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 119:65-72 T Teth (hebrew letter)
“You have dealt well with Your servant, O LORD, according to Your word. Teach me good judgment and knowledge, For I believe Your commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Your word. You are good, and do good; Teach me Your statutes. The proud have forged a lie against me, But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart. Their heart is as fat as grease, But I delight in Your law. It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes. The law of Your mouth is better to me Than thousands of coins of gold and silver.”
Hi-Lite the “Law” words (listed above).
Twice in this passage the Psalmist asks God to “Teach him”. Put a box around each phrase.
- :66 “Teach me”
- :68 “Teach me”
What is the difference between good judgment and knowledge?
- :66 “Teach me good judgment and knowledge” -Knowledge is the foundation for having good judgment. Without the knowledge of God’s word, your judgment will be skewed.
How does God deal with us? Communicate to us?
- :65 “according to Your Word”- God has always used words to communicate to manThere are 3 comparisons in this passage using the word “but”. Bracket this word
- :67 <but> – in your notebook write the comparison
- :69 <but> – in your notebook write the comparison
- :70 <but> – in your notebook write the comparison
Draw an arrow connecting “Before I was afflicted” and “It is good for me that I have been afflicted” – The Hebrew word for afflicted carries the idea of looking down, humbled, to be bowed down, become low.
Why is being afflicted good?
- :71 “that I may learn your statutes” – consider the meaning of statutes -something prescribed, as in taking a prescription. Trouble and cares can humble us and bring us down. When this happens to us, taking the prescribed word is good and helpful for us.
How does he describe the “proud”? put a squiggly line under these phrases:
- :69 “the proud have forged a lie against me”
- :70 “their heart is as fat as grease” – something covered with fat is usually considered unhealthy. According to the Pulpit Commentary in ESword, “fat as grease” means they are “dull, gross and insensible to spiritual things”
Hi-lite in a different color what the Psalmist says he does or will do.
- :66 “I believe”
- :67 “I was afflicted”, “I went astray”, “I keep”
- :69 “I will keep”
- :70 “I delight”
- :71 “I have been afflicted”, “I may learn”
When you are afflicted, do you take the prescribed word to help? We should delight in God’s word and put it in our hearts.