This week we continue with Psalm 119.
Psa. 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
Psa. 119:106 I have sworn and confirmed
That I will keep Your righteous judgments.
Light is a reality that finds its origin in God. From the beginning, we see that God said: “Let there be light!” God is light, and there is no darkness in Him – 1 John 5:1. Therefore, light finds its source in God. Light reveals and helps us to discern what darkness is. Jesus says: Bring it to the Light – John 3:20-21.
God is also Truth. Light and Truth are companions and show who God is. Truth is understood and revealed through His Word. Jesus is the Word of God – John 1:1. Jesus, the Word of God, made flesh states: “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life” – John 8:12.
The word for “light” in Greek is “phos.” Think about phosphorus, that substance that lights up in the dark. The word for voice in greek is “phone,” pronounced phonei. So the root of “phone” is “phos, the same as the root word for light. So light and voice come from the same meaning. That is why we read in Genisis, and God said: LET THERE BE LIGHT! Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path!
David makes this remarkable statement:
Psa. 119:130 The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding to the simple.
He makes an oath to keep God’s commandments. As long as you walk in the light of His Word, you will never stumble, and the darkness does not influence you.
Psa. 119:107 I am afflicted very much;
Revive me, O LORD, according to Your word.
Psa. 119:108 Accept, I pray, the freewill offerings of my mouth, O LORD,
And teach me Your judgments.
We have seen in previous verses that David said it was good that he experienced affliction. However, this is because he understood the purpose of the process he was going through. He is asking that God will revive him during this time. More than that, during the time of affliction, he is still offering praise and worship with his mouth.
A freewill offering was something that they could give. It was not an offering that was required from God. It is giving when you don’t have too. David says he will use his lips to give a freewill offering. Paul tells us to give our bodies as a sacrifice – Rom 12:1-3. It shows a heart that is willing to sacrifice.
What do we do when we are feeling the affliction? Paul and Silas were singing in jail, locked up in the worst part of the jail – Acts 16:24-33. What is astounding is that the other prisoners heard them worshipping and praying. During that time, an earthquake shook all the prisoners’ chains and opened all the doors. No one left the prison even though they were free from the chains. When was the last time that your worship so captivated people that they didn’t want to go? When was the last time your worship in the most challenging circumstances set the other prisoners free?
Heb. 13:15 Therefore, by Him, let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
Psa. 119:109 My life is continually in my hand,
Yet I do not forget Your law.
Psa. 119:110 The wicked have laid a snare for me,
Yet, I have not strayed from Your precepts.
We know that our lives are not in our own hands. David knew the scriptures, so he must have known what Moses wrote in Deuteronomy 32:39.
“See now that I, I am He, And there is no god besides Me;
It is I who put to death and give life. I have wounded, and it is I who heal,
And there is no one who can deliver from My hand.”
So his statement about having his life in his own hands shows us he realizes how fragile his life is. Yet, despite being that vulnerable, he finds comfort in the Law of God. His Words are forever and bring life and light.
David tells us again that his enemies are trying to trap him. But, nevertheless, he keeps remembering the Law of God and makes sure he does not stray from it. What an incredible peace to know that God protects us from the snares of the enemy. David makes this clear in another Psalm when he says: Surely He shall deliver you from the snares of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence Psalm 91:3.
Psa. 119:111 Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever,
For they are the rejoicing of my heart.
Psa. 119:112 I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes
Forever, to the very end.
Heritage is what is passed down from generation to generation and includes culture, history, and nation. Inheritance is assets passed down from one generation to the next generation. David is not talking about inheritance but his heritage. The testimonies of God are what he claims to be his heritage. He could have claimed his defeat over Goliath, his time as King of Israel, his riches, his wives and children, but he chooses God’s Word.
When we got born again, we were cut off from our sinful heritage and placed into the family of God – 1 Pet 2:9. He hath delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son – Col 1:13. He is our heritage and our inheritance.
When we talk about heritage today, we use the word legacy. What is your legacy? What will people remember about you when you are gone. For David, it was his love for the Word of the Lord.
I would love for people to remember me as someone who loved His Word, Loved His people, and preached the Kingdom’s message. I want to be recognized as one who gave more than he asked, had more grace than judgment, and lived to make others great.
