the point - clover sites

122 S e S S i o n 4

The PointThe only safe place to build your life is on God’s Word.

The Bible Meets LifeA lot of people acknowledge the value of the Bible, but affirming its value does

not mean they build their lives on it . . . or that they even find it reliable. Skeptics

want to dismiss Christianity, saying it is based on a flawed document. If the Bible

is flawed, then how can we trust it for matters of eternal significance? Internal

evidence (information found in the Bible) and external evidence (information

gained outside the Bible) both continually show us the Bible’s trustworthiness

and reliability, allowing us to trust it in all matters.

The PassagePsalm 119:1-8, 137-144

The SettingPsalm 119 is not only the longest psalm, but it is longer than 30 entire books in

the Bible. It is comprised of 22 stanzas, and each stanza begins with a successive

letter of the Hebrew alphabet. What’s most important is what this acrostic psalm

does—it lifts up the wonders and perfections of God’s Word. This psalm points

us to the benefits we receive as we rely on the truths of Scripture.

B i B l e S t u d i e S f o r l i f e 123

Psalm 119:1-8,137-144 (HCSB)

1 How happy are those whose way is blameless, who live according to the LORD’s instruction!

2 Happy are those who keep His decrees and seek Him with all their heart.

3 They do nothing wrong; they follow His ways.

4 You have commanded that Your precepts be diligently kept.

5 If only my ways were committed to keeping Your statutes!

6 Then I would not be ashamed when I think about all Your commands.

7 I will praise You with a sincere heart when I learn Your righteous judgments.

8 I will keep Your statutes; never abandon me.

137 You are righteous, LORD, and Your judgments are just.

138 The decrees You issue are righteous and altogether trustworthy.

139 My anger overwhelms me because my foes forget Your words.

140 Your word is completely pure, and Your servant loves it.

141 I am insignificant and despised, but I do not forget Your precepts.

142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your instruction is true.

143 Trouble and distress have overtaken me, but Your commands are my delight.

144 Your decrees are righteous forever. Give me understanding, and I will live.

Key Words

Judgments (v. 137)—This word sometimes refers to a verdict in a court of law. Here it refers to God’s decisions about right and wrong.

Decrees (v. 138)—Decrees are covenant stipulations, often translated “testimony.” God’s decrees bear testimony to what is true.

Precepts (v. 141)—A precept is a properly appointed principle, a mandate, a guideline for covenant living.

Instruction (v. 142)—Also translated Torah, this word is used to refer to a statute, the Ten Commandments, and even the first five books of the Bible.

What does the Bible say?

124 S e S S i o n 4

Notes

THE POINT The only safe place to build your life is on God’s Word.

Get INtO the StUDYDISCUSS: Invite your group members

to turn their attention to the image on

page 103 of the Personal Study Guide

(PSG). Ask: “What item from your

childhood still works today?”

Say: “Regardless of what product or item

we consider dependable and reliable,

it will fail us at sometime. Not so with

the Bible.”

SUmmarIze: The third paragraph

on page 104 of the PSG discusses the trustworthiness of the message of God’s Word.

While some people deny this truth, we can rely on the fact that God gave us the Bible

so we’d know more about Him and what it means to follow Him on a daily basis.

GUIDe: Call attention to The Point on page 104 of the PSG: “The only safe place

to build your life is on God’s Word.” Explain that this key idea will drive our

discussion today.

Pray: Transition into the Bible study by thanking God for the guidance and instruction

found in His Word.

Display Pack Item #11

to communicate the

session topic.

Cut out Pack Item #12

and distribute to your

group.

5 minutes


Psalm 119:137-144

137 You are righteous, LORD, and Your judgments are just. 138 The decrees You

issue are righteous and altogether trustworthy. 139 My anger overwhelms

me because my foes forget Your words. 140 Your word is completely pure, and

Your servant loves it. 141 I am insignificant and despised, but I do not forget

Your precepts. 142 Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and

Your instruction is true. 143 Trouble and distress have overtaken me, but Your

commands are my delight. 144 Your decrees are righteous forever. Give me

understanding, and I will live.

ReaD: Ask a group member to read Psalm 119:137-144 aloud.

DISCUSS: Question 2 on page 106 of the PSG: “What are some reasons

people give for questioning the reliability of the Bible?”

SUmmaRIze: Explain the three examples of external evidence that support the

reliability of the Bible: archaeology, the multitude of manuscripts, and the impact

on humanity. These are discussed on page 106 of the PSG.

Say: ”God intends for His Word to transform every aspect of our lives.”

DISCUSS: Question 3 on page 107 of the PSG: “What do these verses teach

us about God and His Word?”

SUmmaRIze: These verses describe the significance of God’s Word and reveal

His purposes for our lives.

] God’s Word is righteous—it’s correct, true, and useful.

] God’s Word gives trustworthy instruction for life.

] God’s Word reflects His character, therefore it’s perfect and infinite.

] God’s Word is unchanging.

TRanSITIon: The next verses explore the benefits of following the wisdom

found in God’s Word.

