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  • Crying Out to a Loving Savior (Psalm 119:145-152)

    By: Steve Sering

    In Matthew’s gospel account, we find the story of Jesus walking on the water. This familiar story is a fascinating look into the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ and the power of both fear and faith. In the “fourth watch of the night,” Jesus came to the disciples walking on the raging sea. This would have been between 3-6 AM. The disciples were terrified and thought it was a ghost coming for them! Peter got out of the boat after realizing it was in fact his Lord, Jesus. Fixing his eyes on his Savior, he began to walk on the water. Then he began to look around at the wind and waves crashing all around him and began to sink. Fear sank Peter’s faith until Jesus reached down to rescue him. Pulling him back into the boat, he asked his timid disciple, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matt. 14:31). It was only when Peter took his eyes off of Jesus that he began to sink.

    The psalmist wrote in Psalm 119:148, “My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promise.” Just as the Apostle Peter saw Jesus on the waves, the psalmist’s spiritual eyes were fixed upon the promises of Yahweh. To begin this portion of Scripture, the psalmist cried out, “With my whole heart I cry; answer me, O Lord! I will keep your statutes” (v. 145). A familiar cry, he sought the Lord with all his being. Have you ever cried out to the Lord as your last resort? Instead, we must strive to make this our first response when we are suffering. We are all guilty of this. I certainly am! There have been many times in my life where I have struggled and then cried on the Lord for help. He delights to answer the desperate cries of his children! Just imagine your son or daughter falling and scraping their knee at two years ago. Who do they cry for? Their mom and dad. How much more does our Heavenly Father tend to our needs!? His heart is deep and wide for sinners and sufferers. 

    Furthermore, the psalmist calls upon the Lord and cries for help in the morning (v. 146-148). His hope was in the Word of God. The following verse describes his appeal to be heard because of the steadfast love of his Lord. Rejuvenating life was found in the justice of God (v. 149). Enemies will always surround us in our walks with Christ. An intense spiritual battle is waged every day to bring us down. It is the protection of Yahweh that keeps us safe and the power of the Word of God. These enemies surrounded the psalmist but he trusted in the Lord. Finally, the man of God delighted in the fact that God is near to the persecuted (v. 151). His commandments are true and testimonies are sure and eternal (v. 152). What can we learn from this passage? First, we must go to God first when we are suffering in any way. Second, we must keep our eyes on Jesus who is the source of our courage. Third and finally, God’s truth will always lead us home.

    Reflection Questions:

    1. How can you better cry out to Jesus when you are facing hardship?
    2. How can you encourage other believers to fix their eyes on their Savior who walks on the water of our troubles?

  • Righteous Are You, O LORD (Psalm 119:137-144)

    As a biblical counselor, I meet many people who are struggling and need help and guidance. One of the things I have noticed in many instances is these people are not ignorant of Scripture. There have been many who can tell me facts about the Bible and can recount stories that they know. However, two common errors come up: they either view their time in Scripture as an intellectual exercise, gathering more information to store or they merely view it as instruction, a rulebook to live a righteous life. Where they go wrong is the miss out that the Bible is first God’s revelation of Himself to man. Yes, we learn more about life from Scripture and it does guide us how to live a righteous life. But it first tells us we are called to be in relationship with God. In Psalm 119, we are introduced to God as a righteous God. He is right in the rules He has made and faithful in the works He has done. This is crucial because when we understand this about God, we see where we go wrong. We have turned from this righteous God, forgetting His words and rebelling against the Creator of life. As a result, we face eternal death, separated from a relationship with Him (Romans 6:23a). Thankfully, that is not the end of the story. This righteous God wants to have a right relationship with His people. That is why He made a promise to send His Son to save people from their sins and bring them into a reconciled relationship with Him. This promise is sure because God’s Word is eternal and His righteousness is forever. For those who repent of their sin and place their trust in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord will find salvation. It is this salvation and relationship with God they rest in when the times of suffering come. There is a fellowship in suffering that brings delight in a deeper fellowship with Christ and an understanding that only comes from God’s Word. But it does not merely come from intellectual facts or following instructions. It comes from first being in a right relationship with our righteous God.

    Reflection Questions:

    1. How do you tend to view the Bible as you read and study it?
    2. How does understanding Scripture as first God’s revelation of Himself to us change how we approach our time in the Word?

  • The Wonder of God’s Word (Psalm 119:129-136)

    Growing up, I was a diehard Colts football fan. As a teenager, I recall watching the conference championship game. The Colts were losing by fifteen points at halftime against a team that they had trouble competing against. What happened in the second half of the championship will be remembered as an amazing comeback. I had longed to see the Colts make it to the Super Bowl, and to see them come back and make it to the big game was wonderful. Yet, to see them when it all did not bring a lasting satisfaction as the next season rolled around. It was through reflection that while the game was one for history, the only thing that can bring lasting wonder is His story, the God of the Bible. Psalm 119:129-136 gives us this impression. The psalmist opens this section speaking of God’s testimonies as wonderful and his commitment to keep them as a result. He continues to press on that God’s Word alone gives the light He needs and the wisdom for direction. The language the author of Psalm 119 uses is because he is someone who has been transformed by a relationship with God. We see this because God has given him an appetite for God’s Word and a desire and longing for God’s commandments. The question we are faced with is if we can say the same. This does not mean we will never struggle or stray. This psalm addresses that. The next verses are framed as a prayer to God. The psalmist pleads for God’s grace to keep Him from stumbling, to be redeemed so he may be respond in faithfulness, and to see the goodness of God in the midst of hardship and a broken world. May we imitate such prayers as we see the wonder that is God’s Word.

    Reflection Questions:

    1. What is it you hunger and long for? What does that reveal about your relationship with God?
    2. How can you pray in a way that mirrors Psalm 119:132-136 this week?