Psalm Category: Individual meditations and praises

Central Thought: The Bible is the book to be loved because its Author is to be loved

Key Words: love, delight, law, testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, judgments, word

Psalm 119

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible, so we must take a thematic approach in order to meditate on the whole within this column. The theme throughout is the psalmist’s love for God and His Word, the Bible.

The Believer’s ABCs

There are a number of acrostic (alphabetic) passages in the Bible, but Psalm 119 is the most extensive. It consists of 22 sections of 8 verses each. Most English translations make this clear. The first word of each verse in a section begins with the same letter, and each section uses the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet consecutively. Ask your pastor to show you this in his Hebrew Bible. Even just visually, it is impressive.

The psalmist went to all this trouble to demonstrate that the Bible is basic. It is basic to evangelism and discipleship (2 Tim. 3:14-17). Just as learning your ABCs is basic to elementary education, learning the Bible is basic to elementary Christian faith and life (Heb. 5:12f).

The Believer’s Handbook of Wisdom

The psalmist also uses parallelism. The second line of each verse is a repetition of, extension of, or contrast with the first line. This kind of parallelism is characteristic of wisdom literature such as Proverbs. It teaches us that, as wisdom, the Bible is worthy of long and deep meditation. One hundred and seventy-six verses teach us the same lesson!

Consequently, study the Scriptures with great patience and perseverance. Ask God to open your mind to understand, believe, and do His Word (Ps. 119:18, 35). Consider using the wonderful devotional commentary on Psalm 119 by Charles Bridges.

The Believer’s Absolute Standard for Faith and Life

The psalmist mainly uses eight synonyms to speak about the Scriptures. The number eight may be significant as the doubling of the four points of the compass, emphasizing that the word of God is normative in every place and time. Perhaps more likely or in addition, eight indicates perfection improved, seven plus one (Eccl. 11:2; Mic. 5:5). The point is that the Scriptures are the only perfect standard for what the Christian is to believe and how the Christian is to behave.

These eight synonyms do not refer to distinct parts of the Scriptures so much as different perspectives from which the whole is to be understood, appreciated and loved. You will also find most of these words in the second half of Psalm 19. In fact, Psalm 119 may be a meditation on the second half of Psalm 19.

The most prevalent word is law (torah). It refers to personal revelation from God that is to be believed, obeyed, and loved (v. 97). The second word is testimonies. This refers to God’s word as a witness for what is true and against what is false (v. 24). The next word is precepts, detailed instructions of wisdom for thorough care in one’s walk (v. 4). Statutes indicate that the word of God is permanent and therefore dependable (v. 5). Commandments reveal God’s right to command as our Creator, Provider, and Redeemer (v. 73). Ordinances or judgments refer to divine precedents, the application of law to particular cases for us to imitate (75). Word is the most general term referring to anything from God and, though usually translated “word,” promise indicates those things that God speaks (v. 11).

All these terms indicate that the Scriptures are a real, objective reality. But they are not, therefore, abstract or impersonal. It is striking that each of the eight words is always identified as the personal property of God, the effulgence of His being. This suggests the intimate covenant relationship of salvation that is confirmed by a parallel personal reference to the psalmist. One example is, “Oh that my ways may be established to keep Your statutes” (v. 5, emphasis added). Also, there is at least one instance of “love” connected to each of the eight words. This is true also of “delight.” Verse 47 has both: “I shall delight in Your commandments which I love.” These things exhort us to respond to God’s Word with love and delight.

As we baptize our children, we promise to provide them “with a God-centered education” and to teach them “to love God and His Word, the Bible.” This psalm trains us in both. It rehearses us in the fundamental truth that the Bible is the ABCs of the believer’s faith and life, and it trains us in a rapturous delight in the word of our God and the voice of our Shepherd.

Psalm 119 is not the law of God; rather, it is a celebration of the personal revelation of God to His covenant people so that they would know Him, love Him, be conformed to Him, glorify Him, and enjoy Him forever. “Love God and His word, the Bible”—that is the point of Psalm 119.

—Kit Swartz

Comments welcome at oswegorpc@hotmail.com. Audio files and outlines of sermons on these Psalms are available at reformedvoice.org