TODAY’S READING: PSALM 119
OVERVIEW:
The greatness, power, and perfection of God’s Holy Word.
HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:
Psalm 119 is nothing short of a masterpiece. It is an “alphabet Psalm” in that each of the 22 stanzas that are each comprised of 8 verses, each begins with the 22 consecutive letters of the Hebrew alphabet (i.e. Alpha, Beth, Gimel, etc.). There is perhaps no greater treatise concerning the Word of God in the entire Bible (or in all of existence for that matter!) than this Psalm. Note that 173 out of the 176 verses in this Psalm refer specifically to the Word of God. It is also interesting to note that there are at least seven other different terms (other than word/words) used in this Psalm to refer to God’s perfect Word (seven is the number of perfection and completion in the Bible), and all seven are established in the first seven verses, and in verse 164 the psalmist said, “Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments.” The seven other terms used to refer to God’s Word/Words are 1) Law 2) Testimonies 3) Way/Ways 4) Precepts 5) Statutes 6) Commandments, and 7) Judgments.
In terms of an overview of this incredible Psalm, it is difficult to know where to begin. My dear friend, Jeff Adams, has written what is in my estimation, the best commentary ever written on Psalm 119. I would call it a must for every person who is serious about being a man or woman of the Word of God. I bring his commentary up because it is such a reminder that “highlighting” this Psalm will not even begin to scratch the surface of all that God packed into it.
There is one key thing, however, to which we will devote our attention. This Psalm deals with our heart attitude toward the Word of God. It shows us that the real issue is not our knowledge of the Bible, but our LOVE for the Bible (evidenced, of course, by our obedience to it – John14:15, 23).
Do you love the Word of God? If so, how do you know?
It is interesting that as God inspired the “man after His own heart,” a man who loved God passionately, to pen the Psalms he composed, very seldom does God choose to record those times when David actually expressed His love for Him. In Psalm 119 alone, however, David expresses his love for the Word of God 11 times! There are many lessons to glean and apply from that observation, but perhaps the most practical and applicable being the simple fact that you cannot separate loving the God of the Word from loving the Word of God!
As David expresses his love for the Word of God in Psalm 119, he includes the characteristics his love for the Word actually produced in his life. This becomes incredibly beneficial as we search our own hearts to determine whether we really love the Word of God, because if we do, these same characteristics should be observable in our lives. Psalm 119 then, shows us…
SEVEN WAYS TO KNOW IF YOU LOVE THE WORD OF GOD:
- You know that you LOVE the Word of God BY WHAT YOU HATE. (119:127-128)
- You will HATE every FALSE WAY. (119:127-128)
- You will HATE LYING. (119:163)
- You will HATE VAIN THOUGHTS. (119:113)
- You know that you LOVE the Word of God BY THE HOLY ATTITUDE WITH WHICH YOU VIEW IT. (119:140, 160,164,72,93,103,128,131,161)
- You know that you LOVE the Word of God BY WHAT CONSUMES YOUR THOUGHTS. (119:97,15,23,48,78,99,148)
- You know that you LOVE the Word of God BY THE JOY YOU RECEIVE FROM GETTING INTO IT AND LIVING IT. (119:47)
- You know that you LOVE the Word of God BY YOUR SURRENDER TO IT. (119:48)
- You know that you LOVE the Word of God BY YOUR INABILITY TO BE OFFENDED. (119:165)
- You know that you LOVE the Word of God BY THE DESIRE IN YOUR INNERMOST BEING TO OBEY IT. (119:116-167)
Based on the seven characteristics, do you love the Word of God?
CHRIST IS REVEALED:
By the PSALMIST WHO DELIGHTED IN FULFILLING GOD’S WILL – Ps. 119:47 (John 6:38; 15:10;
4:34).