Psalm 119:106

We come now to the second verse of this octave of Psalm 119 entitled Nun.

Psalms 119:106  I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.

If you want to know what the psalmist’s religion consisted of, it can be summed up in this single statement:  I will keep thy righteous judgments.  God is not only the Judge of all that we do, He is also the Judge that decrees what we ought to do.  Therefore, God’s decrees or commandments of what we ought to do are called judgments.  And since whatever God commands we should do is right, His commandments are called righteous judgments.  Now it was the determination of the psalmist to keep those righteous judgments.  That was his religion. 

The psalmist was so in earnest about the practice of his religion that he bound himself to it with an oath: I have sworn, and I will perform it. 

Swear – To make a solemn declaration or statement with an appeal to God in confirmation of what is said; to take an oath.  To promise or undertake something by an oath.

You might find yourself shying away from such a notion.  You fear making a vow and not keeping it.  And well you should fear.

Ecclesiastes 5:4  When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

5        Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

But notice what the psalmist is swearing or vowing to do.  He is swearing to keep God’s righteous judgments.  Now whether you swear to do this or not, you are bound by the commandment of God to keep His judgments.  Even if you do not swear to perform this duty, you will be held responsible to do it and judged if you fail to do it.  There is no way out!

Ecclesiastes 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

14  For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

John 12:48  He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.

To what purpose is it then that we should swear that we will keep God’s righteous judgments?  The purpose is that it adds support to our resolve if we back it up with an oath.  Our nature is so prone to err that we need to bind it to the service of God everyway that we can.  The more resolved we are to keep God’s judgments even to the point of swearing to do so, the more likely we are to keep them.  It is as Stephen Charnock expressed it:  “Resolution in a weak man will perform more than strength in a coward.”  It honours God to take our obedience so seriously that we even swear to perform it.  If we swear allegiance to our spouse, or to our country, or to a cause, why should we not swear allegiance to our God?

In fact, it is a delightful thing to swear to keep God’s righteous judgments.  You will find the Lord very willing to support you in your solemn resolution.  Consider this from the experience of the nation of Judah in the days of King Asa, when they swore to seek the Lord with all their heart and soul:

2 Chronicles 15:12  And they entered into a covenant to seek the LORD God of their fathers with all their heart and with all their soul;

13  That whosoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel should be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman.

14  And they sware unto the LORD with a loud voice, and with shouting, and with trumpets, and with cornets.

15  And all Judah rejoiced at the oath: for they had sworn with all their heart, and sought him with their whole desire; and he was found of them: and the LORD gave them rest round about.

Perhaps you are experiencing some unrest in your life.  Consider that this unrest may be there because you haven’t really become that earnest and resolute in your service to God.  You are holding back from the Lord and He is holding back from you.

“But,” you ask, “what if I fail to keep one of the righteous judgments I swear to perform?”  You will.  But God’s righteous judgments make provision for those times of failure if you repent and return to the Lord.

Job 33:27  He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not;

28  He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.

29  Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man,

30  To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.

Isaiah 55:7  Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Ezekiel 18:23  Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord GOD: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?

1 John 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

When you swear to keep God’s righteous judgments, you are swearing to keep His commandment to repent when you sin.  In swearing obedience to God, you swear to deal with any sin in your life that He brings to your awareness through His chastening or instruction. 

Job 34:31  Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more:

32    That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.

Such an attitude toward sin and such a resolve to overcome it delights the heart of God and invites His abundant mercy.

Lastly, we, who are the children of God, owe it to the Lord to swear our allegiance and obedience to Him because of His benefits toward us.  And so much the more is this so when we consider the benefit of the eternal salvation that He has granted us in and through the gift of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.  The words of David express what should be the resolve of every redeemed soul:

Psalms 116:12  What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?

13  I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.

14  I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.

15  Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

16  O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.

17  I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.

18  I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people,

19  In the courts of the LORD'S house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.

Psalm 119:105

I am now ready to delve into the next octave of Psalm 119 bearing the title of the Hebrew letter Nun.  From what I can gather, this letter is pronounced like our word noon.  As I am writing this I am having some difficulty coming up with a comic twist on this sound.  Perhaps it is because it is late in the afternun and my wits are winding down with the day.  Ooooh!  It seems that with each letter my comic relief is becoming more of a burden than a relief.  Perhaps I had best get on with the Biblical instruction.

Psalms 119:105  ¶NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

This world is a dark place.  Its inhabitants sit in darkness.  When our Lord came into this world, He was a light shining in that darkness.

Matthew 4:16  The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

John 1:4  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

5        And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

If all is dark about us and we have no light to guide us, then we stumble about not knowing where we are going.

John 11:10  But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

John 12:35  …he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

But thanks be to God He has not left us to stumble about in the darkness.  He has given us His word that is a lamp and a light.

The word of God is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. That is, it provides me with guidance and direction.  It helps me make decisions as to what course to take.  Therefore, unlike one stumbling about in the darkness, I know where I am going and, equally important, I know where I am not going.  The commandments of God’s word mark out the boundaries so that I reject any counsel or decision that takes me outside those bounds.  Just as light brings us relief when we are in a dark place, so do the Scriptures bring us relief when they shine a light on a difficult situation and help us make the right the decision.  I love the way Charles Spurgeon expresses this fact:

“Ignorance is painful upon practical subjects; it breeds indecision and suspense, and these are uncomfortable:  the word of God, by imparting heavenly knowledge, leads to decision, and when that is followed by determined resolution, as in this case, it brings with it great restfulness of heart.”   

I know from personal experience just what Mr. Spurgeon is talking about.

But let us not overlook the first person pronouns of this verse.  The psalmist spoke of my feet and my path.  God’s word was a lamp and light to him individually and personally.  Have you ever read a passage of Scripture and it seemed as if it was written specifically for you addressing your particular need?  It was!  Have you ever heard a sermon that you thought was tailor-made just for you? It was!  God’s word is lamp to your feet and a light to your path. 

As we have worked our way through these verses we have seen the various ways that they testify of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who is the subject matter of all Scripture (John 5:39).  The reason the Scriptures are a lamp and a light is that they testify of Him Who is the Light.  Indeed, our Lord is the "dayspring from on high" that came into this world “to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:78-79).  Christ is the light that shines through the pages of the Scriptures. 

John 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

John 12:46  I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.

2 Corinthians 4:6  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

No artist could ever capture and convey light like the Scriptures capture and convey the light of the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The Bible presents Christ, a dazzling, glorious light to those who have eyes to see Him. And that light dispels the darkness and shows us the path from here to home.

But this lamp and light will do you no good if you do not heed it and follow it. 

2 Peter 1:19  We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts….

If you follow the light of God’s word in a given situation, you will find it giving you light for the next situation you face and the next after that.

Proverbs 4:18  But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.

But if you fail to follow the light God gives you in His word, you will find yourself in darkness.

John 12:35  Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

Proverbs 4:19  The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.

When we do not follow the light that is provided, God judges us by turning us over to the darkness of blindness so that we cannot see the light shining before us.  Therefore, beware lest these fearful words be true of you:

John 12:37  But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:

38  That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?

39  Therefore they could not believe, because that Esaias said again,

40  He hath blinded their eyes, and hardened their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.

Isaiah 29:10  For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.

11  And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed….