Psalm 119:1-16
א Aleph
1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.
2 Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart -
3 They do no wrong but follow his ways.
4 You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed.
5 Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!
6 Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.
8 I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.
ב Beth
9 How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word.
10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
12 Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees.
13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth.
14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.
16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word. Psalm 119:1-16 (NIV)
Psalm 119 is the longest psalm in the Bible. Author unknown, but most Bible scholars believe it was David or the prophet Ezra. Each section uses one of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, with eight verses for each letter, and verses 1-16 use the first two letters – aleph & beth.
Verses 1 through 8 clearly tell us that if we follow God’s laws and seek God with all our heart, we are blessed. True happiness and purity are found by actively seeking God, obeying His commands, and memorizing scripture. If we do that, then we will avoid shame and spiritual regret. However, if we are honest with ourselves, no one qualifies to be blessed from the list above because we are not perfect.
How can any person stay on the path of purity? The way is to live our lives according to God’s word. We are to seek God and hide (learn) God’s word in our hearts, so that we may not sin. We are to recount God’s laws and rejoice in them. We are to meditate on God’s ways and not neglect God’s word. How do we do that? We need to spend time reading and studying the bible, attending worship, sharing God’s word with others, focusing on Jesus and His ways, and never forgetting what we learn.
Even though we will sometimes fall short, remember that Jesus didn’t say blessed are those who are perfect. In Matthew 5:3-12, He said, “Blessed are those who are poor in spirit.” In other words, being humble and accepting that we are in need of a savior. Depending on God’s grace and mercy, our reward is the Kingdom of Heaven. Thanks be to God!
Questions for Reflection:
- Do you take time to read the Bible each day? If not, are there ways to make changes to have the time?
- Who do you share God’s word with?
Prayer:
God of grace and mercy, we thank you for your word. Guide and lead us to walk in your ways and to seek you with all our heart. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen
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