8/10/2019 h. Psalm 119.57-64.pdf

1/10

PSALM 119:57-64 CHETH

I wonder if you noticed a little word that is very important in this

particular section, it is the word keep:

v.57 Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keepthy words

v.60 I made haste, and delayed not to keepthy commandments v.63 I am a companion of all them that keepthy precepts

When the Bible repeats a certain word or theme it is always good to

explore it further. The Hebrew word the psalmist uses here is a very

common and popular word (rmX, shamar) and it is used over 468 times

in the Old Testament. Its basic meaning is to keep, observe, treasure,

guard, protect. It means to keep something that is a most treasured and

precious possession.

For example, the Garden of Eden was precious to the Lord; He took great

pride in that garden, v.8 And the LORD God planted a garden eastward inEden; and there he put the man whom he had formed. 9 And out of the ground

made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and goodfor food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of

knowledge of good and evil. 10 And a river went out of Eden to water the

garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. The first

time the Hebrew word shamaris used is in Gen. 2:15 And the LORD God

took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keepit. The

man was given a tremendous responsibility to care for this jewel in Gods

creation; God entrusted Adam with keepingand maintaining the beautiful

Garden of Eden.

Then, when Adam and Eve fell into sin the Lord expelled them from the

Garden and we read in 3:24 he drove out the man; and he placed at the east ofthe garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to

keep the way of the tree of life. Above all His creation, this garden waspreciousto the Lord, He treasuredit; it was the dutyof first of all Adam

and then the cherubim to zealously keepit.

Just one more illustration before we look at this word specifically in Ps.

119:57-64. In Gen. 18 when the messengers of God came to speak with

Abraham prior to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, God spoke

with them first and said, v.19 For I know him [Abraham], that he will

command his children and his household after him, and they shall keepthe wayof the LORD, to do justice and judgment.

8/10/2019 h. Psalm 119.57-64.pdf

2/10

2The worship of God was so precious to Abraham that he would

command all those under his influence to honour, observe, treasure,

guard, protect and keepthe way of the LORD.

So, that is what the word means and this is the exact same OldTestament word we have mentioned here three times in these eight

verses. Based, therefore, on these three mentions of the word, we have

three simple and easy-to-remember headings the portion, the path,andthe precepts

THE PORTION v.57 Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that Iwould keepthy words

In the days of the psalmist, the people of Israel were failing God andturning to idols. The fact they were turning to the idols was the evidence

they did not really believe Jehovah was adequate to meet their needs.

For example, in the days of Elijah a great drought had come upon the

land. Instead of turning to God the Israelites turned to Baal (the Canaanite

storm God) to find a remedy. But it was God Who sent the rain in

answer to Elijahs prayer.

Another example, sometimes when an outside enemy threatened

to invade their land, the leaders of Israel often ran to the armies of Egyptfor help just as though God was uninterested in their plight and

unconcerned what might happen to them and unable to deliver them.

Now, the psalmist was all too aware of this failing in the spiritual life

of his people, i.e. to turn to God. Speaking very personally, he sang from

his heart the beautiful words, Thou art my portion, O LORD.

This was his COMMITMENT. Just notice the two personal pronouns, -

Thou my. Lord, I dont need to run anywhere else, Im not interested in

running anywhere else; Thou art all I need for Thou art my portion, O

LORD. Lord,Iam committedto You.

It is often the way that people are committed to something only

because it is the best deal they are getting at the time, - if Tesco can offer

us better shopping prices than Sainsburys then we shall do our shopping

in Tescos. The believer, on the other hand, is committed to Christ

regardless of any surrounding circumstances or other considerations

because of what Christ means to them in the very depths of their heart.

This Portionthat we possess involves service and diligence just in

the same way as a seed that you plant needs looking after.

8/10/2019 h. Psalm 119.57-64.pdf

3/10

3 Indeed, it follows that sinceThou art my portion, O Lord I shall keep

thy words. I am making a conscious ongoing effort to keepthy words.

When I have had a bad day, when I have had someone going on and

on at me Thou art my portion, O Lord I shall keepthy words. When it

does not prove particularly easy I shall put all the more into endeavouringto keepthy words.

Lord, it is what I aim for; I mightnt always achieve it to the degree I

want to but since Thou art my portion, O Lord I shall set out to keep thy

words.

This is the proof you belong to Him, - you treasurewhat He has to

say to you. You dont just rely upon what He said to you away back in

the past or what He has said to someone else you want to hear today

how His word speak toyou.

Knowing God has changed your life, - He is your Portion. If your

life has not changed, and there is no evidence, you do not know God!

That is harsh, but thats the way it is. No change, no conversion, II Cor.5:17 if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away;

behold, all things are become new.

