Friday, September 6 – Psalm 119:1-40

1. What is the main emphasis of this beautiful poem?

2. To what Law is the psalmist referring?

3. What does the blessedness of the obedient consist of?

4. How important is prayer for understanding the Word of God?

Commentary and Reflection:

When I first saw this psalm, the longest in the Psalter, I was momentarily intimidated—176 verses! It could have been divided into several shorter psalms, but the Holy Spirit determined it should be one. The psalmist poured out his inspired pen; throughout history, this beautiful song has been a blessing to God’s children.

When I taught at Antillean Adventist University, I gave the course Introduction to the Bible for many years. On one occasion, I was pleasantly surprised when we reached the book of Psalms. One of my students asked if he could recite Psalm 119 from memory. I thought he was joking, but this young man had a remarkable memory. I allowed him to recite the entire psalm during the class period. Along with the other students, we followed verse by verse as he recited it. I felt holy envy. The young man received recognition from the teacher and the entire class.

It is essential to clarify that when the psalmist mentions the Law of God, he is not limited to the Decalogue, as some might think. We see the same in Psalm 19. Here, the emphasis is on all the revelation given by God to His people in the holy Torah. The Jews consider the Pentateuch as a love letter to His people. Of course, the Decalogue is the heart of that revelation. Every reference to the Torah for us to love, observe, and be instructed by it carries the same weight as applying it to the Ten Commandments.

As proof of the breadth of the concept, we observe different terms throughout the Psalm, such as “Law,” “Testimonies,” “Ways,” “Precepts,” “Statutes,” “Commandments,” and “Judgments.” All these expressions point to the different aspects of divine revelation.

Blessed or happy are the “undefiled in the way.” In both the Old and New Testaments, the concept of perfection (Hebrew: “temimin” and Greek “teleios”) carries the connotation of “complete,” “mature,” and “blameless.” This adjective does not mean impeccable but refers to one who continually walks the path of God’s will until reaching the end (“telos”).

Iniquity (Hebrew “awon”) should have no place in our hearts. Its meaning is moral distortion, walking in a crooked path.

Every expression of God’s will in His commandments, statutes, ways, precepts, and judgments should be taken with the utmost seriousness. A life of obedience translates into praises to the God we love. David’s plea for God not to forget him implies that when men and nations persist in ignoring the law, God can do nothing but leave them to their own choices. God never forgets those who do not forget His Law.

Holiness comes as the fruit of our obedience to God’s holy Law in all its fullness. “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.” Although the question is directed at young people, it applies to every stage of life. “Victory over temptation comes to those who effectively use ‘the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.'” (SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 3, p. 897).

Neglect in the study and meditation of God’s Word, even for one day, results in a severe loss. Verse 11 is one of the most beautiful in this psalm, “Your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You.” In this verse, we find the secret to authentic Christian living. Mere knowledge of the Word will not keep us from sin, but when the Word is treasured in the heart, we have the necessary spiritual weapons to conquer the enemy.

“Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.” David’s plea should be ours as well. May anything blocking our sight be removed. We cannot penetrate the deep things of God with our limited abilities. Paul reminds us that “the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

These first sections of Psalm 119 instill in us the deep desire to delight in the beauty and depth of God’s Word.

Thank God for these inspired psalms. May we all be blessed, not just by reading and singing them, but by living their truths.