The 119nth Psalm is the longest Psalm in the Book of Psalms and is the longest section in the Bible, having more verses than 17 Old Testament books and 14 New Testament books. The Psalm is divided into twenty-two sections. Each of the twenty-two sections provide eight statements regarding the nature of the word of God, each of those statements beginning with the same corresponding Hebrew letter of the Hebrew alphabet, first aleph, then beth, then gimel, then daleth, and so on until the whole alphabet is represented. Let us notice at least one statement out of each of these twenty-two sections on the nature and importance of the word of God.

Psalm 119:4 – Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. Living for God half-heartedly is not an option. We are commanded to diligently keep His precepts. He that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those that “diligently” seek Him (Heb. 11:6).

Psalm 119:11 – Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee. God’s word is not something that we are to just look at on Sunday mornings or Wednesday evenings, it is to be our meditation day and night (Psalm 1:2).

Psalm 119:24 – Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors. The way of man is not in himself, it is not in man to direct his own paths (Jer. 10:23). We need the guidance of the word of God as our counsellors.

Psalm 119:27 – Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works. There is a time in our lives that we must teach the word of God to others, a time when we are teachers (Heb. 5:12). Just as the first century church did, we ought to go everywhere preaching the word (Acts 8:4).

Psalm 119:40 – Behold, I have longed after thy precepts: quicken me in thy righteousness. How much of a desire do we have for the word of God? Do we hunger for it just as newborn babes desire the sincere milk of the word that we may grow thereby (I Pet. 2:2)?

Psalm 119:46 – I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed. Are we ever ashamed of the word of God? Do we have opportunities to teach others but do not take them because we are ashamed? Paul said he was not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation (Rom. 1:16).

Psalm 119:51 – The proud have had me greatly in derision: yet have I not declined from thy law. What do we do when people oppose us because we stand for the truth? Do we give up? Give in? Compromise? Or do we stay the course? We ought to obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29).

Psalm 119:59 – I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies. We ought to study to show ourselves approved unto God (II Tim. 2:15). God’s word is a mirror that allows us to examine ourselves whether we are in the faith (James 1:23-25; II Cor. 13:5).

Psalm 119:72 – The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver. God’s word is better than all worldly goods. Jesus asked, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul (Matt. 16:26)? We should never place mammon above God or His word (Matt. 6:24).

Psalm 119:74 – They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word. Not all men will be pleased to see us. To some we will be counted as enemies because we stand for the truth (Gal. 4:16). But if we love the Lord, we will be accepted and welcomed by those that love the Lord (Acts 9:13-19).

Psalm 119:81 – My soul fainteth for thy salvation: but I hope in thy word. Our hope lies in the promises we find in God’s word. His word is Truth (John 17:17). We live in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began (Tit. 1:3).

Psalm 119:89 – For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Contrary to what many believe, there will be no new revelation (Jude 3). That which has been revealed is complete and will make the man of God perfect, completely furnished unto all good works (II Tim. 3:16,17).

Psalm 119:104 – Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. God’s word provides us with the truth. If we love the truth, then we will hate and expose the evil (Eph. 5:10,11).

Psalm 119:112 – I have inclined mine heart to perform thy statutes alway, even unto the end. We must learn to develop faithfulness in our lives and never leave that path even at the cost of our lives (Rev. 2:10).

Psalm 119:113 – I hate vain thoughts: but thy law do I love. We must remove from our minds all empty and vacuous thoughts and replace these with ideas emanating from God’s word. We need to be “renewed in the spirit of your mind,” putting on “the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness” (Eph. 4:23-24).

Psalm 119:128 – Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way. God’s word is the truth on every issue on which it touches and it’s precepts must form the basis of our world view. It throughly furnishes us with all truth in all things (II Pet. 1:3; II Tim. 3:16,17).

Psalm 119:136 – Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law. If we love the Lord and His word, we should be greatly burdened over the breaking of God’s laws. Paul warned the brethren night and day with tears (Acts 20:31).

Psalm 119:140 – Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it. Every word of God is pure (Prov. 30:5). The reason we should love God’s word is because it is the only perfect word-revelation of the mind of God delivered to man (I Cor. 2). God’s word is perfectly pure, as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times (Psalm 12:66,7).

Psalm 119:152 – Concerning thy testimonies, I have known of old that thou hast founded them for ever. The works of God’s hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure. They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness (Psalm 111:7,8). Whatever God does, shall stand forever (Eccl. 3:14). God’s word will never pass away (Matt. 24:35).

Psalm 119:155 – Salvation is far from the wicked: for they seek not thy statutes. The wicked cannot obtain salvation because the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction (Prov. 1:7). To be saved, we must first come to a knowledge of the truth (I Tim. 2:4).

Psalm 119:162 – I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil. The gospel is as a pearl of great price for which a person will sell all that he has in order to obtain it (Matt. 13:45,46). Do we rejoice at having such a valuable object in our possession and do we do all to keep it and to know it?

Psalm 119:170 – Let my supplication come before thee: deliver me according to thy word. God keeps His promises. The knowledge of God provides for us exceeding great and precious promises and by these we can escape the corruption that is in the world (II Pet. 1:4).

 

Eric L. Padgett