My favorite psalm by far is Psalm 119. Even though it is the longest psalm, and the longest chapter in the Bible, I love reading and rereading this section of Scripture. It never gets old!

If you wanted to give this psalm a name or a title, a good one would be “The Glories of God’s Word” or “A Love for the Word of God.” Psalm 119 has 176 verses, making it the longest chapter in the Bible. In those 176 verses, God’s Word is referenced 177 times, at least once in every verse but five (verses 84, 90, 121, 122, 132 do not have a direct reference to God’s word in some fashion).

It is likely that David wrote this Psalm. However, it is unclear under what circumstances he composed it. It is quite possible that this is a variation of his daily journal, perhaps gathered and composed over the course of his life. His usage of phrases such as “a young man,” in verses 9, 99, 100, 141, and “an old man,” in verses 84-87, may indicate that this is David’s spiritual diary. If so, it is worthy of imitating. God keeps a diary even if we don’t (see Malachi 3:16-18; Romans 14:12).

Psalm 119: An Acrostic Psalm

Psalm 119 is an acrostic, or alphabetic Psalm, having 22 stanzas. The Hebrew alphabet has 22 letters. Each stanza has 8 lines, each of the 8 lines beginning with the same letter, making this an alphabetical acrostic.

This psalm has been called the Psalm of the Law. “The Law” should be understood in its widest significance, no fewer than ten Hebrew words being used in referring to God’s Word. These are translated as “law,” “word,” “saying,” or “sayings,” “commandments,” “statutes,” “ordinances,” “precepts,” “testimony,” “way,” “path.” One underlying conception of all these words is that God’s will has been made known to man, and each word reveals some aspect of God’s will in itself, of the method of its revelation, and its value to human life.

Over the next few weeks, I want to look at various portions of this psalm, beginning with the first stanza today.

Psalm 119:1-8: Having A Centered Heart

Psalm 119 opens with the same statement as the first psalm: “How blessed are those whose way is blameless…” The happiness of the godly man is a familiar theme of the psalmists, and can be found often throughout these passages, as well as throughout the rest of the Old Testament (see Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Proverbs 8:32, 34).

In this first stanza, David expresses the object for which he desires… the perfect, mature, keeping of God’s Law. Above all else, he loves the Law of the Lord, and his desire is to keep it as the center of his life.

This is established in this first stanza, but it is borne out through the rest of the chapter. There are at least ten different names for God’s Word used in this Psalm, as found in the English language.

• “The Word” occurs 42 times, and is taken to mean all the Scripture then known.
• “The Law” is found 25 times, and is a general name for the Laws of God, which include the following five words:
• “Commandments,” used 22 times, meaning the Ten Commandments of Mt. Sinai,
• “Statutes,” used 22 times, and means special ordinances (such as in Leviticus 6, the times of the sacrificial observances),
• “Precepts,” used 21 times, and means orders for the day,
• “Judgments,” used 20 times, and means judicial deliverances in special cases, and
• “Testimonies,” used 23 times, being testimonies about God Himself.

God’s Word is spoken of 179 times in 176 verses!

In 5 verses only of this Psalm (verses 84, 90, 121, 122, 132) is these no special mention of one of these terms. In 8 different verses (verses 15, 16, 27, 43, 48, 160, 168, 172) more names than one is given. It seems as if an attempt was made to give every one of the names in the 8 verses of every stanza in the Psalm.

For example, in the first stanza, Aleph, we see the following:

• “The Law,” verse 1
• “His Testimonies,” verse 2
• “His ways;” verse 3
• “Your Precepts,” verse 4
• “Your Statutes,” verse 5
• “Your Commandments,” verse 6
• “Your Judgments,” verse 7
• “Your Statutes,” verse 8

Psalm 119 is evidence that God has spoken to us, through His works, such as creation; in His Son; and through His written Word, the Bible. David has centered his heart in God’s Word, because “Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in heaven” (verse 89).

God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world. And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high… – Hebrews 1:1-3

An Outline of Verses 1-8

This first section of Psalm 119 can be summarized in three sections, or instructions. First, we are to walk in the Law of the Lord (verse 1). Second we are to seek the the Lord with all of our heart (verse 2). And third, we are to keep ourselves in the love of the Lord (verse 7-8).

And when you think about it, that’s not too much to ask.

Question: What part of Psalm 119 is your favorite? You can leave a comment by clicking here.