This Bible study on Psalm 119:65-72 contains outlines, extensive cross-references, Bible study discussion questions, lessons to learn, and applications. Visit our inductive Bible studies for more studies on this and other books of the Bible.
Psalm 119:17-24 Inductive Bible Study
Psalm 119:17-24
Beholding and Obeying God’s Word
Summary-God’s gracious gifts are what allow me to live and obey His Word. I need to earnestly seek after the treasures He hides in His Word. My longing for it should be passionate at all times. When I wander from His commandments, it is a sign of arrogance, and He will rebuke me. If I follow His commandments, I do not have to bear the blame I deserve. I should not care what anyone thinks of me, rather, I should focus on His Word. From it, I obtain much delight and wise counsel.
Central Teaching- The more I peer into the depths of God’s Word, the more I will both learn from and long for Him. His counsel is the surest; His opinion the only one that matters.
Key Words- bountifully, behold, longing, rebuke, reproach, meditates, delight, counselors, (word, law, commandments, ordinances, testimonies, statutes)
Key Verse- 18
Ten things this passage says-
- Only His bountiful gifts allow me to live and obey Him.
- I am His servant.
- Without His enabling, His Word would remain a mystery to me.
- His Word is full of wonderful things!
- I am a stranger on this earth, so communion with my heavenly Father is of upmost importance.
- His Word is so vital to my existence that I am crushed with my desire for it at all times, not only intermittently.
- Arrogance causes me to disobey God and incur His rebuke.
- Obedience to His Word removes the reason for reproach and contempt.
- God’s opinion of me is the only one that matters. I should not be distracted by what others think, but should focus on His Word.
- I should delight in and follow the wisdom of His Word.
Ten things this passage does NOT say-
- I can live and keep His Word without His help.
- There is a more important goal for life than obedience to God.
- I can figure out God’s Word on my own.
- What I learn from God’s Word has no real interest or relevance for me.
- This world is my home, and I can get along without knowing God’s laws.
- It’s fine to read God’s Word but not really have any desire in my heart for it.
- When I wander from God’s commandments I am just a bit misguided, and can’t be blamed.
- If I am following God’s Word, there is still reason to be ashamed before other’s accusations.
- I can do more for God’s kingdom by winning the favor of those in positions of power.
- God’s Word has no place in today’s society, and I do not need to follow it.
What does this passage teach me about God?
He deals bountifully with His servants.
He desires for me to live and keep His Word.
He alone can give understanding regarding His Word.
His Word (and thus He) is wonderful.
He rebukes the arrogant and curses them.
He takes away the reproach and contempt from me.
His testimonies are a delight.
He is the best Counselor.
Questions-
What position does the psalmist claim before God? V17
As a servant, what were his “rights” to ask for? How is this servant’s request different than his “legal” demand? V17
How do we see the psalmist’s humility in this verse? V17
Why does the psalmist need God’s bounty? V17
Why is God’s bountiful grace a requirement for the psalmist to live? V17
What is the point of the psalmist’s life? V17
What does the psalmist mean by his request to “open my eyes”? V18
Why does he want his eyes open? V18
What does he mean by “wonderful things”? V18
How can a “Law” be wonderful? V18
In order to behold wonderful things from His Law, what does the psalmist have to be doing? V18
How is V18 similar to V10? V18
Why are we strangers on this earth? V19
What are some characteristics of strangers? V19
Why would being a stranger have anything to do with the request for Him not to hide His commandments from me? V19
Who DOES He hide His commandments from? V19
How is V19 similar to V11? V19
How strong was the psalmist’s desire for God’s Word? V20
What does it mean that his soul was crushed with longing? V20
How often did the psalmist feel this strong desire? Why is the frequency of this longing important? V20
What does this desire show about the psalmist’s heart? In general, what do our desires show about us? V20
Who does God rebuke? V21
Why is it that those who wander from His commandments are arrogant? V21
Why are those who wander from His commandments cursed? V21
What does it mean to wander from His commandments? V21
Can you think of any examples in the Bible of where disobedience to God led to His rebuking or cursing them? V21
Why would we be reproached or treated with contempt? V22
If we bring this reproach or contempt on ourselves, how can His Word relieve it? V22
If others reproach us or have contempt for us, why would observing His Word take it away? V22
How can verse 21 help us to deal with the kind of people who reproach us for righteousness sake? V22
If we are observing His Word, what are we NOT “observing”? V22
Why is it worse for princes to talk against us than “normal” people? V23
What should our reaction be to this kind of talk? V23
How will that reaction help? V23
What is the heart attitude necessary to keep us from being fearful or upset by this kind of talk? V23
What should our attitude be towards His testimonies? V24
Why is the “also” there? V24
As well as being our delight, what practical help do His testimonies offer in this verse? V24
What does it mean that His testimonies are our “counselors”? V24
Cross References-
Psalm 119:17-
Ps 116:7
7 Be at rest once more, O my soul,
for the LORD has been good to you.
