Give Me Life According To Promise, Rules, & Love

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This morning as I was reading Psalm 119:153-160, I was struck by a few phrases, and I’d like to share my observations.

According to your promise.

“Plead my cause and redeem me; give me life according to your promise!”

What is the promise that the writer is referring to in this passage? Because God has made many promises to His people and has kept them all. I’m confident that even though this text was written centuries before Jesus was born, it references God’s promise to David–that a better king would come, One that would come from David’s family and sit on the throne over God’s people forever. Jesus is that King! He is the Messiah and Savior who sits on the Throne of God. He came to earth to restore or redeem the broken relationship between God and humanity. 

This brokenness and separation came when sin entered the scene in Genesis 3. God was faithful to keep His promise to David by sending Jesus, who was both God and man, who was sinless to become sin for us on the cross and died the penalty for the sins of all people–at one time. And Jesus didn’t stay dead. He was raised to life on the third day and regained His seat at the right hand of God, pleading the case of those who believe in Christ Jesus as Lord. The blood of Jesus redeems those who believe in the promises of God.

According to your rules.

My second observation was, “Great is your mercy, O Lord; give me life according to your rules.” Well, most certainly, when we think of rules, we bring up the Ten Commandments. And that’s a great place to start, but Jesus summed them up into two. First, he said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength. Then also, love your neighbor as yourself.” So, God, in His great mercy, can give us lives that live according to His rules. 

When we live our lives following these commands, “Love God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength–and our neighbors as ourselves, we look differently. We act differently. We speak differently. 

Look, we are not perfect; we’re going to make mistakes. God knows that He isn’t surprised by our failures. He has great mercy! What is mercy? Mercy is undeserved favor. When we are in Christ, He offers us His mercy and forgiveness when we sin. He died on the cross for me, you, and everyone else who has ever lived.

When someone gives you a free gift, it costs you nothing, yet it costs the giver something. A free gift is only valuable to you if you receive it. Jesus has said, “I paid the cost of sin once and for all. You didn’t deserve it; I give my life, sonship, inheritance, and all the rest of me to you freely–take and receive it.” 

According to your steadfast love.

My third observation was when the writer said, “Consider how I love your precepts!, Give me life according to your steadfast love.” What is a precept? A precept is a warning, an instruction, or a direction in which one should behave. So, looking back at observation two, “Love God and Love Others.” The writer is saying, God consider the fact that I love you, and I love my neighbors. Give me life according to your never-stopping, never giving up, unbreaking-always, and forever love.  

God’s math works.

Lastly, after these requests have been made: life according to God’s promise, His rules, and His steadfast love–we read that the sum of God’s Word is truth, and every one of His righteous rules endures forever. 

We read in John 1 that Jesus is God’s Word made flesh. This information is hugely important; “the sum of your word is truth.” So let’s think about that in mathematical terms. Sorry ahead of time, but math isn’t my strongest subject, but I can put this equation together. 

God’s Word + God’s Word = truth

For all my math friends, did I get that right? One of the definitions of the sum is totality. Which means the fullness of God’s Word is the truth! Jesus is God’s Word made flesh, so the entirety or sum of Jesus is truth. Jesus also said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life…no man comes to the Father except through me.” So, wait a minute. Everything in the Bible is true? YES!

The people we read about in the Bible were real, just like you and I. They experienced the same problems and struggles we do today. They are just like us. The Bible, God’s Word, is living and active. And knowing that what we read is not a collection of fictional characters should bring comfort to each of us. 

God is actively speaking to you through His Word–and it was true then and will always be true, forever! So spend time with Him today and then share what you learn from God with your family.