But knowing God, believer, has changed your life and He is your

Portion. Your whole life revolves around Him, - that is the way it ought

to be. It is what Spurgeon called a clean distinction. When you belong to

Christ every part of your being seeks only to do and to say that which

brings to Him glory. On the other hand, if it is only a sham of a

profession it doesnt matter when other things take priority over God.

Why do you love God? I love Him because He first loved me yes,

but why do you love God today now? You love Him today and are

committedto Him because of all that He has come to mean to you, - He

is your Portionand neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, norpowers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor anyother creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in

Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 8:38,39).

You hear some people talking about being a committed Christian

tell me, what other kind is there?!

There is commitment, and there is also CONSISTENCY, - the two

must work together. When you go to God He is always the same, - He

never changes. That is the kind of example we need to follow.

You never have to fear if He is going to accept you or not or if

what He wanted yesterday is not what He wants today.

8/10/2019 h. Psalm 119.57-64.pdf

4/10

4 No, our God is not like us; some days we are in a better mood than

others, some days we know what we want and other days we dont but

with God there is no such confusion. He is always the same.

Now, when he related that great truth to his own personal faith, the

psalmist knew that when he consistently kept the words of the law ofGod the song from his heart would be, Thou art my portion, O LORD,

Commitment, consistent and here also is COMFORT. Notice

very carefully the way the Holy Spirit has formed this opening verse in

the mind of the psalmist; note the order, he did not turn the verse round

and make it to say, I have said that I would keepthy words(therefore) Thou

art my portion, O LORD. Thats the way the Biblically-anaemic Arminian

would word it.

No, when you understand the grace of God you understand thesignificance of what happens first.

Here is the comfortof the believer, - the correct order, - Thou art my

portion, O LORD: [therefore]I have said that I would keep thy words. Grace

comes before the gratitude. Lord, the reason I can say that I shall keep

Thy words is because first of all, - and underlying everything else, - Thou

art my portion, O LORD.

When my enemies raise their ugly heads, v.19 I am a stranger in the

earth 21 Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thycommandments. 23 but thy servant 24 Thy testimonies also are my delight

and my counsellors. That was the comforthe enjoyed in knowing God.

And alongside the comfortthe psalmist was thrilledin the enjoyment

of fellowship and COMPANIONSHIP with God.

Notice the tense he used, - it is the present tense, Thou art my portion,

O LORD. At this very moment, today, I am depending upon my Saviour,

Thou art my portion.

I have a Friend in Jesus, Hes everything to me, Hes the fairest of tenthousand to my soul; The Lily of the Valley, in Him alone I see

All I need to cleanse and make me fully whole. He will never, never

leave me, nor yet forsake me here. the companionshipof God.

It is so important to grasp the point the Holy Spirit is teaching us

here, Thou art my portion, O LORD, I have Thee already in present

possession therefore will I keep Thy words.

You see, to keep the commandments of God the Holy Spirit needs to

be Resident within. It is the Holy Spirit Who guides you into all truth and

Who teaches you to become more like Christ. The Lord must first be your

Portionbefore you will be able to keep His words.

8/10/2019 h. Psalm 119.57-64.pdf

5/10

5 It is the same desire/longing Paul had, Phil. 3:10 That I may know him.

Without Christ in your life you would neither have the strength nor

the ability nor the interest, to seek after God and to keep His Word.

He has gifted to us a rich spiritual inheritance that is not of this

world, it is all of God. This Portionthat we possess is only because of

Him and what follows on from this is that this privilege involves

service and diligence you would not planting a seed and never water it

or care for it. You will want to see it grow and you will do everything you

can to get it to grow.

Indeed, it follows that sinceThou art my portion, O Lord I shall keep

thy words. That is the way it works, it is the proof you belong to Him, -

you treasurewhat He has to say to you and you want your relationship

with Him to flourish. Knowing God has changed your life.

It is not a religion, but a relationship, - Jesus never came to this world

to start a religion, that was the furthest things from His mind. The world

had their religions they didnt need another one; but Jesus came into

this world and He said, Jn. 6:65 no man can come unto me, except it were

given unto him of my Father. You see, it is not a religion, - it is a

relationship that God began from even before He put into place the

foundations of the worlds.

Take a look at this Ps. 119:51 The proud have had me greatly inderision: yet have I not declined from thy law 53 Horror hath taken hold upon

me because of the wicked that forsake thy law. In order for these people to

have forsaken the law they have had to have some commitment to it in

the first place so he is speaking about his own people the Jews, who

had forsaken the law, - it was merely a religion to them.

Surely that is why, then, he began by stating the very opposite of the

common spiritual condition of his day when he said, Thou art my portion,

O Lord. Lord, despite how the people seek after a religionand how theymistreat your Name and Your Word in pursuit of their goals as far as I

am concerned, I thank You for my relationship with You, Thou art [still]

my portion, O Lord.

It was like old Joshua when he told the children of Israel, Josh. 24:15

as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. Regardless of how the

people would decide, the Lord was hisportion.

Often in the Old Testament the portion refers to a piece of land or an

inheritance The psalmist was saying, the land in which I live is God.

In another place (Ps. 73:26) he said, My flesh and my heart faileth: but God

is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.

8/10/2019 h. Psalm 119.57-64.pdf

6/10

6 Whoever said that you can be too heavenly-minded to be of any

earthly use did not know what they were talking about. The more

heavenly-minded you become, indeed the more earthly use you will be.

Two folk I led to the Lord loved the church, - they loved coming

along to the meetings and studying Gods Word and being with Godspeople. We also had the misfortune to have two persistently

troublesome ladies in our membership and they told these two recent

converts, Stop going to all the meetings, you are only licking after the

Pastor (they didnt exactly put it like that! It wasnt as polite as that ),

you dont need to go to so many. Needless to say, the commitment of

those two persistently troublesome members was just about nil.

When you belong to Christ, when you recognise what God has done

for you surely it becomes instinctive to say, Yes, Thou art my portion, OLORD: I have said that I would keepthy words.

Conclusion Just one final thought this morning, - (we shall look at

the other two verses this evening that mentions this word keep), -

going back to how the word was used in the Garden of Eden.

Adam was commanded by God to dress it and to keep it (Gen. 2:15). Of

course, we know how he failed and was expelled.

Bearing in mind that God considers it our duty keepHis commands, -His words, - how am I doing compared to Adam? How are you

doing compared to Adam?

The psalmist was able to say, Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said

that I would keepthy words. He was obedient and faithful to the commands

of Gods word what about you and me?

God was watching Adam and He found Adam notkeeping His duties

and we know the consequences he suffered.

You know, it is our duty, our calling, our responsibility before God todelight in His words and to place such a high value upon them that we

make steps to guard them in our lives.

This means that we do not obey Him out of a grudging

acknowledgment of His Lordship over us but rather we treat His

instructions to us as if they were sweet andprecious and thereby guard

them. This is what it is to shamar to keepHis words and His ways.

It is all-important to consider these things; that is why we find it

necessary to spend some time looking at them together this morning. May God find us faithful, and may He be pleased with our efforts in

serving Him. Amen.

8/10/2019 h. Psalm 119.57-64.pdf

7/10

757 Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keepthy words. 58I entreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy

word. 59 I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. 60 Imade haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments. 61 The bands of the

wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten thy law. 62 At midnight I willrise to give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments. 63 I am a

companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keepthy precepts. 64 Theearth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy: teach me thy statutes.

PSALM 119:57-64 CHETH

This morning we highlighted the word that the psalmist uses three times

in this section, it is the word keep:

v.57 Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I would keepthy words

v.60 I made haste, and delayed not to keepthy commandments

v.63 I am a companion of all them that keepthy precepts

We considered his words in v.57 under the title, The Portion. We are

moving on now to consider the second and the third, under the titles of

The Pathand The Precepts.

THE PATH v.60 I made haste, and delayed not to keepthy commandments

The land the Israelites inherited actually belonged to the Lord, Lev.25:23 The land shall not be sold for ever: for the land is mine; for ye are

strangers and sojourners with me.

Another important fact they needed to remember was that God had

spoken to them very specifically about how they should livein the land;

one of the most important statements He made to them regarding this is

found in Deut. 11:8-17 where He told them in no uncertain terms that it

was v.12 A land which the LORD thy God careth for: the eyes of the LORD thyGod are always upon it.

The deal was that if the people obeyed the terms of the covenant

God would bless both them and their labours and the land.

However, if they turned to idols (- God knew what they were like!)

He would chasten them first in the land, and then in other lands.

If history teaches us anything, it teaches us we never learn from

history Would Israel want to once again suffer the humiliation of

captivity their forefathers suffered in Egypt? No, they would not!

Okay did these leaders of Israel learn then to follow God as they

ought? Once again No, they did not!

8/10/2019 h. Psalm 119.57-64.pdf

8/10

8 Loving obedience was the condition for Gods people to receive His

blessing. Lets take that and apply it where it needs to be applied.

The psalmist said, v. 60 I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy

commandments. Before he came to that place we read, v.59 I thought on my

ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies.

What he is saying here is that from his head to his toes he was

determined to follow God: I thought (i.e. with my mind) and turned (i.e.

with my feet).

Lets translate this for something meaningful for us today

Everything we have comes from God, - yes, we have worked to achieve

so much, but it is the goodness and the plan of God that is behind

everything we have. We cannot boast in our achievements.

Like with the Israelites, the land is the Lords. All that you and Ihave is the Lords, - we are simply stewards of His land. If God would

have willed it we could have been in completely different circumstances

to what we are in today.

We have all the privileges and blessings because God has sovereignly

gifted us with such.