Ps 119:65
Do good to your servant
according to your word, O LORD.
Ps 119:124
124 Deal with your servant according to your love
and teach me your decrees.
Ps 119:132
132 Turn to me and have mercy on me,
as you always do to those who love your name.
John 1:16
16 From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another.
2 Cor 9:7-11
7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor;
his righteousness endures forever.” 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.
Phil 4:19
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Rom 8:2-4
2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit.
Eph 2:4-5
4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved.
Eph 2:10
10 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Titus 2:11-12
11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,
1 John 2:29
29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him.
1 John 5:3-4
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith.
Psalm 119:18-
Isa 29:10-12
10 For the LORD has poured over you a spirit of deep sleep,
He has shut your eyes, the prophets;
And He has covered your heads, the seers.
11 The entire vision will be to you like the words of a sealed book, which when they give it to the one who is literate, saying, “Please read this,” he will say, “I cannot, for it is sealed.” 12 Then the book will be given to the one who is illiterate, saying, “Please read this.” And he will say, “I cannot read.”
Isa 29:18
18 On that day the deaf will hear words of a book,
And out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see.
Isa 32:3
3 Then the eyes of those who see will not be blinded,
And the ears of those who hear will listen.
Matt 13:13
13 “Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.
Matt 16:17
17 And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.
John 9:39
39 And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.”
Acts 26:18
18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’
2 Cor 3:14-18
14 But their minds were hardened; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed in Christ.
15 But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their heart;
16 but whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
2 Cor 4:4-6
4 in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
5 For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
Eph 1:17-18
17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
Ps 119:96
96 I have seen a limit to all perfection;
Your commandment is exceedingly broad.
Heb 10:1
For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.
2 Kings 6:17
17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
Ps 119:125
125 I am Your servant; give me understanding,
That I may know Your testimonies.
Ps 119:129
Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul observes them.
Prov 14:6
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none,
But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding.
Prov 20:12
12 The hearing ear and the seeing eye,
The LORD has made both of them.
Matt 20:33
33 They said to Him, “Lord, we want our eyes to be opened.”
Luke 11:34
34 “The eye is the lamp of your body; when your eye is clear, your whole body also is full of light; but when it is bad, your body also is full of darkness.
Luke 24:45
45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,
Eph 1:18
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,
Psalm 119:19-
1 Chron 29:15
15 “For we are sojourners before You, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope.
Ps 39:12
12 “Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry;
Do not be silent at my tears;
For I am a stranger with You,
A sojourner like all my fathers.
2 Cor 5:6
6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord —
Heb 11:13-16
13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.
1 Peter 2:11
11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.
Job 39:17
17 Because God has made her forget wisdom,
And has not given her a share of understanding.
Ps 119:10
10 With all my heart I have sought You;
Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
Isa 63:17
17 Why, O LORD, do You cause us to stray from Your ways
And harden our heart from fearing You?
Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your heritage.
