Psalms 119:1–8

The opening verses present the theme of the whole psalm — the blessedness of those who walk through this world in "the way" marked out by the Lord in His law, who "keep" His testimonies, and seek Him with the whole heart.

We have read in Psalm 118:19–20, "Open to me the gates of righteousness… This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it." But who are the righteous? Psalm 119 answers that question. It shows what will be true of Israel when God writes the law on their hearts (Jer. 31:33)… Psalms 1, 32, 41, 112 and 128 all begin with this same word blessed… In the first Psalm we read of someone delighting in the law of the LORD. Here we see how completely that can be true.

The word for "Blessed" in the Hebrew is plural. So it describes the "abundant blessings" that belong to all true believers in Christ: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" (Eph. 1:3).

They were not always "perfect". Once they were sinners, every one going his own way, dead in trespasses and sins. But Christ gave Himself as a sacrifice for sin, to redeem sinners from both the guilt and the power of sin… The word "perfect" has the meaning of "blameless, complete, whole, entire, sound".

God pronounces this blessedness on "the undefiled in the way." The world is full of defilement. There is only one path in the world… which can be undefiled; that is, God's law… It is the way wholly formed of God's expressed will for man's walk in this world. They "walk in the law of the LORD." There is a delight in what is right, in what is not defiled by sin or the world; but that which is right is found in walking in the law. It is a perfect rule, according to God, in this world for a living man.

At Sinai the law came to men in the flesh, and they loathed it, rebelled against it; in Psalm 119 the writer delights in the law of God. Clearly he has been born again. He tastes ahead of time the blessing Israel will have in a future day, when the Lord will say, "I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds" (Heb. 10:16).

Though we are not "under law but under grace," we still delight in it; and we fulfil its righteous requirements as we walk according to the Spirit. The believer can even now sing, "Oh how I love your law!" — for he has been brought to rejoice in the One who has magnified that law, and who has borne its curse for him upon the tree.

Notice that the whole Psalm, except the first five verses, is in the singular. The writer first says that the undefiled in the way are blessed, setting out that certain fact as his theme. Then he exclaims: "Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!"—his personal ways.

But who are the righteous? Psalm 119 answers this question. It shows what will be true of Israel when God writes His law on their hearts (Jeremiah 31:33)… Psalms 1, 32, 41, 112 and 128 open with this same word blessed. In other psalms the title describes the saint in one way or another. This is because God's estimate of people here is very different from the world's. And now in Psalm 119 we learn some of the marks of anyone truly entitled to such a name.

Verse 2: EDUTH = Testimonies. It is a revelation, or a revealed psalm… The word EDAH = Precept and occurs 14 times, in the plural. It means a testimony, or a repetition, an attestation or witness, a constant witness to Jehovah's will.

Remember what we said about this word "testimonies"? It testifies what God is, and it also shows me what I ought to be. Before we can "keep" His testimonies, we must first have received them, accepted them, and be willing to obey.

To have the law written on the heart is not a natural state but a supernatural one, a work of divine grace. And this law is not merely arbitrary, a bare expression of authority. It is also a "testimony," and the awakened conscience responds to it. In it God declares Himself. So to "keep His testimonies" is to "seek Him with their whole heart." For such people everything matches the real nature of things: they do not twist them.

Notice that they seek "Him"; they seek to please Him, to be more like Him. This is not a merely "intellectual" activity, but it is a question of the whole heart being engaged. My heart yearning after Him day by day, all day long. "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart," is the wonderful promise (Jeremiah 29:13).

You should earnestly seek to be whole-hearted in your Christian life and testimony. Notice how many times the phrase "whole heart" occurs in Psalm 119. It carries the thought that thoroughness must mark all who have to do with God. This was true above all in the Man, Christ Jesus. He could say, in the fullest sense of the words, "Zeal for your house has consumed me." He was consumed with the desire to do the will of the Father Who sent Him.

This connects itself with the desire after Himself. They seek Him with the whole heart. This is the general character of the effect of the law written in the heart. The practical effect is plain: they "do no iniquity." The heart is set right in purity, and they also do no evil, no wrong towards others. Instead of their own will and defiance towards God, "they walk in His ways." The heart recognises God's authority and accepts it with diligence, and the heart's desires go out towards it.

