PSALM 119:73-80 JOD (YODH)

One of the attitudes, - even as Christians, - we can so easily adopt is

running to God only when we need Him. In the previous section the
psalmist reminded us how necessary Gods Word is when we are
experiencing trials. However, we have read and studied enough of this
psalm to know that the psalmist teaches us not only to come to God in the
hard times, but also to come to Him regularly and consistently during our
whole experience of life. Indeed, he wrote this long psalm, - led by the
Holy Spirit, - to convince us to come to know and obey Gods Word.

Very simply here is how he, - in this section, - would seek to
encourage us
We Learn About Ourselves
We Become A Blessing To Others
We Receive Gods Best In Our Afflictions

WE LEARN ABOUT OURSELVES
Its coming up to Christmas time and you might be getting some new
appliance for your home. If you have never used the type of appliance
before it is obviously very important to read the instructions.
The Bible is the instructions for you to live as a child of God. Yes, it
is good to read other books by faithful men and women of God who
present Him and all about Him in a manner commensurate with faithful
teaching based on His Word, but, - at the end of the day, - the Bible is
unique and is the final authority and ultimate guide for the believer.
No matter how well a Christian author tries to deal with a particular
subject Gods Word is the only Book ever written that is totally inspired
and inerrant and the only Book ever written that has Gods seal of
imprimatur upon it.
It tells the truth about where we come from, why we are here, what
we must do to succeed, and where we are going.
God has laid out before us His plan that He will bring to pass. He is
the God of glory, the eternal God, the holy and just God, the God of His
people, there never has been Another like Him nor there never will be.
This God, - throughout the Old Testament, - laboured with His
chosen people, the children of Israel, and He appeared in their midst to
guide and direct them to the place He had for them to be.
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In the New Testament He introduces to us the Lord J esus Christ, -
God Who became man while still retaining His Godhood. While on earth
J esus never stopped being God not even for a moment
His purpose in coming to this earth was that He would redeem His
people on to Himself a people who would stretch out into the future
for as long as the dispensation of grace would continue.
In the sovereign plan of God He loved you and He began the process
whereby you would be saved. His Word taught you that you were a
sinner heading towards a lost eternity in Hell but God stepped in, lifted
you onto Himself and saved you.
The Bible tells you what you could have been like had J esus not
saved you. It tells you that you would have kept on heading downward
and away from God.
The Bible causes you to glory in the fact of your salvation in Christ
and it teaches you to become what God desires His children to become.
It is a beautiful statement, v.73 Thy hands have made me and fashioned
me. That means that God created you the way He desired you to be.
When God was speaking with Moses on Mount Horeb He said to
him, Ex. 4:11 Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf,
or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?
If a little baby in the womb is found to have a handicap of some sort,
the Bible would teach us that we do not have the right to opt for
termination of that childs life (abortion, the killing of a baby) because
the Bible would teach us that is how God has made that little baby.
Yes, it is sad news about Gordon and Sarah Browns wee baby but
the Bibles teaching on this matter is very definite. God does not make
mistakes when He creates a little child.
Thy hands have made me and fashioned me said the psalmist yes, the
same God about whom the earlier psalmist wrote, Ps. 102:25 Of old hast
thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.
The same hands that made the mountain range of Everest are the
same hands of the same God that made you and me.
When you read through the Bible you meet ordinary people like us; it
is not a fairy story we are reading with fictional characters these are
real people whom God is working with and through.
We see ourselves in Moses, when he was afraid to stand before the
court of Pharaoh, in Thomas, when we doubt, in Peter, when we
first put our mouths into gear without exercising our minds
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Yes, we see ourselves in Scripture and actually the Word of God
describes itself as a mirror, I Cor. 13:12 For now we see through a glass,
darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as
also I am known, and again in II Cor. 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding
as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to
glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
Yes, in Gods Word we learn about ourselves, we learn that living as
a believer in the Lord J esus Christ is a true and real and genuine
experience.
And when you know Christ no-one can argue you out of the
experience.
The unsaved have no idea what it is all about; Paul told the
Corinthians (II Cor. 4:4), the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them
which believe not, - they just cannot grasp of what it is to know Christ
personally.
Yes, and knowing Christ personally has a tremendous hold over us
and it is accompanied with great responsibility, J ames said, 1:22 But be ye
doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. 23 For if any
be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his
natural face in a glass: 24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and
straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. 25 But whoso looketh into
the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer,
but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed. 26 If any man
among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his
own heart, this man's religion is vain. 27 Pure religion and undefiled before God
and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to
keep himself unspotted from the world. We learn about ourselves

