God Sets Our Hearts Free So We Can Run Spiritually

Psalm 119:25-32  (Daleth)      Kevin E. Jesmer

Key w    verse: 119:32              6-12-21

                          “I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!”

Part 1: God Strengthens Us Through His Word (25-28)

Verses 25-28 read, “I am laid low in the dust; preserve my life according to your word. 26 I gave an account of my ways and you answered me; teach me your decrees. 27 Cause me to understand the way of your precepts, that I may meditate on your wonderful deeds. 28 My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.” (NIV)

Verses 25-28 read in ESV, “My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word!26 When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes!27 Make me understand the way of your precepts,   and I will meditate on your wondrous works.28 My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word!”

    Sometimes our human circumstances make us sorrowful and tired. We are tempted to follow a worldly way of life like that of those around us. At such times, we must meditate on God’s word (27) and pray (26, 28). We just can’t give in to sin and worldly ways, to simply get relief from our sorrows.

      There have been times when I feel like I have been laid low in the dust.  There have been periods of depression and overwhelming sorrow. I have been tempted to say, “I don’t care about anything anymore. I need to think about me and my mental health” or “I don’t care if some may consider this sinful. I need some relief from my sorrow”. It is true that we need to practice some self-care, we also need to draw near to Jesus and meditate on his word and never turn to sinful things seeking momentary relief.

     It is God who preserves our lives according to his word. God teaches us by his word and by his Spirit. When he does, we come to understand and experience the good ways of God and his word. He will surely strengthen us and enliven our hearts. He will set our feet on the path of righteousness for his name’s sake. Though our soul is weary with sorrow at times, God will let down his hand and lift us up.

      If it were not for Jesus, my heart would be vailed in this shroud of complex emotions that I could only place in the genre of sorrow. If it were not for the Christ and the Gospel, I could never come out from under it. But in Christ there is power. There are times when I fall into sorrow every once and a while. It usually happens when I ignore God’s word. The great thing is, I don’t need to stay in sorrow. I can come to the fount of every blessing and drink deep of Jesus, the Living Water. When I made it my point to write on Psalm 119, recently, my whole countenance changed. It is because God is pleased when I come to him through his word. Come to Jesus today and allow him to strengthen you through his word.

Part 2: You Have Set My Heart Free (29-32)

Verses 29-32 read, “29 Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me and teach me your law.30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set my heart on your laws. 31 I hold fast to your statutes, Lord; do not let me be put to shame. 32 I run in the path of your commands, for you have broadened my understanding.”

Verses 29-32 in ESV, “Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! 30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your rules before me. 31 I cling to your testimonies, O Lord; let me not be put to shame! 32 I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!”

      I can sense the sincerity of the psalmist. He wants to walk in the way that is good and right, the ways that are pleasing to God. And so, he prays to God, “Put false ways behind me” (29). He also prays, “O Lord; let me not be put to shame! (31b). In asking to not be put to shame, he was asking God to help him not to sin. He pled for God to not allow him to walk in ways to displease the Lord. He wants God to deal with him graciously, forgiving him of his sins, for forgiveness alone can wash away shame.

   We learn how to put false ways behind us, from the psalmist. He knows what to ask God for. “Graciously teach me your law!” (29b); choosing “the way of faithfulness” and setting “your rules before me” (30); clinging to God’s testimonies (31); and running in the way of God’s commandments (32).

     There is a change that needs to be made before we can do any of this. Look at verse 32 again, “I will run in the way of your commandments when you enlarge my heart!” (ESV) God originally made us to have a big heart, a heart big enough to run spiritually, like a long-distance runner. But because of sin our heart has been made miniscule. It has been robbed of its capacity to run the race of faith. With such a heart we can never choose, or set, cling or run to anything that has to do with the Lord.

     Normally we are dragging our heels with spiritual things. But when God enlarges our puny heart, then we are changed. We have the capability to run spiritually when we experience God’s transformation. We want to run spiritually. A believer does not run haphazardly. Listen to what Paul says, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.” (1 Cor 9:24; ESV) Once God transforms our hearts, we have a strong urge to run spiritually. But we need to take hold of God’s word. We need to study the Bible and learn the commandments of God. Then with God’s transforming power, we can run straight and steady. We can run as an athlete that wants to win the prize. What a different picture than the picture of one laid low in the dust. In Christ we can he runners!!!

Prayer: “Father, thank you for setting my heart free by your grace. You raised me out of the dust and am helping me to run spiritually. Help me to run as one who wants to get the prize, as one who runs according to your word.”

One Word: God, through his word, sets us free to run spiritually.