They walk in the way of the Lord's law — not the ten commandments, but as the New Testament tells us, "the law of liberty" (James 2:12), which involves the new birth. Only those born again will keep His testimonies, seeking the Lord with their whole heart (v. 2). They respond willingly to His commandment to keep His precepts diligently, not giving in to iniquity, but choosing God's ways (vv. 3-4).

(vv. 1-3) The opening verses present the theme of the whole psalm — the blessedness of those who walk through this world in "the way" marked out by the Lord in His law, who "keep" His testimonies, and seek Him with the whole heart.

The "way" for man is simply the way of Jehovah's law; and "happiness" is to be perfect in it. How blessed it is just to have the settled awareness in the soul that this alone is happiness. To be delivered from the misery of one's own will, one's own way — the very definition of sin (Isa. 53:6) — what a complete deliverance that is! ... With such people everything matches the real nature of things. They do not twist it: "they practise no perversity; they walk in His ways." His ways must be safe, holy, and happy.

When God writes His law on the heart, the people He speaks of will have hearts that never forget what He has commanded. This is certainly not the natural condition of anyone. It belongs only to those of whom He can also say, "Their sins and iniquities I will remember no more." Psalm 119 is the fervent expression of a heart so blessed.

This connects with the desire for God Himself. They seek Him with the whole heart. This is the general character of the effect of the law written in the heart. The practical effect is clear: they "do no iniquity." Their heart is not only morally right and undefiled; they also do no evil or unrighteousness — no wrong to others. Instead of following their own will and scoffing at God, "they walk in His ways." The heart recognises God's authority, accepts it diligently, and desires it.

Negative: "… they … do no iniquity …" As they "keep" His testimonies, and seek the Lord with their whole heart, staying close to Him, they do not sin. It is not characteristic of a true Christian that he practises sin. Instead, an act of sin in a believer's life counts as an "accident", completely unlike his position. "… if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous …" (1 John 3:9; 1 John 2:1).

Positive: "… they walk in His ways." They walk with Him, and in His strength. He is the "way" in which they walk; like Him. "Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked" (1 John 2:6). Our "walk" shows the effect of "abiding" in Him.

We see then that the form of this psalm cannot apply to the Christian. He never expects to be completely forsaken. In one particular case he may apply this, when he knows he has followed his own will. But the general principle teaches us much, because it shows what God works in the heart to shape its moral character.

There is first of all complete submission. Remember what a "commandment" is: an order given by God with full authority. Whether to Adam or to Noah, they had to submit. Adam did not, but Noah did submit. Are we willing to submit our will to His will? This submission is not imposed upon us, we are not forced to submit to our Lord Jesus! That would be the obedience of a slave. No, it is because we love Him that we willingly and gladly submit to Him.

Verse 4: PIK-KOO-DEEM = Precepts (or Commandments). It occurs 21 times through the psalm (always in the plural). It means a charge given to us by God for which we are responsible, "to place in trust", or "to take oversight".

The verse continues: "…to be kept diligently." There is nothing superficial about this submission! It is not a partial submission, but complete. There is no reserve, no holding back part, no hesitation, but a glad and whole-hearted surrender.

We must not pick and choose. We tend to take up the commandments and precepts that suit us, but this is really self-will. What right do we have to select some precepts from the word and neglect others? None at all. To do so is, in principle, simply self-will and rebellion. What business has a servant to decide which of his master's commands he will obey? Surely, none at all. Every commandment carries the master's authority, so it has a claim on the servant's attention. And we may add: the more fully a servant obeys, giving respectful attention to every one of his master's commands, however small, the more he strengthens his position and grows in his master's confidence and esteem.

"You have commanded Your precepts" — the separate applications of God's principles — "to be kept diligently." God does not speak in plain, definite terms and then put up with us treating His words lightly. And that is not in the least what grace means. Nothing God has spoken is unimportant. Obedience is always what matters, and an obedience we can set limits on claims for us a wisdom higher than God's.

