Psalm 119

Title:None and by anonymous

The longest psalmthe longest

chapter in the Bible if you want

to call it a chapter

An acrostic psalm Each of the 22

groups of 8 verses start with a

consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet

The acrostic psalms:9,10,25,37111,112,119,145

What then should we see?

a chest of gold rings

Psalm 119A chest of gold rings

Or Chains of gold?

Psalm 119 is not a chain of gold but a chest of gold rings according to

Matthew Henry

Lets look at some of the gold rings with that

thought in mind.

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!

Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart,

Aleph

Your words have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against you.

Beth

17 Deal bountifully with your servant,

that I may live and keep your word.

18 Open my eyes, that I may behold

wondrous things out of your law.

Gimel

Verses 25 and 31 start with the same word, for cleave.

25 My soul clings to the dust;

give me life according to your word!

31 I cling to your testimonies, O Lord;

let me not be put to shame!

32 I will run in the way of your commandments

when you enlarge my heart![

Daleth

Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!

He

I will keep your law continually, forever and ever,

and I shall walk in a wide place, I will also speak of your testimonies before kings

and shall not be put to shame, ;

Vav

Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope.

When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O Lord.

I remember your name in the night, O Lord, and keep your law.

Zayin

The Lord is my portion; I promise to keep your words.

.

Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me, I do not forget your law.

heth

Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.

You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.

It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. .

Teth

Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.

.

Yodh

My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word.

My eyes long for your promise;

Kaph

Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.

for all things are your servants.

If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.

lamed

Oh how I love your law!

It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me…. wiser than my enemies … I have more understanding than all my teachers … I understand more than the aged,

(sweet) How sweet are your words to my taste,

sweeter than honey to my mouth!

(and sour) Through your precepts I get understanding;

therefore I hate every false way.

mem

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

nun

You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word.

samech

Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,

and teach me your statutes.

ayin

The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.

pe

.

Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it.

Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight.

tsadeh

Hear my voice according to your steadfast love; O Lord, according to your justice give me life.

They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose; they are far from your law.

But you are near, O Lord, and all your commandments are true.

qoph

Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, but I do not swerve from your testimonies.

The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. .

resh

Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.

Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words.

shim

I have strayed like a lost sheep seek your servant

tov

What then should we learn?

Chains of gold?

Psalm 119What then should

we learn?Chains of gold?

On the other hand, we might find some ‘gold chains’ as well

• As the reader progressed through the Psalm they might encounter different themes - golden chains as it were

Chains of dependenceI will incline my heart to your statutes

and Incline my heart to your statutes.

There are many examples of this pattern in Psalm 119 where a resolve is expressed to obey a command but the person praying asked God for the power to carry it out.

“Oh God, grant what Thou commandest, and command what Thou dost desire,”

Augustine of Hippo

A chain of the steadfast love of God

• Psalm 119:41 Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord, your salvation according to your promise;

• Psalm 119:64 The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes!

• Psalm 119:76 Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant.

• Psalm 119:88 In your steadfast love give me life, that I may keep the testimonies of your mouth.

• Psalm 119:124 Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes.

• Psalm 119:149 Hear my voice according to your steadfast love; O Lord, according to your justice give me life.

• Psalm 119:159 Consider how I love your precepts! Give me life according to your steadfast love.

A chain of sovereignly designed affliction for my good

• Opposition, depression followed by a realization

• If I were not afflicted I would not have kept your law

• If your law had not been my delight I would not have survived

A chain of sovereignly designed opposition

• Princes persecute me• All things are your servants (even in a sense

persecutors)• The wicked appear 1 verse or less in each set

of 8 verses (but they are a minor character in this story of glory) They do appear in Samech 4 times but are being judged.

A chain of transformed delight

• Your law is sweeter than honey• Your law is my delight• Your law is my songs in the night

A chain of persevent in longing• Psalm 119:41 Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord,

your salvation according to your promise; • bible-item-text• Psalm 119:81 My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in

your word. • Psalm 119:123 My eyes long for your salvation and for the

fulfillment of your righteous promise. • Psalm 119:155 Salvation is far from the wicked, for they

do not seek your statutes. • Psalm 119:166 I hope for your salvation, O Lord, and I do

your commandments. • Psalm 119:174 I long for your salvation, O Lord, and your

law is my delight.

