Psalm 119 Lesson 21 SHIN - Fairhaven Baptist Church

Psalm 119

Lesson 21

Shin, teeth

Text: Psalm 119:161-168 “Princes have persecuted me without a cause: but my heart standeth in awe of thy word. 162 I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil. 163 I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love. 164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments. 165 Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. 166 LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments. 167 My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly. 168 I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my ways are before thee.”

The Letter Shin
1. The Meaning,
  1. Teeth,
    1. originally the drawing was sort of like a cartoon buck teeth,
    2. it carries the meaning of not only teeth, but also:
      - to devour, to consume, to destroy, or even something sharp,
  2. Examples:
    1. Sheen Lamed Vav Mem, (consume control secure chaos) Peace, (hello/ goodbye)
    2. Sheen Gimel Hey, (devour pride to be seen) Intoxicated
    3. Sheen Teth Noon (devour coil/ entangle life) Satan/ Adversary
    4. Sheen Cheth Lamed (sharp hand control) Skill
    5. Sheen Bet Cheth (consume/ take in home fence in) Sabbath
      - think of the Law,
2. the Word of God,
  1. Rejection and Rejoicing, vs.161&162
    1. as has happened so many times in this psalm (as well a sin life) the people of God are mistreated and abused.
      - Here the Princes (also warriors- devour man- Sheen Reysh) persecuted the psalmist. Back in verse 23…
        
        Psalm 119:23 “Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.”
        
        they sit and spake against him.
      - Think how that is like the world today, first they run us down, then they actively come at us.
        
        When Nehemiah was rebuilding the walls at Jerusalem,
        
        Nehemiah 4:1-13 “But it came to pass, that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews. 2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned? 3 Now Tobiah the Ammonite was by him, and he said, Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.”
        
        He mocked/ ridiculed/ then in vs.8 “they conspired all of them together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to hinder it”
    2. Notice how the Psalmist respond,
      - My Heart stands in Awe of thy word,
        
        the promises, the blessings, the insight,
        
        He goes on in vs.162 to equate it to finding a great spoil,
        
        that is finding a great treasure.
        
        Money/ Gold/ wealth has it’s limits,
        
        but the resource found in the word of God will never be exhausted
        
        It is a well that continues to run, and fill one up.
        
        If we would only…
        
        Proverbs 2:4 “If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;”
        
        Proverbs 3:13-15 “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. 14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. 15 She is more precious than rubies: and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her.”
      - Hebrews 11:24-26 “By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; 25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 26 Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.”
  2. The Difference Between Love and Hate, vs.163-165.
    1. One of the transformations that takes place, or rather should take place in the child of God’s life is, they begin to love the things God loves and despise the things God despises.
    2. Here we see the Psalmist confess, I hate Lying,
      - Proverbs 6:16-19 “These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.”
        
        vs.17 a lying tongue
        
        vs.19 a false witness that speaketh lies
        
        why double up on it?
        
        Ephesians 4:25 “Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.”
        
        We can all agree that sin of every kind is bad and should be done away with, yet some sins have been singled out from all the rest.
        
        For instance, in Ephesians 4, Paul says put away lying, stop stealing, let no corrupt communication come out of your mouth,
        
        but he never said don’t murder,
        
        We know we shouldn’t however there are some things, he took the extra precaution to point our, don’t do this…
      - God hates lying,
    3. In contrast he loves the law,
      - John 14:15 (Jesus said) “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
        
        See also vs.21&23
        
        He goes on in vs.24, to say those who do not love Him do not keep His commandments,
      - But this love extends not to just the word, but also to the Judgments,
        
        He says he praised 7 times, this is just a way of saying often, not just the 3 times a devout Jew would, but much more.
      - And for His judgments,
        
        it’s easy to praise God when things go well, but when His judgment hits home, it becomes more difficult.
      - Through all this we should remember,
        
        Genesis 18:25 “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? ”
        
        I do not always understand why things happen, but I do know God has our best interest in mind, and it will be for good.
        
        Does this mean when health fails? Yes, what about the loss of a loved one? Yes, what if that love one is far too young? Yes, even then, I trust the Lord of all the earth will do that which is right.
    4. Notice in vs. 165 the blessing that accompanies loving the things God loves and hating the things God hates,
      - Peace,
        
        great peace,
      - and “nothing shall offend them”
        
        nothing shall be a stumbling block to them,
        
        when we trust in God, in His word and His judgments, then what ever happens, we trust in the heart of God, and will not be offended at things that happen.
  3. Faithfulness, vs.166-168,
    1. The conclusion of this section is a list of the psalmist accomplishments:
      - I have hoped in thy salvation,
      - I have done thy commandments,
      - My Soul has Kept thy testimonies
      - I have loved them,
      - I have kept thy Precepts,
      - All my ways are before Thee,
    2. Hoped in this context is Watch Expectantly,
    3. I have done thy commandments,
      - this is more than just reading and knowing, but doing.
    4. My Soul/ My Breath, all that I am, the essence of me.
    5. I have loved them vehemently,
    6. He closes by saying all my ways are before Thee,
      - The Psalmist understands that he lives his life under the watchful eyes of God.
        
        Luke 8:17 “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.”
        
        Hebrews 4:13 “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.”

Next Week, the Final letter, Tav, the mark, sign, cross.