But the God whose sons we are is holy, and demands in His children obedience. He would have us recognise His authority. If we stand in His grace, we are also under His government. We are just as much the subjects of His kingdom as we are the objects of His favour. We are as much His servants under His control as we are His sons in liberty… Knowing that I am His son makes me cry, "Abba, Father." Knowing that I am under Him makes me say, "Lord, what do You want me to do?"

It is not Christian to obey Christ merely because we must. Christ never obeyed like that. If someone only does a thing because he knows he will be punished if he does not, that shows his heart is not in it — he does not want to obey. Christian obedience is wanting to do a thing because it is the will of God. The Holy Spirit gives us the power for that by setting Christ before our hearts.

Then there is a complete giving up of self. This is a prayer! It is the deep longing of the heart expressed in a sigh! There is a deep sense of complete weakness, and of our own inability to do anything that is pleasing and acceptable to God. Here is a cry for aid, for help, for power! Surely the Lord hears such a sigh! Surely the Holy Spirit will direct you and me to "keep Your statutes," to do His will and not our own! A "statute" is a direction from God to secure our obedience, or to stop disobedience.

"Oh that my ways were directed." This is not only seeing God's ways — what the heart approves as right in itself. It is the desire that the actual course of life be ordered to keep God's statutes; our will is not satisfied, but turned towards God's. Here a man feels his dependence about the course of his life, and longs for it to be directed.

With the blessedness of God's way before his soul, the psalmist turns to God in prayer. He admits God's authority to "command," and our responsibility "to keep" His precepts. He also longs to meet that responsibility. Aware of human weakness, the godly man looks to God to direct his ways, so that he may keep God's statutes (v. 5).

How different is the spirit of Psalm 119. At Sinai the law came to men in the flesh, and they loathed it and rebelled against it; in Psalm 119 the writer delights in the law of God. Clearly he has been born again.

It is we who need to be taught wisdom. So the heart cries out: "Oh that my ways" — my goings in the path — "may be directed to keep Your statutes: then I shall not be ashamed when I have respect to all Your commandments." And it looks ahead to His judgments — His decisions in the court of conscience. These so approve His righteousness that learning them will produce a spirit of praise in an upright heart.

It was a time when Israel had gone wrong. So here there is a special looking to God not to give them up completely. We see that the form of this psalm cannot apply to the Christian. He never expects to be completely forsaken. In a particular course of action he may apply it, when he knows he has followed his own will. But from the general principle we may learn much, as to what is worked in the heart regarding its moral disposition.

Here is complete confidence. "Then" — it follows! He has learned from experience. He has learned from past mistakes. He has learned that he will not be ashamed, when he has "respect" for all the Lord's commandments! He says, in effect: "Yes, looking back I am ashamed of those times when I acted in self-confidence and in my own strength and wisdom, and failed miserably. But now I have learned not to have this self-confidence, but to have complete confidence in the Lord."

Shame does not come from people's disapproval. It comes from a conscience that is not good according to God's revealed will. But this way is complete, and it is the only one. Whatever is outside it is not clean — it is the world, which God hates. We must be in it in will, heart, and way. Otherwise we are out of it, and so ashamed — if the will of the heart is right. If my mind and soul have discerned the excellence of God's way, then my conscience makes me ashamed when I am out of it in every respect.

The blessedness of God's way is before his soul, so the psalmist turns to God in prayer. He admits God's authority to "command," and our responsibility "to keep" His precepts. He also longs for this responsibility to be met. Aware of human weakness, the godly man looks to God to direct his ways, so that he may keep God's statutes (v. 5). Walking this way, he keeps a good conscience (v. 6). When the conscience is good, praise flows, not from formal lips, but from an upright heart (v. 7).

We must learn not to pick and choose when it comes to the Lord's will for us. All His ways are blessedness and peace, all His will is good and acceptable and perfectly suited to our needs.

We are called to obey God's word as a whole — "All My law" — not just the part of it we prize most. When a believer follows only his favourite lines of truth, he is not strong and very courageous in obeying the whole of God's word. Some believers have selected certain portions of God's word for their obedience, the ones most agreeable to them, and so have in effect built a revised Bible!

No — it is we who need to be taught wisdom. So the heart cries out: "Oh that my ways" — my steps in the path — "may be directed to keep Your statutes: then I shall not be ashamed when I have respect for all Your commandments." The heart also foresees that His judgments — His decisions in the court of conscience — will so approve His righteousness that learning them will produce a spirit of praise in an upright heart.

