Psalm

119:13

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With My Lips...

“With my lips I have declared All the judgments of Your mouth”

“With” indicates a clause that specifies the instrument of the writer’s declaration of God’s judgments.  “Lips” almost always designates the organ of speech in the Old Testament.  When used metaphorically its speaks of the gates of speech, and hence of deception, righteousness or wickedness, wisdom or folly.  It is with his lips that the writer declares the judgments of God.  That is, he does so vocally, audibly, so others can hear and learn from it.

This is interests in light of the prior verse.  There we read of the writer being taught and trained by God.  Here we read of his being used by God, perhaps to train and inform and influence others? 

Certainly the audible declaration of his lips was valuable in a number of ways:

  1. As Praise

  2. As Worship

  3. As a Sacrifice

  4. As a testimony

  5. As a witness

  6. As an encouragement

  7. As a rebuke

  8. As a declaration

As praise, the fruit of our testimony stands as public testimony to the character of God.  As such it has inherent value to the redeemed as well as to the unredeemed, namely, to all men.  The praise of God is valuable and beneficial to all who hear it in a variety of ways as God sees fit to use it.

As Worship, the declaration of our lips serves to fulfill that unique function that only the redeemed can serve – the worship of God in a pleasing and edifying fashion.  Only the true children of God can worship Him in spirit and in truth.  Others can go through the motions, the self-same motions that the redeemed go through, but they do so in spirit and in truth where as the unredeemed do not.

As a sacrifice, the declaration of our lips serves as an offering to God of that which is costly and sweet.  It takes effort and personal action to offer testimony and to declare God’s character with our lips – more for some than for others.  When we praise the Lord, despite our feelings and despite any barriers we are making a sacrifice that is pleasing and edifying to Him.

As a testimony, the declaration of our lips serves as a record and as the public elucidation of God’s person and character before the brethren.  It serves to edify, that is, to build up the rest of the body and strengthen them in their knowledge of God.

As a witness, it serves a similar purpose to the unredeemed.  It speaks to them of the character and person of God and conveys to them knowledge and information that can use to bring them to Christ.  Most unbelievers will never systematically read the Word.  They may read parts and will likely hear parts, but the testimony of the lips of believers is the primary means God uses to bring men to Christ.  The preached Word, the personal wtiness, etc., are all the main mechanisms God uses to draw men to the Savior.

As an encouragement, the declaration of our lips serves to uphold and encourage believers in the pursuit of God.  As we declare the Word and its effect on our lives, it has a tremendous effect on other believers who hear.  They are encouraged and edified, built up and strengthened in their walk with the Lord.

Unbelievers, as God is drawing them, likewise can be encouraged and strengthened as God uses the declaration to draw them to Christ.  However, it can also end up being a rebuke to them and to believers who disregard it, alike.  The declaration of the Word is never an empty matter, but always accomplishes its purpose.  That purpose, sadly, is sometimes condemnation and rebuke.  We ought to be willing to be used of God even in this “unpleasant” and unpopular fashion.  The communication of truth is important and is used of God in a number of different ways.  It is up to Him to use the fruit of our lips in whatever fashion He sees fit.

Lastly, there is value in simply declaring the Word.  It is worthy of being declared in and of itself.  If there is value in music and art simply for aesthetics, then of how much more value is the declaration of the truth of the God of the universe?  If the playing of music and the viewing of art gives us pleasure because of their inherent value, then ought we not get all the more pleasure from the declaration of the mind and revelation of God?  Sadly, for many, this is not the case and they find the declaration of the Word dull and boring, even offensive!  Oh!  That we would be as the writer is – anxious to declare with our lips the truth in the Word!

It is interested and appropriate that the Psalmist calls the Word the “judgments” of God.  In a time when everything is right and nothing is viewed as inherently wrong – it is refreshing and challenging to understand that God views His Word as possessing the quality of “rightness”.  It is that which passes the judgment of God on all that it speaks to!  There is such a thing as right and wrong!  It is not determined by personal preference or by popular vote.  It is determined by the revelation of God.  He has revealed His mind, in the form of His Word to men and it stands as the last orbiter of “rightness” and “wrongness” in the world.

It is also interesting to see that the Psalmist sees this revelation in the Word as coming “from thy mouth”.  The truths recorded in the Word, to the Psalmist, were the very words of the one true and living God.  As such they are accorded great attention and heed.  Truly, it is of the greatest import if we know that we have the very words of God.  Why is it that we all do not view the Word of God with such simple and grave esteem?  How very much of an effect on our own lives would such a simple and yet impactful view of truth.  We get so complicated in our efforts to interpret and apply the scripture to our “situations.”  How much better off we would be if we simply let God say what He says and let that be from the lips of God to our ear, so to speak!