A Servant’s Heart
Everybody is serving something. Everybody is a slave to something. You might not wake up thinking, “I’m a servant. Let me obey my master today,” but you are. And you do. We all are. Some people are enslaved to money, believing the next paycheck is going to make life complete. Others are slaves tp approval, running after the next nod or like as if it’s all that matters. Many are enslaved by comfort, grabbing anything that softens life’s sharp edges. I mean, you’ve seen those infomercials for the perfect pillow, right? It’s like, “This pillow will solve world hunger and make you happy forever.” It’s just a pillow. You’re still grumpy in the morning. We don’t call these things being a servant or being a slave. We say we’re chasing our dreams or following our heart. We figure it’s just being practical. But let’s be honest. Someone or something is giving the orders you obey.
Psalm 119:121-128 cuts through the fog. It shows us what it means to be a servant of God, and this isn’t the half-hearted faith Pastor David warned us about last week. This is a heart all in, even in a world that’s trying to rip it apart. Here’s what H.B. Charles says about the three times the psalmist calls himself a servant in this passage:
The psalmist calls himself “your servant.” Why does he speak of himself this way? It is a statement of humility. The psalmist recognized he was not God’s peer or equal, who had the right to say whatever he wanted to God. He was only a humble servant seeking an audience before his almighty Master.
Likewise, it is a statement of devotion. He willingly submitted to God’s authority and faithfully obeyed God’s commands. This is also a statement of faith. It advertised his dependence on God. He did not have the resources to make it on his own. He needed the Lord to take care of him. This is our privilege in Christ.[1]
A servant of God stands for what is right. (121) A servant of God courageously upholds God’s truth in a hostile world, trusting His presence despite opposition.
Being faithful takes real courage. It’s not about kicking back in an easy life. The psalmist declares, “I have done what is just and right” (verse 121). He’s not saying he is perfect. He’s saying he’s chosen God’s truth in a world that hates it. Psalm 119 is a 176-verse love song to God’s Word, written by someone facing opposition. His enemies mock God’s law, but he’s doubled down. 2 Timothy 3:12 says it clearly: “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” If you’re living for Jesus, you’re going to face trouble. Standing for what is right doesn’t earn you applause. It puts you in the line of fire.
Nobody likes to be told they’re wrong. And there’s a whole world that’s living for what’s not truly right. Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.” If I am walking towards death, I would want to know, even if I’m wrong! I would rather be wrong than dead! A servant of God stands for what is right.
That’s why he prays, “Do not leave me to my oppressors” (verse 121). This is a desperate cry. He’s clinging to one of God’s promises found all throughout scripture, as Hebrews 13:5 says of God, “I’ll never leave you nor forsake you.” But the pressure against what is right is intense. The Hebrew word for “oppressors” points to extortion or being exploited. It carries with it the threat of violence. Faithfulness to God, though, doesn’t mean you skip the fight. It means God is holding you amidst the fight. It means He fights for you. This is the starting line. Psalm 119 is about a heart so gripped by God’s Word it won’t bend, even when the world’s screaming at you to cave.
A servant of God pursues what is good. (122) A servant of God seeks God’s eternal good over worldly rewards, trusting His promises when no good can be seen.
The world’s rewards are like a mirage, gone when you get close. But God’s goodness lasts forever. The psalmist prays, “Give your servant a pledge of good let not the insolent oppress me” (verse 122). He’s not chasing fame or a smooth ride. He’s hungry for God’s good. Truths like Romans 8:28 holds him up. God is working all things for good for those who love Him. And that good often comes through trials.
Pursuing God’s good changes what you chase. It’s choosing forgiveness when someone’s stabbed you in the back, because Colossians 3:13 says, “As the Lord’s forgiven you, so you’ve got to forgive.” It’s pouring your time, money, and heart into God’s work, knowing Matthew 6:20 calls you to store up treasures in heaven. The Hebrew word “pledge” can mean something like a down payment, a surety of something that’s coming. It’s like when you order something online, and they send you a tracking number. You don’t have the package yet, but you know it’s coming. He doesn’t necessarily see the good yet, but He’s trusting God to bring it. Psalm 27:13 is a little insight into his heart “I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” Listen to the context King David says this in. Doesn’t it sound just like Psalm 119?
11 Teach me your way, O Lord,
and lead me on a level path
because of my enemies.
12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries;
for false witnesses have risen against me,
and they breathe out violence.13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord
in the land of the living!
14 Wait for the Lord;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the Lord!
This flows from standing for what’s right. You don’t just hold your ground. You run toward God’s good, because His good is worth everything.
A servant of God has been saved by God. (123–124) A servant’s strength lies in God’s saving grace, not personal effort, relying solely on God’s steadfast love.
A true servant’s strength isn’t in his effort. It’s in God’s mercy. The psalmist cries, “My eyes long for your salvation and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise. Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love” (verses 123 to 124). He’s not acting tough. He’s worn out, eyes aching for God to show up. This is a man at his breaking point, yet he’s holding to God’s covenant. This is the gospel. We’re not saved by our works. We’re saved by God’s steadfast love, hesed in Hebrew, a fierce, loyal, covenant love. Lamentations 3:22-23 says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
A servant of God realizes the depths from which he has been saved. It’s as Romans 5:8 says: “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” We serve God from salvation, not for salvation. The King of all the earth will do what is right (Gen 18:25). And what is right is our condemnation. But through Jesus, because He took the punishment, we get pardon. How can you not serve a King such as that? You cannot be a servant of God without first being saved by God.
A servant of God seeks right understanding. (125) A servant craves closeness with God, seeking to know Him through His Word.
