WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.200 Well, as I said, tonight we want to spend a little bit of time looking together at SAM 119. 00:00:09.200 --> 00:00:13.759 In many ways we're going to take a very general look at the SAM, but we can just read again 00:00:13.759 --> 00:00:17.600 verse 105. 00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:21.240 This statement in many ways sums up the great theme of this SAM. 00:00:21.240 --> 00:00:28.879 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 00:00:28.879 --> 00:00:31.919 If you've ever flicked through the book of SAMs or read it all, you will know that by 00:00:31.919 --> 00:00:34.879 a mile SAM 119 is the longest. 00:00:34.879 --> 00:00:38.719 In fact, it's the longest chapter in the whole Bible. 00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:43.719 And this great song is all about God's word. 00:00:43.719 --> 00:00:50.239 It's about reading, knowing, and loving the truth that God has said before us. 00:00:50.239 --> 00:00:56.960 Now, for the person who wrote this SAM, whoever it was, when he speaks about God's word, he 00:00:56.960 --> 00:01:01.560 would have likely been referring to the Old Testament scriptures, particularly the scriptures 00:01:01.560 --> 00:01:06.480 of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, what we call the Torah. 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:13.159 That would have been, if you like, the Bible for somebody in the Old Testament era. 00:01:13.159 --> 00:01:19.400 Of course, for us now we have a completed revelation from God. 00:01:19.400 --> 00:01:24.439 But the principles that this SAM expresses still apply. 00:01:24.439 --> 00:01:34.719 So for us today, I think we can very safely say that SAM 119 is a song all about the Bible. 00:01:34.719 --> 00:01:41.479 And that means it's a very important and helpful song for teaching us about how we read our 00:01:41.479 --> 00:01:42.479 Bibles. 00:01:42.479 --> 00:01:46.599 We'll all agree that Bible reading is a crucial part of the Christian life. 00:01:46.599 --> 00:01:49.319 It's one of the most basic things that we do. 00:01:49.319 --> 00:01:53.879 We want to make sure that we regularly read the Bible. 00:01:53.879 --> 00:01:56.119 And I think that this SAM can help us. 00:01:56.119 --> 00:01:58.399 And that's what I want to look at tonight. 00:01:58.399 --> 00:02:01.759 We're going to focus on three very simple headings. 00:02:01.759 --> 00:02:07.879 Bible reading, what, why, and how. 00:02:07.879 --> 00:02:12.879 We'll start in that order, but we'll spend a wee bit more time on the what. 00:02:12.879 --> 00:02:15.240 And the last two will be a wee bit quicker. 00:02:15.240 --> 00:02:20.000 So what, when we pick up this book, you pick up this book, or when you pick up your phone 00:02:20.000 --> 00:02:24.360 and open your Bible app, what are you reading? 00:02:24.360 --> 00:02:27.080 What kind of words come to mind when I ask that question? 00:02:27.080 --> 00:02:31.879 Well, we might say, well, when we're talking about the Bible, we're talking about revelation. 00:02:31.879 --> 00:02:36.680 That's in many ways the technical word that we use to describe it, because God is revealing 00:02:36.680 --> 00:02:39.400 himself in this book. 00:02:39.400 --> 00:02:44.719 Or we might think of the word gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ. 00:02:44.719 --> 00:02:49.120 Maybe when you think of the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, you think in terms of history. 00:02:49.120 --> 00:02:55.520 Because this book does take us back into the past, and it is grounded in actual historical 00:02:55.520 --> 00:03:00.280 events and people who lived many, many years ago. 00:03:00.280 --> 00:03:05.759 Often when we talk about the Bible, we'll maybe think of it as the great story of salvation. 00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:10.360 Sometimes today when people talk about the Bible, they refer to it as a drama, and we 00:03:10.360 --> 00:03:17.240 see God's mighty acts unfolding scene by scene, and we seek to fit into that. 00:03:17.240 --> 00:03:23.200 And all of that's true. The Bible is revelation, it's history, it's good news, it's drama, 00:03:23.200 --> 00:03:26.520 it's the greatest story that's ever been told. 00:03:26.520 --> 00:03:32.600 These are the words that come to mind when we describe the Bible. 00:03:32.600 --> 00:03:41.000 But as is often the case, the Bible itself, and Psalm 119 in particular, doesn't tend 00:03:41.000 --> 00:03:42.520 to use these words. 00:03:42.520 --> 00:03:50.240 In fact, Psalm 119 uses a whole different set of words to describe God's communication 00:03:50.240 --> 00:03:51.240 to us. 00:03:51.240 --> 00:03:56.879 And there's eight words in particular that come up again and again and again. 00:03:56.879 --> 00:04:03.800 Here they are, word, law, precepts, commandments, testimonies, rules, sometimes translated as 00:04:03.800 --> 00:04:09.719 judgments with the same word, statutes, promise. 00:04:09.719 --> 00:04:13.280 On the beginning of the Psalm, you see these. So there's the first section that we read, 00:04:13.280 --> 00:04:16.600 I'm sorry, it's a wee bit small, but I wanted to have the whole thing on one slide. 00:04:16.600 --> 00:04:21.399 Just to show you, there you see law, testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, rules, statutes, 00:04:21.399 --> 00:04:22.399 word. 00:04:22.399 --> 00:04:25.279 Seven of the eight appear in the first nine verses. 00:04:25.279 --> 00:04:31.399 Later on, down verse 38, you'll see the word promise appear, and it comes up several times 00:04:31.399 --> 00:04:32.399 as well. 00:04:32.399 --> 00:04:38.720 Now, you look at that list of words, and it's easy to think, well, that all sounds a 00:04:38.720 --> 00:04:41.400 bit heavy. 00:04:41.400 --> 00:04:47.800 People are put off by concepts such as law, statutes, precepts, and rules. 00:04:47.800 --> 00:04:49.360 It's something that we can find off-putting. 