SESSION 5
GOD’S WORD IS
ALWAYS RELEVANT
The Point
God’s Word reflects His character and power—and always will.
The Passage
Psalm 119:89-96
The Bible Meets Life
We look to doctors with our health needs. We look to the courts to give us justice. We look to family
members to step in and help us with various needs. We need each other, but there is only so much
any of us can do. Not so with God. He is the perfect, all-powerful Creator who gives us life. We see
these very attributes in Scripture, because the Bible is His Word, and it has always reflected His
character and power.
The Setting
Psalm 119:89‑96 (the lamed stanza, the twelfth one) focuses on how God’s Word reflects God’s
character and power. In these verses, the psalmist praised the eternality and power of God’s Word. He
remembered that in his times of persecution and affliction, it was God’s Word that delivered him and
gave him life.
BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE
59
What does the Bible say?
Psalm 119:89-96 (HCSB)
89
Lord, Your word is forever; it is firmly fixed in heaven.
Your faithfulness is for all generations; You established the earth, and it
stands firm.
90
They stand today in accordance with Your judgments, for all things are
Your servants.
91
If Your instruction had not been my delight, I would have died in my
affliction.
92
I will never forget Your precepts, for You have given me life through
them.
93
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S e ss i o n 5
94
I am Yours; save me, for I have sought Your precepts.
95
The wicked hope to destroy me, but I contemplate Your decrees.
96
I have seen a limit to all perfection, but Your command is without limit.
THE POINT
God’s Word reflects His character and power—and always will.
GET INTO THE STUDY
10 minutes
ACTIVITY (OPTIONAL): To demon-
Notes
strate the temporary nature of some
items, instruct your group to brainstorm a
list of things that have lost their relevance
through the years. This can include things
such as 8-tracks, floppy disks, landline
phones, and so on. Discuss why these
things typically became irrelevant.
DISCUSS: Invite your group members to
TIP: Use the
margins of this
teaching plan
to record notes
and ideas you
want to share in
your teaching.
discuss Question #1 on page 45 of the
PSG (Personal Study Guide): “When have
you gotten swept up in a trend or fad?” Allow time for each person to answer.
SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGE 46): Weight loss is consistently the top New Year’s
resolution each year. What isn’t consistent is how we go about that weight loss. The
1910s emphasized chewing your food 32 times—once for each tooth. The 1930s gave
us the Grapefruit (or Hollywood) diet. The 1950s fed us the Cabbage Soup Diet. The
1970s started the trend of over-the-counter diet pills. The 1990s gave us low-carb,
high-protein diets. What’s trendy in dieting is based on what this year’s experts say is
relevant—but that relevant information changes as much as our waistlines do.
SAY: “Our lives should be based on something far more reliable than the latest trend.
Psalm 119 points to the one Source that is always consistent: God’s Word.”
LEADER PACK: Bring your group’s attention to Pack Item #6, “Best Sellers” poster,
and discuss how the Bible consistently tops the list of best-selling books.
GUIDE: Call attention to The Point on page 46 of the PSG: ”God’s Word reflects His
character and power—and always will.”
PRAY: Transition into the discussion with prayer. Ask God for a deeper understanding
of His Word and thank Him for the timeless truth it provides.
Use Pack Item #6 with your
introduction of the Point as
you begin this session.
PLAYLIST PICK:
“Ever Be”
by Aaron Shust
BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE
61
10 minutes
STUDY THE BIBLE
Psalm 119:89-91 (HCSB)
Notes
Lord, Your word is forever; it is firmly fixed in heaven. 90 Your faithfulness
is for all generations; You established the earth, and it stands firm.
91
They stand today in accordance with Your judgments, for all things are
89
Your servants.
DISCUSS: Question #2 on page 47 of the PSG: “When did you first encounter
the Bible in a meaningful way?”
READ: Ask a group member to read aloud Psalm 119:89-91.
SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGES 47-48): Verses 89-91 affirm the timeless
nature of God’s Word in two ways.
»»
God’s Word is affirmed in the heavens. “Lord, Your word is forever; it is
firmly fixed in heaven” (v. 89). Here, the psalmist expressed God’s view of His
Word: it is certain, firm, established, and can’t be changed. Like God Himself,
His Word is eternal with no beginning or end.
»»
God’s Word is affirmed on earth. We see God’s faithfulness in His creation
and the world around us. God spoke the created order into existence, and
because it stands firm, we can trust that all God speaks stands firm.
