ZNA-411
890813PM
DIVINE DIRECTIONS
Psalm 19:8a
Psalm 19:8
Let’s dig in and see the first half of this verse.
The Statutes =
KD says: “declarations concerning man’s obligations”
Scroggie said: “God’s directions designed to secure obedience and check disobedience”
Others have “God’s guidelines for living” said:
The word statute or precepts is the Hebrew word (#6490) pik-koo-deem (__________)
24 times in Old Testament, only in Psalms.
Here and Ps. 103:18 translated as “remember His commandments” Ps. 111:7 translated as ‘all His commandments are sure ‘
and 21 times Ps. 119 in all, but 3 stanzas (3, 15, 19)
Always translated precepts
v. 4, 15, 27, 40, 45, 56, 63….etc.
Always accompanied by words of positive action such as:
v. 4 keep (also 63, 56, 100, 134, 168) v. 15 meditate (v. 78) v. 40 longed v. 87 forsook not v. 93 never forget (v. 141) v. 94 sought v. 110 erred not
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v. 128 esteemed v. 159 love v. 173 chosen
So what is it we are keeping, ….
An insight is in the base or foundation verb. This noun derives from pah-kad (250 times or more). This verb means
In Ex. 3:16 I have surely visited you Num. 3:39 Moses & Aaron numbered Ezra 1:2 hath changed me to build Isa. 13:11 punish the world Gen. 34:5 He made Joseph overseer Ex. 38:21 as it was counted
Now in the negative:
*1 Sam. 20:18 David’s place was empty 1 K. 20:39 if He be missing 2 K 10:19 let none be wanting
Catch this: this word precepts and the verb it stems from speaks of “a definite accounting”
– something counted has an assigned number for each item – troops mustered are seen to be present, etc. – so negatively one unaccounted for is missing, empty, wanting
So, what’s that to Ps. 19:8?
God has met with man to give His accounting of all that matters in life and life to come!
His precepts or directions.
*So, the directions of the Lord or divine directions are…
“right” – literally straight, or correct path, laying out right track.
See the idea:
– God’s account of things – is the straight road to our true goal!
Stay with me:
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God’s divine directions or precepts are right. Now, “rejoicing the heart”, literally: “delight and pleasure to inner being”.
Let me quote the emminent Hebrew team K&D: “their educative guidance, taking one as it were by the hand, frees from all tottering, joyous (in) conscious of being headed toward the right goal.”
When — that says it all.
“God’s directions are the only way to make it to happiness now and forever!!”
God’s guidelines for life.
So what happens if you miss them?
Have you ever been lost as you travel?
That’s a memory
But, to be going the wrong way and unable to turn back…
That’s a horror
And, to not even know it
That’s utter doom.
Alfred Hitchcock, master or horror, directed a brief scene ‘Permanent Escape” – wealthy man in Latin American prison – makes a deal with undertaker – nailed in coffin and buried and, in the same 6 foot trench a box in lowered with an unforgettable flash of a familiar face, the undertaker
BURIED ALIVE – WHAT HORROR, WHAT UTTER DOOM – NO ESCAPE
But wait, there’s something far more horrible. Let me share the last chapter of some people you have possibly heard of:
Where is Happiness to be found?
I. Not In Infidelity. A. The witty Frenchman, Voltaire, was an infidel of the most pronounced type. He wrote: “I wish I had never been born.”
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B. The nurse that stood by him in the end said he called for help and forgiveness to no avail — she said never again for all the money in the world. II. Not In Pleasure A. Lord Byron lived a life of pleasure if any one did. He wrote: “The worm, the canker, and the grief are mine alone.” III. Not In Money A. Jay Gould, the American millionaire, had plenty of that. When dying he is reported to have said: B. “I suppose I am the most miserable devil on earth.” IV. Not In Position And Fame A. English politician Lord Beaconsfield enjoyed more than his share of both. He wrote: V. “Youth is a mistake, manhood a struggle, old age a regret.”
Thus they all agree: Voltaire, the literary infidel; Byron, the pleasureloving poet; Gould, the multi-millionaire; Beaconsfield, the famous politician. One and all they confirm Solomon’s verdict, though long centuries have rolled by since that Eastern potentate penned the words: “All is vanity and vexation of spirit” (Eccl. 2:17).
Happiness is to be found in none of these things. Where, then is it to be found?
The Lord Jesus said, “I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you” (John 16:22).
The answer is simple:
In Christ Alone
Nietzsche (insane babblings) Churchill “What a fool I’ve been” Kaiser IX “I’m lost for sure and I know it.” David Hume “I’m in the flames” (terrible scene) Napolean “The emperor dies lonely and alone” (terrible flight) Caesare Burger “And now I die completely unprepared” Hobbes “I stand before a fearfully, terrible plunge into darkness! Sir Thomas “Until the moment I thought there was neither Scott God nor hell, but now I know both as I am sealed unto damnation by the sentence of the Almighty” Stephen “Lord Jesus receive my spirit. Lay not this sin to their charge.” Lord Jesus Christ “It is finished!” So, what should we do?
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Only one thing to do if you have perfect and straight directions from God to the true and only goal of life!!
Follow them!
1. should be the standard of teaching, 1 Pet. 4:11 2. believed, Jn. 2:22 3. appealed to, 1 Cor. 1:31; 1 Pet. 1:16 4. read, Deut. 17:19; Isa. 34:16 5. read publicly to all, Deut. 31:11, 13; Neh. 8:3; Jer. 36:3; Acts 13:15 6. known, 2 Tim. 3:15 7. received, not as the word of men, but as the word of God, 1 Thess. 2:13 8. received with meekness, Jas. 1:21 9. searched, Jn. 5:39; 7:52 10. searched daily, Acts 17:11 11. laid up in the heart, Deut. 6:6, 11:18 12. taught to children, Deut. 6:7; 11:19; 2 Tim. 3:15 13. taught to all, 2 Chr. 17:7-9; Neh. 8:7, 8 14. talked of, continually, Deut. 6:7 15. not handled deceitfully, 2 Cor. 4:2 16. not only heart, but obeyed, Mat. 7:24, with Luke 11:28; Jas. 1:22 17. used against our spiritual enemies, Mat. 4:4, 7, 10, with Eph. 6:11, 17 18. aall should desire to hear, Neh. 8:1 19. mere hearers of, deceive themselves, Jas. 1:22 20. advantage of possessing, Rom. 3:2 21. saints love exceedingly, Psa. 119:97, 113, 159, 167 22. delight in, Psa. 1:2 23. regard, as sweet, Psa. 119:103 24. esteem, above all things, Job 23:12 25. long after, Psa. 119:32 26. stand in awe of, Psa. 19:161; Isa. 66:2 27. keep in remembrance, Psa. 119:14 28. grieve when men disobey, Psa. 119:158 29. hide in the heart, Psa. 119:11 30. hope in, Psa. 119:74, 81, 147 31. meditate in, Psa. 1:2 119:99, 148 32. rejoice in, Psa. 119:162; Jer. 15:16 33. trust in, Psa. 119:42 34. obey, Psa. 119:67; Luke 8:21; John 17:6 35. speak of, Psa. 119:172 36. esteem as a light, Psa. 119:105 37. pray to be taught, Psa. 119:12, 18, 33, 66 38. pray to be conformed to, Psa. 119:133 39. plead the promises of, in prayer, Psa. 119:25; 28, 41, 76, 169 40. they who search, are truly noble, Acts 17:11 41. blessedness of hearing and obeying, Luke 11:28; Jas. 1:25
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42. let them dwell richly in you, Col. 3:16