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Shepherding the Flock - When I Have Respect unto Thy Commandments – Psalm 119:6


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In Psalm 119:6 the psalmist gave the testimony, “Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.”  Furthermore, in verse 15 the psalmist expressed the commitment, “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.”  Finally, in verse 117 the psalmist expressed the commitment, “Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.”
 
In all three of these verses, we find the psalmist employing the verb “have respect” in relation to the Word and ways of the Lord.  Concerning the Word of the Lord, the psalmist declared in the closing portion of Psalm 119:6, “When I have respect unto all thy commandments [that is – unto all the commandments of the Lord’s Word].”  Concerning the ways of the Lord, the psalmist declared in the closing portion of verse 15, “And have respect unto thy ways.”  Then again concerning the Word of the Lord, the psalmist declared in the closing portion of verse 117, “And I will have respect unto thy statutes [that is – unto the statutes of the Lord’s Word] continually.”  So then, what does this verb “have respect” mean?  It means “to view with a high regard, to view as being worthy of high honor and priority affection, to hold a spirit of high regard, honor, esteem, and even love and joy toward someone or something.”  This is just the heart attitude that the psalmist, this young man of God, determined to have toward the Word and ways of the Lord.  Even so, this is just the heart attitude that we also ought to have toward the Word and ways of our Lord.

We must have respect unto the Lord’s Word and ways with commitment. (decision)
 
In Psalm 119:115 the psalmist expressed his commitment unto the Lord, “Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.”  He did not leave this matter to the chance of his feelings from day-to-day and from moment-to-moment.  Rather, he made a decision of commitment concerning this matter.  He declared, “I will have respect.”  I will hold a high regard and a high honor toward the standards and statutes of God’s Holy Word.  I will give the truths and teachings of God’s Holy Word a place of priority affection and priority love in my heart.  I will have a high esteem for the truths of God’s Holy Word, and I will find great joy in the teachings of God’s Holy Word. 
 
Yet there was more to the psalmist’s commitment.  He not only expressed his commitment to have respect for the Word of the Lord.  He also expressed his commitment to have respect for the ways of the Lord that he learned from the Word of the Lord.  In Psalm 119:15 he expressed this additional commitment unto the Lord, “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.”  Herein the phrase of commitment, “I will,” encompasses both the decision to meditate and the decision to have respect.  So then, the psalmist, this young man of God, was not only making his commitment to fervently learn the truths of God’s Word, but was also making his commitment to obediently follow the ways of God’s Word.  He was making his commitment to be both a hearer of the Word and a doer of the Word.  Even so, we also ought to commit ourselves to have such a respect unto our Lord’s Word and ways.
 
We must have respect unto the Lord’s Word and ways with consideration. (discipline)
 
In Psalm 119:15 the psalmist, this young man of God, joined his commitment to have respect unto God’s Word with another commitment, saying, “I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.”  The psalmist understood that there is no true spirit of respect, of high regard and high honor, of priority affection and love, for God’s Word if you do not spend time studying in and meditating on God’s Word each day.  Even so, in verses 47-48 he united his love for God’s Word with a meditation in God’s Word, saying, “And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.  My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.”  Yet again in verse 97 he exclaimed, “O how love I thy law!  It is my meditation all the day.”  In like manner, Psalm 1:2 unites a delight in God’s Holy Word with a daily mediation in God’s Holy Word, stating concerning the man who is blessed of God, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”  This is the daily discipline of having respect unto the Lord’s Word and ways.  With a true spirit of respect for the Lord’s Word and ways, we will be moved and motivated to discipline ourselves unto a daily consideration in the truths and teachings of God’s Word.  Yea, we will be moved and motivated to discipline ourselves unto a daily study and meditation in the truths and teachings of God’s Word.
 
