If you turn to the very middle of the canonical Bible, you’ll find yourself in Psalm 119, which is not only the longest psalm but also the longest chapter in the entire Bible. Furthermore, it is not just long in its length, but it is also deep in its content.
We do not know for certain who the author of this Psalm is, although historians have thought it is likely to be David, Ezra, or Daniel. Whoever wrote it did something very unique and peculiar with this psalm. Jamiesson, Fausset, and Brown explain:
This celebrated Psalm has several peculiarities. It is divided into twenty-two parts or stanzas, denoted by the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Each stanza contains eight verses, and the first letter of each verse is that which gives name to the stanza. Its contents are mainly praises of God’s Word, exhortations to its perusal, and reverence for it, prayers for its proper influence, and complaints of the wicked for despising it. There are but two verses (Psa 119:122, 132 ) which do not contain some term or description of God’s Word. These terms are of various derivations, but here used, for the most part, synonymously, though the use of a variety of terms seems designed, in order to express better the several aspects in which our relations to the revealed word of God are presented. The Psalm does not appear to have any relation to any special occasion or interest of the Jewish Church or nation, but was evidently “intended as a manual of pious thoughts, especially for instructing the young, and its peculiar artificial structure was probably adopted to aid the memory in retaining the language.” (source)
The theme of this psalm is the word of the Lord. More specifically, the purpose of the psalm is to serve as a song and prayer of someone who delights in the law of the Lord. We see “the law” in many lights and diverse ways throughout the psalm. The topic is wonderfully pursued in every stanza. It is an acrostic poem on the joys and benefits of God’s word. Charles Spurgeon once said it “might well be called the holy soul’s soliloquy before an open Bible.” Elsewhere he wrote:
Many superficial readers have imagined that it harps upon one string, and abounds in pious repetitions and redundancies; but this arises from the shallowness of the reader’s own mind: those who have studied this divine hymn, and carefully noted each line of it, are amazed at the variety and profundity of the thought. Using only a few words, the writer has produced permutations and combinations of meaning’ which display his holy familiarity with his subject, and the sanctified ingenuity of his mind.
During a time of great political trouble, William Wilberforce said he would “walk from Hyde Park Corner repeating the 119th psalm in great comfort.”
What about you? Does God’s word give you comfort in this way? Does it make you pour out in song and prayer and praise? Is His word something you cling to? delight in? and hide in your heart?
May that be our prayer today. Let me encourage you to visit the 119th psalm today and meditate upon the joys and wonders of God’s word and law.
Joshua Villoria says
April 24, 2012 at 12:04 pmLove this chapter in the psalms, I always find myself coming back to it for refreshment and times of musing
“Thy word I have hidden in my heart that I may not sin against thee” Psalm 119:11
Mathew says
April 24, 2012 at 2:23 pmWe sonorously sing, “How great is our God…. The converse of this Theorem is ” I am small” and the writer of the longest Psalm, Chapter, sings, “I am SMALL and despised: yet do not I forget thy precepts.” Thy word is VERY PURE in these days of MIXTURES (Rev.18:6), the Babylonian Brew! Lord, help us gorge thy word of grace which is able to…Amen.
Grace be with you all.
Poor and needy, greedy one,
mathew
steve morrow says
April 24, 2012 at 6:24 pmLuke 24:44
And HE said unto them
These are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you that all must be fulfilled
Which were written in the law of Moses and in the prophets
and in the psalms
concerning ME
Psalm 119:9
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way
By taking heed thereto according to thy word
Acts 13:33 GOD hath fulfilled the same unto us HIS children
in that HE hath raised up JESUS again
as it is also written in the second Psalm
THOU ART MY SON THIS DAY I HAVE BEGOTTEN THEE——PSALM 2:7
Psalm 18:20
The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness
according to the cleanness of my hands hath HE recompensed me
Psalm 119:172
My tongue shall speak of thy word
for all thy commandments are righteousness
Help us LORD JESUS to live in the completeness
of your words and your commandments that we may
have eternal life—–We pray and ask in your name lord
LOVING THE LORD JESUS
Mathew says
April 25, 2012 at 1:36 amINCLINE – INCLINED – INCLINED PLANE (Ps.18:9-10) !
ONCE I WATCHED WITH JOY UNSPEAKABLE AND FULL OF GLORY HOW A TRUCK WITH TELESCOPIC CRANE DELIVER STUFF RIGHT INSIDE A HOUSE UNDER CONSTRUCTION..whose house are we IF..Heb.3:6.
OUR GOD’S HAND OUTSTRETCHED IS LIKE Ps.119.
Enjoy the inherent MECHANICAL ADVANTAGE,CHRISTIAN EASE,PROFIT.
THE DELIVERER SHALL COME OUT OF ZION!!! Halle..lujah.
HAVE YOU EVER SEEN IT? DO YOU BELIEVE IT?
Grace be with you all.
Poor and needy one,
mathew
Mathew says
April 25, 2012 at 2:38 amIn an age of ennui, boredom,
The 7-times repeated DELIGHT
Must open our inward eyes
And galvanize our worships.
My Love (Ps.119:97), Come Away…JOIN THE MOVEMENT!
Kinetic Christianity!
Green grace be with you all.
Poor and needy one,
mathew
Mathew says
April 25, 2012 at 6:36 amHe knoweth our frame.(Ps.103:14)
” See that ye fall not out by the way.” (Gen.45:24)
Christmas is over. Easter is over.
Pentecost is coming!
How do we celebrate it?
Show the same diligence..” (Heb.6:11; Ps.119:4)
I wish I could share how one church did!
I opened my mouth, and panted:
So the moot question:
Are you a PANTicostal or a mere..?(Ps.42:1; Ps.119:131).
The promise is unto you and…Acts.2:39.
Yes, I am a P, I am a Pan… I am a PANTICOSTAL!
Spirit of grace & supplication be upon you all.
Poor and needy one,
mathew