ALTERNATE
QUESTION:
How have you
experienced
God’s Word as
trustworthy?
DISCUSS: Question #3 on page 48 of the PSG: “Why is it important to know
that God’s Word will never change?”
SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGE 48): We see the faithfulness of God by gazing
up and looking around. Verse 91 refers to the heavens and the earth when it says,
“They stand today in accordance with Your judgments.” They do not stand on their
own; God sustains them. The remainder of verse 91 explains why: “for all things
are Your servants.” God is in control, and creation serves Him. This, then, is the
confidence we have in God’s Word. He is in charge, and His Word on our behalf is
timeless and faithful.
TRANSITION: In the next verses, the psalmist declared another quality of God’s
Word: it’s ability to give life.
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THE POINT
God’s Word reflects His character and power—and always will.
Psalm 119:89-91 Commentary
God’s Word is timeless. Verse 89: The psalmist proclaimed that God’s Word is forever. God is eternal
(Isaiah 40:28; Revelation 1:8). He has no beginning and no end. Like God Himself, God’s Word is eternal
as well. The truths and principles in God’s Word apply to all people in all generations.
The second line of verse 89 is parallel to the first but it provides more information and completes the
thought of the first line. Speaking of God’s Word, it reads: “it is firmly fixed in heaven.” In the Gospel of
Matthew, Jesus spoke similar words: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass
away” (Matthew 24:35). By writing God’s Word “is firmly fixed in heaven,” the psalmist expressed God’s
view of His Word. The words “firmly fixed” mean God’s Word is certain, firm, established, and can’t
be changed. Since God is the divine Author of the Bible, it reflects God’s attributes of immutability
(unchangeableness) and eternality. As God is sovereign, having authority both in heaven and on earth,
so too His Word has that same authority.
Verse 90: In the first line of verse 90, the psalmist continued speaking of God’s attributes: “Your
faithfulness is for all generations.” In this instance, some scholars understand God’s faithfulness not
in terms of God Himself, but in respect to God’s Word. “God’s faithfulness is a synonym for Scripture,
meaning God is forever committed to keeping His promises through all generations.”1 In the context of
Psalm 119 and particularly in these verses, this interpretation makes sense.
The Hebrew word translated “faithfulness” refers to loyalty, fidelity, honesty, truthfulness, steadiness,
and dependability. God is completely trustworthy; He always keeps His promises. God’s faithfulness is
great (Lamentations 3:23), everlasting (Psalm 119:90), established (89:2), incomparable (v. 8), unfailing
(v. 33), and infinite (36:5). God’s faithfulness is always applicable for us because it is for all generations.
Verse 91: What does the word “they” in verse 91 refer to? On the basis of verses 89‑90, it refers to
the heavens (v. 89) and the earth (v. 90). The second line of verse 91, “for all things are Your servants,”
supports the reference to the heavens and the earth. The psalmist referred to the consistency between
God and His Word and the heavens and the earth. In writing all things are God’s servants, the psalmist
pointed to God’s purpose in creation. Everything—you, me, all the animals, and all the land—were
created with the purpose of serving God. All things are His servants.
1. Stephen J. Lawson, Psalms 76–150, vol. 12 in the Holman Old Testament Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2006), 252.
BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE
63
10 minutes
STUDY THE BIBLE
Psalm 119: 92-93 (HCSB)
Notes
If Your instruction had not been my delight, I would have died in my
affliction. 93 I will never forget Your precepts, for You have given me life
through them.
92
READ: Ask a group member to read aloud Psalm 119:92-93.
SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGES 48-49): God’s Word is sufficient for whatever
we face. A devotion to God’s instruction did not keep the psalmist from affliction,
but his delight in God’s Word sustained him through it. Note the progression and
relationship between affliction and God’s Word.
»»
»»
»»
“Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word” (v. 67).
“It was good for me to be afflicted so that I could learn Your statutes” (v. 71).
“If Your instruction had not been my delight, I would have died in my
affliction” (v. 92).
ALTERNATE
QUESTION:
What steps
can we take
to engage the
Scriptures
so that we
never forget?
DISCUSS: Question #4 on page 49 of the PSG: “How have you experienced
‘life’ as a result of God’s instruction?” (Note: Be ready to answer this question
yourself. Your transparency will encourage others to share their stories. Have more
than 10 group members? Consider placing them in smaller groups for this question.)
SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGE 49): His delight led the psalmist to vow: “I will
never forget Your precepts” (v. 93).