Seeking to obey God without knowing God is legalism. The psalmist prays, “I am your servant give me understanding that I may know your testimonies” (verse 125). He’s not after a checklist. He wants God’s heart. Psalm 119 is obsessed with God’s Word, because it reveals God Himself. This understanding drives Psalm 119. The Hebrew word for “understanding” means discernment, a heart that gets God’s purposes. What’s one thing little kids will ask over and over again? “Why?” And then you answer them. “Why?” And then you answer again. Yet again, “Why?” Then you shout, “BECAUSE!” What is the little kid after? Understanding. You know what else their after even more than that? You. Conversation with their parent. They’re after relationship. They’re after closeness.
The psalmist isn’t after Bible facts for Bible drill. It’s not that kind of understanding. He’s meeting the living God. That’s why he can stand firm, chase good, and lean on salvation. He knows his Master. Are you digging into God’s Word to meet Him, or just to get through it? Try this. Spend 15 minutes a day this week in a Psalm. Ask God to show you His heart. Write down one thing you learn about who God is. Don’t settle for shallow faith. Chase the God who’s speaking to you. You must have an active relationship with God to be a servant of God.
A servant of God begs God to act. (126) A servant passionately prays for God’s kingdom to prevail, trusting His justice when His law is broken.
A servant’s heart aches for God’s glory. The psalmist cries, “It is time for the Lord to act, for your law has been broken” (verse 126). This is a desperate prayer. Psalm 119 shows a man surrounded by those who trample God’s Word. He doesn’t lash out or give up. He begs God to move. Revelation 22:20 echoes this same prayer for us in the next to last verse in our Bible. “Come, Lord Jesus!”
This prayer is rooted in knowing God’s heart. Psalm 119’s love for God’s law isn’t about rules. It’s about God’s perfect will. When it’s broken, the psalmist’s soul aches, but he prays. He trusts God is going to make things right. That’s how a servant faces a world that hates God’s Word. Not with anger. Not with despair. With prayer that God’s glory will shine.
This ties it all together. You stand for truth, because you love God’s Word. You chase His good, because you trust His promises. You lean on His salvation, because you belong to Him. You seek His heart, because you love Him. Now you pray for His kingdom, because His glory is your deepest longing.
A servant of God treasures God above all else. (127) A servant values God’s Word above fleeting riches, finding joy in the eternal life it reveals.
What you treasure shapes your eternity. The psalmist says, “Therefore I love your commandments above gold above fine gold” (verse 127). Gold shines. It promises security. But it fades. You can’t take it with you. But God’s Word endures forever. Remember the promise we read earlier, that God will not leave you nor forsake you. Look at the context it is said in Hebrews 13:5 – Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
The psalmist is living in a world where gold could buy safety, status, or a way out of trouble. Yet he says God’s commandments are better. Why? Because gold can’t buy life, but God’s Word delivers life. Think about the rich young ruler in Mark 10:17-22. He had gold, status, and morality, but when Jesus said, “Sell it all and follow me,” he walked away sad. His treasure was his stuff, not God’s Word. The psalmist is different. He’s saying, “Give me God’s law over a vault of gold any day.” Does your heart say that? Do you know how many Bibles I could buy with a vault of gold? (We make excuses. We know what’s really in our heart.) Truly treasuring God’s Word shapes everything. It’s why the psalmist is unshaken when the world’s falling apart. His joy’s not in fleeting things, but in the God who speaks through His commandments.
A servant of God embraces all of God’s Word. (128) A servant fully submits to every command of God’s perfect Word, rejecting false paths.
Partial obedience isn’t obedience. The psalmist says, “Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right I hate every false way” (verse 128). He doesn’t pick what he likes. He’s all in. James 2:10 tell us, “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.” We know from 2 Timothy 3:16, that “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”
Joshua 1:8 urges, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” The psalmist lives this. He doesn’t cherry-pick God’s Word like it’s a buffet. He takes the whole plate, because he trusts the Chef.
A servant of God follows the Suffering Servant.
No servant saves himself. Isaiah 53 shows us the Suffering Servant. It’s Jesus. He took our sins. He was crushed for our wrongs. His wounds healed us. He kept God’s law perfectly. He gave His life to set us free.
Psalm 119’s love for God’s Word points to Jesus, the Word made flesh. He’s the perfect servant who lived every command we’ve failed. As Danny Akin says,
“He was consumed with a passion to serve His Father and do His will.
- John 4:34, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work.”
- John 5:30, “I can do nothing on my own...because I seek not my own will but the will of him [the Father] who sent me.”
- John 6:38, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do any own will but the will of him who sent me.”
Jesus repeatedly teaches us, “a servant is not greater than his master” (John 13:16; 15:20).”[2]
Jesus stood for truth, chased God’s good, leaned on His Father, knew His heart, prayed His will, treasured His law, and embraced it all. Then He died to make us His. Philippians 2:8 says He humbled Himself to death on a cross. That’s the love you’re called to follow.
This isn’t about working harder to impress God. It’s about a heart captured by His love. Stand for His truth, because you love His Word. Chase His good, because you trust His promises. Lean on His salvation, because you’re His. Seek His heart, because you crave Him. Pray for His kingdom, because His glory’s your joy. Treasure His Word above everything. Embrace it all, because you trust Him. Follow the Suffering Servant who gave it all for you.
[1] https://hbcharlesjr.com/resource-library/sermon-outlines/praying-your-way-through-mistreatment-psalm-119121-128
[2] https://www.danielakin.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Psalm-119.121-128-Marks-of-the-Servant-of-the-Lord-manuscript-mjh.pdf
