This Bible study on Psalm 119 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 119:33-40 Inductive Bible Study
Psalm 119:33-40
Loyalty to God’s Word
Summary-God is the one who teaches and gives understanding. My job is to observe it whole-heartedly and with delight until the end. I have a choice to pursue the vain, immoral things of this world, or His ways. If I follow Him, I must do so in fear and reverence, because His words are good.
Central Teaching-Reverence Him, turn away from the world’s ways, and delight in whole-hearted obedience.
Key Words- teach, observe, understanding, walk, delight, vanity, revive, establish, reverence, turn away, reproach
Key Verse- 38
Ten things this passage says-
- He is the one who teaches us His way.
- Once we learn His way, we are to observe it until the end.
- Understanding comes from Him, and leads to keeping His law with all my heart.
- He makes me to obey Him.
- Walking in the path of His commandments is not a chore, but a delight.
- My heart is either inclined towards Him or towards worldly things, such as dishonest gain.
- My eyes naturally look at vanity, but God can turn them from it and revive me in His ways.
- His word produces reverence for Him.
- His good ordinances can turn away my dreadful reproach.
- His righteousness revives me.
Ten things this passage does NOT say-
- I can trust my own wisdom concerning God’s word.
- If I obey Him for a while, it is enough. Even if I live the rest of my life for myself, I can assume that I am saved.
- It is impossible to understand God’s word. Even if I do, I can’t keep it.
- It’s fine to only obey when I feel like it or agree.
- I am naturally good, and will automatically follow God’s laws.
- Attitude towards God’s word does not matter.
- I can follow both God’s way and the way of the world.
- My eyes naturally seek out the things of God.
- Saturation in God’s word will not result in reverential treatment of God.
- I can be revived through any number of worldly methods.
What does this passage teach me about God?
He teaches and gives understanding.
He desires my eternal devotion.
He demands obedience.
He makes me to follow His ways.
He is the antithesis of worldly ways.
He revives me.
He establishes His word in me.
His word produces reverence for Him.
He turns away my reproach.
His ordinances are good.
His righteousness revives.
Questions-
Who is our teacher? V33
What does He teach us? V33
What should our response be to His teaching? V33
What does it mean “observe it to the end”? V33
What are some cross references that indicate a person’s state if they do NOT follow Him until the end? V33
What are we to be seeking in this verse? V34
Who gives this understanding? V34
How does He give understanding? V34
Why does He give understanding? V34
How am I to keep His law? V34
What does it mean to keep it with all of my heart? V34
What does it mean by asking Him to “make me” walk in the path of His commandments? V35
How does He make us do that? V35
Why should I have to be made to do something that I delight in? V35
What does it mean for my heart to be inclined towards His testimonies? V36
What is dishonest gain? V36
How will a life inclined to His testimonies differ from one focused on dishonest gain? V36
What is vanity? V37
When it says “Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity,” what is assumed? V37
If I need to be revived in His ways, what was I like before? V37
What does it mean to be revived in His ways? V37
Why do His ways revive? V37
What does it mean for His word to be established in me? V38
Why is it important that the writer identifies himself as God’s servant in this verse? V38
What is the result of being established in God’s word? V38
What does reverence for God look like in our lives? V38
What is the reproach that is spoken of in this verse? V39
Why should I dread it? V39
How can He turn away this reproach? V39
What do His ordinances have to do with my reproach? V39
What should my attitude be for His precepts? V40
Why do I need reviving? V40
How does He revive me? V40
Why does His righteousness revive? V40
Cross References-
Psalm 119:33-
Ps 119:12
12 Praise be to you, O LORD;
teach me your decrees.
Ps 119:26-27
26 I recounted my ways and you answered me;
teach me your decrees.
27 Let me understand the teaching of your precepts;
then I will meditate on your wonders.
Isa 54:13
13 All your sons will be taught by the LORD,
and great will be your children’s peace.
John 6:45
45 It is written in the Prophets: ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.
Ps 119:8
8 I will obey your decrees;
do not utterly forsake me.
Ps 119:112
112 My heart is set on keeping your decrees
to the very end.
Matt 10:22
22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Matt 24:12-13
12 Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13 but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
1 Cor 1:7-8
7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8 He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Phil 1:6
6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
1 John 2:19-20
19 They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. 20 But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.
1 John 2:27
27 As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit-just as it has taught you, remain in him.
Rev 2:26
26 “He who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, TO HIM I WILL GIVE AUTHORITY OVER THE NATIONS;
Psalm 119:34-
Job 28:28
28 “And to man He said, “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom;
And to depart from evil is understanding.'”
