Psalms 119:1-8 - Homilies By S. Conway

Whole-hearted service of God.

I. THE DESCRIPTION GIVEN OF SUCH AS RENDER IT .

1. They are undefiled in the way . They are not merely in the way, but keep themselves undefiled. How difficult this!

2. They walk in the Law of the Lord . It is the habit of their lives, and its pleasure.

3. They keep his testimonies . Keep them in their memory, their affection, and their conduct.

4. They seek him with the whole heart . This sadly rare. The mass of Christians are of a divided heart; but whole-hearted service, how rare this is!

5. They do no iniquity . It is possible not to sin, and to keep a conscience void of offence both towards God and towards man.

II. THEY ARE DECLARED TO BE " BLESSED ." And that they are so let all experience tell. Certainly half-hearted service can lay no claim to such blessedness. Such have just enough religion to spoil them for the world, but not near enough to give them the blessedness here spoken of. Theirs is a miserable round of sinning and repenting, falling down and rising up again, a life under the perpetual rebuke of conscience and the sense of God's displeasure. But the life told of here in this psalm is lived in the sunshine of the love of God, and in the possession of that loving-kindness which is better than life.

III. SUCH SERVICE IS THE ONLY ONE THAT ANSWERS TO GOD 'S COMMAND . ( Psalms 119:4 .) It is that which he has specially enjoined. Anything less would be dishonoring to him and disastrous to us, whilst this glorifies him, and is for us most blessed.

IV. THE BELIEVER KNOWS THIS AND LONGS FOR IT . ( Psalms 119:5 .) The vision of the true life has been shown him, and he desires it with a great desire. He would be holy as God is holy. And he has good reasons; for:

1. This only will give him confidence before men , and, what is more important, before God. If he has it not, he must "be ashamed."

2. It will enable him to offer worthy praise—praise with uprightness of heart ( Psalms 119:7 ). Insincerity, half-heartedness, vitiates and destroys all praise such as God can accept. He turns from it.

V. THEREFORE IN DEEP HUMILITY HE CONSECRATES HIMSELF TO GOD .

1. " I will keep thy statutes ." It is a sacred vow. He knew that only in the path of obedience could he hope to realize what he so longed for.

2. But he says this in deep humility . "Oh forsake me not utterly!" He knows that God might justly do this, but he trembles lest he should.—S.C.