Psalm 119 can be described as the Psalm of the Word of God. It is the longest chapter in the Bible, and it primarily focuses on God’s Word. One unique feature of the psalm is that it is an alphabetic acrostic “in which each stanza of eight verses is devoted to successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet, each verse of a particular stanza beginning with the same letter.”[1] In the first section (verses 1-8), every verse begins with the Hebrew letter א ALEPH.
Psalm 119:1-8 describes the blessings of the person who obeys God’s Word. The psalmist begins by indicating that a person is blessed by walking in obedience to God’s Word. The word blessed (asheri) is where we get the word happiness from. This is not happiness based on external circumstances, but rather based on a right relationship with the Lord. The blessed person seeks the Lord first with his heart and then desires to walk in the righteous ways of the One he loves.[2]
“The message is clear: God has revealed Himself in the Scripture, and only in that revelation can one find forgiveness, life, and meaning.”[3]
In light of this, the psalmist has a deep desire to increase his obedience to God’s Word (4-6). He knows that he must be diligent and regular in his daily obedience. This will produce in him a joyful and thankful heart. As he concludes the first section, the psalmist understands that he cannot do this in his own strength and is dependent on the Lord’s help (8).
In the first section, we learn that the first step to true blessing is to have a heart that desires obedience to God’s Word. It reflects a love for the Lord that produces obedience. Do you desire to be more obedient to the Lord’s Word? Why not ask Him to help you grow in your love for Him, His Word, and then give Him thanks when He does?
Blessings,
Pastor Steven