GOOD MORNING SIBLINGS! 
Today’s readings are Psalm 119:1-88

Click here to read today’s passages on BibleGateway.

Rabbit Trails

Today is a biggie (literally), and I’m SO EXCITED to be able to read it with you!

Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in all of the Bible, and it is a wonderful description of who the Messiah was, who He is, and who He wants us to be – along with how we are to follow YHWH- just as our Messiah did.
Interesting Facts:

•Although it contains 176 verses and is the longest chapter in the Bible, Psalm 119 can be read aloud in about 15 minutes.

•In the original text, the personal name of YHWH appears 24 times in this Psalm. Sadly, it’s been removed from all mainstream Bibles today.

•In almost every verse of this psalm is a synonym for God’s teachings or law. I went through and double underlined them and WOW!

•Charles Spurgeon declared that everyone would do well to commit this entire psalm to memory.

•The actual author of Psalm 119 isn’t known for sure. There are lots of speculations, which include David and Ezra.

•This psalm consists of 22 stanzas and each stanza is comprised of 8 verses.

•The 22 stanzas correspond to the 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Most of your Bibles will show this by having the words for those letters before the stanza. To see if yours does, look for Aleph, Beth, Gimel, Dalet, Hey…etc. If you ever study Hebrew, you’ll probably learn these in the Hebrew Alphabet song right off the bat. That’s how I know them. 

•Each section is labeled with a hebraic letter of the hebraic alphabet, beginning with the Aleph and ending with the Tav. You are probably more familiar with the Greek translation of Aleph and Tav than the original version. The Greek translation is “Alpha and Omega”. When Messiah said “I am the Alpha and Omega” or a more accurate translation, “I am the Aleph and Tav” (Rev 22:13), some believe He was making direct reference to Psalm 119. Certainly we can learn more about Him at a far deeper level by studying this Psalm, which perfectly represents His character.

I’m going to pull out just a few key verses – it was so hard to pick. I could quote every single verse and write at least a few paragraphs on each one!

“I have stored up your Word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
~Psalm 119:11

How do we keep from sinning against the Father? By knowing His Word – but then by doing it as well. Shema – to hear and do.

“I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways.”
~Psalm 119:15

One translation of this stated that “I will have respect for your ways.” That caused me to pause.

Do we respect His ways?
Of course.
But do we respect His ways enough to hold them in higher regard and seek them in place of our ways? This psalm is an excellent tool for self examination. That is how I use it.

“Open my eyes that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.”
Psalm 119:18

When I was a kid and my parents disciplined me, I used to think they were being mean. Sometimes, I even thought they were unfair. Other thoughts of them lacking understanding, being overly strict, and just being flat out unreasonable crept into my mind from time to time. Sometimes, I just KNEW that my way was better and the fact that they just didn’t see that was a reflection on them, not me.

Boy, was I wrong. Here I am today, far more mature than I was decades ago, and having grown in wisdom I can look back and see that this discipline was a blessing, their wisdom was far and above mine, and I am grateful for having been disciplined and corrected so that I could grow in wisdom and refrain from situations that might have caused great distress and irreparable damage.

We are all children now – and He is the Father.

Consider this as we read Psalm 119. The understanding that His ways are above our own, His wisdom is greater than our own, and proper reverence for the blessing of His guidance, guidelines, instructions, and law will help us to understand the mindset of the author of this wonderful and still very much relevant Psalm.

And throughout it all remember, He does not change.

I encourage you to take time to read each line and stop to think on it a moment.

With each line, ask yourself if you feel the same way as the Psalmist.
If not, why?

Discuss this with the Father and hold it up to the words of the Father and our Messiah.
Does our reaction line up with how the Father and His son say we should feel and/or respond to the Father’s word and instruction?
Search their words in Scripture.
Consider what we’ve read and consider it, still, as we read further to the end of the Bible.
Discuss this with the Father again and again and then continue doing all of the above.

These are great opportunities for growth in our relationship with YHWH.

There is so much to study, learn, and consider in this Psalm. I am grateful to have two days to go over it and will discuss further tomorrow.

Test everything, hold tight to what is good.~ 1 Thess 5:21

We are saved by Grace alone: Obedience is not the root of our salvation, it is the fruit!

May YHWH bless the reading of His Word!

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Christy Jordan
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