Meditations in Psalm 119
NUN
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path. 106 I have sworn, and I raised it, that I will keep Your righteous judgments. 107 I am afflicted very much; O LORD, give me life according to Your word. 108 I pray You, take the free-will offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me Your judgments. 109 My life is in my hand daily; yet I do not forget Your law. 110 The wicked have laid a snare for me; yet I do not go astray from Your commandments. 111 I have taken Your testimonies as an inheritance forever; for they are the rejoicing of my heart. 112 I have bowed down my heart to do Your statutes always to the end.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105
Have you ever tried to walk on a mountain trail or follow a farm path in the pitch darkness of night? Without light, such a trek causes one to stumble, fall and become hopelessly lost in night’s darkness.
Sad to say, this world is a dark place. People are born in spiritual darkness and don’t know the way of life. They can’t see the many stumbling stones and pitfalls as they wander through life in the blackness of spiritual night. Instead of finding their way to life, they die in darkness and on the pathway to everlasting darkness.
God’s Word is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. It reveals to us the error of our sinful ways and shows us the path of life – the way of forgiveness and life eternal in Christ Jesus and for the sake of His holy life and innocent sufferings and death in our stead.
Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father but by Me” (John 14:6). Jesus’ words are Spirit and they are life (John 6:63); the Spirit uses the Word to wake us up from spiritual darkness and death and give us light and life in Messiah Jesus.
Instead of groping through life in darkness, let the Word give you light and life in Jesus!
Thank You, O LORD, for the light of Your Word. Move me to read and study its pages, to hear it and meditate upon it, that it may be a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
“I have sworn, and I raised it, that I will keep Your righteous judgments.” Psalm 119:106
The psalmist says he has taken an oath and confirms that oath, rising up to do it, to keep God’s righteous judgments – to walk in accord with God’s way and His Word.
We too, at our baptism and again when we are confirmed, promise to renounce the devil and all his wicked works and erring ways and hold fast to the Word of God – to what God has said, judged and decreed. Thus, we agree with God and say the same thing He has said of our own sinfulness. We acknowledge our guilt and the just punishment we deserve for breaking God’s holy and righteous commandments. But we also believe and hold fast to God’s acquittal – His forgiveness and mercy toward us because our sins were punished and paid for in full through the sufferings and death of Jesus, God’s only-begotten Son, in our stead.
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness … Jesus Christ the righteous … is the propitiation concerning our sins, and not concerning ours only, but also concerning the sins of all the world” 1 John 1:9; 2:1,2).
Each and every day, we renew our commitment to keep and hold fast to the truths of God’s Word. Rather than relying upon our own thoughts or feelings, we accept and believe God’s righteous judgments. We place our faith and confidence in our crucified and risen Savior and look to God’s Word to guide us in living for Him who died for us and rose again (cf. 2 Cor. 5:15).
Your Word is true and right, O Lord. Grant that I hold fast to its teaching and keep it, acknowledging my sins and disobedience but placing my hope and confidence in the blood of Jesus, shed for the sins of all the world. Amen.
“I am afflicted very much; O LORD, give me life according to Your word.” Psalm 119:107
In this world Christians are afflicted and suffer persecution for their faith in Christ Jesus. But though they give up all for Christ and to be found in Him, being clothed in His righteousness rather than their own spotted garment of the flesh, God promises them forgiveness and life everlasting for Jesus’ sake.
Thus, the psalmist prays: “I am afflicted very much; O LORD, give me life according to Your word.”
In the midst of suffering and persecution in this world, the psalm writer prays for God to fulfill the promises of His Word and give him life. He prays that God would gracioulsy forgive all his sins and grant him life everlasting, all for the sake of Jesus and His shed blood.
O LORD, graciously preserve me though the afflictions of this life and grant to me the eternal salvation promised me in Your Word, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.
“I pray You, take the free-will offerings of my mouth, O LORD, and teach me Your judgments.” Psalm 119:108
With the psalm writer, we pray that God would accept and receive the praises we freely offer Him with our mouth.
He would not have to do it. Because of our sinfulness, even our most beautiful praises are tainted and corrupted by sin. Our prayers, too, lack in purity because we don’t and can’t love the LORD our God with all our heart, soul and mind.
Thus, we pray that God would graciously receive the free-will offerings of our lips and accept them as pure and holy for Jesus’ sake (cf. 1 John 5:12-15).
We pray also that God would teach us His righteous judgments – that He would grant unto us to know and grasp His pardon and mercy toward us in Messiah Jesus and that He would teach us of His ways and workings for our eternal salvation.
