PSALM 119 STANZA 6A

Our theme for stanza 6 is this: LOYAL DEVOTION TO GOD REFINES OUR INTEGRITY AND STRENGTHENS OUR HOPE.

The first 4 verses read this way: "41 May I experience your loyal love, O Jehovoe, Your salvation in harmony with your promise; 42 Then I will reply to the one taunting me, For I put my trust in your word. 43 Do not utterly remove the word of truth from my mouth, For I have hoped in your judgment. 44 I will keep your law constantly, Forever and ever."

Verse 41 May I experience your loyal love, O Jehovoe, Your salvation in harmony with your promise.

"BECAUSE HE HAS AFFECTION FOR ME." Psalm 119:41 The psalmist thus shows that God's love for us would certainly move Him to bring us salvation through His judgment, in harmony with many such promises in His word. Psalm 91, evidently written by Moses, says this in verses 14-16: "God said: “Because he has affection for me, I will rescue him. I will protect him because he knows my name. 15 He will call on me, and I will answer him. I will be with him in distress. I will rescue him and glorify him. 16 I will satisfy him with long life, And I will cause him to see my acts of salvation.” All this because of our affectionate love for Jehovoe, shown by our loyal obedience to Him (1John 5:3). Such an attachment to God personally, a close relationship with Him, moves Jehovoe to respond loyally in return. "Draw close to God and He will draw close to you..." says James 4:8. Accordingly, our hope of salvation is thereby strengthened.

Verse 42 Then I will reply to the one taunting me, For I put my trust in your word.

A REPLY TO ONE TAUNTING. Psalm 119:42 God appeals, at Proverbs 27:11, "Be wise, my son, and make my heart rejoice, So that I can make a reply to him who taunts me." Of course, in God's case, there have been various ones taunting God over time, from the time of the serpent's and man's rebellion in the Garden of Eden, or Park of Pleasure, designed and created by Jehovoe God. Also, according to the book of Job (rhymes with robe), the angel Satan, whatever the cause of his rebellion, had taunted that he could turn Job away from his integrity to God, but in spite of all that was done to hurt Job, he was faithful, and was doubly rewarded by Jehovoe. (Job 42). Our loyal integrity to God makes His heart glad, giving Him a reply to those still taunting, even those taunting the people of God, and as He lovingly uses His power to protect and save them, they too perhaps can make a similar reply. May we continue to build thankful trust, or faith, in God's inspired word, and in God Himself, becoming reliant upon Him. (Prove 3:5-8).

Verse 43 Do not utterly remove the word of truth from my mouth, For I have hoped in your judgment.

HONESTY ESSENTIAL TO INTEGRITY. Psalm 119:43 Genuine integrity to God involves honesty, speaking and acting in accord with truth. As we put faith, or thankful trust, in God's judgment, we are moved to trust the course of integrity. Integrity essentially means "wholeness or completeness without corruption." In Psalm 15, the essential elements of the course of integrity is outlined, and includes "speaking the truth in [one's] heart." Removing the "word of truth" would result in a mouth of deception and trickery, and a loss of genuine integrity. In another Psalm, 115, we sadly find that this could happen as one somehow commits idolatry, in placing anyone or anything above the first place that God should have in our hearts. We could then develop blindess to our eyes of divine understanding, ears no longer able to perceive truth, and mouths not able to speak it. May we trust Jehovoe God's power to support His honest servants, who nevertheless know there is a "time to be silent" as well as a "time to speak."

Verse 44 I will keep your law constantly, Forever and ever.

WRITING GOD'S LAW ON OUR HEART. Psalm 119:44 Acquiring such integrity brings genuine joy of heart, being close to God, along with other devoted ones, moving us to want to experience such happiness "forever and ever," by keeping God's law "constantly." By thus making God's law OUR law, writing God's law on our heart, we are always able to live in a way that pleases God! Jehovoe speaks at Jeremiah 31:33-34 regarding His law, saying of Israel: "For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares Jehovoe. “I will put my law within them, and in their heart I will write it. And I will become their God, and they will become my people.”34 “And they will no longer teach each one his neighbor and each one his brother, saying, ‘Know Jehovoe!’ for they will all know me, from the least to the greatest of them,” declares Jehovoe. “For I will forgive their error, and I will no longer remember their sin.” And at Galatians 6:16, Paul's inspired words refer to true Christianity, in saying: "As for all those who walk orderly by this rule of conduct, peace and mercy be upon them, yes, upon the Israel of God." May we find such delight as did the psalmist, and "get a firm hold on the real life," the everlasting life promised by our Creator, Jehovoe, "to those who continue loving Him." (1Timo 6:19; James 1:12).

