WEBVTT 00:00:00.660 --> 00:00:05.219 Psalm 119, verses 161 through 168. 00:00:08.140 --> 00:00:11.820 It says, Princess, persecute me without cause, 00:00:12.700 --> 00:00:15.679 but my heart stands in awe of your words. 00:00:17.080 --> 00:00:22.100 I rejoice at your word, like one who finds great spoil. 00:00:23.480 --> 00:00:27.800 I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law. 00:00:27.800 --> 00:00:33.160 Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous rules. 00:00:34.299 --> 00:00:36.899 Great peace have those who love your law. 00:00:37.340 --> 00:00:38.640 Nothing can make them stumble. 00:00:39.740 --> 00:00:43.700 I hope for your salvation, O Lord, and I do your commandments. 00:00:44.600 --> 00:00:46.780 My soul keeps your testimonies. 00:00:47.340 --> 00:00:49.159 I love them exceedingly. 00:00:50.060 --> 00:00:55.079 I keep your precepts and testimonies, for all my ways are before you. 00:00:57.799 --> 00:01:02.780 I don't know if you guys own anything that might be considered a treasure, 00:01:03.419 --> 00:01:05.219 maybe an heirloom of some kind. 00:01:05.219 --> 00:01:11.659 I remember reading about this show. 00:01:12.319 --> 00:01:13.980 It's like Antiques Roadshow. 00:01:14.120 --> 00:01:14.680 You guys know about it? 00:01:14.760 --> 00:01:19.560 Yeah, I've never seen it, but there was an interesting article 00:01:19.560 --> 00:01:26.319 about a woman who had the original Boston Red Stockings baseball cards. 00:01:27.319 --> 00:01:28.900 It's like the original team. 00:01:29.400 --> 00:01:31.060 Like that Boston just formed their team. 00:01:31.060 --> 00:01:32.760 I think it's 1871 or something. 00:01:33.560 --> 00:01:36.060 And it's the first, very first original cards. 00:01:36.180 --> 00:01:40.920 And she happened upon it because her great-great-great-grandmother 00:01:40.920 --> 00:01:42.820 had like a boarding house in Boston. 00:01:43.420 --> 00:01:47.480 And the Red Stockings players at that time, they stayed there. 00:01:47.980 --> 00:01:51.020 And they developed a relationship and then gave them these cards. 00:01:51.960 --> 00:01:55.120 And so she had these cards and some letters that she had exchanged with them. 00:01:55.120 --> 00:01:58.980 And then passed it down, fifth generations down. 00:01:59.180 --> 00:02:05.620 And then this great-great-great-granddaughter brought it to the Antiques Roadshow in 2014. 00:02:06.580 --> 00:02:08.659 And guess what it was appraised at? 00:02:11.080 --> 00:02:14.860 One million dollars for baseball cards, right? 00:02:14.980 --> 00:02:18.159 So it's like something that's, you know, it's a... 00:02:18.159 --> 00:02:22.120 And so they kept it and they cherished it because it was like a treasure, right? 00:02:22.159 --> 00:02:23.319 It's like an heirloom, right? 00:02:23.319 --> 00:02:28.159 And so when people have treasures in their hands, they take care of it, right? 00:02:28.159 --> 00:02:29.280 They keep it, right? 00:02:29.299 --> 00:02:31.699 And their minds are fixed on it. 00:02:32.340 --> 00:02:38.019 And likewise, the psalmist tells us in this passage, 119, 161 to 168, 00:02:38.139 --> 00:02:43.740 that those who appreciate the value of God's Word rightly, they love it and keep it. 00:02:44.620 --> 00:02:47.719 And so the first part in verses 161 to 164, 00:02:47.859 --> 00:02:51.180 he talks about the treasure of God's Word, what a treasure it is. 00:02:51.180 --> 00:02:57.500 And then in verses 165 to 168, he tells us about those who cherish God's Word, 00:02:57.640 --> 00:02:59.439 what it looks like to cherish God's Word. 00:02:59.659 --> 00:03:02.840 And then let's look at it from verse 161. 