Whatever God did once in the Bible, we can count on him to do it again, because it’s his testimony. God is not wishy-washy. He is faithful. We get principles to live by from his testimonies.
I have always marveled at the way God handled the Israelites in the wilderness. They acted obnoxiously; God sent trials; they were sorry, repented and cried out to God; and he delivered them—every time. For years I read those stories, and my predominant thought was, “Wow, were they stupid. If I was God, I would have wiped them off the face of the earth. Good thing I’m not God.”
But eventually, my thinking changed. Now I read those stories, and I’m so thankful for them. I marvel at the forbearance, mercy and love of God. Those stories are a testimony of God’s character and God’s ways. What he did for them, he’ll do for me. I find comfort in that.
Below are more lessons to learn about God’s testimonies as we are close to wrapping up our study of the word testimonies in Ps. 119.
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Psalms 119:144 The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live.
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If God doesn’t give me understanding into his righteous testimonies, I won’t live. I’ll faint. Who better to recognize that than David. Unless God came through for him as he ran from Saul and from his own son Absalom, He would have died. Here’s his testimony, demonstrating that he had understanding of God’s testimonies: Psa 27:12-14 Deliver me not over unto the will of mine enemies: for false witnesses are risen up against me, and such as breathe out cruelty. (13) I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. (14) Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD. |
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Psalms 119:146 I cried unto thee; save me, and I shall keep thy testimonies.
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David talks about keeping God’s testimonies. How? I can see learning from them, but keeping them? It must mean keeping what I learn from his testimonies. In this verse, David cried to God to save him, with the promise he would keep God’s testimonies. He would keep what he learned from how God saved him. That reminds me of Zec 4:6 Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. Salvation won’t come by my efforts, but God’s. David seemed to know that, evidenced by the time he had the chance to kill Saul in the cave, and instead he cut off a piece of Saul’s robe (and felt guilty for it). God eventually was the one who saved David. David knew not to take matters into his own hands. |
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Psalms 119:152 Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever.
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God’s testimonies are forever. Wow. What God did before, he’ll do again and forever. That’s why it is so important to learn from the stories/examples of the Bible. Because those principles last forever. Thank you God. When he turned the heart of the king (in Exodus, in Esther, in Nehemiah, in Daniel…), it was because that’s what God does. Pro 21:1 The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. David knew things like that from when he was a kid. And he must have taught that to his son Solomon, who became a king and wrote those words. That lesson applies, I’m sure, not just to kings, but bosses and spouses and co-workers. |
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