Psalm 119

The Way to Happiness

1 You’re only truly happy when you walk in total integrity,[b]

walking in the light of God’s word.

2 What joy overwhelms everyone who keeps the ways of God,

those who seek him as their heart’s passion!

3 They’ll never do what’s wrong

but will always choose the paths of the Lord.

4 God has prescribed the right way to live:

obeying his laws with all our hearts.

5 How I long for my life to bring you glory

as I follow each and every one of your holy precepts!

6 Then I’ll never be ashamed,

for I take strength from all your commandments.

7 I will give my thanks to you from a heart of love and truth.

And every time I learn more of your righteous judgments,

8 I will be faithful to all that your word reveals—

so don’t ever give up on me!

Psalm 119:1–176

The Word

The structure of Psalm 119, the longest psalm (and the longest chapter) in Scripture, is fascinating. The 22 stanzas follow in order the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Within each eight-verse stanza, the first letter of each line corresponds to the same Hebrew letter. So, in English, this would be eight verses beginning with “A” followed by eight verses beginning with “B,” eight verses beginning with “C,” and so on.

But the focus of this psalm is not Hebrew letters. The focus of Psalm 119 is the Word. As the most extended treatment of this topic in Scripture, Psalm 119 uses various terms (precepts, law, decrees, statutes, commands) to speak about the Word of God. God’s Word is eternal (v. 89). His commands are wise (v. 98). Those who walk in God’s commands, God considers blessed (vv. 1–2). If one wants to be pure, the Word of God needs to be his or her guide (v. 9).

The psalm is arranged in an acrostic fashion to help facilitate memorization, likely among children. Memorization of the Word leads to meditation upon the Word, producing the strength the psalmist described: “Cause me to understand the way of your precepts, that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds . . . strengthen me according to your word” (vv. 27–28). As the Word made flesh, Jesus would exemplify God’s ways and guide God’s people.

~NIV Jesus Bible

THE ASCENSION OF YESHUA

Earlier there were a lot of priests, for they died and had to be replaced. But Jesus’ priesthood is permanent. He’s there from now to eternity to save everyone who comes to God through him, always on the job to speak up for them. Jesus’ priestly ministrations are endless and changeless, enabling Him to bring a salvation that lacks nothing. (Hebrews 7:24-25 MSG)

(Hebrews 7:20–28) Jesus’ priesthood supersedes Aaron’s because 1) His priesthood was established by God’s solemn oath, 2) His priesthood is eternal, and 3) He gave Himself as the sacrifice.  A key word of the epistle is “better,” used to describe Christ and the benefits of the gospel (1:4; 7:19, 22; 8:6; 9:23; 10:34; 11:16, 35, 40).

Since His birth in Bethlehem by the miracle of the Incarnation, Christ had lived physically on earth. But 40 days after the resurrection, His earthly ministry ceased with His ascension into heaven (Mark 16:19; Luke 24:50, 51). To a large extent the ascension was for the benefit of Jesus’ followers. They could no longer expect His physical presence. They must now wait for the promised Holy Spirit through whom the work of Jesus would continue.

The ascension marked the beginning of Christ’s intercession for His followers at the right hand of God. There He makes continual intercession for all believers (Rom. 8:34; Heb. 4:14; 6:20; 7:25). Although Christ is not physically present with His people today, He is no less concerned for them or less active on their behalf. Christians enjoy peace, hope, and security because Christ is their advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1).

The ascension set in motion the coming of the Holy Spirit with His gifts for believers (John 14:16–18, 26; 16:7–15; Acts 2:23; Eph. 4:11, 12). God determined that the presence of Jesus would be replaced by the presence of the Holy Spirit, who could be everywhere at the same time. Jesus’ followers now enjoy the presence of the Spirit and the operation of the Spirit’s gifts through them.

One additional result of the ascension is that Jesus began His heavenly reign at the right hand of the Father (1 Cor. 15:20–28). This reign will last until His Second Coming, when He will return to the earth as the reigning Messiah (Acts 3:20, 21).

Finally, the ascension of Christ is the pledge of His Second Coming: “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11). Jesus will return to earth in bodily form just as He ascended into heaven.

Heavenly Father, we thank You for loving us so much that You gave Your one and only Son, Jesus Christ, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. We love and adore You. Lord Jesus, thank You for sacrificing Your life on the cross for our sins.  Because of You, we can now stand before You as pure, holy, and justified. We also thank You for sending the Holy Spirit, our Comforter.  Holy Spirit, we thank You for filling us with love, fruit, gifts and power.  We exalt You, our God and King. We praise Your Name forever and ever. In Jesus name we pray, Amen

PRAYER FOR MY ENEMIES

LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

“Your ancestors have also been taught ‘Love your neighbors and hate the one who hates you.’ However, I say to you, love your enemy, bless the one who curses you, do something wonderful for the one who hates you,and respond to the very ones who persecute you by praying for them. For that will reveal your identity as children of your heavenly Father. He is kind to all by bringing the sunrise to warm and rainfall to refresh whether a person does what is good or evil. What reward do you deserve if you only love the loveable? Don’t even the tax collectors do that? How are you any different from others if you limit your kindness only to your friends? Don’t even the ungodly do that? Since you are children of a perfect Father in heaven, you are to be perfect like him.”

Matthew 5:43-48 The Passion Translation (TPT)

Footnotes:
Matthew 5:43 The Aramaic is “your relatives.” This phrase is found in the Torah; the following phrase is from oral tradition. See Lev. 19:18.
Matthew 5:44 As translated from the Aramaic. The previous two clauses are not found in some reliable Greek manuscripts.
Matthew 5:46 The Hebrew Matthew is “transgressors.”
Matthew 5:47 Or “ask for the peace of your brothers” (Hebrew Matthew and Aramaic).
Matthew 5:47 Or “gentiles” (who worship other gods).
Matthew 5:48 The Greek and Aramaic words for “perfect” can also mean “whole, complete, fully mature, lacking nothing, all-inclusive, well rounded.”

~Happy Healthy and Prosperous