Psalm 119
taught it to each new generation (Deut. 4:1–14), and this is the obligation of the church today (2 Tim. 2:2). Unless the Word of God is honored, taught, and obeyed in a church, that congregation is one generation short of extinction. The psalmist was indignant at what the worldly people ("the arrogant") were doing as they abandoned Israel's spiritual heritage (vv. 53, 104, 128, 163), and he wept over their evil deeds (v. 136). Anger alone can be very destructive, but anger plus love produces anguish, and anguish can lead to constructive action. His response was to turn God's statutes into songs and to use the Word to praise the Lord (v. 54; Eph. 5:19; Col. 3:16). He did not consider God's law a burden to bear; he saw the Word as a blessing to share—and he sang it! Praise that is not based on the truth of Scripture is unacceptable to the Lord. We are on a difficult pilgrimage from earth to heaven, and we need God's songs to encourage us and to help us witness to others along the way (Acts 16:22–34). We are strangers on the earth, and the Bible is our guidebook to this world (vv. 19, 64) and to ourselves (v. 64).
idols for help, it was evidence that they did not really believe Jehovah was adequate to meet their needs. In the time of Elijah, Israel tried to remedy the drought by turning to Baal, the Canaanite storm god, but it was the Lord who sent the rain in answer to the prophet's prayer. When the enemy threatened to invade their land, the leaders of Israel often ran to Egypt for help, as though Jehovah was unconcerned and unable to deliver them. The psalmist in this section makes it clear that the Lord God Almighty is all we need.
God is our portion (vv. 57–58). This is real estate language and refers to the apportioning of the land of Canaan to the tribes of Israel (78:55; Josh. 13—21). The priests and Levites were not given an inheritance in the land because the Lord was their inheritance and their portion (Num. 18:20–24; Deut. 10:8–9; 12:12). Jeremiah, the priest called to be a prophet, called the Lord "the portion of Jacob" (Jer. 10:16; 51:19; Lam. 3:24), and David used the same image in Psalm 16:5–6. (The "lines" in 16:6 refer to the property lines of one's land, the inheritance given by God.) Believers today have a rich spiritual inheritance in the Lord Jesus Christ, for God's fullness is in Him and we are "complete in him" (Col. 2:9–10). He is our life (Col. 3:4) and our "all in all" (Col. 3:11). Because we are in Him, we have "all things that pertain to life and godliness" (2 Peter 1:3). Our riches in Christ are revealed in the Word, which is our "spiritual bankbook," and His wealth can never diminish. The psalmist had made promises to obey the Lord (vv. 8, 15–16, 32–34, 47, 106, 115), but that is not how we get our wealth from the Lord. What He provides for us is a gracious gift, not a loan, and we are not required to promise to repay Him (Rom. 11:33–36). Accept the inheritance He has given you, rejoice in it, and trust Him to supply every need.
His people remember His name (vv. 55–56). The name of God—Jehovah, Yahweh—is full of meaning and power. To translate it only as "I AM" is to miss much of the dynamic that it contains (Ex. 6:1–3). We might paraphrase it, "I am present, I am actively present, and I can do what I choose when I choose to do it." God's name Yahweh speaks not only of His existence and His eternality, but also of His sovereignty, His power, and the dynamic working out of His will in this world. The ancient Jewish people so revered His name that they feared to use it and substituted Adonai, lest they sin against their God. In the book of Psalms alone, there are more than one hundred references to the name of the Lord. We are to love His name (5:11), sing praises to His name (7:17; 9:2; 18:49), and glorify His name (29:2). It is through His great name that we triumph over our enemies (44:5; 54:1; 118:10–12), so we should always call on His name for help (116:4, 13, 17). To remember His name is to encourage our hearts to trust Him, obey Him, and not be afraid. "And those who know Your name will put their trust in You, for You, Lord [Yahweh], have not forsaken those who seek You" (9:10 nkjv).
God is our Master (vv. 59–61). The land inherited by the Israelites actually belonged to the Lord (Lev. 25:23) and He cared for it (Deut. 11:8–17). If the people obeyed the terms of the covenant, God would bless the people and their labors in the land, but if they turned to idols, He would chasten them, first in the land and then in other lands. Loving obedience was the condition for God's blessing, even as it is today. Our mind belongs to Him ("I considered my ways") and our feet belong to Him ("turned my steps"). Our time belongs to Him and we must not delay obeying His will (v. 60). In ancient days, no servant could say "No," no servant could linger or postpone doing the master's will, and no servant could give excuses or say "I forgot." The servant's responsibility is to hear the master's orders, remember them, and obey them immediately.
To remember God's name is to ask Him to remember us and work on our behalf. We must do this when we are in the darkness and afraid (v. 55), or when we are lonely and discouraged (42:6). "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe" (Prov. 18:10). If you want to know how strong His name is, study the names of God in the Old Testament and the "I am" statements of Jesus in the gospel of John. But be sure to imitate the psalmist and make it your practice to trust and honor His name in every aspect of life (v. 56 niv), not just during emergencies.
God is our greatest joy (vv. 61–64). It should be the Christian's greatest joy to know God, love Him, hear His voice, and obey His will. Praying to Him and praising Him should be more refreshing to us than sleep. Being with His people should satisfy our hearts, and we should see the love and glory of God in all of creation. Whether we are lying on our bed at midnight,
Heth (vv. 57–64)—God Is All We Need Whenever the people of Israel failed God and turned to