PSALM 119 STANZA 6B

Recall our theme for stanza 6, verses 41-48: LOYAL DEVOTION TO GOD REFINES OUR INTEGRITY AND STRENGTHENS OUR HOPE.

Verse 41, for instance expressed desire to experience God's loyal love, and salvation by Him. He was happy that this meant, as in verse 44, keeping God's law "constantly, forever and ever." Now the psalmist expresses this contentment:

Verses 45-48 read this way: "And I will walk about in a place of safety, For I search for your orders. 46 I will speak about your reminders in front of kings, And I will not be ashamed. 47 I am fond of your commandments, Yes, I love them. 48 I will raise my hands to your commandments, which I love, And I will ponder over your instructions."

Verse 45 And I will walk about in a place of safety, For I search for your orders.

SEARCHING. Psalm 119:45 We may thus dwell in a figurative place of security, as we stay close to Jehovoe, like the psalmist David, searching for God's orders. He wanted to know everything God commanded him, so that he would not fail to be obedient. He continues "to search" for God's orders, as often revealed in His word. May we likewise be searching for God's guidance and instruction, especially the most serious, important, and urgent commands, seeking to understand the reasons for them, that we may comply with God's vital direction. May we delight in God's orders, which "cause the heart to rejoice," and His reminders, that we may not forget what's required by Him. Understandably, he next mentions these "reminders."

Verse 46 I will speak about your reminders in front of kings, And I will not be ashamed.

NOT ASHAMED OF GENUINE TRUTH. Psalm 119:46 It may take more study and reflection on the value of God's word to ourselves and others, but we too can come to happily share such divine knowledge with others, not being ashamed to do so. Remember, it may mean someone's eternal life to "speak up." Even if they do not appreciate our effort to do so then, it doesn't mean they won't remember it later in life, perhaps before it's too late. Something may happen later to change their mind, and how they feel about it. By setting the right example for them now, we show them, perhaps at a good time, the right way for them to go, the way to eternal happiness! Often, it is seeing that God's law truly is reasonable, based on love--that misapplication or hedging the law, for instance, has contributed to misunderstanding or confusion and dissatisfaction. (Psalm 27:14; 146:5).

Verse 47 I am fond of your commandments, Yes, I love them.

GIVEN OUT OF GREAT LOVE. Psalm 119:47 What a lovely simple expression of appreciation for God's law! Jehovoe has given His commandments out of His great love for us, to do what is in our best interests, what leads to our greatest happiness! Isaiah 48:17-18 says, for instance, "This is what Jehovoe says, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I, Jehovoe, am your God, The One teaching you to benefit yourself, The One guiding you in the way you should walk. 18 If only you would pay attention to my commandments! Then your peace would become just like a river And your righteousness like the waves of the sea." By thus "paying attention" to God's commandments, we can, like the psalmist, come to love them and keep them, with integrity, and with strengthened hope of salvation by God!

Verse 48 I will raise my hands to your commandments, which I love, And I will ponder over your [instructions].

PONDER GOD'S GUIDANCE. Psalm 119:48 David likely is showing his willingness to do or act in accord with God's commandments, in raising his hands to God's commandments. May we reflect on God's law, seeking heartfelt obedience to God. He willingly chose to ponder God's regulations, or instructions, so that he could keep them wholeheartedly. It may take development spiritually before one can grasp certain details of instruction, even from God. May we grow in especially the quality of understanding, seeing where things fit in to the big picture of God's overall purpose and the value of God's word in all of it's guidance in life. Examine your life and see where a particular principle, truth, or law of God has value. Then we may appreciate God's instructions more fully.