Confusion
Use the material to go deeper into this Series on your own, or with your small group.
Series Materials
Good morning Chapel family! Yesterday was a special day for my family. As many of you know, my oldest son, Paul, got married. So I had the privilege of officiating the ceremony of Paul and his new wife, Katrina on the dock of our favorite lake. This was actually the small version of the wedding, with just a few family members; they’re planning the big version next spring. But it was a great day, and I’d appreciate your prayers for God’s blessing on their future together.
So, we are taking this summer to walk through the book of Psalms. We’ve been saying every week that the Psalms address just about every emotion and experience we go through. And the Psalm we’re going to look at today is actually the answer to something that people back then struggled with, but I think people today struggle with even more. It’s all about how to deal with confusion.
There is a popular YouTube channel called The Pursuit of Wonder. It promotes the philosophical view called existentialism, and last time I checked, it had 2.1 million subscribers. So I want to read you the script from the beginning of one of the videos on that channel—see if this rings true to you:
Now more than ever we are exposed to a plethora of ideas about life. The Internet has made it so we can consume a seemingly unending amount of content on the topic of living most effectively. However, simultaneously, this access to information has also allowed the consumer to realize just how conflicting most ideas are.
In the West, the popularity of traditional religion (has) reduced as a result. (And) for many, the increasing access to information has revealed that the world is basically without any discernible truth, and most ideas about how to live are inconclusive and unreliable. It is fair to speculate that this could be a major contributing factor to the modern world's increasing levels of anxiety, cynicism, and disillusion.
Choosing between conflicting ideas of how to live has always been an issue for the individual. But in the modern world, where conflicting ideas are constantly smacking us in the face, now more than ever we can often find ourselves failing in our attempt to find footing in this reality.
That’s pretty spot-on, isn’t it? You would think that having access to all this information would make us so smart and so wise, but it seems to just be making us more confused. Now: because this YouTube channel comes from an existentialist perspective, the video goes on to say that there really is no meaning in life, so stop trying to find some absolute truth, and just come up with what works for you. I don’t know how that strikes you, but to me, that’s not a solution; that’s just a deepening of the confusion.
So, what do we do? Is it even possible to find a way through the confusion? That’s what Psalm 119 addresses, and it does so in kind of an extreme way. We’ve been saying every week that Psalms is the longest book in the Bible; Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm in the longest book of the Bible. Anybody know how many verses? 176 verses. It’s longer than some entire books of the Bible! And it’s really unique, because it’s laid out as an acrostic poem. Which means it takes all 22 letters of the Hebrew
alphabet, and for each letter, there’s a set of eight verses, and the first word in the first verse of each section begins with that letter. Anybody confused yet? The point is, it’s a huge Psalm; it’s very poetic; but it just has one theme. And it answers the question: in a world of mass confusion, how do you find clarity?
We’re obviously not going to read the entire Psalm—that would take the whole service. So let’s read verses 9 through 16—that’s a good representation of the Psalm. And as I read, see if you can hear a reference to the Law of God, or the statues of God, or the precepts of God—some reference to Scripture, in every single verse. I invite you now to hear the Word of God…
9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. 12 Praise be to you, LORD; teach me your decrees. 13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. 14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. 15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. 16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. This is the Word of the Lord.
Did you hear a reference to Scripture in every verse? So if I had to summarize the teaching of Psalm 119, all 176 verses, here’s what I would say:
The answer to confusion is to delight in Scripture. We all know what it means to “delight” in something, right? You look forward to it, and you savor it, and you want to tell other people about it. So it’s not just to read the Bible, or to memorize some verses. The answer to this confusing world, with so many conflicting voices, is learning to delight in Scripture.
So let’s talk first about Why we should delight in Scripture. Three reasons from Psalm 119:
First, Guidance. Look at verses 104 and 105:
I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
In other words, the more time we spend in the Bible, the better decisions we will make. We’ll see certain paths as clearly wrong, so we won’t waste our time going there. Somebody says, “You should go see that astrologist down on Route 23 to get some advice.” And you don’t even have to think about it—Scripture says that’s a wrong path. And you just say, “No—that’s not for me.” The principles of Scripture start to guide your decisions—so you’re driven less by outward appearance and financial gain and immediate pleasure, and your choices align with God’s kingdom values. It’s like your path gets lit up.