We see, then, that the form of this psalm cannot apply to the Christian. He never expects to be utterly forsaken; in a particular course he may apply this, when he is conscious of having followed his own will. But from the general principle we may learn much, as to what is worked in the heart regarding its moral disposition.

With the blessedness of God's way before his soul, the psalmist turns to God in prayer. He admits God's authority to "command," and our responsibility "to keep" His precepts. There is also a longing desire to meet that responsibility. Aware of human weakness, the godly man looks to God to direct his ways, so that he may keep God's statutes (v. 5). Walking this way, he keeps a good conscience (v. 6). And when the conscience is good, praise flows, not from formal lips, but from an upright heart (v. 7).

The judgments of His righteousness are the decisions He makes about right and wrong. They express and carry out the righteous character of God. We have much to learn about His "judgments." We must learn that He always judges righteously — never on a whim, and never with prejudice, as men judge. We must learn from Him now on earth how to judge as He does. Then later, when we reign with Him a thousand years, we shall be able to put into practice what we have learned. Whatever He thinks best is good and right, even when He must discipline as a tender and compassionate Father. One day we shall stand before His judgment seat to be rewarded, and there we shall praise Him with uprightness of heart for all His righteous judgments.

It is we who need to be taught wisdom. So the heart cries out, "Oh that my ways" — my walking in the path — "may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments." And it looks ahead: His judgments — His decisions in the court of conscience — so approve His righteousness that learning them produces a spirit of praise in an upright heart.

Real, deep desire is clear in verse 5, "Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!" If so, the psalmist would not be ashamed when he looked at all God's commandments. Instead he would praise the Lord, not in mere ritual, but in uprightness of heart, gladly learning God's righteous judgments (v. 7). So he has a settled purpose: "I will keep your statutes."

Psalm 119 has 176 verses, and no fewer than 174 of them mention the law of God under different names — law, commandments, precepts, testimonies, judgments, statutes, ordinances, word, way, path. Whatever name the law goes by, it is no longer condemnation and death threatening, but perfect delight and liberty. The writer bursts out, "My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times" (v. 20) — "Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous rules" (v. 164).

But it was a time when Israel had erred. So here there is a special looking to God not to give them up completely. We see from this that the form of this psalm cannot apply to the Christian. He never expects to be completely forsaken. He may apply it in a particular case, when he knows he has followed his own will. But we can learn much from the general principle, as what is worked in the heart about its moral disposition. Verses 1-8.

Having cast himself upon God, the psalmist can say with confidence, "I will keep Your statutes," though recognizing past failure, which leads to the cry, "do not utterly forsake me!"

"I will keep Your statutes…" is what the Psalmist said he would do. "Keeping" means to observe and put into practice. His "statutes" are His directions, given to get our obedience. "If you love me, you will keep my commandments," the Lord Jesus said (John 14:15)… So God provides what we need to do what He asks. All this will keep us humble. We realize that by ourselves we can do nothing, as the Lord Jesus said: "…apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5).

The last verse is an appeal to divine government not to go far away from one who had in heart to keep the divine statutes.

Thus he has firm purpose, "I will keep Your statutes." If so, it is impossible that God would forsake him utterly (v. 8).

Another part of this state of heart is a full will and purpose to obey and keep what God has ordered or appointed. It is what carries God's authority, not simply what is morally right or wrong. But this was a time when Israel had gone wrong. So here there is a special looking to God, asking Him not to give them up completely. We see then that the form of this psalm cannot apply to the Christian. He never expects to be completely forsaken. He may use these words about some path he has taken, when he knows he has followed his own will. But we can learn much from the general principle — what God works in the heart to shape its moral character.

The Psalmist finishes this first section of eight verses with a prayer: "do not utterly forsake me!" But we who believe now, in this time of grace, have no reason to think that the Lord will ever abandon us. The Holy Spirit will not leave us and will not be taken from us, for He remains with us forever (John 14:16). This should not make us careless. It should encourage us to keep going with this constant prayer: "Lord Jesus, keep me close to Yourself."