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:54.760 In fact, the whole history of humanity is shaped by the fact that we resist the whole 00:04:54.760 --> 00:04:58.920 idea of God commanding us or instructing us. 00:04:58.920 --> 00:05:01.840 That was what led to Adam and Eve's first sin. 00:05:01.840 --> 00:05:05.880 Every human since then has been inclined in that way. 00:05:05.879 --> 00:05:13.000 You can see that even with children, young children, they defy instructions. 00:05:13.000 --> 00:05:18.920 If we were going to market the Bible to the royal mile out there, or if we were going 00:05:18.920 --> 00:05:25.719 to celebrate the Bible, if we were going to have a Bible month to celebrate it, we probably 00:05:25.719 --> 00:05:32.800 wouldn't use words like precepts and statutes, imagine going outside saying, come inside 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:36.520 and hear some precepts. 00:05:36.520 --> 00:05:45.960 Well, even with my charm and looks, I don't think it would work. 00:05:45.960 --> 00:05:52.480 But Psalm 119, this great song about the Bible, it doesn't avoid words like that for a moment. 00:05:52.480 --> 00:05:55.800 In fact, the whole Psalm is saturated with these verses. 00:05:55.800 --> 00:06:00.720 There's 176 verses in this Psalm, words like law, testimony, precepts. 00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:07.080 One of these eight verses appears in 169 of the 176 verses. 00:06:07.080 --> 00:06:10.720 Again and again and again, these words come up. 00:06:10.720 --> 00:06:15.800 And that, of course, is not because the psalmist is a crazed fanatic for legalism. 00:06:15.800 --> 00:06:23.480 It's because this person knows that these words describe something wonderful. 00:06:23.480 --> 00:06:28.360 And that's what I want us to go through very quickly as we think of this question, what? 00:06:28.360 --> 00:06:29.920 So first of all, word. 00:06:29.920 --> 00:06:34.360 How can a young man keep his way pure by guarding it according to your word? 00:06:34.360 --> 00:06:39.439 Now, that word, word, is simply describing what somebody says. 00:06:39.439 --> 00:06:45.000 So when we talk about the word of God, we simply mean that this is what God is saying. 00:06:45.000 --> 00:06:50.720 Now, there's a whole sermon in that alone because it's utterly astonishing that when 00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:56.879 you open this book, God is talking to you. 00:06:56.879 --> 00:06:58.680 But that's exactly what is happening. 00:06:58.680 --> 00:07:01.360 You are reading the word of God. 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:03.879 The Bible is his mouthpiece. 00:07:03.879 --> 00:07:05.879 In it, God is speaking. 00:07:05.879 --> 00:07:11.199 This is God's word. 00:07:11.199 --> 00:07:13.400 The next word is law. 00:07:13.400 --> 00:07:18.280 Verse 18, open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. 00:07:18.280 --> 00:07:25.000 Now, the Old Testament word for law is the word Torah, which basically means teaching 00:07:25.000 --> 00:07:27.000 or instruction. 00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:32.600 And it's a concept that lies at the heart of the covenant relationship between God and 00:07:32.600 --> 00:07:34.439 his people. 00:07:34.439 --> 00:07:41.199 Because these people are his, because they are God's, he teaches them and instructs them 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:42.199 how to live. 00:07:42.199 --> 00:07:45.000 His law is their guide as his people. 00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:48.519 Now, notice that order. 00:07:48.519 --> 00:07:53.439 Relationship first, law second. 00:07:53.439 --> 00:07:56.000 The law does not establish the relationship. 00:07:56.000 --> 00:07:59.040 The law is given because of the relationship. 00:07:59.040 --> 00:08:03.439 And the aim of that law is to teach and instruct God's people how to live. 00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:08.959 Now, we often think that that whole concept of law is restrictive and oppressive. 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:13.560 But ask yourself the question, if you think of law in terms of teaching and instruction, 00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:21.399 does teaching someone restrict them or does it make them flourish? 00:08:21.399 --> 00:08:26.359 Imagine you were sitting in a sailing boat for the first time, I don't think I've ever 00:08:26.359 --> 00:08:28.359 been sailing in my life. 00:08:28.359 --> 00:08:32.840 Imagine you were sitting there and you had an instructor with you and that instructor 00:08:32.840 --> 00:08:36.919 teaches you and instructs you, is that going to restrict you? 00:08:36.919 --> 00:08:44.399 Or is it going to allow you to have an incredible experience sailing this boat? 00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:48.639 Law that instructs you is not going to make your life rubbish. 00:08:48.639 --> 00:08:53.600 It's going to open the door to wondrous things. 00:08:53.600 --> 00:08:56.159 The third word is precepts, verse 27. 00:08:56.159 --> 00:09:01.480 Make me understand the way of your precepts and I will meditate on your wondrous works. 00:09:01.480 --> 00:09:08.159 Now, that word for precepts is related to a word that expresses the idea of a duty of 00:09:08.159 --> 00:09:13.919 care, of somebody who has responsibility for somebody else. 00:09:13.919 --> 00:09:20.039 The word, the Hebrew word that this comes from, can also mean to visit somebody, to 00:09:20.039 --> 00:09:25.319 check on them and to make sure that they're all right. 00:09:25.319 --> 00:09:32.079 So that word precepts is grounded on the idea of exercising care. 00:09:32.079 --> 00:09:36.639 So imagine that you're a school teacher, I know many of you, many people in the congregation 00:09:36.639 --> 00:09:41.519 are school teachers or have been involved in schools in various ways. 00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:47.799 Imagine that you're going to take 36-year-olds down the Royal Mile to have a look at all 00:09:47.799 --> 00:09:49.960 the sites. 