»»
Forgetting God’s Word is a matter of the will. Consequently, remembering
God’s Word requires more than just thinking about it. Remembering includes
doing and persevering.
»»
The psalmist’s pledge of obedience reflected sincerity, not perfection. He had
determined in his heart to please God.
»»
When pleasing God is our heart’s determined desire, it will be clearly and
consistently evident in how we live.
TRANSITION: At the point of death, the psalmist was revived by the Word of
God. This is the power of God’s Word—it can put us back on our feet again.
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S e ss i o n 5
THE POINT
God’s Word reflects His character and power—and always will.
Psalm 119:92-93 Commentary
God’s Word is life-giving. Verse 92: Verses 92-93 complement each other, both making similar
statements about God’s Word. The psalmist began verse 92 with the statement that God’s instruction
had been his delight. This is a recurring theme in the psalm (vv. 16,24,47,70,77,92,143,174). The psalmist
wrote that had God’s instruction not been his delight, he would have died in his affliction. The word
“affliction” refers to being in a condition of suffering or misery. It can also refer to one who suffers
in prison or captivity. The affliction the psalmist referred to was most likely the persecution he was
suffering at the hands of the wicked. The psalmist referenced this in the verses just before this section.
“All Your commands are true; people persecute me with lies—help me! They almost ended my life on
earth, but I did not abandon Your precepts. Give me life in accordance with Your faithful love, and I will
obey the decree You have spoken” (Psalm 119:86-88). The psalmist clung to God’s Word. Because God’s
Word was his delight—his primary focus in life—it brought him life in the midst of the persecution he
was enduring.
Verse 93: This verse begins with the psalmist’s promise that he will never forget God’s precepts. Perhaps
a sentence such as “The psalmist will never, ever forget God’s precepts” helps us capture the writer’s
emphasis. Used 9 times in Psalm 119 (vv. 16,61,83,93,109,139,141,153,176), the concept of remembering
(not forgetting) is very important to the psalmist—as well as to God (it is emphasized through the entire
Bible; see for example Exodus 13:3; Numbers 15:37‑40). Remembering (never forgetting) is a central
focus for God’s people—in biblical times and today. It means much more than just recalling an event,
which is merely an intellectual activity. Just as “hearing God” means “obeying God,” in a similar way
remembering involves a change in living based on what God has done in the past for us.
The second part of verse 93 gives the reason for the psalmist’s not forgetting—God’s precepts had given
him life. The idea of giving someone life or renewing someone’s life is repeated 10 times in Psalm 119
(vv. 25,37,40,50,88,107,149,154,156,159). However, in this instance the psalmist was doing something
slightly different. He was not asking God to give him life in the future; he was remembering what God
had already done for him. Part of the psalmist’s confidence in appealing to God to save him in the next
verse came from the fact that God had given him life in the past. In the same way, our confidence in God
as believers flows out of the love God has shown to us already in Jesus Christ. The depth of God’s love
for us is seen in His giving His Son for us, who died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. When we
are in difficult times, we can gain confidence and hope by looking back at the cross, knowing that no
matter what happens, God loves us and will never abandon us. We have God’s promise (Hebrews 13:5).
BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE
65
10 minutes
STUDY THE BIBLE
Psalm 119:94-96 (HCSB)
Notes
I am Yours; save me, for I have sought Your precepts. 95 The wicked hope
to destroy me, but I contemplate Your decrees. 96 I have seen a limit to all
perfection, but Your command is without limit.
94
READ: Ask a group member to read aloud Psalm 119:94-96.
SUMMARIZE THE COMMENTARY (VERSES 94-95): The psalmist was in
danger from men who sought to destroy him.
»»
The psalmist had previously referred to his faithfulness in keeping God’s
precepts in spite of persecution from his enemies (Psalm 119:84,87). However,
this verse reveals that his persecutors were still a problem.
»»
Facing these enemies, the psalmist declared, “I contemplate Your
decrees” (v 95).
ALTERNATE
QUESTION:
What does it
mean in your
own words
to tell God, “I
am Yours”?
DISCUSS: Question #5 on page 51 of the PSG: “What makes God’s
instruction different from other guidance we encounter in life?” (Note. Some
sources of guidance we typically turn to will be appropriate and godly sources of truth.
However, God’s Word will always be our best source for truth.)
SUMMARIZE THE PSG (PAGE 51): As he contemplated the decrees of God,
the psalmist saw how perfect God’s Word is. “I have seen a limit to all perfection,
but Your command is without limit” (v. 96).