00:03:03.700 --> 00:03:04.159 He says, 00:03:04.340 --> 00:03:10.439 Princess, persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words. 00:03:10.560 --> 00:03:13.520 So the word awe there is literally fear. 00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:19.680 Like he fears or trembles before or venerates God's Word, right? 00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:25.360 And so there's a contrast between the psalmist's posture toward the princes 00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:30.540 who are persecuting him, coming after him, and his posture toward God's Word. 00:03:30.640 --> 00:03:34.620 Because it's usually princes or rulers that you venerate, right? 00:03:34.740 --> 00:03:38.500 You fear, especially if they're coming after you, persecuting you. 00:03:38.879 --> 00:03:41.300 But the psalmist doesn't have any fear for them. 00:03:41.300 --> 00:03:45.380 Instead, his heart fears God's Word. 00:03:47.160 --> 00:03:51.080 We're in Psalm 119, verse 161. 00:03:55.400 --> 00:03:59.740 So that's like a really powerful contrast, you know? 00:03:59.860 --> 00:04:03.480 Like he's not afraid of the rulers or the princes. 00:04:03.760 --> 00:04:07.640 He's rather standing in awe in fear of God's Word, venerating God's Word. 00:04:07.639 --> 00:04:13.239 And to fear God and to fear his Word, it refers to a posture of reverent obedience 00:04:13.239 --> 00:04:14.859 and humble submission. 00:04:15.739 --> 00:04:18.479 That's the posture that the psalmist has toward God's Word. 00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:22.139 Because if you think about it, right, when a citizen receives an edict from a king, 00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:26.979 you don't just dismiss an edict from a royal edict offhand, right? 00:04:27.019 --> 00:04:28.719 You tremble before it. 00:04:28.779 --> 00:04:29.699 You pay attention to it. 00:04:29.779 --> 00:04:33.159 You obey it, abide by it, because it's from the throne. 00:04:33.360 --> 00:04:37.399 Which means it comes with the king's will and the king's authority, right? 00:04:37.639 --> 00:04:41.019 And so in the same way, this psalmist trembles before God's Word. 00:04:41.079 --> 00:04:42.439 He fears the Word of God. 00:04:42.899 --> 00:04:46.339 And so the first thing we learn in verse 1 about the treasure of God's Word is that, 00:04:46.560 --> 00:04:51.419 not verse 1, verse 161, is that God's Word is venerable, 00:04:51.699 --> 00:04:54.759 that it is worthy of our fears. 00:04:56.060 --> 00:04:58.800 And then secondly, the Word of God is valuable. 00:04:58.979 --> 00:05:00.399 We see that in verse 162. 00:05:00.399 --> 00:05:04.399 So I rejoice at your Word like one who finds great spoil. 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:12.239 So like a man who is digging behind in his backyard and then happens to dig up a gold mine, 00:05:12.579 --> 00:05:16.179 and he finds this great spoil. 00:05:16.339 --> 00:05:18.219 He delights over it, rejoices over it. 00:05:19.099 --> 00:05:25.459 And so likewise, we should rejoice in God's Word like one who finds great spoil. 00:05:25.459 --> 00:05:30.199 And I think when we're rejoicing at God's Word rightly, it's going to be often on our lips. 00:05:30.699 --> 00:05:34.279 And I think when we're doing that, I find that on our church members' lips. 00:05:34.579 --> 00:05:37.699 It's like they say things like, hey, look at what God said to me this morning. 00:05:38.560 --> 00:05:39.839 Hey, look at, have you seen this? 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:42.719 Have you really grasped this? 00:05:42.799 --> 00:05:44.759 Have you seen this gem here in this passage? 