All right, Psalm 119, verse 89, Lamed. In the English Standard Version, it reads this way. And actually, this is one place where I like the English Standard Version, one of my favorites. However, there's a couple of verses here that I don't like how the English Standard does it. The King James Version is probably better in several verses here. But I have the English Standard Version, so I'll We'll muddle through it. I actually like the Hebrew in all of the verses. Verse 89, Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Verse 90, Your faithfulness endures to all generations. You have established the earth, and it stands fast. Verse 91, By your appointment, They stand this day, for all things are your servants. Verse 92, if your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. Verse 93, I will never forget your precepts. for by them you have given me life. Verse 94, I am yours, save me, for I have sought your precepts. Verse 95, the wicked lie and wait to destroy me, but I consider your testimonies. Verse 96, I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your commandment is exceedingly broad. Well, Lamed, that's how you would pronounce the letter Lamed with the stress on the first syllable. It's the 12th letter of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet. The ancient symbol for Lamed was drawn as a shepherd's staff. The modern Lamed resembles our English L sound, as the letter takes on that sound from the beginning. Lamed, placed before a word, means to, from, into, or towards. Lo, spelled Lamed Aleph, it means no, not, or without, and the first time that it's used is in Genesis 2, verse 5, where it says, not, when no bush of the field was yet in the land, and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground." You'll notice that there were three nos in that verse. No small plant, no bush, no small plant, and no man. It doesn't use the Hebrew word lo, which means no, not, or without. There it uses the word ein, which means there is not, or there is none. But this is the first time it's used, and it's only used one time in this verse. Lev, which is spelled lamed bait, Lev means heart, and the first time that it's used in the Bible, the word heart is used in Genesis 6-5. The Lord saw the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And so it's interesting that the first time that heart is used, it's used in connection with man's sinfulness. Lamed is feminine in gender, which you probably should have picked up on by now. We're in the 12th letter, and every even number is feminine, followed by, you know, it follows the masculine, which are all the odd numbers of the letters. Lamed is feminine in gender, and by its ancient pictograph means to, yoke, bind, or teach. As the shepherd or farmer's staff was used to guide animals in order to teach them the way to go, lamed is a word for instruction and studies. Lamad is the Hebrew word to learn or study, while lamed means teach or instruct. Both words are used in the Torah, in the law, in the law of Moses. In Deuteronomy 4, verse 10, it says, the Lord said to me, gather the people to me that I may let them hear my words so that they may learn to fear me all the days that they live on the earth, and that they may teach their children also, or teach your children so. That's Deuteronomy 4, verse 10. The Jewish community, excuse me, the Jewish commentary upon the scriptures is called the Talmud. While the student or disciple, the word for student or disciple in Hebrew, or the student of the Talmud is called the Talmid. And a group of students will be called Talmudim, or the disciples. A Hebrew-speaking Christian living in Israel today, when he's reading the gospel and he hears about the disciples, he would hear about the Talmudim, because they are the disciples or students of the Lord Jesus Christ. As the 12th letter, Lamed has the numerical value of 30. Remember, the first 10 letters only have 1 through 10. Lamed would have the value of 30. It is also the tallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet when written. And according to the rabbis, it signifies royalty because it's so tall. And thus, Lamed also represents the King of Kings, Almighty God. This is the rabbi speaking, but we know that Jesus Christ is, that's his title too, that he is Almighty God because he is, or he's King of Kings because he is what, Brent? He is Almighty God, right? You're right. I thought I'd throw that in there for you. Also, according to some rabbis, because Israel begins with Yud, the smallest letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and ends with Lamed, the tallest letter, although God's people begin with very little knowledge of God, the people, you know, Israel is a reference to the people of God. They begin with very little knowledge of God through much study, through much study, which is Lamed. By God's grace, they will grow spiritually tall in the end. Jesus said in Luke six and verse 40, a disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone, when he is fully trained, will be like his teacher. And fully trained, the word trained there in the Hebrew Bible, in the Hebrew New Testament is Lamad. The verses, verse 89. Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. It begins with the Hebrew letter Lamed. Lalam means forever. Olam means eternity, and having the Lamed in front of it means to eternity. In other words, forever. As high and vast and eternal are the heavens, so is God's word. Mark 13, verse 31, the Lord Jesus says, heaven and earth will pass away, but my words shall not pass away or will not pass away. Verse 90, your faithfulness endures to all generations. You have established the earth and it stands fast. Two generations. The first word there in Hebrew is Lador. Lador is a word for generation, singular. But here in the Hebrew scriptures, it says, lador, vador. Literally, it says two generation and generation. The common translation of that would be unto or to generations, two generations. Or from, or you could say it like this, because lamed also means from. It can mean from generation to generation, would be a kind of a way to explain that. But since Adam, until Christ's return, not a single generation will pass without encountering the faithfulness of God's fulfilled Word. Matthew 5, verse 18 says, For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not a jot or tittle will pass from the law until all is fulfilled. Every generation, even the unbelievers, will encounter the faithfulness of God's Word from generation to generation. They might not recognize it, but they certainly will encounter it. Just taking a breath, just seeing the majesty of the mountains, the sky, the animals that exist. they'll encounter the faithfulness of God's creation. And that they have a breath in their nostrils shows His faithfulness as well, despite their sin. Verse 91 says, By your appointment they stand this day, for all things are your servants. The Lamed word there is l'mishpetihah. It means by your command, and it references the previous verse. And if I use my own translation for this, the