Bible Study                                     Notes 1999

BIBLICAL THEOLOGY OF "THE SCRIPTURES"                                          17 August 1999

(Contribution Of The Psalms)

Review:  Insights On The Application Of God's Word In Life

1.   The Word of God in fighting the problem of sin

2.   The Word of God in dealing with problems of life

3.   The Word of God in times of great discouragement

4.   The Word of God and its effect on our prayers

5.   The Word of God in times of great adversity

HETH   Psalm 119:57-64

Relating To God In Times Of Adversity

The adverse situation in life

"The cords of the wicked have bound me..."  Psalm 119:61

The Role of God's Word in such times

1.   Looking Back

      "You are my portion, O Lord,

      I have said that I would keep Your words"   Ps 119:57

2.   Praying to God

      "I entreated Your favour with my whole heart

      Be merciful to me according to Your word"   Ps 119:58

3.   Reflection of personal life

      "I thought about my ways..."   Ps 119:59

4.   Making the necessary changes

      "And turned my feet to Your testimonies

      I made haste, and did not delay

      To keep Your commandments"   Ps 119:60-61

5.   Cause for Praise

      "I have not forgotten Your law...

      At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You

      Because of Your righteous judgments"   Ps 119:61-62

6.   Further reflections

      "I am a companion of all who fear You

      and of those who keep Your precepts"   Ps 119:63

7.   Perspective regained

      "The earth, O Lord, is full of Your mercy

      Teach me Your statutes"   Ps 119:64

TETH   Psalm 119:65-72

Reflection on Times of Affliction

Lessons learned from Afflictions

1.   The problem of "going astray"

      "Before I was afflicted, I went astray"   Ps 119:67

2.   Problems faced in life (among the new-found friends)

a)   "The proud have forged a lie against me"   Ps 119:69

b)   "Their heart is as fat as grease"   Ps 119:70

3.   Looking back on "afflictions" after restoration

      "It is good for me that I have been afflicted

      That I may learn Your statues"   Ps 119:71

4.      Appreciating God's Good hand of blessing in our life (something often taken for granted)

a)   "You have dealt well with Your servant

      O Lord, according to Your Word"   Ps 119:65

b)   "You are good, and do good"   Ps 119:68

5.   Renewed desire to understand God's Word better

a)   "Teach me good judgment" (poor judgment is a major reason why people are led astray)

b)   "And knowledge" (a new found love for knowledge of God through His Word)

c)   "I believe your commandments" (sometimes a deeper faith results, after having suffered afflictions)   Ps 119:66

6.   Fresh, new, deeper appreciation of God's Word

      "The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver"   Ps 119:72

YOD   Psalm 119:73-80

Further Reflections on the subject of "Affliction"

Key Thought:  "In faithfulness You have afflicted me"   Ps 119:75

1.   This portion of the Psalm is related to the above portion.  They share a similar theme - "Affliction"

2.   This portion focusses on how the Psalmist understood that God allowed the Psalmist to suffer affliction.

3.   The Lord's faithfulness in never in question; He would never cease to be anything but faithful to His saints.

4.   Important lessons learned through further reflections on "Afflictions"

a)      Understanding Who/What we are

      There is high purpose in God creating us the way we are   Ps 119:73

      Made in His image   Gen 1:27  Cf. Eph 4:24; Col 3:10

      How we need to utter the prayer of the Psalmist, "Give me understanding, that I may learn your commandments"   Ps 119:73

b)   The place of Hope in times of Affliction

      "I had hoped in Your Word"   Ps 119:74

c)   A deeper understanding and appreciation of God's Word

      "I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are right"   Ps 119:75

d)   Prayer for God's mercy and comfort

      "Let, I pray, Your merciful kindness be for my comfort

      according to Your word to Your servant"   Ps 119:76

      "Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live

      For Your law is my delight"   Ps 119:77

e)   Prayer for Justice to be done

      "Let the proud be ashamed, for they treated me wrongfully with falsehood"   Ps 119:78

f)    Prayer for (lost friends) to be restored

      "Let those who fear You turn to me

      those who know Your testimonies"   Ps 119:79 (Cf. 119:74)

g)   Prayer for a heart to be blameless

      "Let my heart be blameless regarding Your statutes

      that I may not be ashamed"   Ps 119:80