Luke 9:45
45 But they did not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they would not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this statement.
Luke 24:49
49 “And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
Psalm 119:20-
1 Chron 29:15
15 “For we are sojourners before You, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope.
Ps 39:12
12 “Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry;
Do not be silent at my tears;
For I am a stranger with You,
A sojourner like all my fathers.
2 Cor 5:6
6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord —
Heb 11:13-16
13 All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. 15 And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. 16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.
1 Peter 2:11
11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul.
Job 39:17
17 Because God has made her forget wisdom,
And has not given her a share of understanding.
Ps 119:10
10 With all my heart I have sought You;
Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
Isa 63:17
17 Why, O LORD, do You cause us to stray from Your ways
And harden our heart from fearing You?
Return for the sake of Your servants, the tribes of Your heritage.
Luke 9:45
45 But they did not understand this statement, and it was concealed from them so that they would not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this statement.
Luke 24:49
49 “And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
Ps 42:1
As the deer pants for the water brooks,
So my soul pants for You, O God.
Ps 63:1
O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly;
My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You,
In a dry and weary land where there is no water.
Ps 84:2
2 My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the LORD;
My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.
Ps 119:40
40 Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me through Your righteousness.
Ps 119:131
131 I opened my mouth wide and panted,
For I longed for Your commandments.
Ps 119:174
174 I long for Your salvation, O LORD,
And Your law is my delight.
Prov 13:12
12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
But desire fulfilled is a tree of life.
Rev 3:15-16
15 “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot; I wish that you were cold or hot.
16 “So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth.
Job 23:11-12
11 “My foot has held fast to His path;
I have kept His way and not turned aside.
12 “I have not departed from the command of His lips;
I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.
Job 27:10
10 “Will he take delight in the Almighty?
Will he call on God at all times?
Ps 106:3
3 How blessed are those who keep justice,
Who practice righteousness at all times!
Psalm 119:21-
Ex 10:3
3 Moses and Aaron went to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, “How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me.
Job 40:11-12
11 “Pour out the overflowings of your anger,
And look on everyone who is proud, and make him low.
12 “Look on everyone who is proud, and humble him,
And tread down the wicked where they stand.
Ps 119:78
78 May the arrogant be ashamed, for they subvert me with a lie;
But I shall meditate on Your precepts.
Ps 138:6
6 For though the LORD is exalted,
Yet He regards the lowly,
But the haughty He knows from afar.
Isa 2:11
11 The proud look of man will be abased
And the loftiness of man will be humbled,
And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day.
Dan 4:37
37 “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt and honor the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways just, and He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”
Dan 5:22-23
22 “Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this, 23 but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or understand. But the God in whose hand are your life-breath and your ways, you have not glorified.
Mal 4:1
“For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze,” says the LORD of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch.”
Luke 14:11
11 “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
James 4:6
6 But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”
Deut 30:19
19 “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,
Ps 119:118
118 You have rejected all those who wander from Your statutes,
For their deceitfulness is useless.
Isa 42:24
24 Who gave Jacob up for spoil, and Israel to plunderers?
Was it not the LORD, against whom we have sinned,
And in whose ways they were not willing to walk,
And whose law they did not obey?
Gal 3:13
13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us — for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE” —
Psalm 119:22-
Job 16:20
20 “My friends are my scoffers;
My eye weeps to God.
Job 19:2-3
2 “How long will you torment me
And crush me with words?
3 “These ten times you have insulted me;
You are not ashamed to wrong me.
Ps 39:8
8 “Deliver me from all my transgressions;
Make me not the reproach of the foolish.
Ps 42:10
10 As a shattering of my bones, my adversaries revile me,
While they say to me all day long, “Where is your God?”
Ps 68:9-11
9 You shed abroad a plentiful rain, O God;
You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched.
10 Your creatures settled in it;
You provided in Your goodness for the poor, O God.
11 The Lord gives the command;
The women who proclaim the good tidings are a great host:
Ps 68:19-20
19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden,
The God who is our salvation.
