Psalm 119:1-8

Written ~ 08-16-2023

Psalm 119:1-8

“Joyful are the people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD. Joyful are those who obey His laws and search for Him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in His paths. You have charged us to keep Your commandments carefully. Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect Your decrees! Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with Your commands. As I learn Your righteous regulations, I will thank You by living as I should! I will obey Your decrees. Please don’t give up on me!”

I feel like I could have written this passage, the words seem to be taken right from my heart. Being joyful, obeying the Lord, searching for Him, not compromising my actions, walking in the Lord’s path! All of it should be the goal of every believer.

“Joyful are the people of integrity.”

What is integrity? The dictionary says it is a firm adherence to a code of especially moral values and the quality or state of being complete or undivided. When we choose to follow Jesus Christ, have Him Lord and Savior in our lives, we need to be undivided in our moral values. No longer are we living for ourselves and walking in a path towards the darkness of the world, instead we are staying true, standing firm in the instructions given to us by the Lord.

“Joyful are those who obey His laws and search for Him with all their hearts.”

If someone shows a hesitancy to give their lives to Jesus, what might one of the reasons be that makes them hang back and pause? I’ve heard the explanation that they don’t want to live with rules or have to obey all these laws and regulations given by the Lord. What is the difference between us adhering to the laws of our nation to obeying the laws given to us by the Lord? JOY is the difference! Where there is rebellion in the heart, joy is missing! Searching for the Lord will give you a comfort, a peace, a joy that you would never think possible. Verses 119:1-2 don’t use the word joy or joyful lightly, it is followed by the action words like living with integrity, following instructions, obeying God’s Word, searching for the Lord. Living with absolute joy, there’s just nothing else like it! And giving your heart, giving your life over to Jesus is how you achieve it.

“They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in His paths.”

When your heart is given over to the Lord, in what ways do you still compromise? It’s quite a gamble if you try to walk with one foot still in the world and the other along God’s path. Because of our sinful nature, if you allow the compromise of living by your own rules, while trying to live for the Lord, it’s just not going to work. Most of the time the temptation of our sinful nature will win us over. In verse 119:3, who does the word “they” represent? It’s the person who lives their life with integrity. So, this is a choice. You have made the decision to give your heart to the Lord, you believe and accept His Salvation, your sin has been covered by the blood He shed on the cross. Why would you continue to live by the world’s standards? When we walk on the path the Lord lays out for us, it leads to joy.

Psalm 119 is widely believed to be written by David even though it is not notated in the Bible. In verses 119:4-8 the author is thanking God for His commandments and the desire to follow them closely. It should be the desire of our hearts as well. The Message (MSG) breaks down verses 119:4-8 in this way…

“You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now You expect us to live it. Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course You set; Then I’d never have any regrets in comparing my life with Your counsel. I thank You for speaking straight from Your heart; I learn the pattern of Your righteous ways. I’m going to do what You tell me to do; don’t ever walk off and leave me.”

Living our lives for the Lord is joyful, walking along the path God has for us keeps us steady, unwavering. If we keep to the decrees the Lord has given us, verse 119:6 says,

“Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with Your commands.”

So, living with integrity, following the commands of the Lord, walking God’s path, each of these things lead us to a joyful life without regrets. We can live without shame when our lives line up with the righteous regulations given to us by the Lord. This is how we give glory, honor and thanks to the Lord, by living our lives obeying His Word.

I love how verse 119:8 concludes,

“Please don’t give up on me!”

Following the Word of the Lord is not an easy task. It’s a daily choosing. Do we walk with the Lord, along His path? Or do we veer off course and wind up somewhere we shouldn’t be? We may deviate at times, but asking the Lord for guidance will help us stay true. God loves us, He is not going to walk off and leave us to fend for ourselves, He is always there.

Thank You Father for helping me to keep my walk steady, I choose to walk in Your footsteps, along Your path. My heart wants to obey Your decrees, help me to stay aligned with Your Word. Living with JOY is such a wonderful gift, I am thankful.  I love You Lord!

~AMEN~