Psalm 119:13

The next verse we consider in this second section of Psalm 119 is full of matter. I could devote several blogs to this verse alone, but I shall try to condense my comments into a single presentation.

Psalms 119:13 With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

In the preceding verse the psalmist prayed to be taught God’s statutes. Now, as Charles Spurgeon noted, “the taught one of verse 12 is here a teacher himself.” God’s objective for the believer is not only that he know and believe the truth, but that he speak it. God’s word should not only be in his heart, but also in his mouth so that he may teach others.

Proverbs 10:21 The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom.

Ephesians 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

By declaring God’s judgments with our lips we promote the spiritual growth of others and of ourselves. Again I quote Charles Spurgeon: “By teaching we learn; by training the tongue to holy speech, we master the whole body” (see James 3:2).

But before the judgments can be in our mouths, they must first be received, learned, and retained within us.

Proverbs 22:17 Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge.
18 For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.

You cannot speak forth what you do not have within. It is as our Saviour said:

Matthew 12:34 …for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.
35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.

So the challenge to us is to treasure up God’s judgments in our hearts that we might declare them with our lips.

Next observe that the psalmist had declared all God’s judgments with his lips. Consider the definition of declare:

Declare - To make clear or plain (anything that is obscure or imperfectly understood); to clear up, explain, expound, interpret, elucidate. To manifest, show forth, make known; to unfold, set forth (facts, circumstances, etc.); to describe, state in detail; to recount, relate.

The method for making God’s judgments clear and plain is set forth in this passage:

Nehemiah 8:8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.
12 And all the people went their way to eat, and to drink, and to send portions, and to make great mirth, because they had understood the words that were declared unto them.

This passage records the method used by the Levites as they set forth the words of God’s law before the people of Israel. The result of this method was that the people “understood the words that were declared unto them.” The way to declare God’s judgments is to read them distinctly and to give the sense. By reading the words distinctly one comes to know exactly what the words say. When something is read distinctly each word is emphasized. These Levites did not treat any word of the law as trivial or unnecessary. Then they gave “the sense,” that is, the meaning of the words. When words are defined they are made plain; they are explained or interpreted, that is, they are declared. Observe, the Levites did not give “the senses” (plural), but rather “the sense” (singular) of the words. To give to a word “the sense” is to give it its primary meaning, its most basic and obvious sense. This imparts understanding of the word. On the other hand, to assign to words multiple possible meanings confuses the hearer.

Furthermore, to declare God’s judgments is to make them known. It is the opposite of hiding or concealing them. The following passage is a prophecy of our Lord Jesus Christ. Observe that in His teaching He declared all the judgments of God’s mouth rather than hiding them.

Psalms 40:9 I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O LORD, thou knowest.
10 I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation.

God’s judgments are declared when they are made known and clearly defined. The failure to clearly define words causes a passage to be obscure and hides its true meaning.

Lastly, note that the psalmist declared “all the judgments of God’s mouth.” Nothing God has to say is unimportant. Paul certainly shared this conviction about God’s words as can be seen from his testimony regarding his own ministry:

Acts 20:27 For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.

Any and everything the Bible teaches is worthy to be declared. No part of God’s word should be swept under the carpet. Any professed teacher who declares some of God’s judgments while ignoring others out of personal preference or the fear of man is contemptible and base.

Malachi 2:9 Therefore have I also made you contemptible and base before all the people, according as ye have not kept my ways, but have been partial in the law.

Now before anyone takes in hand to declare God’s judgments, he had better be sure he is walking according to them. If one is going to “talk the talk,” he needs to “walk the walk.” It is a wicked man who declares God’s judgments with his lips while at the same time he refuses to follow them.

Psalms 50:16 But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?
17 Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee.
18 When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.
19 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.
20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son.

In conclusion, we would all do well to search our hearts in the light of the following question posited by Job:

Job 26:3 …how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?