Selah.
20 God is to us a God of deliverances;
And to GOD the Lord belong escapes from death.
Ps 119:39
39 Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your ordinances are good.
Ps 119:42
42 So I will have an answer for him who reproaches me,
For I trust in Your word.
Ps 123:3-4
3 Be gracious to us, O LORD, be gracious to us,
For we are greatly filled with contempt.
4 Our soul is greatly filled
With the scoffing of those who are at ease,
And with the contempt of the proud.
Heb 13:13
13 So, let us go out to Him outside the camp, bearing His reproach.
Ps 37:3
3 Trust in the LORD and do good;
Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.
1 Peter 2:20
20 For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if when you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God.
1 Peter 3:16-17
16 and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame. 17 For it is better, if God should will it so, that you suffer for doing what is right rather than for doing what is wrong.
1 Peter 4:14-16
14 If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; 16 but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name.
Psalm 119:23-
1 Sam 20:31
31 “For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Therefore now, send and bring him to me, for he must surely die.”
Ps 2:1-2
Why are the nations in an uproar
And the peoples devising a vain thing?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the LORD and against His Anointed, saying,
Luke 22:66
66 When it was day, the Council of elders of the people assembled, both chief priests and scribes, and they led Him away to their council chamber, saying,
Luke 23:1-2
Then the whole body of them got up and brought Him before Pilate.
2 And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”
Luke 23:10-11
10 And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, accusing Him vehemently.
11 And Herod with his soldiers, after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, dressed Him in a gorgeous robe and sent Him back to Pilate.
Ps 119:15
15 I will meditate on Your precepts
And regard Your ways.
Ps 119:78
78 May the arrogant be ashamed, for they subvert me with a lie;
But I shall meditate on Your precepts.
Ps 119:161
Princes persecute me without cause,
But my heart stands in awe of Your words.
Isa 38:12
12 “Like a shepherd’s tent my dwelling is pulled up and removed from me;
As a weaver I rolled up my life.
1 Tim 4:15
15 Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all.
Psalm 119:24-
Job 27:10
10 “Will he take delight in the Almighty?
Will he call on God at all times?
Ps 119:16
16 I shall delight in Your statutes;
I shall not forget Your word.
Ps 119:77
77 May Your compassion come to me that I may live,
For Your law is my delight.
Ps 119:92
92 If Your law had not been my delight,
Then I would have perished in my affliction.
Ps 119:143
143 Trouble and anguish have come upon me,
Yet Your commandments are my delight.
Ps 119:162
162 I rejoice at Your word,
As one who finds great spoil.
Jer 6:10
10 To whom shall I speak and give warning
That they may hear?
Behold, their ears are closed
And they cannot listen.
Behold, the word of the LORD has become a reproach to them;
They have no delight in it.
Deut 17:18-20
18 “Now it shall come about when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, he shall write for himself a copy of this law on a scroll in the presence of the Levitical priests. 19 “It shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, by carefully observing all the words of this law and these statutes, 20 that his heart may not be lifted up above his countrymen and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, to the right or the left, so that he and his sons may continue long in his kingdom in the midst of Israel.
Josh 1:8
8 “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.
Ps 19:11
11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.
Ps 119:97-100
O how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day.
98 Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies,
For they are ever mine.
99 I have more insight than all my teachers,
For Your testimonies are my meditation.
100 I understand more than the aged,
Because I have observed Your precepts.
Ps 119:104-105
104 From Your precepts I get understanding;
Therefore I hate every false way.
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.
Prov 6:20-23
0 My son, observe the commandment of your father
And do not forsake the teaching of your mother;
21 Bind them continually on your heart;
Tie them around your neck.
22 When you walk about, they will guide you;
When you sleep, they will watch over you;
And when you awake, they will talk to you.
23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light;
And reproofs for discipline are the way of life
Col 3:16
16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
2 Tim 3:15-17
15 and that from childhood you have known the sacred writings which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
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