A Daily Study of Psalm 119 (NKJV)
Meditations and Prayers Relating to the Law of God
“Psalms 119 is an acrostic to end all acrostics! There are twenty-two strophes (paragraphs), corresponding to the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Each of the strophes has eight lines (verses), and every one of the lines in each strophe begins with the appropriate Hebrew letter marking that stanza.” – Coffman(1)
Every paragraph contains these words pertaining to God’s Laws:
Law of the Lord or Your Word– Body of prophetic, legal and moral directives (Mosaic Law)
Testimonies – Witness (God never asks us to believe anything that He does not give us evidence (testimony) for.)
Precepts – Command or order respecting moral conduct
Statutes – Something prescribed, prescribed task
Commandments – order by authorities
Judgements – Act of deciding a case, ordinance
PSALM 119:169-176 Tav (hebrew letter)
“Let my cry come before You, O LORD; Give me understanding according to Your word. Let my supplication come before You; Deliver me according to Your word. My lips shall utter praise, For You teach me Your statutes. My tongue shall speak of Your word, For all Your commandments are righteousness. Let Your hand become my help, For I have chosen Your precepts. I long for Your salvation, O LORD, And Your law is my delight. Let my soul live, and it shall praise You; And let Your judgments help me. I have gone astray like a lost sheep; Seek Your servant, For I do not forget Your commandments.”
In your own Bible:
Hi-lite the “Law” words from the list above.
The word “let” means to allow. Underline the phrases with “let” in them.
- :169 “Let my cry come before You”
- :170 “Let my supplication come before You” (supplication meaning a plea for mercy or favor)
- :173 “Let Your hand become my help”
- :175 “Let my soul live”, “Let Your judgments help me”
Put a box around
- :171 “My lips shall utter praise”, Why? Circle “for” – which means because
- :172 “My tongue shall speak of Your word”, Why? Circle “for”
- :173 “for” – Circle
- :176 “for” – Circle
What does he ask God to do? Hi-Lite
- :169 “Give me understanding”
- :170 “Deliver me”
- :171 “Teach me”
- :173 “become my help”
- :175 “help me”
- :176 “seek your servant”
Draw an arrow
- :174 from “Your salvation” and “Your law” to “my delight”
Put brackets around what he has done.
- :173 [I have chosen]
- :176 [I do not forget]
I noticed some recurring phrases in the entire chapter.
- “I do not forget” in verses 83, 109, 141, 153
- “Give me understanding” in verses 34, 73, 125, 144
- “Teach me” in verses 12, 26, 33, 64, 66, 68, 108, 124, 135, 171
Do we have these humble attitudes about God’s word? Are our hearts ready for it to teach us and give us understanding? Are we diligent disciples, following where the Savior and His word leads us?
The wicked and his oppressors are not mentioned in this final stanza. It’s almost like they have faded into the darkness and the Psalmist is only looking at God’s word, bringing him delight and understanding. God’s word gives us faith, strength and courage to face our daily challenges. Drink deeply from it and delight in it.