Hope for the Drowning (Ps 119:24-25; Luke 14: 1-6)
One of the striking features of the Old Testament is the rarity with which phrases like “I love the Lord” occur. Whether we’re working through the narrative sections or the prophets or poetry or wisdom, that’s a phrase we just don’t hear. We do hear about God’s love—his covenant faithfulness toward—for his people. We hear that all the time. But almost nothing is written about a reciprocated love. In fact, Psalm 116:1 stands out as being the ONLY Psalm in the Psalter in which we are invited to say or sing with the Psalmist , “I love the Lord.” (Ps. 116:1). Far more often we find these phrases: “ your law do I love,” “my delight shall be ever in your statutes” (statutes meaning rule or law), “I love your testimonies,” and “I love your commandments more than gold.” All of these, of course, come from our Psalm this morning. But they can be found throughout the Psalter, and the whole Old Testament. Psalm 119 is especially important in this regard. It is the...