PSALM 119
PSALM 119
If you are truly interested in knowing and understanding the Word of God, please prayerfully and carefully read the 119th Psalm. It is filled with many prayers regarding the Word of God. This Psalm is almost directly in the middle of the Bible. (The middle verse of the Bible is Psalm 118:6) It is also the longest of the Psalms with 176 verses. The author is not known. It is divided into 22 stanzas. Since there are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet, each stanza begins in order with one of those 22 letters. Each stanza has eight verses and each verse begins with the same letter by which the stanza is identified. This beautiful Psalm has often been set to music. William Wilberforce, the British politician who is famous for leading the effort to abolish slavery, is said to have recited the entire psalm from memory each time he walked home from parliament.
As we have said, this psalm is filled with passionate prayers and adulations for the Word of God. Further, the psalmist not only praised God for His Word, but also had a desperate desire to understand and obey it. The psalmist uses eight different terms to refer to the Word of God: law, testimonies, precepts, statues, commandments, judgments, word, and ordinances. Every reference to the Word of God in this Psalm is presented with the desire to understand and obey it.
At the risk of leaving out important verses, here is a summary of the Psalm by categories and subject matter.
THE PSALMIST LOVED THE WORD OF GOD
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“Oh, how I love your law!” (Ps. 119:97).
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“I hate double minded men, but I love your law” (Ps. 119:113).
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“All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross; therefore I love your statutes” (Ps. 119:119).
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“I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold” (Ps. 119:127).
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“Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name” (Ps. 119:132).
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“See how I love your precepts” (Ps. 119:159).
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“I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law” (Ps. 119:163).
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“Great peace have they who love your law” (Ps. 119:165).
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“I obey your statutes for I love them greatly” (Ps. 119:167).
THE PSALMIST DELIGHTED IN THE WORD OF GOD
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“I delight in your decrees, I will not neglect your word” (Ps. 119:116).
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“Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors” (Ps. 119:24).
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“Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight” (Ps. 119:35). •
“I delight in your commands because I love them” (Ps. 119:47).
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“Their hearts are callous and unfeeling, but I delight in your law” (Ps. 119:70). •
“Let your compassion come to me that I may live, in your law is my delight” (Ps. 119:77). •
“I long for your salvation, O Lord, and your law is my delight” (Ps. 119:174).
THE PSALMIST MEDITATED ON THE WORD OF GOD
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“I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways” (Ps. 119:15).
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“Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees” (Ps. 119:23).
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“I lift up my hands to your commands, which I love, and I meditate on your decrees” (Ps. 119:48).
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“May the arrogant be put to shame for wronging me without cause, but I will meditate on your precepts” (Ps. 119:78).
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“Oh how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long” (Ps. 119:97).
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“I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes” (Ps. 119:99). •
“My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, but I meditate on your promises” (Ps. 119:148).
THE PSALMIST WANTED GOD TO TEACH HIM
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“Praise be to you, O Lord; teach me your decrees” (Ps. 119:12).
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“I recounted my ways and you answered me; teach me your decrees” (Ps. 119:26). •
“Teach me O Lord to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end” (Ps. 119:33). •
“Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart” (Ps. 119:34).
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“The earth is filled with your love, O Lord; teach me your decrees” (Ps. 119:64). •
“Teach me knowledge and good judgment, for I believe in your commands” (Ps. 119:66). •
“You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees” (Ps. 119:68).
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“Accept, O Lord, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws” (Ps. 119:108). •
“Deal with your servant according to your love and teach me your decrees. I am your servant, give me discernment that I may understand your statutes” (Ps. 119:124-125). •
“Make your face shine upon your servant and teach me your decrees” (Ps. 119:135).
THE PSALMIST PRAYED FOR UNDERSTANDING OF THE WORD OF GOD
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“Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it will all my heart” (Ps. 119:34).
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“Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands” (Ps. 119:73).
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“I have more insight than all my teachers for I meditate, for I meditate on your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts” (Ps. 119:99-100). •
“I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path” (Ps. 119:104).
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“I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes” (Ps. 119:125).
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“The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands” (Ps. 119:130-131).
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“Your statutes are forever right; give me understanding that I may live” (Ps. 119:144). •
“May my cry come before you, O Lord; give me understanding according to your word. May my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise” (Ps. 119:169-170).
NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO KNOW AND OBEY THE WORD OF GOD
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The Pharaoh of Egypt said: “Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go?” (Ex. 5:2).
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Belshazzar, the king of Babylon, desecrated the sacred vessels from the Jewish temple and praised the gods of gold, silver, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone (Dan. 5:1-6).
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The wicked Jezebel worshiped Baal and was killing off the Lord’s prophets (1 Ki. 18:4). •
Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, cut up the scroll of Jeremiah with a scribe’s knife and burned it in a fire pot (Jer. 36:20-26).
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Many Jewish leaders believed in Jesus but would not confess their faith for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue “for they loved praise from men more than praise from God” (Jn. 12:42-43).
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The chief priests and elders knew that Jesus was risen from the dead but bribed the Roman soldiers who guarded his tomb to lie about it (Matt. 28:11-15).
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WHY SHOULD GOD MAKE HIS WILL KNOWN TO PEOPLE WHO ARE DETERMINED TO DISOBEY HIM?
GOD REVEALS HIMSELF TO THOSE WHO SEEK HIM WITH THEIR WHOLE HEART
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Jeremiah said to those in Babylonian captivity: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13).
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The 119th Psalm was written by someone searching for God will all their heart!
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“Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their hearts” (Ps. 119:2). •
“I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws” (Ps. 119:7). •
“I will seek you will all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands” (Ps. 119:10). •
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Ps. 119:11). •
“I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free” (Ps. 119:32). •
“Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart (Ps. 119:34).
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“Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain” (Ps. 119:36).
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“I have sought your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise” (Ps. 119:58).
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“Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep your precepts with all my heart” (Ps. 119:69).
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“May my heart be blameless toward your decrees, that I may not be put to shame” (Ps. 119:80).
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“Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart” (Ps. 119:111). •
“My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end” (Ps. 119:112).
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“I call with all my heart; answer me, O Lord, and I will obey your decrees” (Ps. 119:145). •
“Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart trembles at your word” (Ps. 119:161).
THESE PROMISES ARE FOR YOU
The skeptic wants God to prove Himself first, and then will choose whether or not to obey Him. Jesus reversed this and said: “If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own” (Jn. 7:17).
GOD REVEALS HIMSELF IN A SPECIAL WAY TO THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO OBEY HIM!
GOD IS NOT OBLIGATED TO REVEAL HIMSELF TO PEOPLE WHO DO NOT WANT TO OBEY HIM!
IF YOU ARE COMMITTED TO OBEY GOD, THEN THESE PROMISES ARE FOR YOU!
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened” (Matt. 7:7-8).
(This study was written by Boyce Mouton. No rights are reserved! You are free to use this material in whole or in part for the glorification of Christ and the advancement of His Kingdom).