00:09:49.960 --> 00:09:54.319 Would you give them any precepts before you left? 00:09:54.319 --> 00:09:58.879 So if you were standing just outside the church here and you were going to take these 36-year-olds 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:02.439 down to dynamic earth at the bottom of the Royal Mile, would you say, see you there in 00:10:02.439 --> 00:10:04.559 half an hour? 00:10:04.559 --> 00:10:06.039 Go have fun. 00:10:06.039 --> 00:10:16.079 Of course you wouldn't, you would drive home precepts and make sure that they listened. 00:10:16.079 --> 00:10:19.399 And you wouldn't do that because you were oppressive, you would do that because they 00:10:19.399 --> 00:10:26.959 were under your care, you were responsible and you want to keep them safe. 00:10:26.959 --> 00:10:29.360 Fourth word that comes up again and again is commandments. 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:31.279 Your hands have made and fashioned me. 00:10:31.279 --> 00:10:36.799 Give me understanding that I may learn your commandments. 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:40.399 Commands or commandments that they're very self-explanatory really, they're statements 00:10:40.399 --> 00:10:43.199 of instruction that carry authority. 00:10:43.199 --> 00:10:47.759 And the appropriate response to a command is obedience. 00:10:47.759 --> 00:10:52.480 An authoritative command should be obeyed. 00:10:52.480 --> 00:10:56.839 Now there's been some very, very interesting examples of this over the last week or two 00:10:56.839 --> 00:11:00.600 in the Women's World Cup. 00:11:00.600 --> 00:11:02.000 Who's been watching the Women's World Cup? 00:11:02.000 --> 00:11:08.519 There's been lots of controversy to do with VAR, video assistant referee. 00:11:08.519 --> 00:11:12.759 Those of you who followed it or who've seen it on the news will see that things have happened 00:11:12.759 --> 00:11:17.680 in the football match and there's now a referee watching screens who can watch a replay of 00:11:17.680 --> 00:11:21.879 the event and can overturn the decision of the referee. 00:11:21.879 --> 00:11:25.279 And there's been a huge amount of controversy. 00:11:25.279 --> 00:11:31.240 A week or so ago England played Cameroon and Cameroon refused to restart the match for 00:11:31.240 --> 00:11:37.360 a few minutes because they weren't happy about what the VAR referee had said. 00:11:37.360 --> 00:11:42.039 As we know Scotland suffered heartbreak because of VAR. 00:11:42.039 --> 00:11:44.799 We hate VAR forever more. 00:11:44.799 --> 00:11:46.679 And there's been lots of other controversies. 00:11:46.679 --> 00:11:50.959 But I read an interview a couple of days ago with FIFA's head of referees, who's Pierre 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:56.759 Luigi Collina, those of you who watched Italian football in the 90s will know who he is. 00:11:56.759 --> 00:12:02.040 He's bald, very bald, very distinctive. 00:12:02.040 --> 00:12:04.639 But in his day he was the best referee in the world. 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:06.759 He's the head of FIFA's referees. 00:12:06.759 --> 00:12:12.120 And there was all this controversy, VAR, people refusing to play, all this trauma. 00:12:12.120 --> 00:12:15.560 There's been some new rules that have been introduced in the first of January and people 00:12:15.560 --> 00:12:18.879 have been uncertain about how they've been applied and lots of us. 00:12:18.879 --> 00:12:23.000 He said rules are rules. 00:12:23.000 --> 00:12:24.840 There to be obeyed. 00:12:24.840 --> 00:12:27.200 We're just enforcing what the rule book says. 00:12:27.200 --> 00:12:30.279 You can't decide whether you want to keep them or not. 00:12:30.279 --> 00:12:33.000 You just have to respect them. 00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:37.720 And in terms of football, he has the authority to say that. 00:12:37.720 --> 00:12:40.480 And FIFA has the authority to enforce that. 00:12:40.480 --> 00:12:45.399 And of course without rules, football would be ruined. 00:12:45.399 --> 00:12:50.759 In terms of life, as verse 73 tells us, God is our Creator. 00:12:50.759 --> 00:12:53.279 He's the one who's made and fashioned us. 00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:58.639 And as a result, he is the authority to give us commands. 00:12:58.639 --> 00:13:12.919 And just like in football, for life where there's no rules, there's horrible mess. 00:13:12.919 --> 00:13:20.799 You go to a place like Somalia or Libya and see what happens when there's no rules and 00:13:20.799 --> 00:13:22.279 no commands. 00:13:22.279 --> 00:13:25.000 Fifth word is testimonies. 00:13:25.000 --> 00:13:27.319 I cling to your testimonies, O Lord. 00:13:27.319 --> 00:13:28.639 Let me not be put to shame. 00:13:28.639 --> 00:13:30.879 Now, this is a brilliant word. 00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:35.120 The basic meaning of this word is to repeat or to return. 00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:41.679 So it's conveying the idea of an unequivocal fact that you keep on coming back to. 00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:44.479 And if you think about it, that's exactly what a testimony is. 00:13:44.479 --> 00:13:50.279 Imagine you saw someone stealing a car and you were then a witness at the court case. 00:13:50.279 --> 00:13:55.159 If you were being interrogated and asked questions, you would keep coming back to the unchanging 00:13:55.159 --> 00:14:00.439 fact that you saw that guy on that day steal that car. 00:14:00.439 --> 00:14:03.000 It's a fact that you keep returning to. 00:14:03.000 --> 00:14:10.279 And your testimony is simply returning to that unchanging fact. 00:14:10.279 --> 00:14:18.679 Now, I think this is fascinating because in so many ways we live in an age of relativism 00:14:18.679 --> 00:14:20.720 when it comes to truth. 00:14:20.720 --> 00:14:24.919 So people will talk about what's true for you, what's true for me, and there's no absolute 00:14:24.919 --> 00:14:25.919 truth. 