Receive our prayers and praises, O LORD, for Jesus’ sake, and teach us of Your ways and of Your righteous judgments. Amen.
“My life is in my hand daily; yet I do not forget Your law. The wicked have laid a snare for me; yet I do not go astray from Your commandments.” Psalm 119:109-110
Each and every day – continually – our soul is at risk. The wicked seek to deceive and ensnare us in sin and destroy the life that is in us. The devil, the world and our own flesh would lead us away from Christ and His life-giving Word back into sin and unbelief.
But, with the psalmist, we do not forget God’s Word. By the grace of God we hold fast to the sacred truths revealed to us in the Scriptures. We continue in the Word, and the Holy Spirit preserves our life by revealing to us our sins and the consequences of turning aside into disobedience and by comforting us with the good news of God’s mercy and forgiveness in Christ Jesus.
Because Jesus resisted the temptations of the devil and the enticements of the world and then took our sin upon Himself and suffered our punishment when He died upon the cross, we are assured of forgiveness for all our sins and of life everlasting.
We continue in the truth – God’s Word is truth – and the truth makes us free!
Dear Lord Jesus, preserve us in the truth of Your Word and keep us trusting in You alone for our salvation. Amen.
“I have taken Your testimonies as an inheritance forever; for they are the rejoicing of my heart. I have bowed down my heart to do Your statutes always to the end.” Psalm 119:111-112
In our hymnals we have the old Danish hymn verse of Nikolai F.S. Grundtvig, written in the early 1800s and translated into English by Ole G. Belsheim in the early 1900s:
God’s Word is our great heritage
And shall be ours forever;
To spread its light from age to age
Shall be our chief endeavor.
Through life it guides our way,
In death it is our stay.
Lord, grant while words endure,
We keep its teachings pure
Throughout all generations.
By the grace of God, we have inherited the testimonies of the LORD God. And what a gift this is, for many nations and peoples do not have this great blessing as abundantly as we do!
The Word of God testifies to the holy will of God and to His love and mercy in sending His only-begotten Son to die for our sins and rise again. It reveals to us our Savior, Jesus Christ, and it guides us in living while we await Christ’s glorious return.
Indeed, the Word of God brings joy to our hearts as we hear the good news that our sins are paid for in full and forgiven because of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice on the cross for us. We rejoice in the fact that God accepts us as His own dear children and will receive us into His heavenly kingdom, all because of Jesus.
Knowing the blessing of possessing God’s pure Word, we too bow our hearts before the Word of God and humbly submit to its teachings. We hold fast to the Word and seek to live our lives according to it, trusting in the shed blood of Jesus for our salvation.
And what greater mission could we have in life than to spread and share the light of God’s Word with others near and far! We testify of man’s sinfulness and of God’s gracious gift of life in the Son.
Thus, we too, with the hymn writer, sing and say: “God’s Word is our great heritage and shall be ours forever; to spread its light from age to age shall be our chief endeavor. Through life it guides our way, in death it is our stay. Lord, grant while words endure, we keep its teachings pure throughout all generations.”
Thank You, O LORD, for the testimony of Your Word, for revealing to us our utter sinfulness under Your holy law but assuring us of mercy, forgiveness and life everlasting in Christ Jesus, our Savior. Amen.
Epitome of the Formula of Concord
X. Church Rites
Which are [Commonly] Called Adiaphora or Matters of Indifference
1] Concerning ceremonies or church rites which are neither commanded nor forbidden in God’s Word, but have been introduced into the Church for the sake of good order and propriety, a dissension has also occurred among the theologians of the Augsburg Confession.
STATUS CONTROVERSIAE
Chief Controversy concerning This Article
2] The chief question, however, has been, whether, in time of persecution and in case of confession, even if the enemies of the Gospel have not reached an agreement with us in doctrine, some abrogated ceremonies, which in themselves are matters of indifference and are neither commanded nor forbidden by God, may nevertheless, upon the pressure and demand of the adversaries, be reestablished without violence to conscience, and we may thus [rightly] have conformity with them in such ceremonies and adiaphora. To this the one side has said Yea, the other, Nay.
Affirmative Theses
The Correct and True Doctrine and Confession concerning This Article
3] 1. For settling also this controversy we unanimously believe, teach, and confess that the ceremonies or church rites which are neither commanded nor forbidden in God’s Word, but have been instituted alone for the sake of propriety and good order, are in and of themselves no divine worship, nor even a part of it. Matt. 15:9:In vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
4] 2. We believe, teach, and confess that the congregation of God of every place and every time has the power, according to its circumstances, to change such ceremonies in such manner as may be most useful and edifying to the congregation of God.