Ps 111:10
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom;
A good understanding have all those who do His commandments;
His praise endures forever.
Ps 119:73
Your hands made me and fashioned me;
Give me understanding, that I may learn Your commandments.
Prov 2:5-6
5 Then you will discern the fear of the LORD
And discover the knowledge of God.
6 For the LORD gives wisdom;
From His mouth come knowledge and understanding.
John 7:17
17 “If anyone is willing to do His will, he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself.
James 1:5
5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
James 3:13-18
13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
Deut 4:6
6 “So keep and do them, for that is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’
Matt 5:19
19 “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matt 7:24
24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock.
James 1:25
25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.
James 2:8-12
8 If, however, you are fulfilling the royal law according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you are doing well. 9 But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. 11 For He who said, “DO NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,” also said, “DO NOT COMMIT MURDER.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the law. 12 So speak and so act as those who are to be judged by the law of liberty.
James 4:11
11 Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it.
Ps 119:10
10 With all my heart I have sought You;
Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
Ps 119:58
58 I sought Your favor with all my heart;
Be gracious to me according to Your word.
Ps 119:69
69 The arrogant have forged a lie against me;
With all my heart I will observe Your precepts.
Psalm 119:35-
Ps 119:27
27 Make me understand the way of Your precepts,
So I will meditate on Your wonders.
Ps 119:36
36 Incline my heart to Your testimonies
And not to dishonest gain.
Ps 119:173
173 Let Your hand be ready to help me,
For I have chosen Your precepts.
Ezek 36:26-27
26 “Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.
Phil 2:13
13 for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.
Ps 23:3
3 He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Prov 3:17
17 Her ways are pleasant ways
And all her paths are peace.
Prov 4:11
11 I have directed you in the way of wisdom;
I have led you in upright paths.
Prov 4:18
18 But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.
Prov 8:20
20 “I walk in the way of righteousness,
In the midst of the paths of justice,
Isa 2:3
3 And many peoples will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
To the house of the God of Jacob;
That He may teach us concerning His ways
And that we may walk in His paths.”
For the law will go forth from Zion
And the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
Isa 48:17
17 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel,
“I am the LORD your God, who teaches you to profit,
Who leads you in the way you should go.
Ps 119:16
16 I shall delight in Your statutes;
I shall not forget Your word.
Isa 58:13-14
13 “If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot
From doing your own pleasure on My holy day,
And call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of the LORD honorable,
And honor it, desisting from your own ways,
From seeking your own pleasure
And speaking your own word,
14 Then you will take delight in the LORD,
And I will make you ride on the heights of the earth;
And I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father,
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
Rom 7:22
22 For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man,
1 John 5:3
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome.
Psalm 119:36-
1 Kings 8:58
58 that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances, which He commanded our fathers.
Ps 51:10
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Ps 141:4
4 Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
To practice deeds of wickedness
With men who do iniquity;
And do not let me eat of their delicacies.
Jer 32:39
39 and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them.
Ezek 11:19-20
19 “And I will give them one heart, and put a new spirit within them. And I will take the heart of stone out of their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in My statutes and keep My ordinances and do them. Then they will be My people, and I shall be their God.
Ex 18:21
21 “Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.
Ps 10:3
3 For the wicked boasts of his heart’s desire,
And the greedy man curses and spurns the LORD.
Ezek 33:31
31 “They come to you as people come, and sit before you as My people and hear your words, but they do not do them, for they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouth, and their heart goes after their gain.
Hab 2:9
9 “Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house
To put his nest on high,
To be delivered from the hand of calamity!
Mark 7:21-22
21 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness.
Luke 12:15
15 Then He said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.””
Luke 16:14
14 Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him.
Eph 5:3
3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints;
Col 3:5
5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry.
1 Tim 6:9-10
9 But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
1 Tim 6:17
17 Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.
Heb 13:5
5 Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, “I WILL NEVER DESERT YOU, NOR WILL I EVER FORSAKE YOU,”
2 Peter 2:3
3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
2 Peter 2:14
14 having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children;
Psalm 119:37-
Num 15:39
39 “It shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the LORD, so as to do them and not follow after your own heart and your own eyes, after which you played the harlot,
Josh 7:21
21 when I saw among the spoil a beautiful mantle from Shinar and two hundred shekels of silver and a bar of gold fifty shekels in weight, then I coveted them and took them; and behold, they are concealed in the earth inside my tent with the silver underneath it.”