»»
The Hebrew word “perfection” speaks of the intended end or completion of
a thing. Even the best things in this world are limited; nothing in this world is
perfect: not people, places, experiences, or achievements.
»»
The Word of God is perfect. “Your command is without limit” (v. 96). This
is a poetic way of saying the Word of God is complete, sufficient, limitless,
and undefeatable.
DO: Instruct group members to complete the activity on page 50 of the PSG on
their own. If time allows, invite volunteers to share aloud their responses.
WITHOUT LIMIT: When you think about Psalm 119:89-90, what captures your
attention? Describe, list, or sketch your response.
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S e ss i o n 5
THE POINT
God’s Word reflects His character and power—and always will.
Psalm 119:94-96 Commentary
God’s Word is perfect. Verses 94-95: The psalmist wrote a remarkable statement of fact: “I am
Yours.” He recognized his position as a servant before God. His words were both a recognition of God’s
ownership of his life and a pledge of loyalty. On this basis, the psalmist cried out for God to save him.
The Hebrew term used here for “save,” while occasionally referring to deliverance from sin, guilt, and
divine punishment, usually refers to physical rescue from enemies in this world.
The psalmist was in danger from wicked men who sought to destroy him. The wicked are those who are
enemies of both God and His people. The term translated “hope” in this context has the meaning of lying
in wait or looking for someone or something. It also carries the notion of eager anticipation. The danger
the psalmist faced was very real and his enemies were eagerly and actively seeking his destruction. The
psalmist had previously referred to his faithfulness in keeping God’s precepts in spite of persecution
from his enemies, persecution from which he had sought God’s deliverance (Psalm 119:84,87). However,
this verse reveals that his persecutors were still a problem.
The second lines of both verses 94 and 95 are similar (or may have the same meaning). Both lines provide
the basis for the psalmist’s request. In Psalm 119, the Hebrew terms for “precepts” and “decrees” are
used nearly interchangeably as synonyms for God’s Word. Not only are these words parallel, the verbs
translated “sought” and “contemplate” can refer to essentially the same action.
The psalmist responded
to danger and persecution by turning to and focusing on God’s Word. The term translated “sought”
has the meaning of inquiring or consulting. When the wicked threatened, the psalmist turned to God’s
Word for aid. He sought the solution from God, not himself. Not only was the psalmist looking to God’s
Word for his solution, but he was completely focused on God’s Word as well.
Verse 96: Whereas verses 94‑95 had a common theme, verse 96 refers to a different truth. When life is
lived to the fullest, that is, in relationship with God, life can be perfect (in the sense of being complete or
fulfilling). The psalmist’s phrase “all perfection” likely refers to all of life’s activities without God, in that
it has a limit (the human concept of perfection that excludes God, His laws, His ways, and so forth). The
psalmist contrasted God’s command—it is without limit—with the activities of people apart from God,
which are limited. In other words, the psalmist stated that God’s Word is eternal.
The psalmist knew that true satisfaction and fulfillment in life flow out of a relationship with God and
a life lived in obedience to His Word. When we come into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ,
we begin living life as God meant for us to live it.
BIBLE STUDIES FOR LIFE
67
5 minutes
LIVE IT OUT
SAY: “How should you respond to the truth
that the Word of God is always relevant?”
Notes
GUIDE: Lead group members to consider the
responses to the Bible study listed on page 52
of the PSG.
»»
Get outside. Psalm 119 says that even
the heavens affirm the trustworthiness
of God’s Word. Find a time this week
to spend outside and observe God’s creation. Pull up Psalm 119 on your
smartphone and read it in the context of God’s handiwork.
»»
Pledge to respond in obedience to what God’s Word says to do. It’s
easier to take steps of faith if we’ve already decided to do so. Ask God to make
His guidance for you clear and for strength to follow His Word in obedience.
»»
Share the love. As a group, make it your goal to collect and donate Bibles
to those who don’t have one. Whether it’s visitors who come to this group,
children who attend VBS, or another outreach ministry of your church, giving
a Bible to someone communicates the treasure that it is.
Wrap It Up
SAY: “God’s Word reflects God’s character; it’s timeless and perfect. Trends and
fads will come and go, but God’s Word will always be true. This week, don’t take
this gift for granted. Spend time in God’s Word and be ready to put it
into practice.”
Additional ideas for your group are available at
BibleStudiesforLife.com/AdultExtra
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