“Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord - Your salvation according to Your word” (vs41).
I want the salvation that’s according to God’s word (vs41-42). It doesn't do us any good to be falsely saved, to have a salvation that we’ve made up, which isn’t in harmony with Jesus Christ. We must be saved by grace, through faith, unto good works that have been ordained and predetermined for us (Eph 2:8-10). We must be saved BY the Lord Jesus unto following and living like Him. We must have sound teaching, and we must have sound practice, both.
Many want a salvation of their own choosing, so they pick and pull from the bible as they see fit, rather than bowing and submitting to the gospel, as God sees fit, as He has written. Salvation MUST be according to the Scriptures, for Christ died that way (1 Cor 15:1-4). Salvation must make the Scriptures become our life, so that what they say is what we do, and we can match up with the blueprint given to us. This takes GRACE, so the Psalmist prays! He doesn’t want to be deceived. He wants the real thing, to honor God, and to have what only He can give.
When I first met the woman that I’m engaged to marry, it struck me that WE could have everything together, if we’d just take it. God is utterly willing to save us, and to make us the best that we can be. He can and will do it for all who ask.
Secondly, He won’t take away the gospel from those who trust in Him, even though we’re brought chastisements and misery upon ourselves, even though afflictions have made the promises seem unreal (vs43). He says, “And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for I have hoped in Your ordinances.” This is great grace in God. He doesn’t shaking off people who hold on to Him. You’ve seen people pry others away from them, like an NFL running back shaking off a tackle, but this is not grace. Hold onto the word of God by faith, and God won’t take it from you, even when it appears to be diminishing, even when trouble has you full of fears and doubts! You may have failed and sinned, and have no right to blessings, but salvation is graciously given, free to sinners, and those who want Christ, as weak as we are, will never be thrown away for our weakness. In fact, the tiniest of faith is saving.
Seeking is finding in the kingdom of God (vs45). He says, “And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Your precepts”. There are MANY things that you can chase and never catch. You can line your walls with pictures of movie stars or models that you’d like to marry, then never meet them, or be ignored when you do. But, you and I can’t pursue Christ in vain, so that the seeker actually HAS. He doesn’t have now, so he seeks, but like heaven itself, it is coming for sure, because men never seek grace in vain. He is not One to ignore the pleas of His people, the cries of faith from sinners in our need, or to deny the hope of anyone who leans upon His word. If you want it, come by faith in Christ, and it’s yours (1 John 5:14). He is coming, power is coming, sin will be broken, etc!
Thirdly, “I will not be ashamed” in the future because the grace I’m depending on will be there. This is the resolve and the direction of my life (Vs46). “I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed”. I don’t stand as boldly as I desire, and I seek improvement, but in the course of the believer’s life, he is someone, like Peter, who stands for the Lord Jesus Christ, openly, no matter the opposition. We are not as faithful as we’d like, but everyone of us who believes endures until the end and confesses Christ openly by our conduct. Be serious about this, know this is who you are, and let your resolve grow. Realize that you’re in this until the end, no matter the costs, and keep looking to Christ to bring it to pass.
Say, “I love the Lord”, and never be ashamed to say it (vs47). He says, “And I will delight myself in Your commandments, which I love”. We don’t boast about loving Christ, because we boast about God’s grace and we glory only in the cross. Christ died for us, so that grace may justifiably be ours in the putting away of sins and establishment of righteousness before God. But we MUST recognize the grace that we’ve been given. I can no less say, “I love God”, than I can say, “I believe”. They are the same. This is God’s work, the gift of a new heart!
Let His word tell you how you think, what you feel, and believe it. If it isn’t true, don’t say it and pretend. But, if you love Him because He first loved you, if you love the word because it brings you peace and heals your mind, and if you love the gospel because it is thrilling, wise, and just, then admit it. Don’t be ashamed. Don’t love a woman, but be embarrassed to hold her hand in public for fear of what others will say. Don’t love God and REFUSE to say it because of sin - not yours or someone else’s.
Finally, know your path and be optimistic (hopeful in God) and determined about it (confident He’ll bring it to pass) (vs48). He says, “My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments, which I love, and I will meditate on Your statutes”. You are not promising anything based upon yourself or your strength. Every promise you’re making of faithfulness is based upon the promise that God has given, the fact that He’ll keep you faithful to the end. To say, “I will make it. I will persevere until the end” isn’t pride, so long as God’s promise and not your will power is your assurance!
Be determined to know nothing except Jesus Christ and Him crucified, to know by experience and obedience, by teaching and by practice the Lord Jesus Christ and the gospel, not because YOU have a greater resolve than others, but because God has made Christ everything to you, and God will keep it going. Have your resolves as benchmarks and sign posts, guiding and measuring the direction of your life. Wonder not aimlessly, not knowing where you’re going, tossed by the wind. But like an athlete, have a goal in mind, and then labor, day by day, to get there. Know what you’re about in this life, which is KNOWING Christ by experience and making Him known in truth and love, and be about it confidently.
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