00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:30.279 But it's interesting that we live in a day where people are very happy with relativism 00:14:30.279 --> 00:14:31.279 of truth. 00:14:31.279 --> 00:14:37.559 But at the very same time, and this is kind of ironic and it doesn't really make sense, 00:14:37.559 --> 00:14:39.240 as with lots of aspects of modern life. 00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:45.039 People are happy with relativism of truth, but at the same time, everyone wants certainty 00:14:45.039 --> 00:14:47.759 about facts. 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:53.240 So people want certainty about climate change, people want facts about crime, people want 00:14:53.240 --> 00:14:58.799 facts about the safety of e-cigarettes, people want facts about people's private lives. 00:14:58.799 --> 00:15:03.759 Does anybody want a world that ignores facts? 00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:09.799 And the reason we want facts is because we want testimonies that we can hold on to and 00:15:09.799 --> 00:15:13.679 keep coming back to. 00:15:13.679 --> 00:15:15.360 Word number six is rules. 00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:20.639 Turn away the reproach that I dread for your rules are good. 00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:25.039 As we said this word for rules can also be translated judgments, depending on which version 00:15:25.039 --> 00:15:26.679 of the Bible you have. 00:15:26.679 --> 00:15:30.600 The word is all about the concept of governing. 00:15:30.600 --> 00:15:34.519 Rules are made and enforced by those who are in government. 00:15:34.519 --> 00:15:38.440 Now, when we think of that idea of rules, it can put us off. 00:15:38.440 --> 00:15:41.320 We think if the Bible is all about rules, then you can keep it. 00:15:41.320 --> 00:15:42.320 I don't want it. 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:50.080 But ask yourself the question, do you want bad government? 00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:56.320 So the UK is about to have a new prime minister, Boris, or Jeremy. 00:15:56.320 --> 00:16:08.240 If one of them wins and they turn out to be absolutely terrible, would you vote for them? 00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:12.280 Would you think bad government is fantastic? 00:16:12.280 --> 00:16:13.760 I'll vote for that. 00:16:13.760 --> 00:16:15.920 Of course you wouldn't. 00:16:15.920 --> 00:16:17.760 Nobody wants bad government. 00:16:17.760 --> 00:16:20.880 Good government is a wonderful thing. 00:16:20.880 --> 00:16:26.160 And at the heart of that is legislation and rules. 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:29.439 Word number seven is statutes. 00:16:29.439 --> 00:16:34.799 I'll incline my heart to perform your statutes forever to the end. 00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:40.240 The Hebrew word for statutes basically means to engrave something into stone. 00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:43.519 It's conveying the idea of permanence and binding force. 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:47.279 So if something is set in stone, it's of perpetual importance. 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:49.759 We even use that phrase still today. 00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:54.799 Now, again, we can think of that in negative terms and think, well, nobody wants to overcommit 00:16:54.799 --> 00:16:55.799 to anything. 00:16:55.799 --> 00:16:56.799 It's a bit of flexibility. 00:16:56.799 --> 00:17:01.919 But in truth, when it comes to the really important rules in life, we want them set 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:03.799 in stone, don't we? 00:17:03.799 --> 00:17:09.720 So the right of women to vote, the right to free access of education, freedom of speech, 00:17:09.720 --> 00:17:15.119 a democratic form of government, these are things that the culture around us want set 00:17:15.119 --> 00:17:21.440 in stone because they're such a precious and an important thing. 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:24.759 And then the final word that comes up again and again is the word promise. 00:17:24.759 --> 00:17:29.720 That your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant. 00:17:29.720 --> 00:17:35.400 A promise is a dependent, reliable statement, one that makes a commitment and follows it 00:17:35.400 --> 00:17:37.400 through. 00:17:37.400 --> 00:17:40.960 And everybody knows that that's a wonderful thing. 00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:45.440 And that, of course, is why broken promises are awful. 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:53.559 So these words that Sam 919 picks, word, law, precepts, commands, testimonies, rules, statutes, 00:17:53.559 --> 00:17:58.000 rules, are they bad things? 00:17:58.000 --> 00:18:02.000 Are they oppressive things? 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:03.559 Of course they're not. 00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:08.480 They are amazing things. 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:13.519 But there's one more key word that we need to identify in Sam 119. 00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:19.119 And it's actually far, far more prominent than any of these. 00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:26.679 There's a single word that appears in 171 of the 176 verses. 00:18:26.679 --> 00:18:35.359 So same word in all of the verses of Sam 119 apart from five. 00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:39.919 Do you know what it is? 00:18:39.919 --> 00:18:43.719 It's in that verse. 00:18:43.719 --> 00:18:48.719 It's the word your. 00:18:48.720 --> 00:18:53.720 Your law, your commands, your testimonies, your precepts, your word, your rules, your 00:18:53.720 --> 00:18:59.279 words, your precepts. 