me" part since I don't recall being punished by God, but I do find comfort in His merciful kindness (or love), as verse 76 mentions. In my darkest moment, I did find comfort in His love because it protected me from the enemy and helped tme to draw closer to Him. His tender mercies did come to me (v. 77), mostly as a result of others praying for me and being freed from the enemy's grip. To me, the most obvious one(s) would be that my relationship with God was renewed and that the enemy wasn't trying to get me to believe his lies. I did find delight in His law and trust in His promises because doing helped me to overcome. God helps out His people when they experience days of trouble, which was something I remember trusting in. I can't think of an instance in which I've experienced what is described in verse 78, but it gives me confidence in case I ever do. I'm not sure what I'm supposed to get out of verses 79-80, but I do like Henry's insight on them, "He valued the good will of saints, and was desirous to keep up his communion with them. Soundness of heart signifies sincerity in dependence on God, and devotedness to him." I do desire to learn from His Word (v. 80), the more I apply it, the more I imagine God's judgment towards me when that time comes.
To put things into perspective, here's Henry's insight on verses 81-82, "The psalmist sought deliverance from his sins, his foes, and his fears. Hope deferred made him faint; his eyes failed by looking out for this expected salvation." In my darkest my moment, I did kind of wonder when God was gonna exactly get me out of it (v. 82). I do believe that He started working as soon as I called upon Him, but He completely freed from it in His timing since I had to depend on Him to do so. I didn't lose hope in His Word because it was gave me confidence during that time. Knowing He would free me was what kept me going and I will say that if one's faith doesn't endure and if he or she doesn't trust God even in the most unsure of times, his or her faith won't build and mature. "Bottle" (v. 83) can be translated as "wine-skin." To provide clarity, here's Henry's insight on the verse, "He was become like a leathern bottle, which, if hung up in the smoke, is dried and shrivelled up. We must ever be mindful of God's statutes." I must've felt like a bottle in the smoke since I was spiritually dried, but I didn't forget His statutes. His statutes are my foundation and since they endure forever, they're a good foundation to have. I'm not sure how I'd relate to verse 84, but I do like Henry's comment on it, "The days of the believer's mourning shall be ended; they are but for a moment, compared with eternal happiness." That reminds that the trials I face in this life are nothing compared to eternity with God. The enemy did try to dig pits for me (v. 85) in my darkest moment by trying to get me to believe his lies, but I trusted in His commandments (v. 86) -- such as I described before. I am thankful that His promises never fail and that they helped me to deal with the enemy. The fact that the enemy tried to consume me in my darkest moment (v. 87), I feel, was, I guess represented by the fact that I could trust in God to help me out. It was that bad, yes, but when it pours He reigns. How I would relate to verse 88 would be that God helped me out during my darkest moment by His expressing His love towards me by freeing me from the enemy and helping me to grow closer to Him as a result.
I am am thankful that is set heaven in heaven eternally (v. 89). That reminds me that His Word endures forever, which means to me that even though all the Bibles in the world may get taken away on account of liberal agenda in the future, God's people will still know His Word as a result of studying in it. That reminds me that studying His Word is something that is worthy of my time. I like verse 90 because I see God's glory in the fact that His faithfulness has and continues to reveal itself to generations. I praise Him for that because He's not gonna stop working on people even if they've gone off into the deep end and never came to know Him. It, to me, really shows how far His love stretches and that He has a plan for eveyone who comes to Him. And His truth won't go away -- it will keep abiding or remaining, which is carried over in verse 91. What "They continue this day according to thine ordinances" means to me is that heaven and earth operate how God has planned. It's bad on earth now, but I know that eternity with Him will more than make up for that. His law is something in which I find delight (v. 92), which I think is represted by the fact that I wanna read and learn from it as much I can. I also like Henry's thoughts on the verse, "We may make the Bible a pleasant companion at any time. But the word, without the grace of God, would not quicken us." I don't take His Word for granted, which I think I've kind of already expressed already. I don't plan on forgetting His precepts (v. 93) because if I did, they wouldn't quicken me or give me strength when I need it. In my darkest moment, I was reminded that I belonged to Him and knew that He could free me from it according to His precepts (v. 94) -- such as the one about crying out to Him and being freed from trouble. The enemy tried to get to mess up by trying to get me to believe his lies (v. 95), but concentrating on the fact that God was gonna free me was what helped me push through. What verse 96 means to means is that it's a good idea to find perfection in spiritual things than worldy things since worldly things have their flaws.
Source used:
Henry, Matthew. "Concise Commentary on Psalms 119". "Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
on the Whole Bible". <http://www.searchgodsword.org/com/mhc-con/view.cgi?book=ps&chapter=119>.
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