Psalm119: 137 - 144

“O Lord, you are righteous, and your regulations are fair. Your laws are perfect and completely trustworthy. I am overwhelmed with indignation, for my enemies have disregarded your words. Your promises have been thoroughly tested; that is why I love them so much. I am insignificant and despised, but I don’t forget your commandments. Your justice is eternal, and your instructions are perfectly true. As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands. Your laws are always right; help me to understand them so I may live.” - Psalm 119: 137-144 (NLT)

Do you remember being a child and having that one person in your life you thought was always right and could do no wrong?

Maybe it was a parent. Perhaps a teacher. Possibly a coach.

Regardless, it was someone who you looked to when you needed help.

Those people are wonderful, but God is even more. That’s because he is perfectly sovereign. According to Dictionary.com, sovereign means

adj. “being above all others in character, importance, excellence, etc.”

Some synonyms for sovereign include

• dominance
• supremacy

This psalm points to elements of God’s sovereignty.

First, God’s Beyond Perfect.

V. 138: Your laws are perfect and completely trustworthy.

If God is sovereign and ‘above all,’ then he and his commands have to be perfect. This is more than just our definition of perfect. I

t’s holy.

It’s divine.

It’s beyond our comprehension.

Early in Psalm 119 we learned that while perfection is limited, God has no limits.

Thoroughly Tested is Superior

V. 140: Your promises have been thoroughly tested; that is why I love them so much.

When something is thoroughly tested and is still good and relevant, that shows it’s supreme or above all. Think about popular products or brands. There is a reason you just thought about Apple, Nike, Taco Bell, etc. They are successful. Customers have thoroughly tested the products.

Athletes thoroughly test themselves to become better. Yet all the comparisons fall short of how tested God’s Word is and will be. There are always going to be people disputing the facts of the Bible.

But, time and time again we learn that it’s true and superior to any other book.

Always Right

V. 144: Your laws are always right; help me to understand them so I may live.

To drive this point home, God’s laws and commands are always right because He is good and sovereign. He wouldn’t be that if He wasn’t sovereign and He wouldn't be sovereign if His Laws were not always right.

Journal Questions

1. How do you feel about God being described as “sovereign” or “dominant” or “supreme”?
2. How does the idea of sovereignty change the way you know or understand the nature of God?