00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:03.240 When the Bible talks, when Sam 119 talks about law, precepts and all of these things, it's 00:19:03.240 --> 00:19:04.839 not talking about them in general terms. 00:19:04.839 --> 00:19:12.600 It's talking very specifically about God's, God's word, God's law, God's precepts, God's 00:19:12.600 --> 00:19:18.200 commands, God's testimonies, rules, statutes and promises. 00:19:18.200 --> 00:19:22.080 It's reminding us that when you pick up the Bible, you're picking up the book of God's 00:19:22.080 --> 00:19:23.080 word. 00:19:23.080 --> 00:19:24.160 He is the one speaking. 00:19:24.160 --> 00:19:27.360 When you pick up the Bible, you're picking up the book of God's law. 00:19:27.360 --> 00:19:31.200 He's teaching us to flourish through His law. 00:19:31.200 --> 00:19:36.019 The Bible is the book of God's precepts where He cares for us, looks after us, visiting 00:19:36.019 --> 00:19:37.759 us to make sure that we're okay. 00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:39.759 The Bible is the book of God's commands. 00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:44.319 He instructs us and directs us and expects and commands our obedience. 00:19:44.319 --> 00:19:49.519 The Bible is the book of God's testimonies, He's giving us facts that we can cling to 00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:51.319 and keep coming back to. 00:19:51.319 --> 00:19:53.839 The Bible is the book of God's rules. 00:19:53.839 --> 00:19:56.200 It's the means through which He governs His people. 00:19:56.200 --> 00:20:03.000 The Bible is the book of God's statutes, permanent, unchanging truth inscribed by God. 00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:08.159 The Bible is the book of God's promises. 00:20:08.159 --> 00:20:11.159 Boy, those promises are precious. 00:20:11.159 --> 00:20:14.279 All of them find inner fulfillment in Jesus Christ. 00:20:14.279 --> 00:20:21.200 When you pick up your Bible, that's what you're reading. 00:20:21.200 --> 00:20:25.319 That's how amazing this book is. 00:20:25.319 --> 00:20:32.119 And so it's no wonder the longest Psalm ever written is singing for joy about all that 00:20:32.119 --> 00:20:37.039 God's word is. 00:20:37.039 --> 00:20:40.279 Our second question is why? 00:20:40.279 --> 00:20:43.000 Psalm 119 doesn't just teach us about what we're reading. 00:20:43.000 --> 00:20:46.160 It also teaches us a lot about why we're reading. 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:51.359 Again, that's revealed to us through the words that the Psalm writer chose. 00:20:51.359 --> 00:20:54.000 Now, there's a huge amount we could say here. 00:20:54.000 --> 00:20:59.240 I'm just going to pick some examples and make some very general points. 00:20:59.240 --> 00:21:03.319 We said that there's words like law and statutes and precepts that appear again and again. 00:21:03.319 --> 00:21:10.640 There's also a whole host of words that are used to describe what the Psalmist does with 00:21:10.640 --> 00:21:11.640 God's word. 00:21:11.640 --> 00:21:13.040 Here's a section. 00:21:13.040 --> 00:21:14.800 He wants to be taught by it. 00:21:14.800 --> 00:21:16.800 Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes. 00:21:16.800 --> 00:21:17.800 Give me understanding. 00:21:17.800 --> 00:21:20.520 I'll observe it with my whole heart. 00:21:20.520 --> 00:21:22.259 Lead me in the path of your commandments. 00:21:22.259 --> 00:21:24.200 For I delight in it. 00:21:24.200 --> 00:21:25.960 Incline my heart to your testimonies. 00:21:25.960 --> 00:21:28.960 Give me life in your ways that you may be feared. 00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:30.800 Turn away the reproach I've dread. 00:21:30.800 --> 00:21:32.680 Give me life. 00:21:32.680 --> 00:21:38.200 In so many ways, this Psalm is crying out for learning, for protection, for comfort, for 00:21:38.200 --> 00:21:44.480 sustenance, for certainty, for liberty, for joy, all from God's word. 00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:48.720 In many ways, these kind of words that we see here, these words like teach and understand 00:21:48.720 --> 00:21:54.080 and heart and all the kind of words that you have running right through the Psalm, they 00:21:54.080 --> 00:21:59.720 point us to the things that are really important in life. 00:21:59.720 --> 00:22:07.000 The language of Psalm 119 is bringing us back to the priorities of life. 00:22:07.000 --> 00:22:12.519 Psalm 119 is huge and we can't look at it all in any detail. 00:22:12.519 --> 00:22:21.640 So I've just pulled out a basic summary of what I think is a selection of the issues 00:22:21.640 --> 00:22:24.039 that Psalm 119 is highlighting. 00:22:24.039 --> 00:22:28.599 In other words, the priorities that are being set before us. 00:22:28.599 --> 00:22:29.599 I've chosen eight. 00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:32.599 I had eight words in the first part, so I thought I might as well have eight words in 00:22:32.599 --> 00:22:35.720 this part. 00:22:35.720 --> 00:22:36.960 You've got education. 00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:39.360 The Psalmist says, teach me. 00:22:39.360 --> 00:22:40.759 He says he wants to learn. 00:22:40.759 --> 00:22:43.640 It's all about being educated. 00:22:43.640 --> 00:22:44.799 He's looking for direction. 00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:46.120 He says, lead me. 00:22:46.120 --> 00:22:48.319 He talks about walking in God's ways. 00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:51.720 There's this great idea of direction through life. 00:22:51.720 --> 00:22:53.720 The Psalm writer is looking for protection. 00:22:53.720 --> 00:23:00.039 You'll see words like guard and keep in terms of being protected. 00:23:00.039 --> 00:23:02.960 The Psalmist is looking for support. 00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:06.480 You see glimpses of the fact that he's facing times of trouble. 00:23:06.480 --> 00:23:11.160 There's talk of oppressors and people who are threatening him. 00:23:11.160 --> 00:23:13.600 He's looking for support. 