2 Sam 11:2
2 Now when evening came David arose from his bed and walked around on the roof of the king’s house, and from the roof he saw a woman bathing; and the woman was very beautiful in appearance.
Job 31:1
“I have made a covenant with my eyes;
How then could I gaze at a virgin?
Prov 4:25
25 Let your eyes look directly ahead
And let your gaze be fixed straight in front of you.
Prov 23:5
5 When you set your eyes on it, it is gone.
For wealth certainly makes itself wings
Like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.
Isa 33:15
15 He who walks righteously and speaks with sincerity,
He who rejects unjust gain
And shakes his hands so that they hold no bribe;
He who stops his ears from hearing about bloodshed
And shuts his eyes from looking upon evil;
Matt 5:28
28 but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
1 John 2:16
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.
Ps 119:25
My soul cleaves to the dust;
Revive me according to Your word.
Ps 119:40
40 Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me through Your righteousness.
Psalm 119:38-
2 Sam 7:25-29
25 “Now therefore, O LORD God, the word that You have spoken concerning Your servant and his house, confirm it forever, and do as You have spoken, 26 that Your name may be magnified forever, by saying, “The LORD of hosts is God over Israel’; and may the house of Your servant David be established before You. 27 “For You, O LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, have made a revelation to Your servant, saying, “I will build you a house’; therefore Your servant has found courage to pray this prayer to You. 28 “Now, O Lord GOD, You are God, and Your words are truth, and You have promised this good thing to Your servant. 29 “Now therefore, may it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue forever before You. For You, O Lord GOD, have spoken; and with Your blessing may the house of Your servant be blessed forever.”
Ps 119:49
Remember the word to Your servant,
In which You have made me hope.
2 Cor 1:20
20 For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us.
Ps 103:11
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.
Ps 103:13
13 Just as a father has compassion on his children,
So the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.
Ps 103:17
17 But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children,
Ps 145:19
19 He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him;
He will also hear their cry and will save them.
Ps 147:11
11 The LORD favors those who fear Him,
Those who wait for His lovingkindness.
Jer 32:39-41
39 and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. 40 “I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me. 41 “I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.
Psalm 119:39-
Ps 39:8
8 “Deliver me from all my transgressions;
Make me not the reproach of the foolish.
Ps 57:3
3 He will send from heaven and save me;
He reproaches him who tramples upon me.
Selah.
God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth.
Ps 119:22
22 Take away reproach and contempt from me,
For I observe Your testimonies.
Ps 119:31
31 I cling to Your testimonies;
O LORD, do not put me to shame!
1 Tim 3:7
7 And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
1 Tim 5:14
14 Therefore, I want younger widows to get married, bear children, keep house, and give the enemy no occasion for reproach;
Titus 2:8
8 sound in speech which is beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us.
Deut 4:8
8 “Or what great nation is there that has statutes and judgments as righteous as this whole law which I am setting before you today?
Ps 19:9
9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.
Ps 119:20
20 My soul is crushed with longing
After Your ordinances at all times.
Ps 119:43
43 And do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
For I wait for Your ordinances.
Ps 119:75
75 I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are righteous,
And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me.
Ps 119:123
123 My eyes fail with longing for Your salvation
And for Your righteous word.
Ps 119:131
131 I opened my mouth wide and panted,
For I longed for Your commandments.
Isa 26:8
8 Indeed, while following the way of Your judgments, O LORD,
We have waited for You eagerly;
Your name, even Your memory, is the desire of our souls.
Rom 2:2
2 And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.
Rev 19:2
2 BECAUSE HIS JUDGMENTS ARE TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and HE HAS AVENGED THE BLOOD OF HIS BOND-SERVANTS ON HER.”
Psalm 119:40-
Ps 119:5
5 Oh that my ways may be established
To keep Your statutes!
Ps 119:20
20 My soul is crushed with longing
After Your ordinances at all times.
Matt 26:41
41 “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Rom 7:24
24 Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?
2 Cor 7:1
Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.
Gal 5:17
17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.
Phil 3:13-14
13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Ps 119:149
149 Hear my voice according to Your lovingkindness;
Revive me, O LORD, according to Your ordinances.
Ps 119:159
159 Consider how I love Your precepts;
Revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness.
Mark 9:24
24 Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.”
John 5:21
21 “For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes.
John 10:10
10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
1 Cor 15:45
45 So also it is written, “The first MAN, Adam, BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
Eph 2:5
5 even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
3 John 2
2 Beloved, I pray that in all respects you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers.
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