A chain of commitment and dependence

• I will keep your law• I have kept your law• I have strayed like a lost sheep, seek your

servant

A chain pointing to Christ

• Jesus is the word that is sweeter than honey• Jesus is the word that gives life• Jesus is our plea before God in the last stanza

So if you feel overwhelmed with Psalm 119….

You can ask God to provide you wisdom

Psalm 119:12 Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes! Psalm 119:26 When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes! Psalm 119:29 Put false ways far from me and graciously teach me your law! Psalm 119:33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end. Psalm 119:64 The earth, O Lord, is full of your steadfast love; teach me your statutes! Psalm 119:66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. Psalm 119:68 You are good and do good; teach me your statutes. Psalm 119:108 Accept my freewill offerings of praise, O Lord, and teach me your rules. Psalm 119:124 Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes. Psalm 119:135 Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes. Psalm 119:171 My lips will pour forth praise, for you teach me your statutes.

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.

Psalm 119

How then should we live?

One chain of gold

Psalm 119 How then should

we live?One Chain of gold?

Psalm 119 We might take it as

not mainly for occasional sight seeing but for a life long walk

Psalm 119 A abridgement of

the life of the writer, possibly a Daniel

type

Psalm 119 An encouragement and pattern of the life of a believer

A goal seen and applied to myself

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!

Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart,

With my whole heart I will keep your law

Aleph

A word treasured in one’s heart a resolve continued

Your words have I hid in my heart that I may not

sin against you.

Beth

A bounty prayed for A need for opened eyes

17 Deal bountifully with your servant,

that I may live and keep your word.

18 Open my eyes, that I may behold

wondrous things out of your law.

Gimel

Discouragement, resolve and insufficiency of self without God

25 My soul clings to the dust;

give me life according to your word!

31 I cling to your testimonies, O Lord;

let me not be put to shame!

32 I will run in the way of your commandments

when you enlarge my heart![

Daleth

Prayers for the help of Godturning from the gutter water of this world to the living waters from the throne of

God

Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain!

He

Pleas for God to remember and a resolve of the believer to remember

Remember your word to your servant, in which you have made me hope.

When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O Lord.

I remember your name in the night, O Lord, and keep your law.

Zayin

A treasure and a tenacity

The Lord is my portion; I promise to keep your words.

.Though the cords of the wicked ensnare me,

I do not forget your law.

heth

Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.

You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.

It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes. .

Teth

Putting your eyes on God’s sovereignty

Your hands have made and fashioned me; give me understanding that I may learn your commandments.

.

Yodh

Hope deferred but a longing maintained

My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word.

My eyes long for your promise;

Kaph

Trusting in God’s sovereigntyknowing even adversity and persecutors and problems are in His hands

Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.

for all things are your servants.

If your law had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction.

lamed

A love driven life

Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.

Your commandment makes me…. wiser than my enemies … I have more understanding than all my teachers … I understand more than the aged,

(sweet) How sweet are your words to my taste,

sweeter than honey to my mouth!

(and sour) Through your precepts I get understanding;

therefore I hate every false way.

mem

A word driven life

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

nun

A hiding place in adversityA hope in perseverance

You are my hiding place and my shield;

I hope in your word.

samech

Leaning on who God is

Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,

and teach me your statutes.

Ayin

Your word enlightens the simple

(the simple not being a compliment, as all the world starts as simple and in Proverbs lady wisdom and lady folly call to the simple and only some become wise)

The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.

Pe

.

Leaning on who God is hope in the midst of troubles

Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it.

Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight.

tsadeh

Hope in God’s character and love

and his justice

Hear my voice according to your steadfast love; O Lord, according to your justice give me life.

They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose; they are far from your law.

But you are near, O Lord, and all your commandments are true.

qoph

Unswerving in opposition and a tenacious hope in God’s word

Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, but I do not swerve from your testimonies.

The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever. .

resh

Undeterred with a hope in the midst of opposition

Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.

Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words.

shim

Always turning to God for help and forgivenesseven in maturity

I have strayed like a lost sheep seek your servant

tov

Psalm 119