Temple Baptist Church - 6-16-2024
Psalm 119:161-168
Introduction:
A. Psalm 119: 176 verses broken down into twenty-two stanzas with each stanza correlating with one of the 22 letters in the Hebrew Alphabet. Each stanza is comprised of eight verses which, in the Hebrew Bible, each verse begins with the associated letter of the Hebrew Alphabet forming an Acrostic. What a wonder that we hold in our hands tonight!
B. SCHIN ש – The 21st letter of the Hebrew Alphabet. It is thought that the most familiar and known letter of the Hebrew alphabet is the letter SCHIN ש.
1. SCHIN ש is the first letter of שָׁלוֹם (shalom) peace.
2. SCHIN ש is also the first letter of the word שַׁדַי (shadai from which we get el-shadai) which is one of the names of God.
3. SCHIN ש is also the first letter in the word שֶׁקֶר (sheker) which means a lie or falsehood.
4. So, we find peace in God in the midst of falsehood. Falsehood is a crooked thing that has deviated from the straight, honest path to a crooked, dishonest path.
C. The letter shin has five definitions. We have the same thing in the English language as the same word or letter can be used in various ways. Bear as an animal, bear as to carry, bearly as to “bearly make it.”
1. The first is shein, which means “tooth,” or “teeth.” To chew or, in a spiritual sense, meditate upon the Word of God.
2. The second is lo shanisi, meaning “steadfastness in one’s faith.” In troublesome times, maintain your stability by resting on the Rock, Christ Jesus the Word.
3. The third is shinoy, which is “to change for the good.” Never allow your circumstances to define who you are or will be. Rise above your problems and do good.
4. The fourth is shuvah, which means “to return.” Understand that problems, for the most part, so if you have strayed to some degree under duress, return to where you were before the problems began.
5. The fifth is shanah, or “year.” Weeping endureth for a night but the morning will come and the next year may be one of the best of your life.
D. The general use of one’s teeth (shein), or one’s teeth, is to chew food. The teeth break up and grind our food. This action represents an individual who carefully “chews over,” or is careful with his actions.
E. To make sense of all this, things that are good can be changed to things bad, truth can be changed to lies or falsehoods. In our first verse, we find a falsehood told on the writer of the Psalm (more than likely, King David) that is detrimental.
1. When a falsehood is told, we are to maintain our integrity through the precepts, statutes, and judgments of the Word of God.
2. We are only accountable for our actions and reactions, not for the falsehoods or lies of others.
F. One can rarely prove his or her innocence but can continue to walk in truth and integrity. It is here that we find the Psalmist.
G. The Key to this stanza is, when slandered or persecuted for righteousness’s sake, we must learn to wait upon God by being obedient to His Word.
1. Verse 161-162.
Verse 161. Wait upon the Lord in Reverence of God’s Word. Awe means to be startled.
Verse 162. Wait upon the Lord in Rejoicing.
a. The psalmist has been persecuted without a cause which means that a lie or falsehood has been said about him by the “authorities.” Many believe that Psalm 119 is Davidic. David certainly was subjected to falsehoods and lies from Saul to Absalom.
b. In the New Testament, we find both Christ and God’s men lied about.
c. In the New Testament Church Age, many times lies and falsehoods will circulate about God’s men and God’s people. I remember, when out on visitation many years ago, when people knew who I was affiliated with, they would attack another preacher with things that I knew were not true. I would always uphold this older pastor as my silence would be condonement.
d. A word of admonition tonight: be careful who you listen to; be careful what you believe; be careful what you pass on to someone else. ALWAYS give the one spoken about the benefit of the doubt as things are not always what they seem to be.
f. The blessing during times when lied about. The psalmist never left his wonder and admiration for God’s Word. He was in awe of it and rejoiced in it in both good and bad times. His faith in an unchanging Word!
2. Verses 163-164.
Verse 163. Wait upon the Lord in love.
Verse 164. Wait upon the Lord in Worship.
a. The psalmist hated and abhorred lying. God hates the sin of lying! I personally hate to feel the necessity to explain what I have been lied about. Over the years, people have said that I either said or did something that I did not and will never do.
The Ninth Commandment: Exodus 20:16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.
Revelation 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
b. My wife’s grandmother used to say, “A lie will go around the world before truth can get its boots on, but the truth will stand when the world is on fire.”
c. The psalmist said seven (a perfect number in the Bible) times a day he praised God for His enduring truth and judgments. This leads me to believe that he found it necessary at various times through the day to have a loving and forgiving spirit.
3. Verse 165.
Verse 165. Wait upon the Lord in peace.
a. This is a verse that I use often when people get offended. The context is in the realm of lying or telling falsehoods on an innocent man.
b. When lied about, we are to find our peace in our relationship with the Word of God. If we stand righteous there, then nothing else matters at that point.
Matthew 5:43-44 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. (44) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
c. As Dr. Bob Jones, Sr. would say: “Do right!” You do right if the stars fall from the sky! Two wrongs never make it right.
Isaiah 32:17-18 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever. (18) And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places;
4. Verses 166-168.
Verse 166. Wait upon the Lord in expectation.
Verse 167. Wait upon the Lord in faithfulness.
Verse 168. Wait upon the Lord in confidence.
a. Verse 166. The psalmist’s hope is in both hoping in the Word of God and keeping the Word of God. Steadfastness in hope. This is not a doubtful hope but a promising hope! Rest assured, God knows what is said and how we react to what is said. Better? Bitter? Choices that we make after those who lie about have made theirs.
b. Verse 167. Keeping God’s Word is the image of the psalmist’s soul. It is not an act of obligation, but it is an act of love.
1 John 5:2-3 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. (3) For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
c. Verse 168. The world may lie about you and those who you thought were your friends may “show their colors” and forsake you, but God sees all and God knows all and that is all that counts. The world hated our Lord and the same world will hate us. The world lied about our Lord and the same world will lie about us. Let us do as our Lord did when reviled.
Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Isaiah 53:7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
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