Temple Baptist Church - 2-4-2024
Psalm 119:41-48
Introduction:
A. VAU (Vah) is the 6th letter of the Hebrew Alphabet. VAU means a Hook: something used to hold something together. Used to fasten things together. Here, it would be a noun but, in its general use, VAU is used as a conjunction: a word used to connect clauses or sentences or to coordinate words in the same clause (e.g. and, but, if).
B. When I think of holding something together in Israel at the time this Psalm was written, I think of their putting up the Tabernacle in the Wilderness. Loops and taches were used to put things together in the construction of the Tabernacle.
Exodus 26:5-6 Fifty loops shalt thou make in the one curtain, and fifty loops shalt thou make in the edge of the curtain that is in the coupling of the second; that the loops may take hold one of another. (6) And thou shalt make fifty taches of gold, and couple the curtains together with the taches: and it shall be one tabernacle.
Notice the last 6 words of Exodus 26:6: “and it shall be one tabernacle.” Individual curtains became one.
C. One, if not the best examples of walking with God in confidence is found in Job. Everything going wrong yet walking with God in the midst of troubles.
Job 1:20-22 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, (21) And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. (22) In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
Job 23:10-12 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. (11) My foot hath held his steps, his way have I kept, and not declined. (12) Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.
There was a VAU, a hook, a tache that held Job to the steps of God’s choosing. Something unseen and probably not felt, but an invisible trust that neither his wife not his friends understood.
D. One, if not the greatest, enemies that we face is lack of confidence in the Lord. I know that you and I would not admit to a lack of Confidence in a God who is all knowing, all powerful, everywhere present. But our mental and spiritual state often proves otherwise.
An unbiblical sense of being alone despite the promise of the Lord to never leave us nor forsake us. This is why we are often disillusioned, disappointed, discouraged, and defeated.
E. This stanza expresses our walk of confidence in the Lord is found in our confidence in the Word of God. Taches that hold us when we do not understand the why and His steps and way is in the sea which cannot be seen.
1. Verse 41 – The Tache of Mercy – Through the Word of God, we see His mercy. An acknowledgement that mercy and salvation come from the Lord. Let your mercies come to me in each step that I take. Not salvation as we are saved, but deliverance from both self and situations. God is merciful in our faults and failures but also in our future: what are and will be facing.
Exodus 33:18-19 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. (19) And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy.
Ps alms 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
Lamentations 3:22-23 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. (23) They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
2. Verse 42 – The Tache of Trust. Through the Word of God, we finds His trustworthiness. Because of God’s Mercy all the days of our lives, we can have faith in the Lord to carry us through as we face this ungodly world, our enemies who hate us, and our situations—both present and future. We are peculiar people and fewer in number which makes us stick out.
Psalms 56:2-4 Mine enemies would daily swallow me up: for they be many that fight against me, O thou most High. (3) What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. (4) In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
Psalms 118:8-9 It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. (9) It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. (6) In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
3. Verse 43 – The Tache of Hope. Through the Word of God, we have seen the end of our race; we have read the last chapter and all ends well. We see His Hope in this sense is not “I hope God will be there for me” but a blessed hope which is a secure knowledge that He is and will be there with us and for us. Our race has a starting point and a finish line as we finish our course.
Titus 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
4. Verse 44 – The Tache of Integrity. Through the Word of God, we see His Law is right. I will keep thy law continually, in every circumstance, for ever, as long as I live. This is not perfection but constancy. In this life and the life to come!
Psalms 26:1 A Psalm of David. Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.
Integrity – uprightness, honesty, truth
5. Verse 45 – The Tache of Liberty. Through the Word of God, we see His freedom that He has given to us. Thy liberty in law is part of the song “America, The Beautiful.” Liberty is not a license to sin; it is freedom to serve. Free from the condemnation of law should cause us to walk in freedom within the law. Oh what joy to be free from the fear of walking contrary to the Lord. Oh what joy to be free from the fear of those who enforce the laws of man.
John 8:31-32 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; (32) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
6. Verse 46 – The Tache of Faith. Through the Word of God, we see His personal will for our individual lives. “Whatsoever is not of faith is sin.” Living a life for the Lord is living a life of boldness before men. We take no personal pride in our life lived for the Lord. We do take pride in the Lord who changed our life. Walking at a guilty distance from the Lord cause shame as we cannot open our mouths for the Lord. Hand out tracts, invite people to church, live a consistent life in front of the people that you are around.
Matthew 5:13-16 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. (14) Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. (15) Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. (16) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
7. Verse 47 – The Tache of Delight. Through the Word of God, we see His love. A song says, “I’d rather be an old time Christian, Lord, than anything I know.” Love God, love the Word of God, love the life in God that He has given to you.
Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
8. Verse 48 - The Tache of Confidence which ends in a Walk in Praise. Praise, uplifted hands, for His commandments and Love for His statutes because they are Right.
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