July 15, 2026

What is your goal? #

Psalm 119

Introduction

This is a great section. Last week the psalmist recognized his own weakness, and really explained the struggles he had. This week, we see his heart desire. It is a genuinely what the psalmist wants in his life. Usually when someone tells you they don’t have time for something, or don’t have money for something, they haven’t prioritized it enough in their life to allocate the time, energy, or money for it. We are genuinely a blessed people. We have so much, and if we truly want something, we will make it happen that we get it.

I don’t understand when someone says they want a job, but don’t have one. There is work. In the poorest of countries, in the worst of times, there is always the availability of work. It may not be in your area of expertise, it may not be your favorite work, it may not pay what you want, but there is work.

If you see something that you really want, you will find a way to make it happen, and get what you are after.

The Psalmist expresses a genuine desire to know and follow God’s Word! Not his parents desire, not his pastor’s desire for him, not his teacher’s desire for him, but a personal desire.

Once again the first verse sets the tone for the following 7 verses. IT is the theme that is dealt with in this section.

Psalm 119:33 — Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end.

Goal – Faithfulness to the end! – Let me give you the seven steps the Psalmist gives us.

The fact that I have 7 verses, we cannot illustrate and draw each one out, but I want to give them to you.

I. Understanding & Observation (34) #

A. Understanding #

We talked about this before, the difference between knowledge and understanding.

Proverbs 2:10–12 —10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; 11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee: 12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;

- There are 4 things in this verse, wisdom (how to apply knowledge (seeks to aquire more knowledge)), knowledge (facts and information, how things work), discretion – being vigilant about where this is going, and understanding greatly encompasses all three.

B. Observe – “I shall observe it with my whole heart” (34) #

i. The observing, is understanding God’s Word & applying it. #

When you read the Bible, God shows you how it fits in your life, and you live within those boundaries!
Learn to govern yourself, and live in the bounds God sets!

ii. Too often, we see what others do, and say, I want to do that! #

iii. “With my whole heart” – make it your desire to live within the bounds of God’s Word. #

II. A positive Attitude (35) #

A. Ask God to keep you straight! #

“Make me to go in the path of thy commandments”

God if I step off the path, force me back on! (corrective steering)

B. Find joy in obedience #

“there in do I delight” – find joy in God’s commandments
Too often we look at God’s Word as restrictions in our life, and not safety rails.
Stop lamenting the things of God in your life as something you must do, and find delight in them! – It is an attitude that makes the difference!

III. A Heart’s Desire (36) #

A. We are prone to covetousness #

1 Timothy 6:6–8 —6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Covet someone else’s car, house, job, money, wife, kids, yard, boat, bike, popularity,
Stop thinking that everyone else has better stuff than you do

B. Incline – lean #

Cause my heart to be content with your Word!
God can help you to learn contentment!

Philippians 4:11–12 —11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12 I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

IV. Keeping an eye on the goal (37) #

A. Allure of the eye! #

“Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity”

The devil knows how to float things by you to hook you in!
Guard the eye gate that leads straight to the heart!

B. Keep me alive in God’s way #

God’s way is the path of life!

V. Devout fear of God (38) #

A. A healthy dose of fear #

Fear of correction, chastisement, punishment
This often keeps us on the right path!

VI. Prize of honor, instead of reproach (39) #

“turn away my reproach which I fear”

reproach – cause of shame
In Bible college, I drove a rusted Oldsmobile, it wasn’t pretty. I didn’t boast about my car, there was nothing to boast about it. It was a 4 cylinder, but it got you where you needed to go! I wasn’t ashamed of it, because it ran, and was paid for. My reproach was removed, because it worked.

A. It’s not an embarrassment to live right! #

You should NEVER be ashamed, embarrassed that you go to church, read the Bible!
Let other’s know that you are saved!
People will try to shame you, but you have NO reason to be ashamed of God

Romans 1:16 — For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Psalm 119:33 - What is your Goal?