Psalms 119:19

Psalms 119:19 says, “Psa 119:19 I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.”

This verse teaches us two very important principles about life: 1. That Christians do not belong in this world. 2. God is a God that hides Himself. Now you might ask be asking yourself the question how are these two things connected? But before I answer that question lets look at these 2 points.

First, “I am a stranger in the earth.” The word stranger means guest or sojourner. The idea is that a Christian doesn’t belong in this world. If you know Jesus as your savior then you are just passing through this world into the next. Your real home, your permanent dwelling place is not this world but is the kingdom of God in heaven.

This principle is taught very clearly in Hebrews chapter 11:8-16, “Heb 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. Heb 11:9 By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: Heb 11:10 For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Heb 11:11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised. Heb 11:12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable. Heb 11:13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Heb 11:14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. Heb 11:15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. Heb 11:16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.”

I am a stranger in the earth. I look for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God. I desire a better country, that is, an heavenly.

Why is it important for us who are believers in Jesus to remember that we are strangers in this world just passing through on our way to heaven? There are many reasons why and they all tie into the principle of separation from the world. You are a stranger in this world if you are a Christian. You don’t fit in and you never will. The principles of living by faith in the promises of God, the high standards of morality in the Bible, these kinds of things are rejected by the world. They are considered foolish. They are despised. If you try to fit into the world and if you try to be accept by the world you’re going to find the world accept you if you compromise on the truth and even then the world will never truly accept you because if you are a believer you have the Spirit of God and will always be a testimony in some way, testimony against the world and its wickedness.

If however you remember that you are a stranger in the earth, that you are just passing through, that this life is temporary, and what you have to look forward too is eternal life in heaven with God then how much easier it will be for you to remain separated from the world and to not compromise on truth and righteousness.

2 Corinthians 6:14-17 says, “2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 2Co 6:15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 2Co 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.”

These verses in 2 Corinthians are great verses on the principle of separation from the world. What you will find about being a stranger is a stranger doesn’t fit in with the people around them and therefore the people around them will naturally separate from that person. That’s all it takes, is for you to live a righteous life. Don’t hide the fact that you are a Christian. Don’t be shy to talk about the things of the Lord in your day to day speak and the people of the world around you will realize you are a stranger in the earth and they for the most part will separate from you.

Psalms 119:19 says, “Psa 119:19 I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.”

Hide not Thy commandments from me. God is a God that hideth Himself. Job understood this truth when Job said in Job 23:8-9, “Job 23:8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him: Job 23:9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:”

Now let me ask you this question, have you ever seen God? I will answer that question for you, no you have not. God is a God that hides Himself. Not only does God hide himself but God hides His truth too.

Jesus said in Luke 8:10, “Luk 8:10 And he said, Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.”

The principle is this: God gives His truth to those that seek it. Those who in their hearts are not really seeking the truth will not understand the truth. They turn away from the truth and So God does not let them see it, understand it, perceive it.

A person can be involved in religion, get degrees, even read and study the Bible and yet not see or understand the truth. Because it really is a matter of the heart. A person has to come to terms with their own sinfulness by repenting of their sins to Jesus. A person has to rely on Christ instead of relying on their own works. If you don’t do these things then you will not understand, you will not see the truth.

Psalms 119:19 says, “Psa 119:19 I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.”

So what then is the connection between being a stranger in the earth and God not hiding his commandments from you? Well I kind of already explained it. A Christian who is separated from the world, who seeks the truth will receive the truth. That is why Jesus said seek and ye shall find. God hides his truth from those who are in and of the world. He lets them be blinded because the sinfulness and pride of their own hearts.

This is why when we consider just how great is the sinfulness of all men including you and I we should realize what a great privilege it is and what a great showering of the grace and mercy of God it is if you understand the truth. Just think about how many people in the world do not believe or understand the gospel. Just think about how many people in the world think that salvation as something to do with organized religion or their own works. Most people, most people. You are blessed, greatly blessed by God if you are saved and if you are a person that understands that salvation is by Faith and faith alone in Jesus Christ. Not many people in the world know this or understand it or believe and accept it including among those involved in Christianity.

