Focus Verse (Psalm 119:4)
“Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.”
—-Psalm 119:4 (KJV)
Context for Psalm 119:4
ALEPH (Psalm 119:1-8)
(1) Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.
(2) Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
(3) They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.
(4) Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.
(5) O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!
(6) Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
(7) I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.
(8) I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.
Notes for Psalm 119:4
Who:
“Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.”
“Thou” and “thy” is the “LORD” mentioned in Psalm 119:1 (see context section). The word “us” references the believer.
What:
“Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.”
The “LORD” gives “us” the believer a unilateral command to keep his “precepts diligently”
When:
“Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.”
I believe the word “hast” implies an eternal past. The words “keep” refers to whatever present time in which the believer resides. I also believe the word “diligently” means we should be obedient to the best of our ability with the Lord’s help.
In other words, the believer should always seek to be obedient to the Lord stemming from our love for him. He died on the Cross so that we may have eternal life and is worthy of our love and obedience. I John 4:18-19 (KJV) states:
(18) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
(19) We love him, because he first loved us.
However, we as believers must understand that we will never be perfect.
We are saved through grace alone. We always go through the Cross, where Jesus died for our sins for our salvation. We are not saved by works.
I John 1:8-10 (KJV) says if we have no sin the “the truth is not in us.” Interestingly, Jesus is always diligent in forgiving our sins when we confess them to him. The Lord is perfect in his diligence in carrying out all of his Word. If he says it, it happens.
(8) If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
(9) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
(10) If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
As stated before, the Lord helps us to be diligent out of love. We should take comfort that God will chastise us when we do wrong as stated in Hebrews 12:5-6 (KJV):
(5) And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
(6) For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
Where:
“Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.”
I think Matthew 28:19-20 (KJV), which describes the great commission, states where we are to do God’s bidding:
(19) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
(20) Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Why:
“Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.”
God wants us to obey him with a loving heart. I John 4:19 (KJV) states, “We love him, because he first loved us.”
In John 21:17(KJV), you see an example of the motivation behind a believer’s obedience:
“He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”
Later Peter, in the Book of Acts, you see Peter feeding the sheep with the Word of God.
Takeaways for Psalm 119:4
1.) Jesus: The Perfect Example of Diligence
Jesus represents a perfect example of diligence in carrying out God’s command. He was tempted in the same way as us but without sin Hebrews 4:15 (KJV) states “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
Moreover, he gave up the privileges of his deity to walk among us and to carry out the plan of salvation by dying on the Cross for our sins and rising from the dead on the third day. Philippians 2:7-8 (KJV) states:
(7) But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
(8) And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Finally, when Jesus was being arrested, he indicated that he could have called upon the Father to bring down legions of Angels to his aid. However, he knew diligence would be required to fulfill his plan to die for our sins, raise from the dead, and ascend to the right hand of the Father.
(53) Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
(54) But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?
——Matthew 26:53-54 (KJV)
2.) Paul and His Team: An Early Church Example of Diligence
God wants us to be diligent even when we are uncertain of his will. In a good example of Spirit filled diligence, Paul, Silas, Timothy and a little later Luke kept trying to move forward in dispensing with the gospel, even though the Holy Spirit kept detouring them. I believe they were intent on telling people of how Jesus came and died for our sins and rose again on the third day.
God eventually came to Paul in a vision and gave him a clear path into Macedonia specifically Philippi. The account of the events can be found in Acts 16:6-10 (KJV):
(6) Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,
(7) After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
(8) And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
(9) And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
(10) And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
3.) Do it for the Lord’s Glory
We don’t work for our Salvation. However, we work diligently for the Lord because we love him due to the work he did on the Cross for us so that we may have salvation.
When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden, they brought down a sin curse on mankind and created an enmity between God and man. Judgment is coming for mankind but Jesus paved a way for us to be reconciled to God and have life with him. He deserves our worship and obedience.
Different people glorify God in various ways. Everyone has different gifts given to them by the Lord to be utilized by him for his glory. Some people are good at being pastors, teachers, and evangelists. Others, are good at maintaining buildings, lawns and parking lots.
In the Word of God, Ephesians 4:11 (KJV) lists examples of gifts to be utilized in his service:
“And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;”
In Colossians 3:17 (KJV), God provides guidance on the attitude we are to have when we are utilizing his gifts no matter where he places us in life and ministry:
“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
4.) The Holy Spirit Gives Gives Us the Ability and Strength to be Faithful
When we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ as our savior, we are in dwelt by the Holy Spirit who molds us and makes us more like him. We become like trees that yield fruit in its due time because we draw from the River of Life that is the Holy Word of God. Psalm 1:3 (KJV) states, “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
As stated in Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV), the they are Spiritual fruits such as love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, humbleness, and temperance:
(22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith (faithfulness),
(23) Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Conclusion for Psalm 119:4
Let’s not forget our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who showed perfect diligence in authoring our plan of salvation. He became “obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
Also, remember the examples of the Apostles and Christians in the early Church who persisted in giving out the Gospel in the face of persecution, uncertainty, and martyrdom.
We should always keep God at the center of everything we do. He deserves our diligence. Do everything to his glory.
Praise God, Jesus rose from the grave on the third day and sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us. Thank you Jesus for diligently paving the way for our Salvation and eternal fellowship with you. Amen.
Further Reading
King James Bible
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