00:05:45.679 --> 00:05:49.079 And so the Christians should cherish God's Word because it's valuable. 00:05:49.359 --> 00:05:51.879 And it's valuable like nothing else, right? 00:05:51.879 --> 00:05:53.300 Money can be devalued. 00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:55.659 You know, stocks can depreciate, right? 00:05:55.759 --> 00:05:59.540 Even precious jewels can be lost or corrode, right? 00:06:00.100 --> 00:06:03.540 And we can't take any of those things with us after death. 00:06:04.079 --> 00:06:06.439 But God's Word endures forever. 00:06:07.100 --> 00:06:08.120 It's valuable. 00:06:09.180 --> 00:06:10.980 It's riches for our souls. 00:06:11.740 --> 00:06:15.180 And then third thing is that the Word of God is veritable. 00:06:15.800 --> 00:06:19.439 You might have caught on that I'm using words that start with a V so you can remember it. 00:06:19.439 --> 00:06:23.319 But it's maybe this one is not as bad. 00:06:23.439 --> 00:06:24.879 The last one is a little bit of a stretch. 00:06:25.259 --> 00:06:26.219 But this one is true. 00:06:26.360 --> 00:06:27.240 The Word of God is true. 00:06:27.339 --> 00:06:28.040 It is veritable. 00:06:28.500 --> 00:06:30.660 It's venerable, valuable, and veritable. 00:06:30.759 --> 00:06:31.360 It's real. 00:06:31.740 --> 00:06:32.540 It's genuine. 00:06:32.740 --> 00:06:33.339 It's true. 00:06:34.160 --> 00:06:35.819 And we see that in verse 163. 00:06:35.819 --> 00:06:39.659 I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law. 00:06:40.079 --> 00:06:45.240 So the psalmist who hates falsehood loves God's law because God's law is true. 00:06:45.240 --> 00:06:47.280 Because it is real. 00:06:48.060 --> 00:06:58.439 In a world where we have to get second opinions for our medical diagnoses or second guess what our professors say or fact check whatever you find online, right? 00:06:58.900 --> 00:07:03.000 It's so reassuring and comforting to know that God's Word is always true. 00:07:03.800 --> 00:07:06.400 And we never have to do any of that with God's Word. 00:07:06.399 --> 00:07:09.539 It's in fact impossible for God to lie, right? 00:07:09.599 --> 00:07:10.939 It says Hebrews 6.18. 00:07:11.479 --> 00:07:14.459 So we can always rely on it and even stake our lives on it. 00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:17.959 And then fourth thing it says is that the Word of God is virtuous. 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:19.939 It says in verse 164, 00:07:20.060 --> 00:07:23.959 Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous rules. 00:07:24.299 --> 00:07:25.879 So God's Word is righteous. 00:07:26.319 --> 00:07:27.019 It's virtuous. 00:07:27.239 --> 00:07:28.959 It is just, upright. 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:35.539 That means all that God says to us is not only true to reality, it's also right. 00:07:35.799 --> 00:07:36.479 It's good. 00:07:37.139 --> 00:07:38.579 It's upright and just. 00:07:39.259 --> 00:07:40.879 It reflects God's justice. 00:07:41.039 --> 00:07:45.659 And because of that, he says seven times a day he praises God for his righteous rules. 00:07:45.899 --> 00:07:50.779 So seven symbolizes fullness or completeness in the Bible. 00:07:51.459 --> 00:07:54.659 So it means that he praises God for his Word all throughout the day. 00:07:54.660 --> 00:07:57.620 And so that's the treasure of God's Word. 00:07:57.880 --> 00:08:01.920 It is venerable, valuable, veritable, and virtuous. 