STUDY THE BIBLE15 minutes

NotesNotes

126 S e S S i o n 4

Psalm 119:137-144 Commentary

Psalm 119 is a love poem written about the Law of God. The psalmist wanted to be creative, so he began

each stanza with a letter from the Hebrew alphabet: Aleph, Beth, Gimel, and so forth. As if that was

not creative enough, he then arranged each verse of each stanza to begin with that stanza’s particular

letter. Psalm 119 is the longest poem in the Psalms, and it poetically extols the virtues and practical

value of the Word of God. It portrays God’s Word and law as the determining element in all realms of life.

The psalm appears to have been written in a time of persecution, perhaps during a period when idol

worshipers were in charge and the worshipers of Yahweh were on the run (vv. 8, 139, 141, 143, 153-154).

In spite of his pain, the psalmist esteems the Law of God “as his most precious treasure (vv. 72, 127),

as the source of his joy and delight (vv. 16, 24, 47, 70 and often), as the goal of his knowledge and the

standard of his conduct in life (vv. 12, 26, 64, 68), and as the object of his love (v. 47).” 1

How can we determine right from wrong in our pluralistic culture where different religions and truth

systems muddy the waters and the prevailing opinion is that there are no absolute standards of right

and wrong? The psalmist answered: “You are righteous, LORD.” Righteous simply means morally right,

correct, or proper. One of the unifying themes of the Bible is that God is the standard of rightness in the

universe. Therefore, His judgments and decrees are altogether trustworthy. We can build our lives upon

them, for they are right.

In a society sold out to idols, the psalmist refused to reject God’s ways. Why? He knew that God’s

righteousness is an everlasting righteousness. God is eternal, so His character is eternal. That means His

righteousness is eternal. And since God is eternally right, then His instructions are eternally true. God’s

principles of right and wrong can always be trusted in any age.

God’s people who live by God’s laws have always had trouble. The writer of Psalm 119 was no exception.

Trouble, perhaps from idol worshipers in the land, had overtaken him. Galloping quickly behind trouble

was distress. The former came from his circumstances, but the latter came from his heart. Anxiety and

fear erupted out of his heart and upon his life. What did he do? The psalmist clung to God’s commands,

and they became his delight. God’s Word, which had made him different from the world and had

resulted in his persecution, proved to be a source of joy.

1. Artur Weiser, The Psalms: A Commentary, trans. Herbert Hartwell (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1962), 740.



Psalm 119:1-8

1 How happy are those whose way is blameless, who live according to the

LORD’s instruction! 2 Happy are those who keep His decrees and seek Him

with all their heart. 3 They do nothing wrong; they follow His ways. 4 You

have commanded that Your precepts be diligently kept. 5 If only my ways

were committed to keeping Your statutes! 6 Then I would not be ashamed

when I think about all Your commands. 7 I will praise You with a sincere heart

when I learn Your righteous judgments. 8 I will keep Your statutes; never

abandon me.

ReaD: Ask a group member to read Psalm 119:1-8 aloud.

SUmmaRIze: The first paragraph on page 108 of the PSG describes the

blessings that accompany those who seek to follow God’s Word. Independent of

circumstances, this kind of blessing refers to the peace and confidence we can

have when we seek to make our life decisions based on the wisdom found in

God’s Word.

DISCUSS: Question 4 on page 108 of the PSG: “When have you seen the

Bible’s instruction work?”

TRanSITIon: God gave us His Word and calls us to obey the statutes and

instructions given in it. We will certainly mess up at times, but that shouldn’t stop

us from seeking to follow God through obeying His word.

10 minutes STUDY THE BIBLE

NotesNotes

128 S e S S i o n 4

Psalm 119:1-8 Commentary

Where can a person find happiness? In a job? In a car? In a relationship? The psalmist said happiness

comes when a person’s way is blameless because he lives according to the Lord’s instructions. Living

obediently to God’s decrees results in a happy life for two reasons. First, a blameless life removes the

problem of unresolved guilt. Psychiatrists spend much of their time trying to help their clients deal

with the guilt of what they have done in the past for which they both need forgiveness and need to

forgive themselves. Secondly, obedience leads to happiness, for it opens the door to God’s presence.

Unconfessed sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1-2), but turning away from our sins and turning back

to God’s ways makes it possible for us to walk in God’s presence (1 John 3:24). David declared, “You

reveal the path of life to me; in Your presence is abundant joy; in Your right hand are eternal pleasures”

(Psalm 16:11).

The psalmist knew that happiness comes from obeying God’s Word; indeed, he knew God commanded

His precepts be diligently kept. However, the psalmist also knew he could not do it perfectly. He failed,

and that caused him shame. When he thought about how he failed, the psalmist was ashamed. Our

failures call forth a similar response from us.

However, for Christians who have been made right with God by grace through faith in Jesus

(Ephesians 2:8-9), when we agree with God that what we did was wrong, our sin will be forgiven and

our shame will be removed. “If we say, ‘We have no sin,’ we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not

in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all

unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9).

