Chapter 550 of 1163

PSALM 119

The theme of this unique psalm is the Word of God. Every verse except five (84, 90, 121, 122, 132) refers to God’s Word, what it is and what it can do in your life if you let it. The arrangement is also unique. There are twenty-two sections of eight lines each, and the lines in each individual section begin with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The first eight lines begin with Aleph, the next eight with Beth, and so on through all twenty-two letters. This may have been a device to help people memorize the psalm.

The writer had a great love for the Word of God and was persecuted because he obeyed God and opposed sin. Most of the verses are either prayers for God’s help or affirmations of the writer’s faith in God’s truth despite his difficulties. Meditating on this psalm ought to make you love and treasure the Word of God more and obey it more willingly.

Our approach will be to emphasize in each section one special ministry of the Word to your life.

The Word of God

Psalm 119 contains ten different names for the Word of God: word, word, law, saying, statutes, way, commandments, path, testimonies, precepts, and judgments. Each name indicates what the Word is and how we should respond to it. The writer pictured the Word of God as water (v. 9), treasure (vv. 14, 72, 127, 162), a companion and counselor (v. 24), a song (v. 54), honey (v. 103), light (vv. 105, 130), and a heritage (v. 111). Meditate on these pictures and see what they mean to your personal life of faith.

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