00:08:02.200 --> 00:08:03.760 And then having spoken of the treasure, 00:08:05.160 --> 00:08:08.600 he tells us now that something about those who cherish God's Word, 00:08:08.680 --> 00:08:11.860 what they look like, what it looks like to cherish God's Word. 00:08:12.040 --> 00:08:13.520 And it says in verse 165, 00:08:14.100 --> 00:08:17.180 Great peace have those who love your law. 00:08:18.040 --> 00:08:19.600 Nothing can make them stumble. 00:08:20.780 --> 00:08:23.480 So those who cherish God's Word have great peace. 00:08:23.480 --> 00:08:27.180 Nothing can disrupt them or trip them up in their life. 00:08:27.920 --> 00:08:31.319 This reminds me of the bop bag. 00:08:31.640 --> 00:08:32.500 You guys know what that is? 00:08:33.139 --> 00:08:33.899 The bop bag. 00:08:34.139 --> 00:08:37.340 So, like, I had this when I was a kid, like, in Korea. 00:08:37.860 --> 00:08:41.899 But it's like a punching bag of sorts. 00:08:42.420 --> 00:08:44.300 Like, it was really popular in 1960. 00:08:44.860 --> 00:08:48.379 And basically, it has this sand-filled pocket at the bottom. 00:08:48.379 --> 00:08:52.220 So because of that heavy center of kind of gravity, 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:53.279 it doesn't matter. 00:08:53.939 --> 00:08:54.299 Really? 00:08:54.539 --> 00:08:57.580 It's a famous iteration of it was the bozo clown. 00:08:57.580 --> 00:08:58.580 Was it called Bozo the Clown? 00:08:58.580 --> 00:09:00.159 Yeah, it was the bozo bop bag. 00:09:00.320 --> 00:09:00.419 Yeah. 00:09:01.080 --> 00:09:02.139 Bop bag is the name of it. 00:09:02.179 --> 00:09:03.039 Bozo's name is a clown. 00:09:03.179 --> 00:09:05.779 But the most famous bop bag was the bozo bop bag. 00:09:05.779 --> 00:09:09.419 And basically, you could, like, knock it over and animate as many times as you want. 00:09:09.459 --> 00:09:13.220 You can't make it fall because of its center of gravity. 00:09:13.500 --> 00:09:14.699 It's like, it's so secure. 00:09:14.779 --> 00:09:16.199 It always comes right back up. 00:09:16.259 --> 00:09:17.759 You can't trip it up, right? 00:09:18.339 --> 00:09:20.059 And, like, I think of that in a similar way. 00:09:20.179 --> 00:09:25.539 It's like we're, like, if people who are, have centered their lives on God's Word, 00:09:26.379 --> 00:09:30.519 because the Word of God, the rock of God's Word is the center of their gravity. 00:09:30.599 --> 00:09:31.299 They can't trip. 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:32.299 They can't fall. 00:09:32.500 --> 00:09:34.659 They're always, they always get right back up. 00:09:34.699 --> 00:09:35.299 They're always standing. 00:09:36.079 --> 00:09:37.539 And that's what I think of. 00:09:37.620 --> 00:09:41.719 We have great peace like that as people who cherish God's Word. 00:09:42.259 --> 00:09:43.639 They also have hope, right? 00:09:43.639 --> 00:09:44.819 Verse 166 says, 00:09:44.939 --> 00:09:48.719 I hope for your salvation, O Lord, and I do your commandments. 00:09:49.819 --> 00:09:53.099 And this is a frequently misunderstood concept 00:09:53.100 --> 00:09:56.060 because we use the word hope differently than it is used in the Bible 00:09:56.060 --> 00:09:58.820 because we use it to express our wishes, you know? 00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:04.840 I hope, you know, I get to, you know, get a good night's sleep tonight, you know, 00:10:04.860 --> 00:10:08.879 like, or I hope, you know, I get to go on a vacation or whatever. 00:10:09.060 --> 00:10:10.180 People say things like that. 00:10:10.259 --> 00:10:12.720 But then this is, when Bible talks about hope, 00:10:12.800 --> 00:10:15.580 usually it's talking of something entirely different. 