The psalm writer wanted to be able to praise God with a ”sincere heart,” which could be translated, an

upright or honest heart. He wanted to praise God from a heart that was right with God. However, the

only way he could pull that off was to learn God’s righteous judgments. In fact, he said in 119:11, “I have

treasured Your word in my heart so that I may not sin against You.”



Psalm 119:1-8 (continued)

1 How happy are those whose way is blameless, who live according to the

LORD’s instruction! 2 Happy are those who keep His decrees and seek Him

with all their heart. 3 They do nothing wrong; they follow His ways. 4 You

have commanded that Your precepts be diligently kept. 5 If only my ways

were committed to keeping Your statutes! 6 Then I would not be ashamed

when I think about all Your commands. 7 I will praise You with a sincere heart

when I learn Your righteous judgments. 8 I will keep Your statutes; never

abandon me.

Say: “How do we grow in obedience and avoid what is wrong? The answer is to

learn to walk—to live—in the ways of the Lord.”

SUmmaRIze: The first step in following God’s Word is to read it. With a little

effort and a plan, carve out some time each day to spend in Scripture. In time,

you’ll grow in your understanding of God and His Word and find yourself thinking

about it throughout the day. Then do your best to obey His Word.

DISCUSS: Question 5 on page 109 of the PSG: “Why do we follow

God’s Word?”

Do: Place your members into groups of 2-3 people each, then complete the

activity on page 109 of the PSG. Allow time to discuss their answers.

Wisdom for Life’s Ups and Downs:

] What distractions or obstacles prevent you from having a consistent time in

God’s Word? How do you minimize these?

] What Bible reading plan, devotional, or other study tool have you found to

be especially useful?

STUDY THE BIBLE10 minutes

TIP: When giving an activity that requires honest reflection, allow ample time for group members to think through and write down their responses.

NotesNotes

130 S e S S i o n 4

Psalm 119:1-8 Commentary (continued)

As believers, we need to daily seek Him with all [our] heart (v. 2). One way to do that is to study and obey

His statutes. You might start with Matthew 5–7 that talks about how believers behave in the kingdom

of God. Then, spend some time digging in Romans 6–8. These chapters examine our sin problem and

how to overcome it. Next, wade into Ephesians 4–6 and learn how to have godly relationships in the

church, in the home, and at work, and how to put on the all-important armor of God that is needed to

defeat the devil. Happy are those who daily seek God in the pages of His Word.

Years ago I worked for a man whose house was built on the shore of a channel that poured into the San

Francisco Bay. Over the years, the sidewalks around the house had sunk almost two inches from the

level of the house as the soil settled, but the house remained where it had been established, perfectly

level and plumb. The secret? Before he built his house, my boss had sunk concrete pilings down through

the sandy channel soil to the bedrock below, then he built his house upon those pilings. If we want to

be happy, we need to build our lives upon a solid and dependable foundation. The author of Psalm

119 described God’s Word as solid bedrock upon which we can build our lives. Jesus recognized the

importance of a firm foundation when He said, “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine

and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the rivers rose,

and the winds blew and pounded that house. Yet it didn’t collapse, because its foundation was on the

rock” (Matthew 7:24-25).

Jesus said that a thief comes only to steal, to kill, and to destroy, but He came so that people might

have life and have it in abundance (John 10:10). Outside of the church and inside, people are searching

for something to make life work, to make it happy. Some turn to entertainment, but that happiness is

fleeting, ending with the next commercial or the end of their favorite TV show. Others build their lives

upon success and possessions, but there is always something else to buy. The Word of God really is the

only safe place to build your life, for those who live according to the principles found therein experience

reliable happiness and eternal truth.



Notes

5 minutes LIVE IT OUTSay: “Psalm 119 calls us to move from abstract generalities to concrete realities

about the Bible.”

GUIDE: Lead your group members to consider the responses to the Bible study

listed on page 110 of the PSG.

] Begin reading the Bible on a daily basis if you don’t already. Start with the

Gospel of John and read for 10 minutes each day, or check out

YouVersion.com (or their app) for a list of Bible reading plans.

] Commit to follow the wisdom God offers in His Word about a decision you

are facing. Recognizing the truth Scripture offers will make it easier to trust

His Word with future decisions.

] Find a senior adult who has been a Christian a long time. Ask them how

God’s Word has proven trustworthy in their life. Listen for as long as they’re

willing to share.

Wrap It Up

Say: “In a world where things aren’t always built to last, it’s refreshing to know

that God’s Word never changes nor loses its significance. Trust God’s Word this

week for guidance and instruction, then enjoy the promised blessings

that accompany obedience.”

5 minutes

132 S e S S i o n 4

My group's prayer requests

Leading a group just for women, men, or singLes? get customized discussion questions & ideas at BibleStudiesforLife.com/blog.

Spiritual Growth: A Fresh Start with God

If you’re like me, it often takes the start of Spring to motivate me toward new routines or heathier habits. Maybe you’re in the same boat with your spiritual life: you want to start fresh in your relationship with God, but you keep putting it off. Might I suggest that your resistance has less to do with the right timing and more with the right approach?

To continue reading “Spiritual Growth” from Collegiate magazine, visit BibleStudiesforLife.com/articles.


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