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PSALM 119:137-144 TZADDI

At the end of the day who can you trust?! Have you ever thought that?
Im sure we have all been let down by people we admire and look up to.

When I first went to preach with a view for a church in which I served as
Pastor, we stayed with a family for whom I gained a tremendous love and
respect. J ohn was a recovered alcoholic and became involved in helping
others to come off alcoholism and come to Christ. His wife, J oan, knew
all-too-well the rigours of living with an alcoholic and the Lord used her
also in working alongside J ohn. They were two very fine Christians, -
J ohn was an elder in the church.

They had five grown-up children, - four daughters (three of whom ended
up pregnant before marriage, one of them a 23 year-old to a 64 year-
old husband of someone else) and a son who was heavily into drugs and
much that was associated with that.

J ohn and J oan were two of the mainstays in our evangelism and we
regularly went round the doors together. J ohn began to accompany
another lady round the doors and I asked him not to do that because
some folk were saying to me they were spending too much time in each
others company! They stopped going round the doors together for a
while but then I heard they had started up again.

One morning J oan knocked on my door. John had moved out. I went
to see him, we talked, and I had to tell him his present circumstances
were incompatible with his position as an elder in the church. He resigned
from the Elders Court.

About a week later this other woman left her husband and J ohn and her, -
although they didnt moved in together, - were as good as living together.
Again, as things got worse, I had to speak with J ohn and tell him his
witness was not the witness of an obedient child of God. He
consequently resigned his membership, - choosing his relationship with
this woman over his relationship with the Lord.

After a number of months, the relationship fell through and he came
back to the Lord and also to his wife. Sadly, not very long afterwards his
wife died very suddenly.
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J ohn continued to involve himself in the Lords work this time
among drug addicts as well alcoholics. He ended up marrying a young
girl who was a drug addict and unsaved. J ust before they were married
the young girls previous partner knifed J ohn in the face and his life was
on the edge for a time. Nevertheless, J ohn married the young girl and he
subsequently returned to the alcohol. The last I heard of him he was a
total wreck away from the Lord.

He lives not too far from May Nicholson and when May was so ill with
her cancer J ohn was round at her home begging for money.

It is such a long story I am telling you but Im just sharing with you an
example of someone who once walked with the Lord but who ended up a
sad disappointment.

The psalmist had been disappointed too In this section of the Psalm we
find that he again finds solace in the Word of God. The Word is so
precious to him and he emphasises to us his heartfelt conviction that
Gods Word is altogether righteous. When all other things let us down
the Word takes us to our God Who will never disappoint us!

Is it necessary to highlight such a theme? Yes, it is, because sometimes as
believers we need our faith strengthened and we gain that added strength
through an increasing knowledge of God, as we find it in His Word.

One of the most basic statements the Bible makes about itself and our
faith is Rom. 10:17, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
The preaching of the Word of God is absolutely vital for salvation.
Gods Word is absolutely integral in the process of someone coming to
Christ, - salvation must be in response to Gods Word.
It is also the case that the more we live in Gods Word, the stronger
our faith will become. I had two ladies in a previous congregation who
told two enthusiastic young Christians (who had come into membership)
they were going to far too many meetings! but you need the Word!!
The Lord J esus spoke about the grain of mustard seed; He said, Mk.
4:31 when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:
32 But when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh greater than all herbs, and
shooteth out great branches.
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Like the mustard seed, faith has life in it, and if the seed is planted
and cultivated, it will grow and bear fruit. If it is not cultivated, it will
not grow and it will not bear fruit!
The message here is that Gods Word is trustworthy you can
depend upon it and you can live your life according to it!

Here are some very basic considerations regarding the trustworthiness of
Gods infallible and inerrant and inspired Word and how Gods Word
helps us to grow in the faith.

GODS WORD IS TRUSTWORTHY NO MATTER WHAT PEOPLE DO
(vv.137-139)
The psalmist was coming close to arriving at the place where it was
taking more and more out of him trying to convince people to listen to
and to trust Gods Word.
Im sure there were times when he must have felt his ministry had
failed for no one seemed to be responding. Lord, Im trying to teach
this people Your Word, but they neither want to hear it or learn from it.
Oh, what can you do?! You cannot force people to accept Gods
Word. You cannot force them to be as excited about it as you are. I have
often been told, Thats alright for you, its your job! But you know,
it is not because of my job that I study Gods Word, - I study it because I
love it and I need it!
And besides, your walk with God is only as good as your study and
your application of His Word! It is His Word you need to obey!!
Though people, - even intellectually clever people, - attack and
ridicule it, the Word comes from God and will be here long after the
criticiser has gone.
People may reject it and keep on sinning but Gods Word keeps
on being perfect, and it keeps on being necessary for Gods people.
Yes, you can look to nature and see the wonder of Gods creation, but
His Word tells you more about Him than any of His creation ever will.
His Word is unique and He does all things in accordance with that
which is laid down in His Word. His Word is pure, - it is the benchmark
of what He expects from His people.
The psalmists enemies had forgotten Gods Word, i.e. there had
been a time when they had known it but they have since rejected it.
They dont heed Gods Word any longer, they have no hunger or
thirst for it their own form of religion, yes Gods Word, no.
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They have moved on, they have evolved to greater things and
Gods Word is out-of-date!
But the psalmist remains constant, Thy word is very pure: therefore thy
servant loveth it. Every faithful believer loves the Word of God, for
wherever the true grace of God is in evidence, you will find the love of
the Word there also. And you will always find that Gods Word is
trustworthy no matter what people do.

