psalm 119:44

44 - So shall I keep thy law

continually

for ever and ever.

David emphatically declared his allegiance to the Word of God.

He had tasted it.  He had experienced it.  He had leaned into it, called upon it, rested in it.  Now he was declaring boldly that nothing would cause him to turn away from it.

It is interesting to note that many scholars feel this Psalm was written before David's sin with Bathsheba.

He was so sure of himself here.  So confident.  He knew where his strength came from and he pledged lifetime allegiance to it.

So how could such a man with such a heart and such a prophetic anointing on his writings fall so far and so terribly?

In Mark 14, Peter basically did the same thing.  "No, Lord.  Not me!  Everybody else may be offended in You--they may leave, they may run, they may forsake You--but not me!  I will never deny You!  And before the sun came up the next morning, Peter had done exactly what he said he would not do!

Those of us attempting to live out the Words of God in the 21st century need to take diligent heed to this passage and principle.  

Living victoriously, emphatically, and intentionally takes a daily meal of the Word mixed with prayer.  Every single day.  In humble petition, repentant and contrite every single day.  Even David, who heard the very Voice of God speak His Word to him in Psalm 119 as he wrote "so shall I keep thy law forever and ever" was not exempt from falling to temptation.  

Declare Psalm 119:44 in your own life this day.  But do so in humble awareness that it is only by continually living in the Pages that you will have strength to live it out.

"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."

1 Corinthians 10:12

"Nothing more effectually binds a man to the way of the Lord 

than an experience of the truth of his word." 

~Charles Spurgeon

© 2012 by Melani Brady Shock

psalm 119:44

44 - So shall I keep thy law

continually

for ever and ever.

David emphatically declared his allegiance to the Word of God.

He had tasted it.  He had experienced it.  He had leaned into it, called upon it, rested in it.  Now he was declaring boldly that nothing would cause him to turn away from it.

It is interesting to note that many scholars feel this Psalm was written before David's sin with Bathsheba.

He was so sure of himself here.  So confident.  He knew where his strength came from and he pledged lifetime allegiance to it.

So how could such a man with such a heart and such a prophetic anointing on his writings fall so far and so terribly?

In Mark 14, Peter basically did the same thing.  "No, Lord.  Not me!  Everybody else may be offended in You--they may leave, they may run, they may forsake You--but not me!  I will never deny You!  And before the sun came up the next morning, Peter had done exactly what he said he would not do!

Those of us attempting to live out the Words of God in the 21st century need to take diligent heed to this passage and principle.  

Living victoriously, emphatically, and intentionally takes a daily meal of the Word mixed with prayer.  Every single day.  In humble petition, repentant and contrite every single day.  Even David, who heard the very Voice of God speak His Word to him in Psalm 119 as he wrote "so shall I keep thy law forever and ever" was not exempt from falling to temptation.  

Declare Psalm 119:44 in your own life this day.  But do so in humble awareness that it is only by continually living in the Pages that you will have strength to live it out.

"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."

1 Corinthians 10:12

"Nothing more effectually binds a man to the way of the Lord 

than an experience of the truth of his word." 

~Charles Spurgeon

© 2012 by Melani Brady Shock

psalm 119:43

43 - And take not the word of truth

utterly out of my mouth; 

for I have hoped in thy judgments.

The Psalmist refers again to the fear of the Lord.  "Please do not render me silent regarding You, O God."  The very plea indicates the possibility!

One of the most dangerous attitudes a child of God may possess is that of feeling "it can't happen to me..."  Those who feel they are above committing sins such as adultery, lying, stealing, and other sins which cause us to lose integrity and character and our witness for God and His kingdom are just one wrong choice and poor decision away from falling.

When one has hung their entire life, hopes, and daily existence on the principles of the Word...when one has dedicated their entire being to His service...when one has lived in His courts, sung His songs, proclaimed His power...and then stumbles and falls so that their voice is no longer proclaiming Him...oh, the sadness!  There is not a more despairing person than that one.

