• General Introduction of the Psalm 119
a. This is the longest psalm in the Bible which is in the longest book in the Bible, and just before this Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter/psalm in the Bible.
b. Many times because of its length we avoid, escape to read this or read it very fast without pausing or meditating in it.
c. But the centre chapter and verse of the Bible is just before this Psalm 118:8 and this psalm is also the word of God
d. And next few weeks we will study and meditate on the longest psalm of the Bible 119
• Five Important observations of this Psalm 119
a. Acrostic Psalm (Hebrew poetry which start the every stanzas with Hebrew alphabets)
i. In Hebrew Alphabets there are 22 letter
ii. Psalm 119 we can see 22 stanzas and every stanza is starting with Hebrew alphabets.
iii. And in every stanza there are 8 verses
iv. This is the way to memorize the Psalm easily, so they could sing.
- Aleph, Beth, Gimel, Dalet, He, Waw/Vav, Zayin, Chet, Tet, Yod, Ka, Lamed, Mem, Nun, Samech, Ayin, Pay Tsade, Qof, Resh, Shin, Tav
b. The author of this Psalm
i. Ezra - Many Bible teachers believed that this Psalm is written by priest Ezra, when he came to Jerusalem from the 70 years of slavery in Babylon, God sent him to restore the worship and the word of God in the lives of Israelites Ezra 7:10 is important verse
ii. David – Many Bible teachers believed that this Psalm is written by David who experienced affliction in life and he learned that time to depend on God and His word
iii. So we don’t sure exactly who wrote this psalm, but we know this for sure that this is the word of God, so we don’t need to bother about the human author.
c. The Importance of the word of God - Almost every verse of this Psalm mention about the word of God and there are 176 verses in this Psalm, if whole psalm is talking about the word of God we can understand that how important is the word of God, for you and me.
d. The Focus of Psalm 119 is on the Truth of God’s word. –
i. It encourages us through every generation to stay close and focused on His Word no matter what is going on around us in this world.
ii. Living in the freedom and knowledge of God’s ways
iii. Obeying His law above all else, and keeping in step with His commandments is the only way to truly live wise, strong lives.
iv. It helps us to live above reproach or live a life which pleases God in our day to day life
v. This Psalm is God’s word centric – it means the word of God is sufficient for every area, season, time, need, situations, trials, pain, struggle, guidance, of your life, etc.
e. In this Psalm there are 8 basic words used to describe the Scriptures, synonyms of the word of God
1. Law - God’s written instruction or Torah first 5 books of the O.T.
2. Instruction
3. His ways
4. Precepts
5. Statutes
6. Commandments
7. Righteous rules, judgments
8. Your words
A. Aleph – Blessedness of a person – v. 1-8
1. Blessing declared – 1-3in first lines of verses 1-2 is declared the blessedness of a person
a. Opening line – is with blessedness, it means God wants us to be bless
i. Opening lines in the Bible – In the beginning God, in Gen. 1:3 God spoke his words and he created the universe with his words. Which is blessing for us
ii. Opening lines of N. T. – it is about the Jesus (the word) which is long waited Messiah a blessing for the world.
iii. A closed Bible will not declare the blessing for you, but when we open it.
b. What blessedness or blessing is? We need to define what blessing/blessedness is?
i. What blessedness is not - In general/worldly understanding - Money, power, position, the whole world, but Jesus says it is very difficult for rich to enter in the kingdom of God (who thinks that this is the blessedness) e.g. it’s like entering camel into the hole of a needle. So to have the world in hand is not the real blessedness
ii. What blessedness is – V. 1-3
- Whose walk is blameless – v. 1a. Ps. 1:1 – walk represents the whole life or lifestyle, whose life is transparent, nothing to hide, clean, no mixture or compromising life, same inside and out. It can be possible only when we walk according to the law of the Lord (Pentateuch)
- Who keep his Instruction – v. 2 - keep means obeying or doing according to the instruction of the word of God
- Who seeks Him with whole heart – v. 2c. - it is not possible that you love the law and hate the Lord of the law it goes together – It’s like when you love someone you seek, wait, thirst for him with whole heart
- Who do no wrong but walk – v. 3 - this is like repetition of the v. 1 when a person walk in God’s way, walk according to God’s law, walk according to God’s instruction – he/she will not do anything wrong to anyone, or he/she will not walk in opposite direction of God.
2. Desire/Prayer for Blessedness – 4-8
a. He gave us his word to obey – v.4 - God has not given us his commands to hang on the wall, to forward to others, read like routine – But to fully obey, so obedience is required, we should have clear understanding about the word of God first than only we can obey it.
b. Steadfastness in his ways of obedience of the word of God – v.5 - this is his prayer that he should be steadfast in his walk of obedience, not on occasionally or at the time of need only but 24/7 obedience.
c. Then I would not ashamed – v.6 - he is praying when I compare the standard of God’s word with the standard of my life, I feel shame – he is prayed for the power to live unashamed life. When I fixed my eyes on all your commandments
d. I will praise you with upright heart - When you learn God’s rules only –
i. It’s not only that we praise God but the important thing is that we do it with upright heart, not with pressure, grumbling, or just like people of other faith but with upright heart. It is possible only when you learn His rules,(words)
ii. This prayer is not only for the God’s glory but this is the prayer for God’s blessings, this is asking for the blessedness.
Conclusion:
- The whole Stanza song is dominated by the word of God in every verse is about the word of God, words can be different but it’s all about the word of God.
- You can’t be blessed without the word of God, and word of God is there to obey, walk, live
- The whole song demands obedience, walk, do according to the word of God, you and I can’t image our lives that how it would be without the word of God (you will not be a blessed person)
- V. 8 This is the decision that psalmist is taking or promising he is doing with God regarding the word of God
i. ‘that I will obey your word’
ii. Repentance pray for forgiveness - Do not forsake me completely like Saul, like Judah because of my disobedience – this is kind of prayer or repentance as of now I was not walking, obeying fully, but forgive me and help me to walk in your ways, help me to steadfast in my walk of obedience
