STABILITY

PSALM 119

Rick Jackson

In a universe of uncertainty (asteroids) there is stability. In a world of conflict (Jihad, communism, global warming or global idiocy) there is stability. In a nation of petty political posturing there is stability. In a state of moral ambiguity there is stability. In a community, a church, your family, in your life there is stability. You may say, but brother Rick all you have done is mention a few of the myriad of problems facing us on every conceivable scale and yet you say, "there is stability." Where? Where is the stability?

The psalmist, like us, had many outside forces that tend to unsettle a person, but he found stability in the Word of God and the God of the Word. The word faithfulness is found four times in Psalm 119. Each time it is the same basic Hebrew Word (or a form thereof) and Young's Concordance says it means "stability".

Strong's concordance says the literal meaning is firmness (my hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness, I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name, On Christ the solid Rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand).

Strong goes on to say that it figuratively means security and speaking morally it means fidelity like the Marines motto "Semper Fi". "Semper Fidelis" is Latin for "Always faithful." Besides being translated as faithfulness, it is also translated into the English as stability, steady, truly, truth, and verily. It is that. So, amidst chaos and uncertainty the believer has stability. Let's see how the psalmist applied it.

The psalmist had stability:

I. IN THE MIDST OF GOD-GIVEN [OR GOD-ALLOWED] AFFLICTION [V. 73-80]

Other believers are encouraged. God afflicts us (or allows it) for a reason, reminiscent of Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. The Lord is the friend that sticketh closer than a brother. The Psalmist doesn't ask to be removed from afflictions but to be comforted in them.

II. IN THE MIDST OF PERSECUTION [V. 81-88]

When it seems the Heavens are brass we still can trust in the Word. Knowing God's Word strengthens us in persecution. God's loving kindness revives us and reminds us to live for Him!

III. IN THE MIDST OF EVERY AGE [V. 89-96]

The Creator's Word is settled and so we should be as well. This passage is similar to Colossians.

1:16-17 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

3:16-17 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 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.

Since He is the all-powerful Creator, and since He has given His Word, every person in every age can find stability in Him!

IV. IN THE MIDST OF INSIGNIFICANCE [V. 137-144]

How small we are but how great He is.

Psalm 8:4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Psalm 144:3 LORD, what is man, that thou takest knowledge of him! or the son of man, that thou makest account of him!

Many years ago, a scholar named Muretus lived. He was very educated but also very poor. He became very sick, and he was taken to the place where the destitute were kept. The doctors didn't know that he was a scholar and that he understood the scholar's Latin. One day the doctors were discussing his case in Latin and said that he was a poor creature of no value and they questioned aloud what experiments they could do on this worthless beggar. Muretus looked up and answered in their own Latin, "Call no man worthless for whom Christ died." Christ's payment for sin makes every soul of infinite worth.

Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?