00:23:13.600 --> 00:23:15.079 The Psalm speaks about liberty. 00:23:15.079 --> 00:23:21.759 Verse 45, for example, speaks about walking in a wide place, the idea of having freedom. 00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:24.480 The Psalm touches uncertainty. 00:23:24.480 --> 00:23:27.319 It's talking about promises and trust and hope. 00:23:27.319 --> 00:23:30.120 The Psalms always referring to happiness. 00:23:30.120 --> 00:23:31.120 We saw that. 00:23:31.120 --> 00:23:32.120 The word delight. 00:23:32.119 --> 00:23:34.919 We saw the words joy and rejoice coming up. 00:23:34.919 --> 00:23:37.879 And then the last word I chose was passion. 00:23:37.879 --> 00:23:43.119 Because when you read the Psalm, you'll see him use words like love and hate and heart 00:23:43.119 --> 00:23:44.199 and soul. 00:23:44.199 --> 00:23:51.599 All of these words convey a real sense of passion in this writer. 00:23:51.599 --> 00:24:00.919 Now, all of these things, I think we would agree, are priorities for life. 00:24:00.920 --> 00:24:04.640 We think of the children growing up in Scotland, not just children who go to church, but any 00:24:04.640 --> 00:24:09.120 child in Scotland, whether they're your own or others, would you want them to have these 00:24:09.120 --> 00:24:13.440 things in their life? 00:24:13.440 --> 00:24:14.440 Of course we would. 00:24:14.440 --> 00:24:15.640 We want them to be educated. 00:24:15.640 --> 00:24:16.759 We want them to have direction. 00:24:16.759 --> 00:24:18.279 We want them to be protected. 00:24:18.279 --> 00:24:19.400 We want to give them support. 00:24:19.400 --> 00:24:24.360 We want them to have liberty, to have certainty, to have happiness, to have passion. 00:24:24.360 --> 00:24:28.840 These are all priorities for everyone. 00:24:28.839 --> 00:24:31.919 And as Christians, we would agree with that. 00:24:31.919 --> 00:24:34.000 But we would add another thing to the list, wouldn't we? 00:24:34.000 --> 00:24:35.000 We would add one more thing. 00:24:35.000 --> 00:24:38.199 We'd say, well, all that stuff's really important in life, and there's one more thing that's 00:24:38.199 --> 00:24:41.720 really important, Bible reading. 00:24:41.720 --> 00:24:45.359 So as a Christian, it's really important to be educated, to go to school. 00:24:45.359 --> 00:24:48.959 It's important to have certainty in what you're doing with your career, who you're going to 00:24:48.959 --> 00:24:50.359 marry, all that kind of stuff. 00:24:50.359 --> 00:24:57.159 And also, in your routine of life, fit Bible reading in as well. 00:24:57.160 --> 00:24:58.960 You regard it as an important thing to do. 00:24:58.960 --> 00:25:02.120 It's a priority, like all of these other things. 00:25:02.120 --> 00:25:06.840 And in our lives, we try to include Bible reading alongside all the other stuff that 00:25:06.840 --> 00:25:09.840 we have to fit in to our weeks. 00:25:09.840 --> 00:25:11.840 And that's often how I've tried to have Bible reading in my life. 00:25:11.840 --> 00:25:15.680 I think, well, I'll just read a bit at the start of the day, or at the end of the day, 00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:17.720 or at some point when I can. 00:25:17.720 --> 00:25:23.200 So we have all these priorities, and we add Bible reading onto the end. 00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:25.200 Is that right? 00:25:25.200 --> 00:25:31.080 I don't think it is. 00:25:31.080 --> 00:25:35.960 And I don't think that that's what Psalm 119 is saying. 00:25:35.960 --> 00:25:40.920 Because I think the key point that Psalm 119 is making is not that Bible reading is one 00:25:40.920 --> 00:25:43.200 of the priorities in our lives. 00:25:43.200 --> 00:25:50.279 Rather, it's that Bible reading is foundational to every single one of these. 00:25:50.279 --> 00:25:54.440 In other words, it's not an item on the list. 00:25:54.440 --> 00:26:01.000 It's key and foundational to every one of them. 00:26:01.000 --> 00:26:08.039 So if you want to be educated, if you really want to understand history and humanity and 00:26:08.039 --> 00:26:11.200 reality, read the Bible. 00:26:11.200 --> 00:26:14.480 If you want direction in your life, if you want to know where you've come from, where 00:26:14.480 --> 00:26:19.960 you are, and where you're going in relation to eternity, read your Bible. 00:26:19.960 --> 00:26:25.039 If you want protection, if you want to be restrained from stuff that will wreck your life, or wreck 00:26:25.039 --> 00:26:28.840 your family, or your friends' lives, read the Bible. 00:26:28.840 --> 00:26:33.519 If you want support when life is tough, and when things are horrific and your heart is 00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:36.059 broken, read the Bible. 00:26:36.059 --> 00:26:41.480 If you want liberty, true liberty, where you start becoming everything you are made to 00:26:41.480 --> 00:26:43.880 be, then read the Bible. 00:26:43.880 --> 00:26:50.040 If you want certainty, certainty about truth and morality and hope, read the Bible. 00:26:50.040 --> 00:26:54.880 If you want happiness, if you want that joy that circumstances cannot steal away from 00:26:54.880 --> 00:26:56.760 you, read the Bible. 00:26:56.760 --> 00:27:02.080 And if you want a passion, if you want to find real meaning and purpose and depth in 00:27:02.080 --> 00:27:05.920 your life, read the Bible. 00:27:05.920 --> 00:27:10.840 Now, you might be thinking, well, Thomas, it's dead easy to say that. 00:27:10.839 --> 00:27:14.919 It's the kind of stuff that Christians say. 00:27:14.919 --> 00:27:17.879 But it's just words, isn't it? 00:27:17.879 --> 00:27:24.159 Well, I don't think it is just words, because I think we can test all of that. 00:27:24.159 --> 00:27:30.119 In terms of being educated about life and humanity, it's fascinating. 00:27:30.119 --> 00:27:38.399 Culture's default is to think that humanity is functionally brilliant, but ontologically 00:27:38.399 --> 00:27:39.519 incidental. 00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:46.000 Now, when I say ontologically, what I mean is in terms of somebody's being, their existence. 