My Summer with Psalm 119 #21

As a few of you know, I love, love, LOVE Psalm 119. I thought it would be great to spend a summer focusing on that psalm and what others have had to say about it. I'll begin with Thomas Manton's Exposition of Psalm 119. It may take all summer to read all 158 sermons. But they're so GOOD, so RICH, I think it will be worth it.

Sermon 28 (Psalm 119:27)

• In the close of the former verse he had said, Teach me thy statutes;’ and here again, Make me to understand the way of thy precepts,’ &c. In the words there is—(1.) A request; (2.) An argument. Where in is intimated—(1st.) The fruit of divine illumination; he should thereby see his wondrous works. (2d.) His duty thereupon; then will I talk of them. The word signifieth also to meditate. Sept.—I will exercise myself. It should be his delight to think and speak of the admirable goodness of God, and the divine excellencies of his word, and the pleasures that result from the practice of it. (3d.) He intimateth the sincerity of his desire, propounding this as his end, That I may talk; that I may be useful and edifying in my converse with others.
• A sound and saving knowledge of the truths of the gospel is such a blessing as the children and people of God think they can never enough ask of him.
• What is a sound saving knowledge? such as doth establish the heart against all delusions, and keepeth us on truth’s side. Many have some scraps of knowledge, loose and uncertain motions, but they are not settled and grounded in the truth, and therefore the unlearned and unstable are joined together.
• Unskilful and unsettled Christians lie open to every fancy; they have not such a stock of truth as may keep them savoury and sound in the faith. To be able to prattle a little in religion is not sound knowledge, but we must be grounded and settled in the faith.’
• When men rest contented with obvious truths, or a slight knowledge of the common and easy principles of Christianity, there is not such an awe upon their practice, nor any establishment of their judgments, but, like light chaff, they are soon carried with the blasts of temptation, and the winds of error. And therefore we need to ask again and again, Give me an understanding of the way of thy precepts.’
• A sound saving knowledge is such as causeth the soul to lie under the dominion, life, and power of the truth, and aweth and commandeth the heart into obedience.
• When it giveth us prudence how to practise. This is that which David beggeth of God, to understand the way of his precepts; that is, to be taught how to walk in each duty and point of conversation, after what sort he may live and direct his life. It is not sufficient to know the meaning of the word in general, to have a notional understanding of it; but to reduce it to practice, where, and when, and how we ought to perform each action.
• The narrow way of obedience is hardly found, hardly kept, and easily mistaken, especially where prejudices, lusts, and interests, are apt to pervert us.
• Secondly, The children of God think this can never be enough asked of God. Why? Light is comfortable, and it is a pleasant thing to behold the sun,’ much more the light of the gospel shining in upon our minds. Oh, what a pleasant thing is that, when all clouds vanish, and the truths of God are fully cleared up to the soul!
• Knowledge is a growing thing; religion cannot be taken up all at once. We receive a little now, and a little anon; as narrow-mouthed vessels take in things drop by drop. We read of Jesus Christ, that he grew in knowledge: we do not read that he grew in grace: Luke 2:52, He increased in wisdom and stature;’ as his body increased in stature, so his soul in wisdom. And still Christians are growing in knowledge, and understand more of the mysteries of the gospel.
• Natural blindness is an obstinate disease, and hardly cured; therefore again and again we had need to pray, Open mine eyes, teach me thy statutes, make me to understand the way of thy precepts. Our ignorance is great when it is cured in part. The clouds of temptation and carnal affection cause it to return upon us, so that we know not what we know. Therefore open my eyes, cause me to understand.’ Yea, the more we know, the more is our ignorance discovered to us: Prov. 30:2, 3,
• If we had more knowledge of God and his ways, we should trust him more, fear him more, love him more.
• The more explicit thoughts we have of his excellency, the more are our hearts drawn out to him:
• To be taught the mind of God is a greater act of friendship than if God should give a man all the treasures of the world; to make himself known so as you may love him, fear him, trust him.
• We can walk in the ways of sin without a teacher, but we cannot walk in the ways of God.
• The more knowledge we have, the more are we established against error: The more you have of this divine saving knowledge, the greater check upon sin: Ps. 119:11, I have hid thy word in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.’ One truth or another will rise up in defiance of the temptation.
• None have such confidence and rejoicing in God as those that have a clear sight and understanding of his will revealed in his word. Let your knowledge—(1.) Be more comprehensive. At first our thoughts run in a narrow channel. There are certain general truths absolutely necessary to salvation, as concerning our misery by sin, and the sufficiency of Christ to help us; but if we might rest in these, why hath God given us so copious a rule? The general sort of Christians content themselves to see with others’ eyes, get the knowledge of a few truths, and look no further. Why, then, hath God given so large a rule? Fundamentals are few; believe them, live well, and you shall be saved. This is the religion of most. This is as if a man in building should only be careful to lay a good foundation, no matter for roof, windows, walls. If a man should untile your house, and tell you the foundation standeth, the main buttresses are safe, you would not like of it. A man is bound, according to his capacity and opportunity, to know all scripture, the consequences of every truth.
• To be willingly ignorant of the lesser ways of God is a sin. We should labour to know all that God hath revealed.
• (2.) More distinct. Why? Truths are best known in their frame and dependence; as God’s works of creation, when viewed singly and apart, every day’s work was good, but when viewed altogether in their correspondence and mutual proportion to each other, were very good, Gen. 1:31. So all truths of God, take them singly, are good; but when you have them in their frame, and see how one suits with the other, and what a sweet harmony there is between all the parts of religion, then they are very good.
• (3.) More experimental, that you may taste the sweetness and power of the truths that you know: Phil. 3:10, That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.’ When we feel what we know, that is a mighty confirmation. The senses give the best demonstration. It is a disparagement to know Christ and be never the better for him; to have a knowledge of all the excellency of Christ, and how suitable he is to the soul; yet to feel nothing of comfort and quickening in our consciences.
• (4.) More practical: 1 John 2:3, 4, And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments: he that saith I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.’ Otherwise it is but a talking by rote, a man savingly knoweth no more than he practiseth. He that doth but speak after others, it is a rehearsal rather than a knowledge. What is practical light? It is directive and persuasive.
• The mysteries of the gospel, every time we think of them, should strike admiration into our hearts. It could not sink into the head of any creature how to satisfy justice, and to make up the breach between God and us. That a virgin should conceive; the word be made flesh; that justice and mercy should so sweetly be brought together, and conspire in the salvation of a lost sinner, all these are wonders; and when we come to believe them indeed, to draw forth comfort from them, these are wonderful to us!
• This great mystery of godliness, the more we look into it, the more will we wonder at the wisdom of God discovered in and through Christ Jesus.

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible