Waiting Patiently for the Lord
Psalm 119:81-88
Did you know that God promises to do things for us? The Bible is full of wonderful promises from God. For example –
in James 1:5 he promises to give us wisdom when we ask him.
In Philippians 4:19 he promises to provide everything we need.
In Matthew 6 he promises to meet all our financial needs.
In 2 Corinthians chapter one he promises to comfort us.
And because we are trusting Christ’s death on the cross for us, we can know that God will always fulfill every promise. But that does not mean he always fulfills his promises at the time we’d like. Often, in great love and wisdom, God delays his answers. But those delays can be hard.
But because God loves us so much, he has given us a passage in Scripture to help us during those delays. It’s our next passage in Psalm 119. So let’s turn to Psalm 119 verses 81 through 88. If you need a Bible then raise your hand and we will bring one to you. Psalm 119 is on page 514 in the Bibles we’re passing out.
Now remember the situation the psalmist is facing. We saw in v.69 that insolent men have been smearing him with lies. In v.78 he said that they were wronging him with falsehood.
But the psalmist knew the promise of Psalm 50:15, where God says “Call upon me in the day of trouble. I will rescue you, and you will honor me.” God had promised him, and us, to rescue us out of every trouble we will ever face.
And so the psalmist had prayed – rescue me. He had prayed – stop them from smearing me with lies. He had cried out to God – fulfill your promise. But God, from great love and wisdom and goodness, had not yet delivered him.
Some of you know what that’s like. You have longed to see God work, prayed to see God work, hoped to see God work. But even though God has promised, he has not yet done what you are longing for.
And when that happens, we face unique temptations. We can become angry at God. We can become bitter against God.
And the psalmist faced those temptations. But he fought off those temptations, and waited patiently. So how did he do that? What did he pray that enabled him to wait patiently and not turn from God? Look at what he prays --
81 My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word.
82 My eyes long for your promise; I ask, "When will you comfort me?"
83 For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, yet I have not forgotten your statutes.
84 How long must your servant endure? When will you judge those who persecute me?
85 The insolent have dug pitfalls for me; they do not live according to your law.
86 All your commandments are sure; they persecute me with falsehood; help me!
87 They have almost made an end of me on earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts.
88 In your steadfast love give me life, that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.
As I studied these verses I saw nine ways he prays that enabled him to wait patiently and not turn from God. So here’s what we are going to do.
I’m going to briefly explain each of these – but then after I explain each one – I want to invite all of us to follow the psalmist’s example and pray what he has just prayed silently to ourselves. But before we do this – I want you to think about one area in which God is calling you to wait on him. Maybe it’s having to do with your marriage or children. Maybe it’s related to work or ministry. Maybe it involves spiritual growth or physical healing. Maybe it’s the salvation of your children or a loved one.
So pick one. And let that one be the focus of your prayer.
And let me encourage you that no matter how far you feel from God, no matter how much you have sinned – God has made a way for you to come right into his presence and talk to him. It’s by turning from your sin and trusting Jesus. When you turn to God through Jesus, trusting Jesus’ death to pay for your sins – the God of the universe is looking to you, loving you, caring about you, listening to you.
So – by trusting Jesus Christ, everyone here can talk to God this morning.
So let’s start by confessing our sins together to the Lord. I’ll lead us –
Father, thank you for sending Jesus to pay for our sins. Thank you that by faith in him we can be completely forgiven, and can be welcomed by you and loved by you. So right now we turn from our sin, and we turn to you, and we do this through Jesus.
So how does the psalmist pray in order to wait patiently on God?
First, he tells God he longs to be delivered from the trial. You can see that in v.81 –
81 My soul longs for your salvation …
Here “salvation” does not mean being saved from your sins. The author has already experienced that. Here “salvation” means God’s answer to his prayer that he be delivered from his trial.
So here the author tells God that he longs to be delivered from the trial.
So take some time right now and pray this –
[Prayer time.]
Second, he tells God he that he is hoping in God’s Word. That’s the rest of v.81 --
81 My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word.
Hoping in God’s Word means trusting specific verses in God’s Word. I put Psalm 50:15 in your notes – which is a powerful promise from God that covers every problem we ever face –
“And call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me."
So read that promise, hope in that promise of ultimate deliverance, and tell God you are hoping in his word –
[Prayer time.]
Third, he seeks comfort from God, and asks when it will come. That’s v.82 --
82 My eyes long for your promise; I ask, "When will you comfort me?"
God promises to comfort us in two ways. One, by delivering us from our trial. And two, I comforting us in the meantime with his presence.
So take some time right now and ask God for his comfort –
[Prayer time.]
Fourth, he tells God how this is affecting him. That’s v.83 --
83 For I have become like a wineskin in the smoke, yet I have not forgotten your statutes.
When a wineskin is put into smoke it dries and shrivels up. But even though he feels dried and shriveled up, he has not forgotten God’s Word.
So tell God honestly how this trial is affecting you –
[Prayer time.]
Fifth, he humbly asks God how long this has to go on. That’s v.84 --
84 How long must your servant endure? When will you judge those who persecute me?
So pray that verse, and ask God humbly how long this has to go on –
[Prayer time.]
Sixth, he tells God the details of the problem. That’s v.85 --
85 The insolent have dug pitfalls for me; they do not live according to your law.
God already knows the details. But it will do your heart good to talk with him about the painful details. So tell God the details –
[Prayer time.]
Seventh, he asks for God’s help. That’s the end of v.86 --
86 All your commandments are sure; they persecute me with falsehood; help me!
So ask God for help. Ask him to deliver you from your trial. Ask him to fulfill his promises. Ask him to strengthen you in the meantime. Go ahead –
[Prayer time.]
Eighth, he tells God he has not forsaken his Word. That’s in v.87 --
87 They have almost made an end of me on earth, but I have not forsaken your precepts.
If you have forsaken his Word, then confess that to him, and renew your commitment to trust his Word. And if you have, by God’s grace, been trusting God’s Word, then tell him –
[Prayer time.]
Ninth, he asks for fresh spiritual life so he can keep strong in faith. That’s v.88 --
88 In your steadfast love give me life, that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.
What sustains us through trials is God’s life poured into our hearts through Jesus. So ask him for more of his life, more of his love, more of his presence –
[Prayer time.]
Sharing
So let’s take a few minutes and share – what did God do in your heart as you joined the psalmist in praying these verses?