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:49.960 So humanity, culture's default is to say, humanity is functionally brilliant. 00:27:49.960 --> 00:27:51.039 We're really capable. 00:27:51.039 --> 00:27:52.039 We can do loads. 00:27:52.039 --> 00:27:53.480 We're improving all the time. 00:27:53.480 --> 00:27:55.680 Humanity is this marvelous, wonderful thing. 00:27:55.680 --> 00:28:01.720 But ontologically, in terms of the big picture of the meaning of life, we're just cogs in 00:28:01.720 --> 00:28:04.240 a machine. 00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:05.720 And ultimately, there's no meaning. 00:28:05.720 --> 00:28:11.640 So we're functionally brilliant, but ontologically incidental. 00:28:11.640 --> 00:28:23.000 The Bible says that humanity is ontologically precious, but functionally broken. 00:28:23.000 --> 00:28:29.559 If you turn on the news when you get home, tell me which one do you think is true? 00:28:29.559 --> 00:28:32.920 In terms of direction, culture says, live for today. 00:28:32.920 --> 00:28:37.240 Your card in school, get a house, get rich, retire, enjoy life, die. 00:28:37.240 --> 00:28:41.720 The Bible says, live for eternity. 00:28:41.720 --> 00:28:47.920 And if eternity is real, which one matters more? 00:28:47.920 --> 00:28:51.920 In terms of protection, culture says, go down a road where you can basically do whatever 00:28:51.920 --> 00:28:52.920 you want. 00:28:52.920 --> 00:28:53.920 Just cover your tax. 00:28:53.920 --> 00:28:56.400 Go indulge. 00:28:56.400 --> 00:28:58.279 Indulge in alcohol. 00:28:58.279 --> 00:28:59.600 Indulge in sex. 00:28:59.600 --> 00:29:01.000 Go for it. 00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:02.000 Experiment. 00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:03.920 Indulge, enjoy. 00:29:03.920 --> 00:29:06.359 Go down that road. 00:29:06.359 --> 00:29:12.039 The Bible says, don't go down that road. 00:29:12.039 --> 00:29:14.640 Stay within the boundaries. 00:29:14.640 --> 00:29:17.359 Stay safe. 00:29:17.359 --> 00:29:22.680 Prevent these things rather than cure them. 00:29:22.680 --> 00:29:27.279 In terms of support, culture can take our mind off things. 00:29:27.279 --> 00:29:32.759 The Bible says, God will hold you forever. 00:29:32.759 --> 00:29:36.680 In terms of liberty, culture says, do what you like. 00:29:36.680 --> 00:29:42.240 The Bible says, do what you're made for. 00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:45.279 In terms of certainty, culture changes all the time. 00:29:45.279 --> 00:29:48.200 The Bible doesn't. 00:29:48.200 --> 00:29:51.960 Culture says, death is unavoidable or mortality is impossible. 00:29:51.960 --> 00:29:57.240 The Bible says, eternal life's a free gift. 00:29:57.240 --> 00:30:02.559 And all you have to do to receive it is trust in Jesus. 00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:05.799 Which one's better? 00:30:05.799 --> 00:30:08.480 In terms of happiness, culture can give us many smiles. 00:30:08.480 --> 00:30:09.920 That's absolutely true. 00:30:09.920 --> 00:30:15.640 The Bible promises us joy that will never end. 00:30:15.640 --> 00:30:19.480 In terms of passion, culture will give you many things to be passionate about that are 00:30:19.480 --> 00:30:20.480 good. 00:30:20.480 --> 00:30:22.640 Sport, music, travel, career, these things are great. 00:30:22.640 --> 00:30:28.120 But the Bible gives you two great priorities that should shape the whole of your life. 00:30:28.120 --> 00:30:32.080 Love God and love people. 00:30:32.080 --> 00:30:33.640 Everything else comes after that. 00:30:33.640 --> 00:30:50.120 Now I tell you, at every test, God's word just, it just thumps the world if you like. 00:30:50.119 --> 00:30:52.639 No comparison. 00:30:52.639 --> 00:30:54.159 No comparison. 00:30:54.159 --> 00:31:07.519 No wonder the Psalm says, oh Lord, how much I love your law. 00:31:07.519 --> 00:31:12.479 It's easy to think that Bible reading is a kind of add-on in other parts of our lives, 00:31:12.479 --> 00:31:14.799 but it's not true. 00:31:14.799 --> 00:31:17.719 We don't read the Bible because it's an add-on for Christians. 00:31:17.720 --> 00:31:26.480 We read the Bible because it's the key to everything. 00:31:26.480 --> 00:31:32.559 Our last question very briefly is how. 00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:34.519 It's important to think about the what. 00:31:34.519 --> 00:31:38.480 This is God's word, and it's so good. 00:31:38.480 --> 00:31:43.600 It's important to think about the why because we need it to understand ourselves and to 00:31:43.600 --> 00:31:45.400 understand life. 00:31:45.400 --> 00:31:49.040 But finally we come to the how, and often this is where we get bogged down because when 00:31:49.040 --> 00:31:53.040 it comes to the practicalities of Bible reading, we find ourselves thinking, well, how often 00:31:53.040 --> 00:31:54.040 should I do it? 00:31:54.040 --> 00:31:55.040 How much should I do it? 00:31:55.040 --> 00:31:56.040 Should I do it in the morning? 00:31:56.040 --> 00:31:57.040 Should I do it in the evening? 00:31:57.040 --> 00:31:58.040 Should I do it both? 00:31:58.040 --> 00:31:59.040 Should I read a whole chapter? 00:31:59.040 --> 00:32:00.040 Should I read two chapters? 00:32:00.040 --> 00:32:01.759 Should I read the Bible in a year? 00:32:01.759 --> 00:32:03.160 I forgot to read yesterday. 00:32:03.160 --> 00:32:04.640 Should I try and do double today? 00:32:04.640 --> 00:32:06.440 I haven't done it for a few days now. 00:32:06.440 --> 00:32:07.440 I'm a bit behind. 00:32:07.440 --> 00:32:08.440 Should I do more? 00:32:08.440 --> 00:32:14.840 We can get bogged down in all these questions, and we can tie ourselves on a knot, or we can 00:32:14.839 --> 00:32:17.599 find ourselves giving up. 00:32:17.599 --> 00:32:22.399 Sometimes we set ourselves an extraordinarily strict routine, and we feel hugely guilty 00:32:22.399 --> 00:32:24.599 if we fail to keep up with it. 00:32:24.599 --> 00:32:26.039 Other times we think, oh, well, I'm far too busy. 00:32:26.039 --> 00:32:30.240 I'm just not going to try, and God knows, and that's fine, and it doesn't really matter. 