July 8, 2026

The Struggle is Real #

Psalm 119:25-32

Introduction

The first verse sets the tone of this section:

Psalm 119:25 — My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.

The Psalmist opens with the weakness and sorrow of his flesh, and his need to be quickened. The Word quicken means to make alive, to revive, or to make alive in a spiritual sense. The flesh, and this world will bring sorrow! Living in the flesh will bring sorrow, as the Psalmist describes. The world often tries to drown that sorrow with alcohol. They try to hide from that sorrow with drugs, pleasure, and many other things. The problem is that all of those solutions are temporary, and only hide that sorrow for a short time. The only real hope, is turning to God, and being quickened, made alive by Him! Asking him to save us!

Even after that, we are still plagued by the flesh that we have to deal with on a daily basis. This is the battle the Psalmist describes in this passage.

I. Desire to Learn (26-27) #

A. My Condition “I have declared my ways” #

• “my soul cleaveth unto the dust”

  • We are frail!
  • We are prone to failure
  • We are prone to error!

i. If we cannot admit where we are in life, we have real problems. #

Galatians 6:1 — Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

ii. Always remember, you can fall #

“teach me thy statutes”

B. My Concern #

i. “teach me thy statutes” (26) #

• Help me to remember, memorize, keep them in mind!
• There is a lot in the Bible! – You can make it a life long process learning the Bible!

ii. “Make me to understand” (27) #

• Knowing and understanding are two different things.

• I can learn that when I flip the light switch, the lights come on, but understanding why, is much deeper!

  • It is an understanding that Electricity comes from the electric plant, is delivered to the building with wires, those wires enter at the Circuit Breaker Box, where wires run to the light switch, and then more wires run to the light. When that light switch is flipped, a connection is made, and the electricity can from from the plant, through the switch, to the lights in the ceiling so they come on.

II. Debilitation (28-29) #

A. Cry of sadness (28) #

i. Discouragement or disappointment is when something doesn’t go your way. #

• Unfulfilled expectations

  • As children, you think, I will do what my mom wants, and I will get ice cream
  • You do what is right… and expect something, and get nothing – disappointment!
  • You can be really upset by that.

• Some people find more disappointment in life, because they expect a lot

  • Someone told me a long time ago, expect less!

ii. Discouragement if dwelt upon, will become depression #

• Dwelling on discouragement, hurt, disappointment, will lead to depression!
• Anyone can arrive here.

iii. Strength to overcome the negative, comes from God’s Word! (28b) #

• “According unto thy word” – peace is a promise of God!

Colossians 3:15 — And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

• “let the peace of God rule in your hearts” allow, give God room to work!

B. Cover the truth (29) #

i. We are prone to lie! #

• Our fleshly nature is to lie, cover up!

Proverbs 28:13 — He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.

ii. We especially convince ourself we are not that bad. #

• We lie more to self than anyone else… “I’m not that bad”

Jer 17:9 – The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

iii. “Grant me thy law graciously.” (29b) – Be gracious in giving me your law! #

III. Decision (30-32) #

A. Chose the way of truth (30) #

i. Over the lie, that was in his heart! #

ii. Choose to believe God’s Word, over what your heart tells you #

iii. Choose to believe God’s Word, over what your circumstances look like – Paul said, “I believe God!” in dire circumstances! #

iv. Choose to believe God in unexpected results! #

• No matter what you go through, settle it, I’m going to believe God!

B. Continued (31) “stuck unto” #

i. “stuck unto thy testimonies” (31) #

• When things didn’t go my way… I continued
• When things didn’t go as I expected…. I continued

ii. “put me not to shame” (31) #

• A certain amount of un-surety in that statement
• Not sure how this is going to turn out, but trusting in God!

iii. “Run the way of thy commandments (32) #

• Started cleaving to dust, and sadness, ended, running to God’s Word!

iv. “when thou shalt enlarge my heart” #

• Heart is enlarged, there is a change in the heart and attitude, not the circumstances!