Psalms 119:20, “Psa 119:20 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.”

Two of the key words in these verses are breaketh and longing. The word breaketh means to crush or dissolve and the word longing means desire.

King David was called a man after God’s own heart, despite certain well known sinful failures of his. One of the reasons for this had to do with King David’s desire towards God.

Desire has to do with what is in the heart. Another word for desire is lust. The word lust actually means strong desire. Now usually the word lust is a word that is associated with sexual desire. But a person can lust after anything.

One characteristic that is common to all mankind is that we all have desire, things we want, things we long for, things we dream about in regards to the future, things we desire. God made us this way. God us beings with strong desires. There is nothing inherently wrong with having desires. The real question what are your desire and are you letting your desires conflict with God’s desire or are your desires and God desires the same thing.

You see can desire the things of this world or you can desire the things of God.

James 4:1-3 says, “Jas 4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Jas 4:2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Jas 4:3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

These verses in James describe and explain the results of carnal desires, the desires of the flesh. The results are wars and fightings and killings. Now you know there is more than one way to kill a person. James isn’t talking about just physically killing a person. But a person can desire something so strongly and in such a way that they oppose another human being in everyway that they can to try to obtain what they want. When a person does this they often commit murder in their heart. They often attempt to murder a person with their words. If you are opposing another human with your words and your actions simply to try to get what you want that in away is the same thing as murder.

People do it all the time especially with their words. Someone says something they don’t like or don’t agree with and so they respond by doing everything they can to silence that person’s voice, they say everything they can to try and discredit that person and to silence the opposition.

Be careful what you lust after just as it warns here in the book of James. Lust can lead to wars and fighting’s and killings.

Just what are some of the things that people often lust after. Well the truth a person can lust after anything. Sometimes what we lust after is simply for a nother person to agree with us and not speak out their beliefs when they don’t believe the same thing we do. Some we lust after is more obvious things just as money or material possessions, or even a better job, or raise and so we find a way to compete with and oppose those around us so that we can obtain those things. If getting what you desire involves you stepping on someone else then something is wrong, you’re murdering that other person’s life by doing that.

Now we have briefly talked about desiring the wrong things. Lets go back to what Psalms 119:20 says, “Psa 119:20 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.”

Another human being who is a great example of desiring the right things, heavenly things, spiritual things, is the Apostle Paul. So let uss read some verses describing some of the things he desired and that he said to desire.

1 Thessalonians 2:17 says, “1Th 2:17 But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.”

Philippians 1:23 says, “Php 1:23 For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better.”

Philipians 4:17 says, “Php 4:17 Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.”

Colossians 1:9 says, “Col 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding”

1 Corinthians 14:1 says, “1Co 14:1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.”

1 Peter 2:2-3 says, “1Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: 1Pe 2:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

Notice the things that the Apostle Paul desired. He desired to fellowship with other Christians. He desired to be with Christ. He desired to bear fruit that it benefit the other believers. He desired that other believers would have knowledge of the will of God and wisdom and spiritual understanding. He hoped that other believers would desire spiritual gifts. And he hoped that other believers would desire the word of God and grow in it.

Notice that most of Paul’s desires didn’t really even have anything to do with himself and His own life but rather the lives of other human beings, mainly other Christians. This shows that Paul was a person who was very focused not on himself but on other people and on serving them, on what he could do for them to help them in their walk with Christ.

There are two kinds of people in life those that live for themselves, those whose desires involved themselves and then those who are like the apostle Paul, the live for Jesus and therefore their desire is on heavenly things and they are focus on serving others and how to minister to other people to bring to Christ and to build them up in the faith. So the question is which kind of person are you?

“Psa 119:20 My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.”

Apparently king David was a person who always desired God and things of God. And this is where it starts is with your desire. A person who desires to do what is right will start by coming to Jesus for forgiveness of their sins. If you honestly and sincerely desire the truth then you will come to Jesus because Jesus is the way the truth and the life. If you have never turned from your sins to Jesus then please do so today. Jesus is the great Savior who forgives all sins and offers His eternal life and eternal love to all whom trust in Him. Jesus can wipe away all the selfish desires of your heart and replace them with heavenly desires.

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