Psalms 119:169-176 - Homiletics

God's salvation.

These verses may bring before us the successive stages of salvation.

I. SEEKING AFTER GOD . ( Psalms 119:169 , Psalms 119:170 , Psalms 119:174 .) The heart "longs for salvation;" it "cries for deliverance;" it looks to God under a deep and strong sense of danger and of need. Then comes—

II. OUR CHOICE . ( Psalms 119:173 .) The decisive hour comes when we have finally and fixedly to determine whether we will or will not accept Jesus Christ for our Divine Lord and Savior; whether or not we will spend our days and our powers in his service. The crisis of our cause is past when we can say, "I have chosen thy precepts;" I have chosen to do "the will of God in Christ Jesus."

III. A LIFE OF SUSTAINED DEVOTION . As the psalmist's prayer intersperses his other utterances, so should devotion blend with our outward life, sanctifying and ennobling it. Especially should we be constantly looking for Divine help ( Psalms 119:173 ), that we may be enabled to do our duty faithfully, to bear our burden meekly, to resist temptation manfully and successfully, to use our opportunity wisely and devotedly.

IV. OUR CONFESSION OF PARTIAL FAILURE . ( Psalms 119:176 .) This wandering (of the text) is not the first departure of the soul from God, the going away into the "far country" of estrangement or rebellion; it is rather the deviation of the good man from the straight line of holy service, calling for recognition and return to the favor of God. "If we (Christian disciples) say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." If, when we thus err, when we "go astray," we "confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." "For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee" ( Psalms 32:6 ). It is a very great point in Christian life to understand and to acknowledge our error, our partial failure, our need of the Divine hand to lead us back into the path of righteousness and wisdom.

V. OUR STUDY OF GOD 'S WILL AS REVEALED IN HIS WORD . ( Psalms 119:174 , Psalms 119:175 .)

VI. OUR SERVICE OF SPEECH AND SONG . ( Psalms 119:171 , Psalms 119:172 , Psalms 119:175 .)

1. Recognizing the supreme excellency of Divine truth, its intrinsic worth, and its power to save and heal, "our tongue will speak God's Word." From the sustained and prepared discourse to the humble dialogue and the parting word of warning or encouragement, true service may be rendered to our Lord.

2. Taught God's will by his Spirit as well as his Word, our soul as well as our body alive because quickened by Divine power, our heart and our mouth will be filled with praise. Prayer and praise will be the two accompaniments that will never fail, along all the path of life, until the witness is borne, and the work is done, and the reward is ready.