Repentance, restoration, and resuming a life of holiness is definitely possible and waiting for that one to turn back to His truth.  But many times, the word of truth is silenced in those who disqualify themselves from ministering in the area to which God originally called them.

There is no sadder soul than one who has rendered the word of truth silent in their mouth by their poor choices.

"Eloquence itself becomes dumb if the conscience be evil."

~Ambrose

"We fear men so much because we fear God so little.  

One fear cures another." 

~William Gurnall

© 2012 by Melani Brady Shock

psalm 119:43

43 - And take not the word of truth

utterly out of my mouth; 

for I have hoped in thy judgments.

The Psalmist refers again to the fear of the Lord.  "Please do not render me silent regarding You, O God."  The very plea indicates the possibility!

One of the most dangerous attitudes a child of God may possess is that of feeling "it can't happen to me..."  Those who feel they are above committing sins such as adultery, lying, stealing, and other sins which cause us to lose integrity and character and our witness for God and His kingdom are just one wrong choice and poor decision away from falling.

When one has hung their entire life, hopes, and daily existence on the principles of the Word...when one has dedicated their entire being to His service...when one has lived in His courts, sung His songs, proclaimed His power...and then stumbles and falls so that their voice is no longer proclaiming Him...oh, the sadness!  There is not a more despairing person than that one.

Repentance, restoration, and resuming a life of holiness is definitely possible and waiting for that one to turn back to His truth.  But many times, the word of truth is silenced in those who disqualify themselves from ministering in the area to which God originally called them.

There is no sadder soul than one who has rendered the word of truth silent in their mouth by their poor choices.

"Eloquence itself becomes dumb if the conscience be evil."

~Ambrose

"We fear men so much because we fear God so little.  

One fear cures another." 

~William Gurnall

© 2012 by Melani Brady Shock

psalm 119:42

42 - So shall I have wherewith

to answer him that reproacheth me: 

for I trust in thy word.

Everybody always likes to be the one to have the last word.  

The last word is usually spoken with an angle of the head and a little nod that says, "So there."  Those who persist in having the last word will many times accomplish their goal, but the last word will make absolutely no sense whatsoever.

We have a family joke in our house of one of those instances.  We were having a family discussion of a matter  and, after the issue was settled, one of those in the discussion said in a very confident manner, "Well, the wind bloweth where it listeth!"  The rest of the people in the room just looked at each other wondering, "And where did THAT fit in?!"  And, at the same time, everybody in the room burst out laughing (including the one who said it) as we all realized that the last word had been spoken even though it did not fit, made no sense, and had nothing whatsoever to do with the discussion.

To this day, whenever we are having a discussion and a battle of the wills over who will have the last word somebody will usually say, "The wind bloweth where it listeth..." and the discussion will end in laughter.

(Names have been withheld in this story to protect the innocent.) :-)

Those who would attack the spiritual, who would scorn, laugh, deride, and mock those of faith and the Scriptures usually feel confident they have the last word.  The media loves to have the last word.  The educated and eloquent feel sure they can have the last word over the uneducated and slow of speech.  The arrogant and proud will not rest until they have the last word.

We must never let our confidence be shaken when our faith is attacked.  Arguments may be presented to which we have no answer.  Questions may be posed to which we cannot think of what to say.  Vain philosophies and the "Well, I think..." mindset may resound so loud that our voice is drowned out.

But never forget this: no matter how unschooled we may be, we always have the right answer if we can say, "It is written..."

"When the heart realizes assured salvation, 

it is supplied with abundant answers to those who sneer at the delights of faith." 

~Henry Law

"Hugo Cardinalis observeth that there are three sorts of blasphemers of the godly: 

the devils, heretics, and slanderers.

The devil must be answered by the internal word of humility;

heretics by the external word of wisdom;

slanderers by the active word of a good life."

~Richard Greenham

"For I should give them a short answer, and a true one--

that I trust in thy word; 

I put my confidence in thee, who canst make good thy promises,

because thou art omnipotent; and wilt, because thou art merciful."

