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Psalm 119:1-8 ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. 2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. 3 They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. 4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. 5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! 6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. 7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. 8 I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

When I was a little boy I learned my ABCs by song. Perhaps you did, too. Remember?

A B C D E F G

Come and sing along with me.

H I J K,

L M N O P

Tell me what think of me.

Q R S T U and V

W X and Y and Z

Now I know my ABCs

Come along and sing with me.

I still sing this song sometimes when I’m filing something away 🙂 – Singing is a good way to learn. God used a song to teach His children the importance of the Scripture. This is what Psalm 119 is: the ABCs of faith.

Psalm 119 Is The ABCs Of Faith

We can’t study the entire Psalm 119 tonight, for it has 2445 words, making it longest chapter in the Bible (and the longest song).

Psalm 119 Is A Very Long Song
Teaching God’s Children The ABCs Of Faith

Psalm 119 is one of the few chapters of the Bible where the verse divisions are inspired by God. The verse divisions of the Old Testament were assigned by the Jewish Rabbi Nathan in 1448 AD. Psalm 119 is broken up using the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, Aleph, Beth, and Gimel and so on, which are like our English ABCs. Each letter division is followed by eight verses.

22 Divisions
x 8 Verses
= 176 verses

The Rabbi at the Jewish website aish.com wrote:

“22 is a number of completeness, because it is the full representation of the 22 letters of the Alef-Bet – i.e. everything from A to Z (from Alef to Tav).

As for the number 8: We know that 7 represents the “natural realm” – i.e. 7 days of the week, 7 notes in the musical scale, etc. But 8 represents completeness beyond nature – a completeness in the spiritual realm. That is why Brit Milah is held on the 8th day of a boy’s life. This also explains why God first commanded Abraham to perform circumcision with the words, “Walk before Me and be complete” (Genesis 17:1).”

It is popular in this secular world today to hear people say, “I’m spiritual, but not religious. I don’t need an ancient text to guide my spiritual life.”

You may believe this, but Psalm 119 stands up and tells you that you are no more than an idolater. Idolatry worships what it thinks is God, but it is really an imaginary little “g” god. God is defined by His Word. Idolatry is very dangerous, which is why the Bible tells us …

1 Corinthians 10:13-14 … There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.

Trials and tribulations come to all who are human, animal, and plant life on this fallen earth. The God Who created all that you see – our faithful and trustworthy God – is able to take us through the trials that beset us. Yet an idol can do us no good. The first generation of Israel followed God out of Egypt, then began to make an idol of Moses rather than the Lord Who saved them. What happened when Moses was called up into Sinai to receive the Law? Israel had Aaron the High Priest create an idol to worship, a golden calf (Exodus 32:21-24) to worship and follow instead of Moses. Many churches today make idols out of their pastors or worship leaders. Beloved, do not do this. We are but men. But God is God, and He is defined by His Holy Scripture, the Word of God.

If you know God’s Word, you know God’s Character.
If you know God’s Character, you know God.
The Scripture – our Holy Bible – defines God, the True God.
Our worship is defined by His Word!

Blessing Comes By Obeying The Lord

Psalm 119:1-2 ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. 2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

The word “blessed” starts this ABC of faith. ALEPH. Say this with me. ALEPH. That is equivalent to our “A”in the ABCs. Say it again. ALEPH. This is the beginning of faith. The word “blessed” is the Hebrew אֶשֶׁר ʼesher, (pronounced eh’-sher) which means “to be happy”.

Do you want to be “happy”?

Americans – in fact everyone – wants to be “happy”. When our nation broke away from the tyranny of Great Britain our founding fathers wrote in our “Declaration of Independence”:

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Our forefathers knew than God created us and wanted us to be happy. But happiness is not automatic – it must be pursued. It is not like the air we breath.

Happiness is to be pursued.
To pursue God is to pursue happiness!

As a nation we have in the last few years pursued happiness apart from an ongoing relationship with the God Who made us. As a result we are not happy – though we have so much stuff we have to rent storage space to hold it all. We are like the farmer that Jesus spoke of in Luke 12:13-21 who had so much stuff that he said:

“What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? and he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.”

But then God called him to judgment, this always busy, always unhappy farmer. The Lord told this foolish American:

“… Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Genuine richness comes from both knowing and walking in step with God your Creator. There is no happy life apart from God.

Psalm 119:1 ALEPH. Blessed {or happy} are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.

Who are the “undefiled in the way”? These are the ones who “walk in the Law of the Lord”. The ones who obey the Lord our God.

There has been much nonsense in my lifetime – particularly nonsense from the pulpits of liberal American churches – that has said:

The law cannot save you,
So toss the law away and believe on Jesus.
Do nothing beyond this, because you don’t have to.
You’re not under the Law, but under Grace.

This is hogwash – a twisting of the Scripture. Those who are saved walk by the precepts of the Lord Who saved them. It is true that the Scripture says:

Galatians 3:22-26 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. 26 For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.

Well meaning and confused preachers have teaching secularism and liberalism from their pulpits have said “If you are a Christian you are no longer under the Law. You are therefore lawless. Just believe in Jesus, and do what you will – you will go to Heaven.” Our Lord Jesus did not teach this – ever! And neither did the Apostle Paul. Here is the Biblical teaching.

The written Law was given to unbelieving Israel at Mount Sinai. The written Law was given to show each and every one of us that we are at best sinners in need of God our Savior. The written Law was given to show us our need for Christ, and to demonstrate through its ceremonies how the Lamb of God would come from God to save us.

