THRU THE BIBLE EXPOSITION

Psalms: God's Nurture Of The Inner Man In The Life Of Faith

CXIX: Appreciating And Applying Scripture For Every Spiritual Need, Psalm 119

Q. Pe - Scripture's Release For Those Manipulated By Man

(Psalm 119:129-136)

I. Introduction

A. Psalm 119 tells of the profitable use of God's written Word, the Scriptures, and the psalm is formed as an acrostic where each section has a Hebrew letter that begins each of the eight verses in its respective section.

B. Section "Pe" in Psalm 119:129-136 explains how Scripture equips the believer to gain release from being manipulated by man, and we view the passage for insight and edification (as follows):

II. Scripture's Release For Those Manipulated By Man, Psalm 119:129-136.

A. The verse numbering system in the Hebrew text matches that of the English Bible (Kittel, Bib. Heb., p. 1085), so we stay with the English Bible's numbering system for this lesson.

B. We thus translate Psalm 119:128-136 (as follows):

1. "Your solemn divine charges are extraordinary (pala', Ibid.; B. D. B., A Heb. and Eng. Lex. of the O. T., p. 810); therefore my life principle closely observes, obeys (nasar, Ibid., p. 665-666) them," v. 129.

2. "(Even just) the doorway opening (petah, Ibid., p. 836) of Your Word gives light; it gives understanding, discernment (bin, Ibid., p. 106-107) to the naive, simple, easily misled (peti, Ibid., p. 834)," v. 130.

3. "I open wide my mouth and pant because I desire, long for Your commandments," Psalm 119:131.

4. "Turn toward me and be gracious unto me as is (Your) custom, manner (mishpat, Ibid., Kittel; Ibid., B. D. B., p. 1048-1049) for those who love Your Name," Psalm 119:132.

5. "Order aright my footsteps (pa'am, Ibid., p. 821-822) with Your Word, and do not let any wickedness get the mastery over, domineer over (shalat, Ibid., p. 1020) me," Psalm 119:133.

6. "Ransom me from the extortion ('osheq, Ibid., p. 799) of common man ('adam, Ibid., Kittel; Robert B. Girdlestone, Syns. of the O. T., 1973, p. 45-50) that I may observe Your appointed charges," v. 134.

7. "Make Your face shine [Num. 6:23-27 blessing] on Your servant, and teach me Your statutes," v. 135.

8. "Streams of water go down from my eyes, because Your Law is not observed," Psalm 119:136.

C. We consider significant observations regarding this psalm (as follows):

1. The psalmist greatly praised God for Scripture, expressing gratitude for its ministry to his heart, v. 129.

2. The cause for this praise is that Scripture releases the naive [from godless mind manipulators], v. 130, 134:

a. Even when Scripture begins to be read (even just the doorway opening), it gives insight to the mind that has been deceived and oppressed [by godless mind manipulators], Psalm 119:130a, 134.

b. Scripture thus equips even the easily misled, the naive, to discern what is right and wrong, freeing him from being helplessly manipulated [by godless mind manipulators], Psalm 119:130b, 134.

3. The psalmist explains how Scripture accomplishes this blessing in Psalm 119:131-135 (as follows):

a. The psalmist longs for Scripture's insight [to overcome oppressive manipulators], Psalm 119:131, 134.

b. While heeding Scripture, the oppressed sees God bless by making judgments in his favor, v. 132.

c. While reading Scripture, God gives the easily misled step-by-step information on escaping the mind control he suffers [at the hands of godless mind maniuplators], Psalm 119:133a, 134.

d. In heeding Scripture, the oppressed especially notes that he has no need for sin to rule him since he is obeying God, [leaving his manipulating oppressors unable to control him with false guilt], v. 133b, 134.

e. In reading Scripture, God rescues the oppressed from the mind control of godless mind manipulators who have held him hostage to their will for their own selfish, unjust gain, Psalm 119:134.

f. In reading Scripture, the released party finds God buoyantly blessing him, Psalm 119:135.

4. The psalmist then turns to grieve over other oppressed, manipulated people who do not heed Scripture and thus suffer terribly debilitating mental pain at the hands of godless mind manipulators, Psalm 119:136.

Lesson: Godless mind manipulators use false guilt and deception to control the naive, leaving them oppressed, but reading and applying Scripture provides the naive full relief from this opression, leaving them greatly blessed.

Application: (1) To avoid the bondage and pain of seeing deceptive mind manipulators control us, may we "pant" earnestly for Scripture intake and see God deliver us. (2) Since mind manipulators use false guilt and deception to oppress others, what Scripture ably exposes, we need to make Scripture our ULTIMATE source of discernment!