St. Augustine, in his autobiography called Confessions, tells the story of his conversion. He had grown up with a Christian mother, but he became an atheist and he was a highly educated, fiercely intelligent man. And he wound up living a wild, partying, promiscuous life. So one day when he was 31 years old, he was miserable and empty, and he was walking outside, and he heard a child’s voice chanting, “Take up and read! Take up and read!” And he thought, “I’ve never heard children singing this song before.” But he kept hearing it. So he went and picked up a Bible, and he opened it to Romans 13, and this is the first thing he saw: …not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh. And in his Confessions, Augustine basically said, “I didn’t have to read any further. It was like a light of peace shone into my heart, and all the darkness of doubt vanished away.” And his life was never the same—he became one of the most influential Christian thinkers and leaders in history.
I don’t necessarily recommend the “open up the Bible and just read the first thing you find” method, but the Word is powerful, and God uses it to guide us if we’re listening. So delight in Scripture because it gives light to your path.
Second reason: Strength. Look at Psalm 119, verse 28:
My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.
Scripture has an amazing ability to speak to us when we feel weary and discouraged; when we feel beat up and weak. I figured that out a long time ago from visiting people in the hospital. It’s a funny thing, seeing people in the hospital. Sometimes a little awkward, because they’re lying in a bed; they’re wearing a gown; probably haven’t shaved; no makeup; hair’s a mess. Just the perfect time to entertain guests, right? But most of all, they feel weak because of whatever’s put them in the hospital. So as a young pastor, I felt like I had to share some deep words of wisdom. But I figured out that I don’t need to put so much pressure on myself. So here’s what I tell young pastors now—four rules of hospital visitation: show up, make the visit short (nobody wants you to hang out for an hour when they have bad breath and an IV stuck in their arm); pray for them; and read Scripture. And that Scripture part is so important—because it has the authority—the gravitas—to strengthen weary souls.
So here’s one I read often in the hospital. And actually, this is one I memorized, and I recite this to myself when I need strength—Isaiah 40:28-31. Listen…
28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Man, even now—I’ve heard those words probably 200 times—and even now, I feel the power of those words, and I feel my strength increasing. It’s an amazing thing. So when you’re feeling weak, or when you’re ministering to someone who’s weak, remember Scripture gives us strength.
And then third, delight in Scripture because it brings Freedom. Psalm 119:45 says
I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts.
Isn’t that kind of a paradoxical idea? “Lord, I’m really into your guidelines and rules, and that’s why I’m so free!” It seems like a contradiction, right? You would think guidelines and rules take away your freedom! You would think life would be most free when you have nobody telling you what to do. But it doesn’t work like that.
Tim Keller said it like this:
Modern people like to see freedom as the complete absence of any constraints. But think of a fish. Because a fish absorbs oxygen from water, not air, it is free only if it is restricted to water. If a fish is “freed” from the river and put out on the grass to explore, its freedom to move and soon even to live is destroyed. The fish is not more free, but less free, if it cannot honor the reality of its nature…Freedom is not so much the absence of restrictions as finding the right ones, those that fit with the realities of our own nature and those of the world.
So if it’s true that the same God who breathed life into us also breathed out the Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16 says all Scripture is God-breathed)—if that’s true, then living by the guidelines of the Bible won’t stifle us; it’ll release us. And that’s what the Psalm writer means here: because I’m all about your precepts, I walk around in freedom.
So, why should we delight in Scripture? Because it guides our steps, it gives us strength, and it frees us to be the people we were created to be. That’s why we should get up in the morning fired up for what God is going to show us in the Word.
So let’s get a little more practical—second point: How we should delight in Scripture. Psalm 119 tells us three main ways we should interact with the Bible.
First, Meditation. This is a huge concept in Psalm 119. Verse 148 says
My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.
So what does it mean to meditate on Scripture? It means you don’t try to speed read the Bible, to cover as much ground as possible. You take a short passage, and you think deeply about it. You chew on it. You remember other Scriptures that connect with it, and maybe you jot those down. You talk to God about it: “Lord, I think I see what you’re saying to me here.” It becomes a conversation with God.
Now that the weather is nice, I’m starting almost every morning with a reading of Scripture, and journaling some thoughts about it, and then I go out for a 30-minute walk—it’s been spectacular lately, with the cool mornings. And on that walk, I meditate. I take a key phrase or a verse from the Scripture, and I think about it; I pray it for myself; I pray it over the people in my family, and the other people on my prayer list. I’m literally walking with God—I’ve grown to love those times.
Meditation is actually similar to enjoying food. You can wolf down dinner in 5 minutes, if you want to. At least I can. I can eat fast. But it’s not that enjoyable. It’s so much better to savor the smells and the texture and the flavor and the spices in the food. Right? It’s actually better for you, physically, to eat slower. And it’s the same thing with spiritual health. Chew on it; think about it; pray it; learn the pleasure of meditation. It goes so much deeper into your soul.
