This week’s psalm comes from the longest one in the Book of Psalms, and actually the longest chapter in the Bible. In each verse we read something about God’s Word, His commandments, statutes and precepts. Scripture can teach us many things as we study it. Most of the 176 verses make a concise and succinct statement, and have something that can teach us about God’s Word and how we should be living our life for Him. Let’s take a quick look at a few of these verses, and what we can learn from this portion of Psalm 119.
The psalmist prays to Yahweh in verse 35, asking that He would direct him to walk in His paths. The unsaved do not know God’s commandments or His Word, and thus cannot truly follow His path. So often even a believer’s heart is turned away from the paths of God. It takes the Holy Spirit’s power to bring conviction to the unsaved, and direct them to the way of God’s truth, and to also to lead believers onto His correct path.
In the next verse, verse 36, we read of the psalmist’s desire to keep covetousness away from him. Covetousness is greatly desiring something that someone else has, something that we want but don’t have. Most people desire to get rich. However, more valuable than wealth is obedience to God. The psalmist prays that his heart would be turned to God’s Word and to the treasures that are eternal in heaven, rather than transient earthly wealth. The Bible, God’s Word, is more precious than gold. Money cannot bring us to heaven, but the Bible can!
Continuing on in verse 37, we read how the psalmist doesn’t want to be spending his time looking at worthless things. That is a very good point for us today. What are we spending our time looking at? How many hours a day are we spending watching TV or streaming programs on our computers? How about the time spent looking at things on social media? Are we learning anything worthwhile? Is it strengthening our walk with the Lord? If we are watching a lot of things that are at odds with the Bible, we need to start filtering out these impure things and guard our mind through Scripture and prayer (Philippians 4:8), instead of spending time with worthless, meaningless, and trivial things. Instead we should be spending our time in what is of the greatest eternal value, such as God and His Word.
Throughout this long psalm we see that many of the characteristics of God are also characteristics of the Bible, God’s Word. We read that God’s judgments, (which here is also a synonym for all of the Scriptures), are good (vs. 39). As we know, one of the characteristics of God is His goodness (Psalm 25:8). God’s Word is trustworthy (vs. 42), as He is, Himself (II Samuel 7:28). The Bible is true (vs. 43), and Jesus said that He is the truth (John 14:6). God is faithful (Lamentations 3:23-24) and so is His Word (vs. 86). God does not change (Malachi 3:6), and neither does His Word (vs 89). God’s Word is eternal (vs. 90) and so is He (Revelation 22:13). This psalm speaks of the characteristic of God’s Word being light (vs. 105), and we also read that God Himself is light (I John 1:5). And we read that both God and His Word are pure (vs. 140; II Samuel 22:27).
A few more quick thoughts from verses in our portion of Psalm 119. In verse 41 the psalmist desires both God’s mercy and His salvation according to His Word. Any salvation that is not according to God’s Word, found within the Bible, is a false salvation. Many people and religions give us their idea of a way that will save us, but if it doesn’t come from the Bible, it is not a true salvation.
Those who speak God’s Word and trust in it will often suffer reproach from the world (vs. 42). But we know that the Bible is our only hope in this life (vs. 43), and certainly for our eternity.
Obeying God’s laws does not inhibit or restrain us (vs. 44-46). Instead, it frees us to be what God designed us to be. Jesus and His salvation give us freedom from sin and oppressive guilt.
In closing we see in verses 47-48, and all throughout this psalm, that the psalmist truly loves the Scriptures. Our greatest love and delight should not come from material things of this world, but should instead come from God’s Word.
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