Why am I here this evening and not in a pub in Kirkcaldy

somewhere? Why am I not living in some far-flung place practising an

idolatrous religion? Surely why I am here it is the Lords doing. Why has the Lord blessed me with a good family and a good lifestyle

instead of the lifestyle many in the world lead today in and out of bad

relationships, drunkenness, drug addicts? Yes, the Lord has blessed

me even as He blessed the children of Israel in the land which He

settled them.

God is so good. Yes, the psalmist said, I thought on my ways and it

is a good thing to often take time and consider all God has done for you, -

yes, of course, at Calvary but also the simple things from day to day.

Where would you be without Jesus? Where would you be without

God?

It is as if, - in v.59, - the psalmist is in danger of going the wrong

direction; we dont need to be too surprised about that! Yes, vvs. 57 & 58

are beautiful verses but he is a man, an ordinary person, surrounded by

sinners. It is not too difficult to imagine how easy it is to wander.

In v.59 he said, I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy

testimonies. Why would he need to turn his feet unless he was in danger ofstarting out in the wrong direction!

8/10/2019 h. Psalm 119.57-64.pdf

9/10

9 You see, surely it teaches us on a daily basis to be careful of the

pathalong which we trod.

Its so easy to wander into bypath meadows and the psalmist knew

it. He made a conscious and deliberate decision, - ruled by his

relationship with God, - to turn his feet to stop travelling along theroad he had just taken a few steps on and to consider again the goodness

and the faithfulness of God.

He didnt dilly-dally, he wasnt full of good intentions of what he

would do tomorrow; he said, I made haste, and delayed not.

I used to have a man who was basically addicted to pornography, he

couldnt seem to help himself tear away from it yes, it was more than

a fascination, it wasan addiction. He knew it was wrong but he dilly-

dallyed and it drained him of any spirituality he had.

The psalmist, on the other hand, turned his feet and made haste, and

delayed not to keepthy commandments. Elsewhere, David declared, Ps. 24:4One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in

the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the

LORD, and to inquire in his temple. 5 For in the time of trouble he shall hide me

in his pavilion: in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up

upon a rock.

There is nothing wrong with running away provided you run awayto Jesus. Awonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord, A wonderful Saviour to

me; He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock With numberless

blessings each moment He crowns, And filled with His fullness divine, I

sing in my rapture, oh, glory to God For such a Redeemer as mine!

The servants responsibilities and duties is to hear the words of the

Master and to obey them immediately and completely. What a privilege

to own the Lord Jesus Christ as our Master

The Path, v.60 I made haste, and delayed not to keepthy commandments.

THE PRECEPTS v.63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee, andof them that keepthy precepts

What he is saying here is simply this: God is his greatest joy. Surely

we all ought to understand that, - to know God, to love Him, to hear His

voice, to obey His will, to be confident in His leading and guiding, to

know that He is on the Throne

His real presence ought to be more precious to us than anything this

world has to offer.

8/10/2019 h. Psalm 119.57-64.pdf

10/10

10 Being with His people ought to be a joy and a privilege. When you

travel to other parts of the world and listen to them worshipping our

Saviour in their own language it is so beautiful.

Here, in our own fellowship we have come from different arts and

parts, different backgrounds and different interests and God has saved usand brought us together.

We share the Gospel, we share the Saviour of the Gospel, we read

together from his Word and seek to understand it. John wrote in Rev. 20:6,Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: they shall be

priests of God and of Christ.

It is a special Family, - born of God the Holy Spirit. The devil has

eyes on this Family, - he wants to see them falling out and divorcing, he

wants to see them splitting up because together he can do them noharm, and therefore he tries to divide them.

The psalmist loved the companionship of Gods people, - those who

served the Lord as he did and he loved going out into the countryside

and looking round him with the thought in his heart, My God made all

this! The earth, O LORD, is full of thy mercy (v.64).

all them that fear theeis a good description of those who love God, for

the holy fear of God ought to mark the people of God.

Isnt it so humbling that in spite of the continual disobedience ofmankind and the ravages of sin that are causing more and more

destruction and pollution in our world, - Gods creation, - the earth is still

full of His loving-kindness, and though we are pilgrims and strangers on

this earth, God is our home (Ps. 90:1 LORD, thou hast been our dwelling

place in all generations) and we have nothing to fear.

What are you thinking about? I trust you are thinking about all the

privileges God has blessed you with, - He is our tender loving Father. He

has you and I in a Family we dont deserve to be in; yes I am acompanion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep[shamar, observe,treasure, guard and protect]thy precepts.

Conclusion Yes, God is good, He is so good!

The Portion, v.57 Thou art my portion, O LORD: I have said that I

would keepthy words

The Path, v.60 I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy

commandments

The Precepts,v.63 I am a companion of all them that keep thyprecepts