WE BECOME A BLESSING TO OTHERS
The psalmist believes this is a product of living close to God, v.74
They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy
word v.79 Let those that fear thee turn unto me, and those that have known thy
testimonies.
This is a note of encouragement. Being a believer faithful to the Lord
has repercussions for good towards our fellow-believers.
Concord and harmony and agreement among Gods people flows out
of faithfulness to Him. Ps. 133:1 how good and how pleasant it is for brethren
to dwell together in unity! Keep the unity of the Spirit Paul tells the
believers in Ephesus (Eph. 4:3).
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I know God is watching me and I want to be obedient in
encouraging His people amongst whom He has placed me.
It is grieving to the Lord when His people fall out and argue and twist
among themselves. If you are in a mood and you are struggling to find
something good to say it is better to say nothing rather than cause your
brother and sister hurt.
Sometimes in our fellowship people do become hurt because of an
unguarded tongue.
We have a responsibility before our Heavenly Father in our conduct
towards our family in the Lord J esus Christ.
And what the psalmist is saying here is that when you have
confidence in the Word of God it helps you to encourage others.
Someone has said (Ian Maclaren), Be kind, for everyone you meet is
fighting a battle. And it is true.
Its not the first time I have heard of someone saying something nice
to someone else and the person to whom they said it nearly bit their head
off! Okay so the person who nearly bit their head off was having a bad
day, but it is no excuse, because the person saying it in the first place was
simply seeking to be kind.
It is often my experience that people who have a sharp tongue have a
heart full of sores, but its still no excuse for we are brothers and sisters in
the faith and in a society so virulent against Christianity we need to be
upholding each other and encouraging each other.
Are people happy to see you coming towards them or would they
be happier if they would see you go some other direction?
Surely it ought to be that when our friends and acquaintances have
their burdens they would turn to us for help. I trust we dont add to their
burdens.
Indeed what did Paul plainly say to the Galatians, 6:2 Bear ye one
another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.
Yes, it is a beautiful and a very practical lesson for every
congregation made up of more than two people It comes from a
compassionate heart, doesnt it? It is a desire to see others grow.
Think of some of the folk who encouraged you in your Christian
walk and they are in glory today. Wouldnt you just love to be
remembered as you remember them? We become a blessing to
others.


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WE RECEIVE GODS BEST IN OUR AFFLICTIONS
Life is difficult sometimes, and we must accept from the hand of God
the pleasant experiences along with the unpleasant. When extremely hard
times fell upon J ob and his wife, she said to him, 2:9 Dost thou still retain
thine integrity? curse God, and die. Out of his pain and bereavement he
simply replied, v.10 What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall
we not receive evil?
Yes, many people think becoming a Christian does away with the
hard times but it doesnt, but even when the night is at its darkest
God often shines His brightest.
In fact, the psalmist says in 119:105, Thy word is a lamp unto my feet,
and a light unto my path.
When you are walking along a very difficult road, always remember
you have the love of God to comfort you and the promises of God to
encourage you. J ust think of it He has you in the palm of His hand and
He said, Jn. 10:28 I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish,
neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
What! even when a serious illness takes over my life? even
when my family circumstances are turned upside-down? Yes even
then for the Bible says, 75 I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right,
and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me. 76 Let, I pray thee, thy merciful
kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant. 77 Let thy
tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight.
Yes, once again there are the proud adversaries of the believer
mentioned in v.78 but once again the psalmist says, they are not going to
keep me from my God, I will meditate in thy precepts.
If the devil can, he will try to use every trick in the book and every
person at his disposal to make it difficult for you but we have a wonderful
God Who loves His people and accompanies His people through the
rough and over the holes in the road.
We dont need to delight in our circumstances to understand that God
can use the hardest of circumstances for the benefits of His glory. When
the enemy attacks, I trust the enemy sees us running into the shelter of
God, Ps. 18:2 The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my
God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, my salvation, and my
high tower.
The psalmist here is determined in his walk with God. Nothing is
going to keep him back.
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I cherish the faith that teaches me that all of Gods decrees are
perfect, - every one of them. He never makes a mistake or puts us through
anything which does not have our best in His mind.
As I get older I dont know what the Lord has planned to come across
my path but whatever it is He has it in His Sovereign plan.
So many years ago the meningitis could have taken me but it
wasnt His will. Many of you have been in similar situations too, but it is
our testimony that even in our afflictions, we receive Gods best.

Conclusion
Once again this passage is very personal and very simple. It is telling
us we need to learn about ourselves, and it tells us too about the
importance of becoming a blessing to others, and also that we receive
Gods best in our afflictions.
He is a personal God, He is my God and He is my Saviour. He is
in control not the devil, not fate, or anything or anyone else. He is.
When all seems to be crumbling round you do what the psalmist
teaches you here read the instructions! v.80 Let my
heart be sound in thy statutes.