We must have respect unto the Lord’s Word and ways with confidence. (dependence)
 
In Psalm 119:114 the psalmist, this young man of God, expressed his confident hope before the Lord, saying, “Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.”  Then on the ground of this confident hope, in verse 116 lifted up his prayer unto the Lord, saying, “Uphold me according unto thy word, that I may live: and let me not be ashamed of my hope.”  Finally, in verse 117 the psalmist expressed his prayer, his confident hope, and his personal commitment, saying, “Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.”  The psalmist had a confident hope that the Lord his God would be the hiding place and the shield for His faithful servant.  Yea, the psalmist had a confident hope that the Lord his God would hold him up and keep him safe.  Even so, the psalmist was moved unto a commitment of respect for the Word of God because he had a confidence of hope in the God of the Word.  His confidence of hope in the God of the Word and his commitment of respect for the Word of God were ever united.  His confidence of hope in the God of the Word caused him to have a greater commitment of respect for the Word of God, and his commitment of respect for the Word of God caused him to grow in his confidence of hope in the God of the Word.  So then, do we possess a confident hope in the Lord our God?  We should demonstrate it by maintaining a committed respect toward His Holy Word through daily mediation and obedience.  So then, do we desire to possess a greater confidence of hope in the Lord our God?  It will continue growing as we engage in our commitment of respect toward God’s Holy Word by maintaining a daily practice of studying and mediating in God’s Holy Word.  These spiritual characteristics are directly tied together.  The one does not and cannot exist without the other.  Our dependence upon the Lord and our respect for His Word are inseparably joined.
 
We must have respect unto the Lord’s Word and ways with continuance. (determination)
 
As we have noted, in Psalm 119:117 the psalmist expressed his prayer, his confident hope, and his personal commitment, saying, “Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe: and I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.” With his expression of commitment, the psalmist included a very significant word.  It is the word “continually.”  The psalmist, this young man of God did not make the commitment to have respect unto the Lord’s Word, with all that such a commitment involves, for just a limited period of time.  Rather, the psalmist made his commitment to have respect unto the Lord’s Word continually throughout his life along every step of the way even unto the very end.  Yea, in verse 111-112 the psalmist proclaimed, “Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.  I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end.”  This was the spiritual determination of his heart, and this ought also to be the spiritual determination of our hearts. 
 
We must have respect unto the Lord’s Word and ways with completeness. (diligence)
 
In Psalm 119:6 the psalmist spoke concerning the benefits of having a heart respect for the God’s Holy Word, saying, “Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.”  Involved in this statement, the psalmist included yet another very significant word concerning the matter.  It is the word “all.”  Herein he spoke of having a heart respect unto all of the counsels and commandments of God’s Holy Word.  This began with a recognition that the whole counsel of God’s Word is “true and righteous altogether.” (See Psalm 19:9)  Even so, in Psalm 119:128 the psalmist, this young man of God, proclaimed, “Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.”  Then on the ground of this conviction, the psalmist centered the diligence of his heart upon demonstrating a heart respect unto all of the truths and teachings, counsels and commands, standards and statutes, principles and precepts, reproofs and rebukes of God’s Holy Word.  In like manner, we also should hold such a conviction of heart concerning the whole counsel of God’s Word.  In like manner also, we should center the diligence of our hearts upon demonstrating a heart respect unto the whole counsel of God’s Word.
 
We will have respect unto the Lord’s Word and ways with consequence.
 
So then, what is the consequence of having such a heart respect unto God’s Holy Word.  In Psalm 119:6 the psalmist revealed the answer, saying, “Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.”  When we have such a heart respect unto God’s Word, then we shall have need for any shame before the Lord our God.  Indeed, when we have such a heart respect unto God’s Word, then we shall walk pleasing in our Lord’s sight.

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A most excellent study and very timely. I have a Christian who claims they have recently drawn even closer to God and they know their heart is right with God, yet they are pursuing a sinful course of action based upon selfish motives and intents which would likely lead to more sin in their lives. They claim to want to follow God and they understand what God's Word says on the matter...BUT..., but they refuse to pay heed to the Word that would block their plans.

I will share this study with them in the hopes they may allow the Holy Spirit to change their heart.

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