The written Law foretold our Jesus. When Jesus came to this earth – Incarnate God born of the virgin Mary according to the written Law (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23; John 1:14; 1 John 4:9) He was quite specific. He said:

Matthew 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.

Only Jesus among mankind has ever perfectly lived out the Law. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Law. When He died on Calvary He decreed “It is finished”. Not “I am finished” but “IT is finished”:

John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

James 1:15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

When sin is finished it brings forth death. Jesus defeated sin and death on the Cross. When we receive Him as Lord and Savior then we are saved – saved by faith. BUT HEED THESE WORDS. ONCE SAVED BY FAITH, WE WALK OBEYING GOD. You cannot be saved by keeping the Law of God – the Pharisees are proof of this. But once you are saved you walk according to the decrees of God. Not to BE saved, but BECAUSE you are saved. We who are Christians do not have to kill animals to cover our sins. Christ’s death paid for our sins. We who are Christians do not have to avoid certain foods in order to be saved. God has decreed all things clean because of Christ (Acts 10:10-16). We who are saved need not be ceremonially circumcised according to the Law, for …

Colossians 2:10-11 And ye are complete in {Jesus}, which is the head of all principality and power: 11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

The Christian is circumcised not in his foreskin, but every Christian whether male or female are circumcised in heart (Romans 2:29). Our hearts are tender toward God. We love Him, and follow Him Who saved us. We cherish His Word, and do according to His will. His Spirit indwells us, and directs us. This His Bible we love because we are loved of Him. The Bible tells us:

1 Corinthians 7:19 … Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

Leviticus 22:31 Therefore shall ye keep my commandments, and do them: I am the LORD.

Deuteronomy 5:9-10 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me, 10 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

John 15:10-14 … If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. 11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. 12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

Psalm 119:1 ALEPH. Blessed {or happy} are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.

The “undefiled in the way” are those who have received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, believing Him to be our Lord and Savior. The early Christians were called “those who walk in the way“. When Jesus healed the blind man at Jericho the Bible says:

Mark 10:51-52 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. 52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.

The blind man did not work to be given sight. He heard Jesus coming. He cried out to Jesus, “Lord Jesus, have mercy on me”. When Jesus gave him sight then his way became Jesus’ way, and Jesus’ way was his way. He followed the Lord. What did Jesus say of Himself?

John 14:6 … I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Which brings me to this point:

I Am Not SAVED By My Works,
But I Am BLESSED By Following My Savior

Psalm 119:1-3 ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. 2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. 3 They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

Blessing or happiness comes by seeking the Lord, and by keeping His testimonies – that is, by doing what He says. The professing Christian that is not following Jesus in the Way is one of two things:

Confused, or
Completely Lost!

The Scripture defines faith this way:

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please {God}: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Without faith you cannot be saved. But faith properly defined is the heart felt pursuit of God. It is not the pursuit of religion. The Muslims pursue religion. The Mormons pursue religion. The Progressives, the LGBT crowd, the party goers, the various cults all pursue religion.

The Christian pursues God. Why?
Because we LOVE God our Savior.
We LOVE Jesus. We LOVE the Spirit of God.
And we know that God is NOT FOUND in sin,
But in the palace of righteousness.

When Christ Jesus came to this earth it was not merely to save souls, but to build a kingdom of Light. The kingdom of Light loves Jesus, loves the Father, loves others because we have been loved. We follow God by rejecting what He has defined as iniquity, and by walking in His ways. What are God’s ways? Well Jesus told us in His first recorded sermon, the Sermon on the Mount. What did He tell us?

Matthew 5:19-20 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:43-46 Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

The Pharisees had a head knowledge religion rather than a heart knowledge faith. They did what they saw as commands in order to get to Heaven. This works based salvation just made them more selfish and self centered. They thought among themselves “Heaven was made for us because we are SO GOOD”. People with this mindset will be in hell one day, not Heaven. I was listening to a comedian the other day who was talking about God. He said (and I’m paraphrasing him):

“I believe in God – but only when I have to. When I’m flying I believe in God. When I get on a plane and see a little old lady trying to get her bag into an overhead compartment I stop and help her. Then I say, “See here, God, what a good person I am! Please don’t let the plane crash”. But when the plane landed he said “I don’t have time to help that little old lady. After all, I already helped her. Let somebody else do it – I just believe in God while I’m in the air”.

Many people are this way. They believe in a god of convenience, a god when they are hospitalized, a god to turn to when death visits their family. That person is not saved, but terribly lost. The Pharisees loved the Law, loved religion, loved doing stuff, but had no love for God or for others. They were terribly lost. The religion that touches the head but not the heart is the religion of the lost.

I’m about out of time, but I want to give you a little more of this wonderful Psalm 119. Hear this:

Psalm 119:2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

Psalm 119:10-11 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. 11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Psalm 119:24 Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.

Psalm 119:34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

Psalm 119:47-48 And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved. 48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

If some preacher has told you that you must keep God’s Law to be saved, then he is lying. We are saved by faith in the finished work of Christ. But if some preacher has told you now that you are saved by faith you no longer need hear nor heed God’s Word, this Holy Scripture, then he is lying. God gave us His Word to live by it, to learn by it, to love it. Our prayer is:

Psalm 119:5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! 6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

Born again by faith in Christ, we are indwelt by His Spirit. We need His Word. We live our lives according to His Word because we love Him. Blessed be the Name of the Lord!