GODS WORD IS TRUSTWORTHY NO MATTER WHAT PEOPLE SAY
(vv.140-141)
Over the centuries the Bible has been burned, torn in bits by educated
criticisers and yet we still have it today.
I can promise you with all confidence that no matter what they say
about this Book, and no matter how much they show their hatred for it,
this Book will outlast every one of them!
If clever people come out with so-called clever theories and manage
to dupe their audiences, I promise you this Book is to be preferred rather
than anything they say in opposition to it.
Mans theories come and go, they develop with each generation, they
take a new direction every time someone highlights them but Gods
Word remains constant it remains the same.
For saying these things clever people might call me silly, stupid and
old-fashioned but unlike all their theories, the truth in which I believe
has never changed and never will change.
I can read exponents of Gods Word from centuries ago and we
believe the same because Gods Word says it and it doesnt change.
I can read the Old and New Testaments and I believe every word, for
Gods servants down for as long as time has almost lasted have believed
them also.
The enemy wants to forget the words of God Even many in
evangelical circles are exchanging the Word for some other forms of
authority which is suspicious and dubious, and not as clearly
described in Gods Word.
small and despised that was how the psalmist described how they
looked down upon him but when you stand upon the promises of
God in His Word, you are more than a giant! Be excited about this
( I Cor. 1:27) God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the
wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things
which are mighty; God has chosen you to be His!
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They rejected Christ dont be surprised when they reject you too.
They tried to catch Him out dont be surprised when they set up
their traps for you too count it an honour!
Look at it like this when you are small and despised, place all your
hope in the God Who is all-powerful and trust in His Word!
Gods Word is trustworthy no matter what people do; it is
trustworthy no matter what people say

GODS WORD IS TRUSTWORTHY NO MATTER HOW YOU FEEL (vv.142-
143)
This is important too! Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me, the
psalmist said. I dont seem to be coping very well! Its all getting on top
of me. Yes, its perfectly natural to feel like that and its perfectly
natural to look into the Bible and see someone going through difficult
times which are not too foreign to what you are going through but its
different because that is the Bible! Its almost as if it is some kind of a
fairy story!
But even though it is perfectly natural it is not right for the child
of God, because somehow it is as if you are casting doubt upon what God
promises you in His Word.
Dont let how you feel dictate to you the trustworthiness of the Word
of God. Your feelings change, but Gods Word never changes.
Gods Word is not only true, Gods Word is Truth itself. The Word
of God is Truth (J n. 17:17), the Son of God is Truth (J n. 14:6 I am the way,
the truth, and the life), and the Spirit of God is Truth (I J n. 5:6).
The Spirit of God wrote the Word of Truth, and the Word of Truth
reveals the Son Who is Truth so therefore when you turn to its pages
you have the Truth and as a consequence your feelings ought to be led
into a beautiful confidence/delight in our wonderful and Sovereign Lord.
The psalmists trouble and anguish drove him closer to Gods Word
and into Gods arms.
Imagine the sheep lost on the ledge of the cliff bleating, hungry,
and frightened and then the shepherd finds him, bends down and lifts
him in his arms out of the danger and into the safety of the Saviour.
No matter how you are feeling at this moment, you can trust Gods
Word for to trust His Word is to trust God Himself. Finally

GODS WORD IS TRUSTWORTHY NO MATTER HOW LONG YOU LIVE
(v.144)
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I read commentaries and statements from faithful men of the Word
who lived a long time ago, - I often bring their thoughts to you for they
are completely up-to-date and apt for Gods people today.
Gods Word never goes out-of-date. The words of Abraham and
Samuel and David and Paul and all the rest have as much to say to us
today as ever they had to say.
The passing of time does not make Gods Word impotent or
ineffective. Gods people could not survive today without Gods Word.
The Word of God is eternal, it is everlasting, it is not confined to any
period in time, - it is timeless and fixed forever.
You never have to go to it and see if there is an update or a correction
as God has made all things perfect, His Word is perfect too.
To build your life upon Gods Word is to participate in eternity, - Mt.
7:24-27 speaks about the wise man who built his house upon the rock. It
is not the length of life that matters but the depth of life that counts
and the depth comes from laying hold of Gods Word and obeying it.
Lay the foundations deep, - dig into the Word, and keep digging
you will never hit the bottom because there is always more and more to
learn. The psalmist prayed, give me understanding, and I shall live.
You will never grow out of it; you will never plumb its depths but
because you love its truth, you will keep on digging until the Lord calls
you home.

CONCLUSION
So what has the psalmist reminded us of again? Gods Word
is trustworthy no matter what people do; it is trustworthy no matter
what people say; it is trustworthy no matter how you feel, and is
trustworthy no matter how long you live Where would you get a
deal/package like that nowadays!
Unbeliever, you want something to guide your life by? Turn to
Gods Word and find God in its pages. Come to Christ and find Him as
your Saviour and your Lord.
Believer, come again and drink at the waters of the Word of God
and satisfy your thirst and keep on drinking.
This Book is as the living waters that never runs dry, the Holy
Spirit invites you again, taste [from the Book] and see that the LORD is good:
[for] blessed is the man [the woman, and the child] that trusteth in him.

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