Psalm 119:113-120,Our Hiding Place and Our Hope

Introduction: Verses 113-120 are the 15thof the psalmist’s original 22 divisions in “Psalm 119.” Remember that each section has 8 lines, each beginning with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet, so this week, we’re at the fifteenth letter סSamekh. The poet continues the theme of the significance of God’s Word in our lives.

I.Verse 113:“I hate double-minded people,but I love your law.”

  1. The writer is keenly aware of the “double-minded” trap laid for all believers: Believing there is a God isn’t the same thing as following Him.As Elijah says in 1 Kings 18, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, then follow Him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”A person who believes that God exists, but refuses to give him the honor due Him by following Him is simply not a Christian.
  2. James 1: 5-8 reveals why we should all hate the idea of being “double-minded,” especially in the area of prayer:“5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. 6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”

II. Verse114: “You are my refuge and my shield;I have put my hope in your word.”

  1. I love the KJV of this verse that translates refuge as hiding place…which became the title of one of my favorite books. In the 1940s, Corrie ten Boom and her family made the difficult choice to hide Jews from the Nazis, which eventually landed them in prison. Corrie survived and entitled her book about her experiences The Hiding Place after Psalm 118:114. Her story feels like fiction because it’s difficult to believe something so unspeakable truly happened, but by the end, one thing is clear: Corrie Ten Boom knew Who her hiding place was. In such a hopeless time, she was able to put her hope in His Word and share that hope with thousands upon thousands as her book is still in circulation today. (If you’ve never had the pleasure, put The Hiding Place on your reading list.)
  2. Hardship exposes the truth about where our hope lies: before the cancer, bankruptcy, prison…whatever comes, purpose in your heart now and pray that your first response will be to run to Him: your hiding place, your shield, and your hope!

III. Verse 115:“Away from me, you evildoers,that I may keep the commands of my God!”

  1. Did you note that the psalmist recognizes that spending time with “evildoers” would prevent him from keeping God’s commands? So many people say they want to be happy and live a godly life but continue keeping the same corrupt company.
  2. Psalm 1:1 explains that a person is blessed (happy) when he or she does “not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on his law day and night.” And 1 Corinthians 15:33 warns, “Do not be misled: ‘Bad company corrupts good character.’” Jesus was a friend to sinners; he loved them and told them God’s truth, but he didn’t walk with them; they were not his companions until they converted.

IV. Verses 116-117: “116Sustain me, my God, according to your promise, and I will live;do not let my hopes be dashed.117Uphold me, and I will be delivered;I will always have regard for your decrees.” How does the faith of believers like Corrie Ten Boom persevere through hardships that are unimaginable? They pray prayers like this one, prayers that recognize that if we’re going to make it, it’ll only be by God’s sustaining grace. We would do well to begin each day praying verse 116!

V. Verses 118-119: “118You reject all who stray from your decrees,for their delusions come to nothing.119All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross;

therefore I love your statutes.” My heart hurts when I listen to the hopes and dreams of many of my students because I know that they haven’t accepted God, and some have openly rejected Him. I know all of you are familiar with people like this, and the end of verse 118 explains that their hopes and dreams are delusions,lies. With such a foundation, it doesn’t matter how much money they make or how “successful” their dreams seem to turn out; in the realm that matters, “they’ll come to nothing.”

VI. Verse120:“My flesh trembles in fear of you;I stand in awe of your laws.”

  1. We’ve discussed the fear of the Lord before; it can sometimes be a slippery slope to explain to someone, so let me offer you the simplest explanation I’ve found: “The fear of the Lord is the fear that conquers every fear…The psalmist did not approach God as a criminal about to be slain but as a son showing loving respect to the father” (Wiersbe). I had a healthy fear of my father (and still do) because if he threatened me, I knew he would follow through, but more importantly, I grew to understand that he wanted me to be a better person, so his boundaries and discipline were for my good and performed in love.
  2. We must be careful with the idea the Jesus is our buddy. Scripture tells us that He is our friend, but He is also the Creator of the universe, the one who rained fire and brimstone down on Sodom and Gomorrah, the one who decides when we live or die. He has invited us to join Him behind the veil, but as we approach, may we tremble in fear and stand in awe.

Lord,

We stand in awe of your Word

and tremble in fear of You,

recognizing your power.

You are our hiding place,

our shield,

and our hope;

Therefore,

sustain us

with your mighty right hand.

Amen and Amen.