“Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words. I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil. I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law. Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous rules. Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble. I hope for your salvation, O LORD, and I do your commandments. My soul keeps your testimonies; I love them exceedingly. I keep your precepts and testimonies, for all my ways are before you.” Psalm 119:161-168
God through David doesn’t sugar coat truth. God has David speak clearly about this life and faith. He gives us all that we need to grow in Him and to bring Him glory. He never is confusing in these areas.
In our passage this morning, he is very specific, “Princes persecute me without cause…” Powerful men, princes, are oppressing him without cause. Even though persons in authority are making his life miserable (sound familiar), King David resolves to stand in awe of God’s Words, rejoice in God’s Word, love God’s Word, praise God for His Word that brings him peace in the midst of conflict, then he hopes in God’s salvation that is basedin God’s Word and He vows to keep God’s commandments and His testimonies. Why? “I love your law…I love them exceedingly” and,“…for/(because) all my ways are before you.”He is conscience of God’s presence with him and so he lives accordingly even praising God, “Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous rules.” This is his practice throughout the day… so he doesn’t lose sight of where and from whom the peace comes from. A practice we all need to engage in.
David speaks of a great benefit for all God’s own. It is with his eyes solely on the Lord and His Word that he can discern what he is to hate and abhor, “I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law.” It is easy on one hand, for if it does not come from God’s Word or it is not in accordance with God’s Word it is false, but on the other hand it can be difficult when we do not run everything we think, do and say…and everything everyone else says to us…through the grid of God’s Word because we aren’t sure if we trust it.
David is saying that he cannot abide or endure falsehood (oh, that that would be our testimony as well). He hates what the Lord hates, “There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.” (Prov. 6:16-19) But in contrast, he loves God’s Law which makes all things clear. It either squares with God’s Word or it doesn’t. So we need to be watchful, standing firm in the faith, acting like men, being strong in the Lord and doing all things in love so that we can easily experience His peace in this life.
In a world struggling for peace, followers of Jesus have true peace that we are to share…not a worldly peace, but God’s peace, that comes through our being justified by faith alone through our Lord Jesus Christ alone, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 5:1) This is a peace that comes from being in a right relationship with Him. Like King David, when we resolve ourselves to follow God regardless of the circumstances around us, we have the promise of experiencing God’s peace that He has already given to us so that we can share that peace with others. It is a peace that confirms to us that all we do in the Lord is NOT done in vain. For our Prince of Peace…Jesus Christ has risen and given to all His elect His peace.
It is in resolving to keep God’s Word according to God’s Word that no matter what may come we will have peace that we are in the Lord’s will… “Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.” This is as true for us today as it was for King David then, for God’s Word never changes. Never! But, also like David we must trust its veracity! Then we can rejoice in the Lord!
God Bless y’all today.
In His Grip,
Pastor Mike
