Kept in God's Law by His Grace

Psalm 119:99-102 

    Do you know any people with "I" trouble? Their vision may be very good, and they may not need a magnifying glass for fine print. But the "I" trouble wherewith some are afflicted is their conceit and boasting. And it would almost seem as though the psalmist who wrote Psalm 119 had such "I" trouble.

In the third through sixth verse of the thirteenth section of the Psalm he writes, "I have more understanding than all my teachers. . . .  I understand more than the ancients....  I have refrained my feet from every evil way. . ..    I have not departed from Thy judgments." It is I, I, I, I!

    However, by no means was he boasting. For in verse 102 he adds, "I have not departed from Thy judgments: for Thou hast taught me." And all these verses which begin with I, follow his first verse in this section, where he wrote, "O how love I Thy law," and also that God's commandments had made him wiser than his enemies. All this makes a big difference.

    We may be personal and say "I have this," or "I did this," if we plainly reveal that this is because of what God has done in us. Remember Jesus' parable. The Pharisee instead of thanking God, boasted of what he had done, as though God owed him thanks for what he did. If we so speak, we have "I" trouble and also behave as though God owes us thanks.

    Always for all things we owe God thanks. Surely we owe Him thanks for teaching us His law. This means that He taught us that He loves us, chose us in Christ, and gave us a new life in Christ. Many there are in the church and out of the church to whom He has revealed His law. But only those whom He redeemed by the blood of Christ are taught that law by God Himself.

    We cannot thank God enough for all the blessings which He bestows upon us. And surely we owe Him thanks for being able to sing:

    While my heart Thy word obeys, 
    I am kept from evil ways;
    From Thy law, with Thee to guide, 
    I have never turned aside.

    Here all boasting is excluded and confession is made of what God in His grace has done. Surely every day should be filled with praise and thanks to Him for keeping us and guiding us in a walk of love to Him.

Read: Isaiah 40:28-31;   Isaiah 41:1-10 
Psalter versification: #333:3
(Words and Music of the Psalter)

Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism

Song for Meditation: Psalter #91
Why not sing along??

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Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Isaiah 1 ; Isaiah 2:1-22 
2 Corinthians 10:1-18 
Psalm 52:1-9 
Proverbs 22:26-27 
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Quote for Reflection:
 

Jesus’ Ascension: “Our Lord is doing the best thing for His Kingdom in going away. It was in the highest degree expedient that He should go, and that we should each one receive the Spirit. There is a blessed unity between Christ the King and the commonest soldier in the ranks. He has not taken His heart from us, nor His care from us, nor His interest from us: He is bound up heart and soul with His people, and their holy warfare, and this is the evidence of it, "Behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be."  (Rev. 22:12)   -Charles H. Spurgeon