GOD’S WORD FOR YOU
PSALM 119:171-172
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171 May my lips overflow with a song of praise,
for you teach me your statutes.
172 May my tongue sing about your word,
for all your commandments are righteous.
Tehillah is the word in verse 171 I have translated “song of praise.” It is the Hebrew title (in the plural, Tehillim) for the Book of Psalms, although we take our word “Psalm” from a different Hebrew word, Mizmor, which is translated “Psalm” in the Greek versions. Don’t be confused; there are many words for praise songs in the Bible.
It is imperative that the Lord God should be praised aloud by his holy people. We recognize his deity and praise him: “So the name of the LORD will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem when the people and the kingdoms assemble to worship the LORD” (Psalm 102:21-22). As one of our lexicons says of the word Tehillah, “This (praise) is to be offered in an attitude of delight and rejoicing. Belief and joy are inextricably intertwined” (Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament).
Here the poet describes his own lips as a fountain, a spring bubbling up with fresh, cold water for anyone to drink and be satisfied. And what is the reason? “You teach me your statutes.” Not every generation bears witness to such miracles as the fall of the Tower of Babel, or the Flood, or the parting of the Red Sea, or the victories of David. But every generation is brought from unbelief to faith through the preaching of the gospel. Yes, we believe that all of those amazing miracles took place, and that God blessed his people with them, displayed his glory to the world, caused fear to enter into the hearts of his enemies, stopped the devil’s plans, and so on, but we praise him especially for the good he has done in our hearts. He has taught us what he wants us to know.
Are there things we want to know about that he does not teach? Of course. But “My grace is sufficient for you; for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). Many people ask detailed questions about the angels, the exact age of the earth, the date of the Great Flood (Genesis 9:58. etc.), the mechanics of how the sun went back ten steps (2 Kings 20:9-11; Isaiah 38:8), the reason in God’s heart that he forbids women from preaching (1 Corinthians 14:35; 1 Timothy 2:12), and many other things. It is best to lay those questions aside and not to pursue them. “My grace is sufficient.” He subordinates his people, and we accept our roles and the limits of human knowledge, so that we will not supplant God’s word with “our own research” or, so much the worse, our own sinful opinions. “Be still,” he says to us, “and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations. I will be exalted in the earth” (Psalm 46:10).
In verse 72, the poet wants to sing about the word of God. Ten years ago, another verse of “God’s Word is Our Great Heritage” was written for our congregation’s 150th Anniversary. The original composer was a member here at St. Paul’s, and it seemed fitting to add a verse to his hymn about the Word of God for our anniversary. This was also submitted for use in our new hymnal, but it was not accepted. Perhaps you can benefit from it privately. If any pastors would like to use it in their own congregations, they may contact me for the words (also printed here) or simply use the verse with my happy permission:
O Holy Spirit, now remain
within our hearts forever,
And bless us as you have again
with this word that we treasure.
This Testament sufficed
to show us Jesus Christ
who died to make us pure.
This gospel shall endure
throughout all generations.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith
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Pastor Smith serves St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, New Ulm, Minnesota
God’s Word for You – Psalm 119:171-172 Our Great Heritage