Article by: Sarah Koontz, Founder of Living by Design Ministries
The book of Psalms is my favorite place to go when I need a quick pick-me-up, but I rarely spend much time digging beneath the surface, searching for the treasure within.
The sheer length of Psalm 119 has always deterred me from lingering on its pages.
I’m just looking for a quick-fix, remember?
But then, I discovered that Psalm 119 is just a lengthy collection of bite-sized truths.
In other words…a whole bunch of quick-fixes in one convenient location.
Psalm 119 contains a whole bunch of quick-fixes in one convenient location. #freepsalm119studyNow we’re talking!
My research revealed much to be admired (even loved!) about this lengthy Psalm.
As my love for Psalm 119 grew, I knew that this was the kind of love that needed to be shared.
Please consider this my heartfelt and very personal invitation to…
Fall in Love with the Beauty of Psalm 119
Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem that utilizes the Hebrew alphabet to organize the truths it contains.
An acrostic poem is a type of poetry where the first, last or other letters in a line spell out a particular word or phrase.
Psalm 119 is divided into 22 sections–one for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
Each section contains 8 verses, and each verse begins with the corresponding letter of the alphabet.
Oh, I know it’s confusing.
Let’s try a different tactic (for those of us who are poetically challenged):
Imagine with me that Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem based on the English alphabet.
The first 8 verses might look something like this:
1 Among the Angels walk the blameless, whose ways are ordered by the law of the Lord.
2 All of your heart seeks the Lord, and you are blessed because you seek his statutes.
3 Absolutely no wrong do the ones who follow his ways.
4 Almighty God has laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.
5 Above all, I desire to be steadfast in obeying your decrees.
6 Abandoning shame, I will consider all of your commands.
7 Adoration will fill my upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.
8 Always will I obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.
Do you see how each verse begins with the letter A?
That, my friend, is how Psalm 119 reads in the original Hebrew language.
The next 8 verses start with “B”, followed by 8 verses that start with “C”.
Of course, in the Hebrew language, it is Aleph, Beth, Gimel…but you get the point.
Psalm 119 is God's alphabet. How cool is that? #freepsalm119study
Fall in Love with Message of Psalm 119
Unfortunately, Psalm 119 is an “Orphan Psalm,” meaning its authorship is unclear.
Some scholars assert that King David may have written this Psalm to teach his son Solomon the Hebrew Alphabet, while also teaching him the alphabet of spiritual life.
Although I like to think of it as a Davidic Psalm, it could have been written by Ezra, Jeremiah, or someone else entirely.
Another element of this Psalm that astounds me is the fact that every verse (except for 122) mentions God’s “divine revelation” in some way.
In fact, 10 different words for divine revelation are used throughout the Psalm: God’s Law, His Way, His Testimonies, His Commandments, His Precepts, His Word, His Judgments, His Righteousness, His Statutes, His Truth.
It is quite obvious, therefore, that the purpose of this chapter is to exalt God’s Law and reveal the critical role God’s Word is to play in our lives.
Psalm 119 illuminates the critical role God’s Word is to play in our lives. #freepsalm119studyThe author highly esteems the Word of God, yet it is probable he only had access to the Law of Moses (the first 5 books of the Bible).
Even so, he makes several statements revealing how his reliance on God’s Word:
I long for your Precepts (vs. 40)
I delight in your Law (vs. 70)
I hope in your Word (vs. 81)
Your Testimonies are my heritage forever (vs. 111)
My heart stands in awe of your Words. (vs. 161)
The psalmist’s dependency upon and love for God’s word humbles me, convicts me, and inspires me.
In fact, it is the very thing that motivated me to dig beneath the surface of this Scripture.
And I struck GOLD!
Fall in Love with the Depth of Psalm 119
Matthew Henry describes this passage as, “a chest of gold rings, not a chain of gold links.”
The verses compliment, but are not dependent upon, one another.
Every section, every verse, every word of this chapter contains a treasure of immeasurable worth.
The verses of Psalm 119 compliment, but are not dependent upon, one another. #freepsalm119studyCharles Spurgeon was not exaggerating when he said of Psalm 119:
“Those who have studied this divine hymn, and carefully noted each line of it, are amazed at the variety and profundity of the thought. It equally excels in breadth of thought, depth of meaning, and height of fervor.”
I have been diligently mining the 176 verses of Psalm 119 for the past six months.
Six months of study and I’m still not done.
In fact, I’m quite certain I could mine this Psalm diligently for the rest of my life and fail to unearth the vast treasure it contains.
Apparently, I am not alone in my obsession with this unique Psalm.
In Matthew Henry’s account of the life and death of his father, Philip Henry, he says:
“Once, pressing the study of the Scriptures, he advised us to take a verse of Psalm 119 every morning to meditate upon, and so go over the Psalm twice in the year; and that, saith he, will bring you to be in love with all the rest of the Scriptures.” He often said, “All grace grows as love to the Word of God grows.”
All grace grows as love to the Word of God grows. -Philip Henry #freepsalm119studyIn 1600, Johannes Palanterious described Psalm 119 as, “the Alphabet of Divine Love, the Paradise of all the Doctrines, the Storehouse of the Holy Spirit, the School of Truth, also the deep mystery of the Scriptures, where the whole moral discipline of all the virtues shines brightly.”
Fall in Love with this Free Psalm 119 Study
Now that I’ve shared the many reasons I’ve grown to love this Psalm, I have a question to ask of you.
Will you dedicate the next thirty days of your life to studying Psalm 119 with me?
I ask no more than 15 minutes per day, and I guarantee you will fall in love with this beautiful passage of Scripture.
Will you dedicate the next thirty days to studying Psalm 119 with me? #freepsalm119studyHere are a few of the powerful takeaways from the first few days of this study:
God’s blessing is connected to our obedience.
God’s Word is the protector of purity.
God’s bounty is buried in His Word.
God’s Word dispels the darkness.
God’s Word diverts, directs, and delights.
Lovers of God’s law are liberated.
God’s promises provide comfort in affliction.
God’s covenant love prepares our hearts for community.
The heat that causes pain also makes us pliable.
God’s Statutes safeguard his servants.
Reserve your Spot Today!
Hebrews 4:12 says, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
In my 30 years of following Christ and studying His Word, I have never found a section of scripture that is more active, more penetrating, or more thought-provoking than Psalm 119.
Studying Psalm 119 has changed me, captivated me, catapulted me into the arms of a loving and merciful God.
I pray that you will join me for this FREE Online Bible Study; let’s fall in love with Psalm 119 together.
Join me for this #freepsalm119study; let's fall in love with Psalm 119 together.
