Bible Studies for Life: October 11

God Speaks and We Respond • Psalm 119:30-40 

By Don Hicks

The main focus for this Bible lesson, according to the author of the “Adults: Personal Study Guide,” is: “When we discover God’s will, we are to follow it.” Now let’s study Psalm 119:33-34: “Teach me, LORD, the meaning of your statues, and I will always keep them. Help me understand your instruction, and I will obey it and follow it with all my heart” (CSB).

The Psalmist gives us a basic truth of scripture (all scripture). God has to teach us because we are totally dependent on Him for understanding the basic truths of any Bible verse, Bible passage, or Bible thought from either the Old Testament or New Testament. “Statues” in verse 33 refers to any and all of God’s laws, God’s truths, and God’s teachings.

Psalm 119 began with these words, “How happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk according to the LORD’S instruction!” (CSB).  This is not the rambling of a naive and thoughtless person.  It is his introduction to a great teaching of what God will do for us to help us learn His ways.

Now let’s look very closely at Psalm 119:32. It tells us to vigorously pursue God’s commands and God will broaden our understanding. After God’s commitment to broaden our understanding, the psalmist makes an even greater request, “Teach me, LORD, the meaning of your statutes,” (Psalm 119:33a CSB). Then the writer of the Psalm made an even bolder promise to our Father God, “and I will always keep them.” (Psalm 119:33b CSB).

In Psalm 119:34, we learn what a blessing understanding God’s love and teachings will be for the rest of our lives. “Help me {put your name in here} understand your instruction, and I will obey it and follow it with all my heart,” (Psalm 119:34 CSB).  Understanding God’s teaching because it is hidden in your heart means it is always available to you day and night, even in the darkest night or the hottest, brightest sunshine — even at the best and worst of times, day or night.

Here are a couple verses that will help you understand the importance of God’s presence at all times, one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament.  Let’s look first at the verse from the Old Testament: “I have treasured your word in my heart so that I may not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11 CSB). Now let’s look at this New Testament passage: “Keep your life free from the love of money. Be satisfied with what you have, for he himself has said, ‘I will never leave you or abandon you.’” (Hebrews 13:5 CSB).  Looking back to our focal passage in Psalm 119:36-38, the psalmist is saying: “Turn my heart to your decrees and not to dishonest profit.  Turn my eyes from looking at what is worthless; give me life in your ways. Confirm what you said to your servant, for it produces reverence for you” (Psalm 119:36-38 CSB).

As we consider letting our minds dwell on money rather than the Word of God, Jesus taught that we are already sinning. Let’s look at Jesus’ preaching and teaching in The Sermon on the Mount in the gospel of Matthew chapters 5-7. Now consider specifically verse six in the Beatitudes section of Jesus’ teaching: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6 CSB).

A common error, in the thinking of people who have not carefully studied the Bible’s teaching about right and wrong, is that we have not sinned until we actually, physically have committed a sinful act; but that was not Jesus’ teaching in The Sermon on the Mount.  

Here is Jesus’ actual teaching from the Sermon on the Mount: “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28 KJV).

This is not a new thought; remember the 10th commandment: “Do not covet your neighbor’s house. Do not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor” (Exodus 20:17 CSB).

Hicks is a member of Park Place Baptist Church, Pearl.