00:10:15.580 --> 00:10:19.500 God's people hope for their salvation, not because it's uncertain, 00:10:20.279 --> 00:10:21.879 but because it's not yet. 00:10:23.100 --> 00:10:25.659 It's certain to happen, it just hasn't happened yet. 00:10:25.779 --> 00:10:29.759 That's why we hope, because we know it's coming, but it hasn't happened yet. 00:10:30.399 --> 00:10:32.960 And so those who trust in God's Word and obey His commandments 00:10:32.960 --> 00:10:35.100 are holding on to their hope of deliverance 00:10:35.100 --> 00:10:38.680 because they believe fully that God's deliverance is going to come. 00:10:39.460 --> 00:10:42.740 We're going to, because God's Word always proves true. 00:10:43.720 --> 00:10:46.019 And then in the last two verses of this stanza, 00:10:46.139 --> 00:10:49.600 the psalmist tells us what it means for us to love and cherish God's Word. 00:10:49.600 --> 00:10:55.220 Three times in this stanza, verses 163, 165, 167, 00:10:55.740 --> 00:10:57.840 the psalmist says, I love your law. 00:10:58.840 --> 00:11:02.980 And then he explains here in verses 167 to 168 what that looks like. 00:11:03.040 --> 00:11:05.240 My soul keeps your testimonies. 00:11:05.659 --> 00:11:06.960 I love them exceedingly. 00:11:07.340 --> 00:11:09.700 I keep your precepts and testimonies, 00:11:10.019 --> 00:11:11.820 for all my ways are before you. 00:11:11.820 --> 00:11:15.700 To love God's Word, you have to keep them. 00:11:16.040 --> 00:11:19.720 It says, you can keep the letter of the law without loving the law, 00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:23.180 but you can't love the law and not keep the law. 00:11:23.520 --> 00:11:25.860 Those who love the law of God keep the law of God. 00:11:26.840 --> 00:11:29.440 That's one important aspect of cherishing God's Word. 00:11:30.520 --> 00:11:31.620 And that's why it's repeated. 00:11:32.300 --> 00:11:34.460 In verse 166, he says, I do your commandments. 00:11:34.820 --> 00:11:36.580 167, my soul keeps your testimony. 00:11:36.740 --> 00:11:39.360 Verse 168, I keep your precepts and testimonies. 00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:43.019 Because if God is our greatest treasure, we will cherish Him. 00:11:43.399 --> 00:11:46.680 And if we love God's Word, we will keep His Word. 00:11:47.899 --> 00:11:51.820 That's a very similar idea to what Jesus says in John 14, 15. 00:11:52.120 --> 00:11:56.159 He says, if you love me, you will keep my commandments. 00:11:57.360 --> 00:12:02.639 Notice how Jesus shifts the claims for himself, 00:12:02.840 --> 00:12:05.460 that love and obedience that's due to God alone, 00:12:05.700 --> 00:12:06.700 due to God's Word alone. 00:12:06.700 --> 00:12:10.680 He says, whoever loves, if you love me, you will keep my commandments. 00:12:11.680 --> 00:12:11.780 Right? 00:12:11.900 --> 00:12:16.640 We're taught here in this psalm to love and keep God's Word. 00:12:17.120 --> 00:12:20.580 And Jesus says, you should love me and keep my commandments. 00:12:20.940 --> 00:12:21.040 Right? 00:12:21.080 --> 00:12:24.320 So he's saying something very significant about his identity, 00:12:24.540 --> 00:12:27.600 that he is the Word of God, that he's the Son of God. 00:12:27.680 --> 00:12:27.800 Right? 00:12:28.140 --> 00:12:29.620 That's what John 1 talks about. 00:12:29.660 --> 00:12:32.140 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, 00:12:32.139 --> 00:12:33.299 and the Word was God. 00:12:33.720 --> 00:12:35.419 He was in the beginning with God. 00:12:35.519 --> 00:12:39.100 All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:41.860 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 00:12:42.299 --> 00:12:45.899 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:47.620 and we have seen his glory. 