Psalms 119:25-48 - Homiletics

Spiritual enlargement.

Throughout our whole life, as godly men, we have to recognize—

I. A DOWNWARD TENDENCY . "My soul cleaveth to the dust" ( Psalms 119:25 ). Our eyes are inclined to "behold vanity" ( Psalms 119:37 ). There is that within us and that around us which constitute a temptation to put our trust in man rather than in God, to seek our portion in worldly advantage rather than in the service and friendship of Christ, to allow ourselves to decline from a wise moderation to an unwise and even guilty indulgence, to set our hearts on the things which are below and to be too little affected by the inheritance beyond.

II. THE DIVINE POWER TO QUICKEN . "Quicken thou me" ( Psalms 119:25-40 ). God can "enlarge our heart" ( Psalms 119:32 ). By the incoming and indwelling of his Holy Spirit he can raise the thoughts and the hopes that are beginning to droop or to settle; he can so "enlarge" our sympathies and our affections that we love the best and take deep delight in the highest; he can so revive us that our spiritual languishing and despondency pass into full acquiescence and cheerful hope ( Psalms 119:28 ), and we become strong for waiting and for action; he can so continuously affect us, and thus so establish us, that we shall abide in reverential service all our days ( Psalms 119:38 ). By these holy influences instilled into our soul, acting quietly but effectually on the hidden springs of our nature, God "grants us his Law graciously" ( Psalms 119:29 ). Left to ourselves, we sink and suffer; upheld, quickened by God's renewing power, we walk in wisdom and in piety, nay, we rise Christwards, heavenwards. This is—

III. THE SPIRITUAL ENLARGEMENT WHICH ENSUES . It is found in many forms; it is active in many spheres. It includes:

1. Salvation from the worst evils. "Salvation" generally ( Psalms 119:41 ) from spiritual declension, which is an insidious and dangerous adversary; also from any sudden fall into sin and shame; and more particularly from "covetousness" ( Psalms 119:36 ), that evil spirit of selfishness which craves what God has not given, and issues in the strivings of an injurious ambition or in the mutiny of a discontented heart.

2. Whole-heartedness in obedience ( Psalms 119:34 ). All the powers and instincts of our nature leagued in a holy alliance of obedience to God.

3. Promptness and cheerfulness of obedience. We should not only walk, but run in the way of God's commandments ( Psalms 119:32 , Psalms 119:60 ). Readiness and quickness to obey, in the little child, is the acceptable thing to the human parent: is it not equally so to the Divine?

4. Steadfastness in holy service ( Psalms 119:31 , Psalms 119:33 , Psalms 119:34 ).

5. Liberty ( Psalms 119:45 ). Sin at its worst means utter slavery; godliness at its best means perfect freedom. When we so love God's Law, when we are so filled with the desire to do the will of Christ and to please him, that we find his Word no sort of restraint upon us, that we move happily along those lines in which we are free to go as far and as fast as we please, then we are "at liberty." Liberty is only found in its perfection when, as in God, inclination is perfectly parallel with duty. God's statutes are not our bonds; they are our songs ( Psalms 119:54 ).

6. Utterance ( Psalms 119:27 , Psalms 119:43 , Psalms 119:46 ). When the heart is enlarged the mouth is opened, and free, fearless speech comes forth. At first, indeed, there may be the hesitation of inexperience and self-distrust; but when this initial stage is past, there is fullness and fearlessness of utterance. We declare, with joyful lips, the grace and the truth which have enlightened and emancipated ourselves. But we must not overlook the fact that, while God's promises are great, there is—

IV. THE CONDITION TO BE FULFILLED — PRAYER . The psalmist frequently reminds us of our duty and privilege in this respect. In confession or supplication he calls our attention to it in Psalms 119:23 , Psalms 119:25 , Psalms 119:26 , Psalms 119:37 . We may not expect the spiritual enlargement which comes from God's visitation unless we are daily, earnestly, expectantly, asking God to come to us and dwell within us, in all his gracious, victorious power.