~William Nicholson

"It is not forbidden to believers, modestly and fully,

to answer those that reproach them, and to rebut the lie. 

(See Proverbs 26:5, 27:11)

But to be able to answer them is received as a blessing from God."

~Martin Geier

© 2012 by Melani Brady Shock

psalm 119:42

42 - So shall I have wherewith

to answer him that reproacheth me: 

for I trust in thy word.

Everybody always likes to be the one to have the last word.  

The last word is usually spoken with an angle of the head and a little nod that says, "So there."  Those who persist in having the last word will many times accomplish their goal, but the last word will make absolutely no sense whatsoever.

We have a family joke in our house of one of those instances.  We were having a family discussion of a matter  and, after the issue was settled, one of those in the discussion said in a very confident manner, "Well, the wind bloweth where it listeth!"  The rest of the people in the room just looked at each other wondering, "And where did THAT fit in?!"  And, at the same time, everybody in the room burst out laughing (including the one who said it) as we all realized that the last word had been spoken even though it did not fit, made no sense, and had nothing whatsoever to do with the discussion.

To this day, whenever we are having a discussion and a battle of the wills over who will have the last word somebody will usually say, "The wind bloweth where it listeth..." and the discussion will end in laughter.

(Names have been withheld in this story to protect the innocent.) :-)

Those who would attack the spiritual, who would scorn, laugh, deride, and mock those of faith and the Scriptures usually feel confident they have the last word.  The media loves to have the last word.  The educated and eloquent feel sure they can have the last word over the uneducated and slow of speech.  The arrogant and proud will not rest until they have the last word.

We must never let our confidence be shaken when our faith is attacked.  Arguments may be presented to which we have no answer.  Questions may be posed to which we cannot think of what to say.  Vain philosophies and the "Well, I think..." mindset may resound so loud that our voice is drowned out.

But never forget this: no matter how unschooled we may be, we always have the right answer if we can say, "It is written..."

"When the heart realizes assured salvation, 

it is supplied with abundant answers to those who sneer at the delights of faith." 

~Henry Law

"Hugo Cardinalis observeth that there are three sorts of blasphemers of the godly: 

the devils, heretics, and slanderers.

The devil must be answered by the internal word of humility;

heretics by the external word of wisdom;

slanderers by the active word of a good life."

~Richard Greenham

"For I should give them a short answer, and a true one--

that I trust in thy word; 

I put my confidence in thee, who canst make good thy promises,

because thou art omnipotent; and wilt, because thou art merciful."

~William Nicholson

"It is not forbidden to believers, modestly and fully,

to answer those that reproach them, and to rebut the lie. 

(See Proverbs 26:5, 27:11)

But to be able to answer them is received as a blessing from God."

~Martin Geier

© 2012 by Melani Brady Shock

psalm 119:41

41 - Let thy mercies come also unto me,

O Lord, even thy salvation,

according to thy word.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my father

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not

As Thou hast been thou forever wilt be.

"Note that in Psalm 119:33 the Psalmist prayed to be taught to keep God's word, and here he begs the Lord to keep his word.  In the first case, he longed to come to the God of mercies, and here he would have the Lord's mercies come to him: there he sought grace to persevere in faith, and here he seeks the end of his faith, even the salvation of the soul."

~Charles Spurgeon

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon, and stars in their courses above,

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:12)

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Life is a progression.  We never "arrive" down here. The Christian walk is a journey--it is not a destination.  Our humanity is frail and imperfect.  We stumble, we make mistakes, we are constantly battling our flesh, temptation, human weakness and the pervading atmosphere of sin.  All would appear hopeless if not for the mercies of God...the salvation available to us...the miracle of the Cross...

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided--

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

"The mercies of God and His Word--to the man of faith,

the two strongest pillars of his hope."

~Wolfgang Musculus

© 2012 by Melani Brady Shock