Day 140 - Psalm 119

Daily Reading:  Psalm 119

Psalm 119

Blessed are they whose ways are blameless,

who walk according to the law of the Lord.

Footnotes:

This is both the longest psalm and the longest chapter in the Bible!  Psalm 119 has 22 carefully constructed sections, each corresponding to a different letter in the Hebrew alphabet and each verse beginning with the letter of its section.  Almost every verse mentions God's Word.  Such repetition was common in the Hebrew culture.  People did not have personal copies of the Scriptures to read as we do, so God's people memorized his Word and passed it along orally.  The structure of this psalm allowed for easy memorization.  Remember, God's Word, the Bible, is the only sure guide for living a pure life.

How can a young man keep his way pure?

By living according to your word.

Verse 9

We are drowning in a sea of impurity.  Everywhere we look we find temptation to lead impure lives.  The psalmist asked a question that troubles us all: how do we stay pure in a filthy environment?  We cannot do this on our own, but must have counsel and strength more dynamic than the tempting influences around us.  Where can we find that strength and wisdom?  By reading God's Word and doing what it says?

I have hidden your word in my heart

that I might not sin against you.

Verse 11

Hiding (keeping) God's Word in our hearts is a deterrent to sin.  This alone should inspire us to memorize Scripture.  But memorization alone will not keep us from sin; we must also put God's Word to work in our lives, making it a vital guide for everything we do.

119:19 Footnote:

The psalmist says that he is a "stranger on earth," and so he needed guidance.  Almost any long trip requires a map or guide.  As we travel through life, the Bible should be our road map, pointing out safe routes, obstacles to avoid, and our final destination.  We must recognize ourselves as pilgrims, travelers here on earth who need to study God's map to learn the way.  If we ignore the map, we will wander aimlessly through life and risk missing our real destination.

Great peace have they who love your law,

and nothing can make them stumble.

Verse 165

Modern society longs for peace of mind.  Here is clear-cut instructions on how to attain this: if we love God and obey his laws, we will have "great peace."  Trust in God, who alone stands above the pressures of daily life and gives us full assurance.

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All footnotes taken from the Life Application Study Bible, NIV