“According to Your Word” (Ps 119:169-176)

“Let my cry come before You, O Lord; give me understanding according to Your word.  Let my supplication come before You; deliver me according to Your word” (vs169-170).

We want deliverance according to God’s word, by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.  He says, “deliver me according to your word”.  It doesn’t help us to have false salvation, to war with sin in the flesh, as if we can fight Satan.  We need to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as the gospel declares, believing God is for us, rather than against, that He justifies, forgives, and goes with us in Spirit power.  He says, “When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the Lord your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt” (Deut 20:1).  If He saved you from the curse and bore away your sins, reconciling you to God by His blood, then He’ll surely fight for you now.  He is not angry, but Christ has put a smile on His face, and by faith in Him, you have all the help that you need.

Secondly, we love God’s commands because they are saving (vs171-172). He said, “My lips shall utter praise, for You teach me your statues.  My tongue shall speak of Your word, for all Your commandments are righteous.”  To believe on Christ, which is God’s command, is the BEST thing that we’ve heard, that we can be forgiven and COMPLETELY accepted by God, simply by leaning upon and trusting the One that He’s exalted, the Perfect One who obeyed for sinners. 

It is also a good command to preach His name and tell sinners the wonders of His love.  In 2 Kings 7:9, four lepers (us) obtained mercy and counted it their duty to tell others. We read, “Then they said to one another, ‘We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news (gospel), and we remain silent.  If we wait until morning light, some punishment will come upon us.  Now therefore, come, let us go and tell the king’s household”.  We got salvation freely, so we respond with praise: praising God for His grace by telling others, so that they can be saved.  We also praise Him in prayer, pleading for the salvation that He’s promised, taking the gospel that He’s given to us as righteous and able to bless.  We are not fault finders with God, but we see Him wonderful and declare it with life and lip.

Thirdly, we want help from God by His verdicts to help the sinful, save the believing, and always bless those who come to Him (vs173-175).  “Let Your hand become my help, for I have chosen Your precepts.  I long for Your salvation, O Lord, and Your law is my delight.  Let my soul live, and it shall praise You; and let Your judgments help me”. He is a gracious God from His own heart, willingly deciding to save sinners for His glory, so that His beauty would be known, the beauty that predestines us, dies for us, bring us to glory, and then blesses us eternally with bliss.  We love God BECAUSE He is lovely and mandatory; He is the only Savior there is, and He has judged that no other name can help us.  He says, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).  Bless His name that He is for you, when He could have been against. This judgment was His only.

Finally, know God’s grace (vs176).  The Psalmist concludes Psalm 119 saying, “I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I do not forget your commandments”. He is down, but not out.  He admits his need and trusts the God who CAN’T be forgotten by His people.