5] 3. Nevertheless, that herein all frivolity and offense should be avoided, and special care should be taken to exercise forbearance towards the weak in faith. 1 Cor. 8:9; Rom. 14:13.
6] 4. We believe, teach, and confess that in time of persecution, when a plain [and steadfast] confession is required of us, we should not yield to the enemies in regard to such adiaphora, as the apostle has written Gal. 5:1: Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again in the yoke of bondage. Also 2 Cor. 6:14: Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers, etc. For what concord hath light with darkness? Also Gal. 2:5: To whom we gave place, no, not for an hour, that the truth of the Gospel might remain with you. For in such a case it is no longer a question concerning adiaphora, but concerning the truth of the Gospel, concerning [preserving] Christian liberty, and concerning sanctioning open idolatry, as also concerning the prevention of offense to the weak in the faith [how care should be taken lest idolatry be openly sanctioned and the weak in faith be offended]; in which we have nothing to concede, but should plainly confess and suffer on that account what God sends, and what He allows the enemies of His Word to inflict upon us.
7] 5. We believe, teach, and confess also that no Church should condemn another because one has less or more external ceremonies not commanded by God than the other, if otherwise there is agreement among them in doctrine and all its articles, as also in the right use of the holy Sacraments, according to the well-known saying: Dissonantia ieiunii non dissolvit consonantiam fidei, Disagreement in fasting does not destroy agreement in faith.
Negative Theses
False Doctrine concerning This Article
8] Accordingly, we reject and condemn as wrong and contrary to God’s Word when it is taught:
9] 1. That human ordinances and institutions in the church should be regarded as in themselves a divine worship or part of it.
10] 2. When such ceremonies, ordinances, and institutions are violently forced upon the congregation of God as necessary, contrary to its Christian liberty which it has in external things.
11] 3. Also, that in time of persecution and public confession [when a clear confession is required] we may yield to the enemies of the Gospel in such adiaphora and ceremonies, or may come to an agreement with them (which causes injury to the truth).
12] 4. Also, when these external ceremonies and adiaphora are abrogated in such a manner as though it were not free to the congregation of God to employ one or more [this or that] in Christian liberty, according to its circumstances, as may be most useful at any time to the Church [for edification].
Bible Study in Preparation for Sunday
Scripture Readings for Sunday are: Psalm 119:105-112; Isaiah 5:1-7; Philippians 3:4b-14; and Matthew 21:33-46. Please read them in their context as you prepare for worship on Sunday.
The Adult Bible Class is studying St. Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians, at chapter 4, verse 11ff.
Remember to Pray
Remember to pray for our church and for all our members, that none be lost to Christ’s kingdom but that all continue in repentance and be strengthened and built up in the true and saving faith in Christ Jesus through the hearing and study of His Word. We pray for God’s healing and strengthening of our congregation, as well as for God’s help with our church’s financial needs. We continue to pray for all who have been sick or who are suffering among us – for Sam Rusch; for Bonnie Hawes, who is anticipates heart surgery on Oct.10; for Jessica Evans, who has returned to live with her sister in California; for those who have been absent from us, for our extended families and for believers who are alone and have no congregation. Continue to pray for Lutheran congregations and believers around the world who are persecuted or suffering for their faith in Christ Jesus.
Events and Announcements
On-line video of worship services can be found at: http://goodshepherdrogers.org/blog/worship-service-video.
Information for bulletins or newsletters may be sent to Pastor Moll by calling him at 479-233-0081 or by e-mail at goodshepherdrogers@yahoo.com.
Psalm 6
To the Chief Musician, for eight-stringed instruments. A Psalm of David.
1 O LORD, rebuke me not in Your anger, nor chasten me in the heat of Your fury. 2 Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am weak; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are troubled. 3 My soul also is exceedingly troubled; but You, O LORD, how long? 4 Return, O LORD, return; deliver my soul; save me for Your mercy’s sake. 5 For in death there is no memory of You; in the grave who shall give You thanks? 6 I am weary in my groaning; all the night I make my bed swim; I melt my couch with my tears. 7 My eye is dim because of grief; it wastes away because of all my enemies.
8 Depart from me, all workers of iniquity; for the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping. 9 The LORD has heard my cry; the LORD will receive my prayer. 10 Let all my enemies be ashamed and exceedingly troubled; let them turn back and be ashamed in a moment.