Pastor John translation, I would say that I would translate it like this, by your ordained command, they endure this day because they are all your servants. Matthew 10 and verse 29 says, Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. In other words, there's not a thing that's been created. The creation, the heavens, and when it's speaking of the heavens in verse 89, it was speaking of the heaven of heavens, the third heaven, which is the dwelling place of God. All of creation, including the birds and you and me, are evidence of God's ordained command. Everything will be fulfilled according to what He has ordained. The planets will march in their orbit until God says otherwise. Verse 92, a word in the English Standard Version that is not translated. It says, if your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. In verse 92, the Lamed word that the verse begins with is lulei. It means unless or except that. And the King James Version has it worded slightly different, but it means the same thing as the English Standard Version. But the heavens and the earth did not vanish it at the fall or the flood. Likewise, the people of God, though afflicted, will endure to see the fulfillment of Messiah in their lives. Romans 8 and verses 28 and 29, we all know, that says, and we know, not and we know. think, and we know that God works all things together for good to them that love God, for those who are the called according to his purpose, for whom he did foreknow, he did also predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Verse 93, it's the same as the first verse that we looked at, verse 89. Verse 93, I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me life. And the word that begins with, even though it's not translated as forever there, is lelam, which does mean forever, same as verse 89. But the gospel precepts of Christ, and the way that it figures in is that it says, I will never forget. If it uses forget with lo, which means no, so we'll not forget, lo lam, lo, forget. But anyway, it's not forget, forever. Not forget forever. I will never forget. See, the gospel precepts of Christ are eternal and can never be forgotten once imprinted upon the heart by God. Now, our memories may falter, they may fail, but God's truth is forever and it's in you. So the Holy Spirit, as Jesus said in the Gospel of John, that will bring all things into remembrance, but he won't bring into remembrance something that you haven't, that hasn't been impressed upon your heart in the first place. So if it's been there, the Holy Spirit will draw it out, even if your mind is forgotten, no matter how old you are. And we know this from Ezekiel 36 verse 27. It says, and I will put my spirit within you. And we just read that just last week. And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. Verse 94 says, I am yours, save me, for I have sought your precepts. I am yours, save me. It's a compound as you can see by that little dash in front of the words. It's l'cha ani, l'cha, one word, to you. Ani, I am, literally it's to you I am. L'chi ani, and it means I'm yours or I'm thine in the old King James Version. The more we search out and study God's gospel precepts in his word, The more convinced we will be, we belong to Jesus, and the more we will live according to that truth. 1 Corinthians 6, verse 20 tells us, For you were bought with a price, so glorify God in your body. When Jesus died for our sins, he shed his blood. And he died a death and suffered God's wrath and all those things. It was a huge price that he paid for us. He bought us lock, stock, and barrel. We are his. Song of Solomon says, I am my beloved's and my beloved's is mine. Verse 95. Verse 95, we have another untranslated word. Verse 95 says, the wicked lie and wait to destroy me, but I consider your testimonies. Lamed Yud. means to me, and often it is connected. It's not typically found in the front of a sentence, but it being that it means to me, Lee, and we've seen this in other portions of Psalm 119, where it was connected to words, but like the word that it was connected to, the Lee came after. There is great comfort in the testimonies of Christ to which the vilest attacks of the wicked are neutralized James 5 and verse 7 says be patient therefore brothers until the coming of the Lord See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth being patient about it until it receives the early and the latter rains And, excuse me, verse 96 says, I have seen a limit to all perfection, but your commandment is exceedingly broad. And that begins with the Lamed word lachal, which means to all, speaking of the perfections there. But those perfections are upon the earth. What it's speaking of is that which seems to be perfect and complete on the earth isn't complete until the Lord Jesus Christ comes. So if I translate this in my amplified translation, of all perfection upon the earth, I have seen its limit. Broad are your commandments very exceedingly. In other words, being that they're broad, They reach out, the commandments of God reach out to anyone regardless of their walk, of where they are in culture or where they are in life. The gospel is not limited to anyone, in other words. It's limited in its atoning value. Not everyone is atoned, obviously, so that's where the term limited atonement comes from. But as far as the reaches of the gospel, the vilest sinner may be saved, and the most noble and most honorable person exterior-wise anyway, can be saved and should be saved. Not many, it says, not many mighty, not many noble, not many wise of this world are saved. And a very wealthy and affluent man had once said, M was his favorite letter in the alphabet because it says not many instead of not any. Philippians chapter 3 verse 12 says, Not that I have already obtained this, or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus made me his own. Press toward the mark in the old King James Version, not that I have attained already. as opposed to the English Standard Version that says obtained, but both words mean the same thing. I've not yet attained, speaking to the first part of this, of all perfection of the earth, I've seen its limit. Paul, who's an apostle, who has seen the risen Lord Jesus Christ, He hadn't yet reached it, and so he still strives for that which is perfection, which is the Lord Jesus himself in his return or calling us home. Here's my challenge for you all, all you children of the Lord. Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens. Psalm 119 verse 89 in the English Standard Version. I ask you to memorize verse 89, or I challenge you to memorize verse 89 in your favorite Bible version, whatever version that might be. Consider the eternal truth of God's word, especially the gospel of Christ and the promises we have in Christ. Reflect upon first why the heaven of God's dwelling, which is the third heaven, is immovable. Second, what glories await you in the heavenly habitation of God? And three, why the corruptions of your flesh do not want you to ponder such thoughts and meditations? And so that's my challenge to you.