Tonight's section of the psalm has the writer proclaiming that he is overcome by his desire for the righteous Word of God (v139a). The word 'zeal' means to be envious or jealous. Normally we consider both of these in the negative sense. However, it depends upon the object of our desire. The psalmist here is talking about a zeal for the Word of God.
This is seen in stark contrast to those who have forgotten or dismissed God's Word.
I. The Basis for Such Zeal. (v137-138)
A. The Lord's Character
(Psa 119:137) "Righteous art thou, O LORD, and upright are thy judgments."
1. God is always right.
2. He is right in His character and He is right in His commands.
3. That is one of the most basic lessons to be learned in life.
4. However, it is a lesson some people never learn.
5. God's Word is always right, there is no room for compromise on this truth.
a. At times God speaks to instruct us, and when He does he is always right.
1) In the matter of the origin of the universe, the species, and the human race.
2) The Bible has always said that the world was a sphere and hung on nothing.
(Isa 40:22) "It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:"
(Job 26:7) "He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing."
3) For centuries people believed it was flat.
4) The Bible was right, and the thinking of the day was wrong.
5) Today the popular theory is that man and the anthropoid apes have a common ancestor.
6) The Bible says that God created man in His own image and after His own likeness.
7) It flatly contradicts the theory of evolution.
8) And, as always, God is right.
b. If God speaks to protect us, as He does in hundreds of commandments that cut across our sinful wants and wishes, then what He says is right.
1) Today, for instance, society permits and accepts the sexual perversion of homosexuality and calls it alternate lifestyle.
2) God says that it is wrong and that those who indulge in homosexual practice will come under His severest displeasure.
(1 Cor 6:9) "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,"
(Lev 18:22) "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination."
3) Society may say what it will, but society is wrong and God is right.
c. If God speaks to challenge us, as He does with need of the world, He is right.
1) He tells us that except a man be born again he will not see the kingdom of God.
2) To reject the sacrifice that Jesus made on Calvary for our sin, means that we will suffer an eternity in the lake of fire.
3) There is but One Way to the Father, and that is through His Son.
4) Regardless of whether or not people like to hear it, or even if they choose not to believe it…
5) It is still right!
B. The Lord's Commandments
(Psa 119:138) "Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful."
1. It is impossible for God ever to lead us astray.
2. It is impossible for Him ever to ask us to do something wrong.
3. Because God is righteous, His Word is righteous and faithful!
4. It used to be that someone's word meant something…now everything must be signed and documented in triplicate to insure honesty…and even that doesn't work.
5. But you don't have to worry about God…He is faithful and so is His Word.
(Titus 1:2) "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;"
II. The Nature of His Zeal. (v139-141)
A. Note his devotion.
(Psa 119:139) "My zeal hath consumed me, because mine enemies have forgotten thy words."
1. The psalmist sets his devotion to the Scriptures in contrast with his enemies' forgetfulness of God.
2. Joseph's goodness shines all the more brightly in Genesis because it is set against the background of his brothers' sin.
B. It was not so much what they were doing to him that causes him to cry out.
C. It was what they were doing to the Lord that upset him so.
1. That was what caused him to catch fire and what made him cry out.
2. It is evident from this that his enemies were people who had once known God's Word.
3. That fact makes it such a tragedy.
4. It is better never to have known God's Word than, having known it, to set it aside as of no account.
5. Of course that is what multitudes of people are doing today, brought up in Christian homes, taught God's Word since childhood, but now they are living in total disregard of God's laws.
D. The psalmist states that he loved the Word of the Lord.
1. He may not have been a powerful and commanding individual, but he expresses his love for God and His Word.
2. He tells us that although he is small and despised by others…
3. At least he has enough sense to know the Truth and love it.
III. The Benefit of His Zeal (v142-144)
A. The Truth is Forever.
1. There may be some who are righteous for a time, but God's righteousness is everlasting.
2. The Truth is identified for us in the N.T. as none other than Christ Himself.
3. He is eternal…the Truth is eternal…
4. To love the Truth and follow His righteousness is not like following the latest fad that is here today and gone tomorrow…the Truth is forever!
B. God's Commandments are a Delight.
1. Certainly the psalmist is troubled by when he sees others reject God's Word.
2. But for him, personally, God's Word is a delight.
(1 John 5:3) "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous."
3. Jesus said, "My yoke is easy and my burden is light". Cf Mt. 11:30
4. This is in contrast to religion.
(Mat 23:4) "For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers."
5. "…Yet thy commandments are my delights."
C. The Word of God Brings Life.
1. The psalmist tells us that an understanding of the Word will bring life.
2. Of all the printed volumes of books in this world, the Bible is the only One which offers everlasting hope.
3. May we all fall in love with the righteous Word again and again.
Where is our zeal? Remember the Lord told the church at Laodicea that He would rather they be hot or cold, but not lukewarm!