00:12:48.120 --> 00:12:52.559 Glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 00:12:52.559 --> 00:12:58.979 So that passage teaches us that Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of this psalm. 00:12:59.159 --> 00:13:00.739 We just talked about that on Sunday, right? 00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:06.679 How every, I guess, every hamlet in England has a road that runs to London. 00:13:07.019 --> 00:13:07.119 Right? 00:13:07.159 --> 00:13:12.679 And likewise, every passage and verse in Scripture has a road that runs to Christ. 00:13:13.099 --> 00:13:15.299 Christ is the ultimate fulfillment of it all. 00:13:15.379 --> 00:13:17.459 That points, everything in Scripture points to him. 00:13:17.460 --> 00:13:22.019 And it's because of Jesus that we have hope of salvation, right? 00:13:22.080 --> 00:13:26.780 1 Peter 1 talks about how we were born, again, to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus. 00:13:27.340 --> 00:13:30.940 And it's because of Jesus that we have this great peace that this psalm talks about, right? 00:13:30.980 --> 00:13:32.139 As Romans 5, 1 says, 00:13:32.139 --> 00:13:34.420 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, 00:13:34.759 --> 00:13:37.240 we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:13:37.960 --> 00:13:41.280 Jesus atoned for our sins by dying on the cross, 00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:45.300 and he appeased the Father's wrath by dying on the cross and being raised from the dead. 00:13:45.299 --> 00:13:50.179 And that's what gives us this peace, and this gives us hope of salvation. 00:13:51.219 --> 00:13:56.639 And that good news that Jesus is the King that redeems us, saves us, and ushers us into God's kingdom 00:13:56.639 --> 00:14:02.099 is described in Matthew 13 this way, verses 45 to 46. 00:14:02.679 --> 00:14:07.559 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 00:14:08.199 --> 00:14:13.459 who on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. 00:14:13.460 --> 00:14:21.139 It's very similar to this psalm that we were just reading, verse 162. 00:14:21.220 --> 00:14:24.500 I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil, 00:14:24.620 --> 00:14:29.700 because the gospel of Jesus Christ is that great prize, that pearl, precious pearl, 00:14:30.220 --> 00:14:34.960 worth forsaking everything we have for, in order to claim. 00:14:34.960 --> 00:14:39.280 worth giving up everything to love and cherish. 00:14:40.460 --> 00:14:43.240 And so I want to end by asking you guys some questions. 00:14:43.440 --> 00:14:45.460 Do you love and cherish the gospel? 00:14:47.420 --> 00:14:50.840 Do you keep it in your mind and guard it in your heart? 00:14:52.259 --> 00:14:56.080 Do you praise God for the goodness of Jesus seven times a day? 00:14:56.080 --> 00:14:59.879 Is the gospel your center of gravity? 00:15:00.920 --> 00:15:02.040 It keeps you grounded. 00:15:04.900 --> 00:15:07.600 Let's pray that God will make it so more and more. 00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:08.100 Amen. 00:15:08.100 --> 00:15:08.160 Amen. 00:15:08.160 --> 00:15:08.720 Amen. 00:15:08.720 --> 00:15:08.740 Amen. 00:15:08.740 --> 00:15:08.780 Amen. 00:15:08.780 --> 00:15:08.840 Amen. 00:15:08.840 --> 00:15:08.900 Amen. 00:15:08.900 --> 00:15:08.940 Amen. 00:15:08.940 --> 00:15:09.940 Amen. 00:15:09.940 --> 00:15:10.940 Amen. 00:15:10.940 --> 00:15:11.940 Amen. 00:15:11.940 --> 00:15:12.000 Amen. 00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:12.060 Amen. 00:15:12.060 --> 00:15:12.100 Amen. 00:15:12.100 --> 00:15:12.120 Amen. 00:15:12.120 --> 00:15:12.160 Amen.