Aligned With the Word of God – Psalm 119:89-96

ל LAMED [1]

“Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in heaven.” Psalm 119:89

God’s Word is settled. He is not going to change it to suit us. In Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” The Bible ascribes the same characteristics to Jesus Christ as it does to God’s Word. In Revelation 19:13, when Christ returns, He is described as being “clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His Name is called The Word of God.” He will judge the earth and everyone in it according to the Word of God.

One good reason to read our Bibles is to see how our lives are lining up with the Word of God. In James 1:23-24, God describes His Word as a mirror that helps us to see ourselves from God’s perspective. We should be more concerned about how God sees us than how the world sees us.

“Your faithfulness endures to all generations. You established the earth, and it abides.” Psalm 119:90

Colossians 1:16-17 is about Jesus, “By Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, dominions, principalities, or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” The Bible ascribes the mighty works of God to Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ with God our Father, and the Holy Spirit are the One triune God.

“They continue this day according to Your ordinances, for all are Your servants.” Psalm 119:91

Heaven and earth serve the purposes that God gives them. They obey His command. In Genesis 8:22, the Lord promised Noah, “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.” [2] So, despite what some climate experts predict, God will maintain seasonal weather as long as the earth exists.

In Jeremiah 33:20-21, God connected the reliability of the seasons to the reliability of David having on his descendants reigning on his throne. “Thus says the Lord, ‘If you can break My covenant with the day and My covenant with the night, so that there will not be day and night in their season, then My covenant may also be broken with David My servant, so that he shall not have a Son to reign on his throne...” The descendant that this passage refers to is Jesus Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ reigns forever. [3]

“Unless Your Law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction.” Psalm 119:92

David attributed his victories over afflictions to his delight in God’s Law. God’s Law provided guidance for David to live by so that he was not led astray by the evil one’s temptations. Reading and meditating on God’s Law provided him a daily connection with God.

“I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have given me life.” Psalm 119:93

David was mindful and obedient to God’s Word. Why? He stated, “For by them You have given me life.” God’s Word contains life. In John 6:63, Jesus said, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.” In Hebrews 4:12, it is written, “The Word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

“I am Yours, save me, for I have sought Your precepts.” Psalm 119:94

David declares that he belongs to God. He asks God to save him from sin and from ruin. Why? Because he sincerely seeks to know and follow God’s ways. [4]

“The wicked wait for me to destroy me, but I will consider Your testimonies.” Psalm 119:95

Wicked people look for opportunities to destroy God’s messengers. Their intentions are cruel. Such people sought to destroy David, but he overcame them by remembering the testimonies of the Lord. The testimonies of the Lord include the stories of His miracles in the Bible.

Once, while in China, a team of missionaries that I was leading came into a very ominous situation with authorities. One whispered to me, “What shall we do?” In that moment, the Spirit brought to my mind the story of David and Goliath. I whispered to the group, “Don’t worry, God loves David and Goliath situations.” Everything turned out fine thanks to the Lord’s intervention.

On another occasion, uniformed men bearing machine guns stopped me and told me in Mandarin to open my shoulder bag. It had Chinese Bibles in it and I was near the meeting place where the disciples were waiting for me to teach them. I understood what they said but acted as though I did not to stall for time. I asked the Lord what to do. He brought to my mind the time that Jesus walked through the midst of those who wanted to throw Him over a cliff. Then, the Lord said to me, “Walk.” So, I walked. They said nothing. Later, I circled around and entered the meeting point by a different direction. The meeting went well. Praise the Lord!

“I have seen the consummation of all perfection, but Your commandment is exceedingly broad.” Psalm 119:96

Anything this world has to offer us is imperfect due to the curse of sin. David wrote, “I have seen an end of all perfection.” [5]

Thanks be to God! The devil and his works of darkness have an expiration date. In Revelation 20:10, it is written, “The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” In Revelation 20:15, it is written, “Anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

God’s commandment is exceedingly broad. God’s Word has applications for every situation and stage of life. Every command contains deep truth about what God requires and what He forbids. [6]


[1] From Googles sources and Bible Gateway: “Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem. It contains 176 verses divided into 22 sections, with each section named after one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Instead of just one line per letter, all eight verses in a given section begin with that specific letter. For example, verses 89–96 start with the ל LAMED, and this exact pattern continues sequentially all the way through the final letter, Tau (ת).

לְעוֹלָ֥ם יְהוָ֑ה דְּ֝בָרְךָ֗ נִצָּ֥ב בַּשָּׁמָֽיִם׃
לְדֹ֣ר וָ֭דֹר אֱמֽוּנָתֶ֑ךָ כּוֹנַ֥נְתָּ אֶ֝֗רֶץ וַֽתַּעֲמֹֽד׃
לְֽ֭מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ עָמְד֣וּ הַיּ֑וֹם כִּ֖י הַכֹּ֣ל עֲבָדֶֽיךָ׃
לוּלֵ֣י ת֭וֹרָתְךָ שַׁעֲשֻׁעָ֑י אָ֝֗ז אָבַ֥דְתִּי בְעָנְיִֽי׃
לְ֭עוֹלָם לֹא־אֶשְׁכַּ֣ח פִּקּוּדֶ֑יךָ כִּ֥י בָ֝֗ם חִיִּיתָֽנִי׃
לְֽךָ־אֲ֭נִי הוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי כִּ֖י פִקּוּדֶ֣יךָ דָרָֽשְׁתִּי׃
לִ֤י קִוּ֣וּ רְשָׁעִ֣ים לְאַבְּדֵ֑נִי עֵ֝דֹתֶ֗יךָ אֶתְבּוֹנָֽן׃
לְֽכָל תִּ֭כְלָה רָאִ֣יתִי קֵ֑ץ רְחָבָ֖ה מִצְוָתְךָ֣ מְאֹֽד׃

Historically, each letter name corresponds to a concrete object. Over time, these pictures evolved into the letters used today. For example, ל LAMED was originally the symbol for study.

[2-6] Material developed, added to and edited from Matthew Henry’s Commentary