God’s Word Manages Our Relationships

1. Read: Psalm 119:72-80

2. About the Text:

1) It is the longest Psalm in the book of Psalms.

2) The Psalm is divided into 22 parts.

3) Each part begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

4) In Hebrew, each line of these parts begin with that letter.

5) Is this significant? There’s not a letter that doesn’t honor God’s word.

6) The content of this chapter is respect, praise, and honor for God’s word.

7) God’s word is described with several different words in this Psalm.

a. Laws

b. Testimonies

c. Ways

d. Precepts

e. Statutes

f. Commandments

g. Judgments

h. Word

i. Truth

8) These words are used to refer to God’s word.

9) There is great respect for God’s word in this Psalm.

10) We ought to have this same respect also.

11) Without God’s word, we would not have the information we need for our salvation.

12) We ought to join the Psalmist in praising God for His wonderful word!

13) Let’s study it together.

3. Our relationships.

1) We each have a large number of relationships in our lives.

2) For every person we add to our live, our relationships increase exponentially.

3) It can be very hard to keep up with all of those relationships.

4) I’m grateful that I can trust in God and His word to do that for me.

5) When I trust my relationships to God and His word, He manages them.

6) This means the only real relationship that I need to concern myself with is God.

7) When I put Him first, all the other things will work themselves out.

4. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. God is my creator (v.73).

1) Gen.1:1.

2) Gen.1:27.

3) John 1:1ff.

2. God gives me discipline (v.75).

1) I learn from affliction: Psalm 119:67, 71.

2) I learn from God’s staff and rod: Psalm 23:4.

3) Hebrews 12:7-11 – Read.

3. God comforts me with his love and mercy (v.76).

1) Romans 5:8 – God commends his own love toward us . . . .

2) He is the God of all comfort – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

3) Lamentations 3:22-24 – The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.

4. God’s mercies bring life (v.77).

1) John 10:10 – abundant life.

2) John 20:30-31 – have life.

1. We rejoice when we see those who fear God (74).

1) 3 John 1:4 – “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”

2) Psalm 133:1 – “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!”

3) Psalm 122:1 – “I was glad when they said to me, ‘Let us go into the house of the Lord.’”

2. We are ready to talk about God’s message when we see them (79).

1) 2 Peter 1:1 talks about a like precious faith that we share.

2) Malachi 3:16 – “Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another, And the Lord listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the Lord And who meditate on His name.”

3) Romans 1:16 – We are not ashamed of the gospel!

1. God will put them to shame.

1) Psalm 119:21 – “You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, who wander from your commandments.”

2) Psalm 35:26 – “Let them be put to shame and disappointed altogether who rejoice at my calamity! Let them be clothed with shame and dishonor who magnify themselves against me!”

3) Psalm 25:3 – “Indeed, none who wait for you shall be put to shame; they shall be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.”

2. They wrong us with falsehoods.

1) They did so to Jesus when they put Him on trial and brought false witnesses against him.

2) John 15:25 – “But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’”

3) John 15:18 – ““If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.”

3. Our task is to meditate on God’s precepts.

1) We don’t return evil for evil – Romans 12:17 – “Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.”

2) We must pay attention to God and His word – 2 Timothy 2:15.

3) Luke 8:21 – “But he answered them, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.’”

4) Luke 11:28 – “But he said, ‘Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!’”

1. We must consider our own heart.

1) Jeremiah 17:9 – “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked….”

2) Deut.4:9 – “Only take care, and keep your soul diligently, lest you forget the things that your eyes have seen, and lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life. Make them known to your children and your children’s children”

3) Proverbs 4:23 – “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”

2. Our hearts need to be blameless.

1) We sin, but we receive forgiveness to try again – 1 John 1:7,8.

2) Philippians 2:15 – “that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world”

3. So we may not be put to shame.

1) Hebrews 12:2 – “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

2) Peter wrote, “For it stands in Scripture: ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame’” (1 Peter 2:6).

1. God’s word manages our relationships.

1) With God

2) With Those Who Fear God.

3) With Our Enemies

4) With Ourselves

2. Invitation