00:32:30.240 --> 00:32:34.599 These are two traps that we fall into, the trap of legalism that makes it this sort of 00:32:34.599 --> 00:32:38.839 thing that we must do, the trap of antinomianism that we think, oh, well, it doesn't really 00:32:38.839 --> 00:32:39.839 matter. 00:32:39.839 --> 00:32:42.639 God knows my heart, and it's all fine. 00:32:42.639 --> 00:32:44.199 Both of these things will arise. 00:32:44.200 --> 00:32:52.120 Both of these traps will grab us if we think of Bible reading just as another item on that 00:32:52.120 --> 00:32:53.279 to-do list. 00:32:53.279 --> 00:32:57.279 If we have all that list of priorities and then Bible reading, we'll either be a slave 00:32:57.279 --> 00:33:02.880 to it, like a legalist, or we'll just not even bother like the antinomian. 00:33:02.880 --> 00:33:09.559 We can often fall into that trap. 00:33:09.559 --> 00:33:19.000 All of that, I think, arises from a mindset that's misplaced. 00:33:19.000 --> 00:33:26.519 Because if we remember what Psalm 119 is teaching us, if we remember that God's Word is this 00:33:26.519 --> 00:33:33.359 incredible thing, and that it is the key to all the things that really matter in life, 00:33:33.359 --> 00:33:38.419 then we will find ourselves much better prepared for reading our Bibles. 00:33:38.420 --> 00:33:42.840 We will forget about how many verses we've read, and instead we'll focus on the fact 00:33:42.840 --> 00:33:49.240 that this is God's Word and on the fact that we need it. 00:33:49.240 --> 00:33:51.519 So how should you read the Bible? 00:33:51.519 --> 00:33:55.120 I'm not going to say anything about how much you should read or how often you should read 00:33:55.120 --> 00:34:04.440 it if you can every day, but above all that, I want you to have a different set of things 00:34:04.440 --> 00:34:08.240 on your mind when we think about how we're going to read it. 00:34:08.239 --> 00:34:11.599 It comes back to what we just said about the why. 00:34:11.599 --> 00:34:15.919 If the Bible is God's means of educating us, how should you read it? 00:34:15.919 --> 00:34:19.519 You should read it ready to learn. 00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:24.959 If the Bible is where we find direction, you should read it willing to be led. 00:34:24.959 --> 00:34:31.919 If the Bible is a means of being protected, you should read it prepared to be warned. 00:34:31.919 --> 00:34:37.639 If the Bible is where we find support, then read it with a longing to be comforted. 00:34:37.639 --> 00:34:42.839 If the Bible gives us liberty, then read it seeking to be free. 00:34:42.839 --> 00:34:48.199 If the Bible is where we find certainty, then read it eager to be sure. 00:34:48.199 --> 00:34:54.000 If the Bible is going to give us happiness, then read it expecting to rejoice. 00:34:54.000 --> 00:35:00.239 And if we're going to have a passion about it, then when you read it, please make sure 00:35:00.239 --> 00:35:07.159 that you really care about what it says. 00:35:07.159 --> 00:35:14.879 I think that's how I need to start reading the Bible. 00:35:14.879 --> 00:35:19.359 And I think when we read the Bible like that, when we read the Bible like the man who wrote 00:35:19.359 --> 00:35:25.879 Psalm 119 read it, I think it will transform our lives. 00:35:25.879 --> 00:35:31.799 And if you don't read the Bible much or have never read it, then give it a chance. 00:35:31.799 --> 00:35:33.879 Don't worry about time or quantity. 00:35:33.880 --> 00:35:39.680 Just focus on this stuff, the stuff that really matters. 00:35:39.680 --> 00:35:42.280 How should we read the Bible? 00:35:42.280 --> 00:35:51.240 We should read it longing to hear God's voice and because it's what we desperately need. 00:35:51.240 --> 00:35:56.960 And the very last verse of the Psalm reinforces that beautifully because you have this great 00:35:56.960 --> 00:36:05.240 Psalm of 176 verses and 175 of them in many ways just speak about how amazing God's Word 00:36:05.240 --> 00:36:06.240 is. 00:36:06.240 --> 00:36:09.119 And you think to yourself, well, you know this guy who wrote the Psalm, he's like a 00:36:09.119 --> 00:36:10.639 super Christian. 00:36:10.639 --> 00:36:17.320 He must have been really knowledgeable, really holy, really wise, really godly. 00:36:17.320 --> 00:36:18.480 We think I'll never be like that. 00:36:18.480 --> 00:36:28.639 And yet you read the very last version, he says, I have gone astray like a lost sheep. 00:36:28.639 --> 00:36:32.440 And all this amazing stuff in Psalm 119 was not written by a super Christian. 00:36:32.440 --> 00:36:37.159 It was written by someone who struggled and wondered and mucked up. 00:36:37.159 --> 00:36:44.679 But he loves God's Word because he knows that is what he needs. 00:36:44.679 --> 00:36:50.239 And here's where we see the last amazing thing from Psalm 119. 00:36:50.239 --> 00:36:56.960 Remember I said that the word your runs right through Psalm 119. 00:36:56.960 --> 00:37:01.440 The focus is on your law, your statutes, your word. 00:37:01.440 --> 00:37:03.879 It's all focused on God. 00:37:03.879 --> 00:37:08.359 So if we ask the question about the Bible, who's is it? 00:37:08.359 --> 00:37:12.519 The answer is that it's God's. 00:37:12.519 --> 00:37:19.159 And if we ask who's it for? 00:37:19.159 --> 00:37:23.159 The answer is you. 00:37:23.159 --> 00:37:31.519 Let's pray. 00:37:31.519 --> 00:37:38.679 Oh Lord, how much we love your law. 00:37:38.679 --> 00:37:43.440 And how we want to meditate on it day and night. 00:37:43.440 --> 00:37:50.679 How we want your precepts and your statutes to be written on our hearts. 00:37:50.679 --> 00:37:54.440 Lord, we cling to your testimonies. 00:37:54.440 --> 00:37:57.919 We long for your rules. 00:37:57.919 --> 00:38:03.719 We place all our hope in your promises. 00:38:03.719 --> 00:38:06.319 Thank you for your word. 00:38:06.320 --> 00:38:09.200 Thank you for your Bibles. 00:38:09.199 --> 00:38:38.199 Amen.