Secondly, Obedience. Psalm 119 talks about obedience almost constantly, and it starts at the very beginning. Look at verses 1 and 2:
1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. 2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart—
In other words, the Bible wasn’t written to make us smarter, or even more spiritually deep; the Bible commands our allegiance. It calls us to do hard things—like love our enemies, and honor our parents, and forgive people who hurt us, and give generously to the poor—things that go against our natural tendencies, and sometimes things that go against popular culture. So sometimes, it’s just a choice of the will to do what God tells you in Scripture—but it always brings blessing.
And then one more thing: Perseverance. Psalm 119 teaches us to persevere in delighting in Scripture.
Why would we need to do that? Because as the world gets darker and more secular and more self-absorbed, the culture around us will increasingly marginalize and mock followers of God. So when that happens, we need to faithfully hold on to God’s Word as truth.
Verse 23 says
Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees.
Verse 61 says something very similar:
Though the wicked bind me with ropes I will not forget your law.
So you might find yourself in a position where you are being dismissed or disrespected because of your faith. In fact, if you’re truly following Christ, that’s going to happen! Jesus said, “If they persecuted me, they’re going to persecute you.” So maybe you’ve taken a stand on something because of your love for God, and it’s gotten you in all kinds of trouble. And Psalm 119 says, “Keep standing. And keep rooting yourself in God’s Word. Find your strength there. Not in social media; not in gossip. When you’re being dragged down for your faith, keep going to the Word.” Persevere.
So: in the face of all the confusion out there, the solution is to delight in Scripture. It guides you; it strengthens you; if frees you. Delight in it by meditating on it; obeying it; persevering in it. But I can’t end this message without one last point, and this is the most important one. Let’s talk about…
The ultimate purpose of delighting in Scripture. So yes, it’s to find clarity in this confusing world. But there’s actually something more personal that happens when we delight in God’s Word. I want to show you something. Look at the very beginning of the Psalm again:
1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. 2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart—
3 they do no wrong but follow his ways. But now watch this—verse 4… 4 You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. 5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!
Did you see what changed? He goes from talking to us—to the listeners—about God’s Word. But then in verse 4, he starts talking to God about his word. And from then on—from verse 4 to the end—the next 173 verses—it’s all addressed to God. This is one huge prayer! This writer isn’t just delighting himself in the Word of God; he’s delighting himself in God!
And guys, that’s the ultimate reason we have the Bible: it’s to connect our hearts—the deepest part of who we are—with the heart of God.
When I was a freshman in college, I remember getting letters from my girlfriend, who was at a different college 500 miles away. In the age of cell phones and texting it’s hard to explain how exciting that was, but I clearly remember going to the dormitory mail room, and I’d put my key in my tiny little mailbox, and when there was a letter from her my heart leapt. And I would take it back to my room and open it; I could smell her perfume; I saw her distinctive writing. And I would savor every word in the letter. I actually still have all those letter in a box somewhere in my house—I would never tell anyone where it is—that would be kind of embarrassing. But those letters were precious, because they weren’t just letters; they were like an extension of her. When I read her letters, it was almost like she was sitting in the room with me.
And it’s the same with God’s Word. It’s like an extension of his heart. So when we read the Bible, we’re actually experiencing the heart of God.
So, just like I saved those old love letters, I have saved some of my old Bibles. And I want to just give you a glimpse of my journey over the past 50 years.
They gave me this one in my first grade Sunday School class—1973. Old King James—I have no idea how I understood it
This is the one I read in college, when God got a hold of my life.
This is the one I read in seminary, when I wasn’t wrestling with the Greek and Hebrew.
This is the one I read when I was a missionary in Latvia, and early in my pastoral career; the original cover fell off so I got it re-bound.
I got this one about 20 years ago, when I wanted to try the English Standard Version.
And I got this one just last fall—this is the one I read every morning before I go walking.
Every one of these Bibles is so precious to me, because these were my companions through different stages of my life and my spiritual journey. But mostly, they’re precious because morning by morning, through these pages, I have met with God. And honestly, that has shaped me more than anything else in this life.
Listen: we are living in an incredibly confusing world. That’s why there’s so much anxiety and restlessness. Nobody knows what to believe. But in the midst of all that confusion, God invites us to delight in Scripture. Meditate on it; obey it; persevere in it. Let it guide you and strengthen you and
free you to live the way you were meant to live. But most of all, through the Bible you will encounter the God who loves you. And there is literally nothing better than that.