Psalm 119 Introduction: God’s Poetic Expose of His Scriptures

In the middle of our Bibles is a fascinating chapter – Psalm 119.  Many have commented on its length: why so long? Others have been intrigued by its poetic style: a series of octets each starting with one of the Hebrew letters from the self-same alphabet. Some, myself included, have preached on a verse or section whether as a devotional thought or as a part of a given series.

But, to my knowledge, none have tackled the point that God had in mind by inspiring this text through His human writer. After studying this Psalm thoroughly over several years and preaching or teaching through the entire psalm several times, it is my opinion that God through both inspiration and preservation techniques had a purpose for placing this psalm central to the entire canon of Scripture.

Psalm 119 is God’s poetic expose’ on His holy Scripture.

Psalm 119 Commentary

In the original Hebrew, the Psalm is divided into 22 octets. An octet is a series of eight verses on a particular theme each starting with a particular word or, as in this case, a letter. Hebrew consists of 22 letters and the Psalm progresses through the Hebrew alphabet to its ultimate conclusion in verse 176. Some scholars have noted that all but two verses mention the Word of God using at least one of seven synonyms for the Scripture.

In our English Bibles, the synonyms are Law, Word, Judgments, Commandments, Testimonies, Statutes, and Precepts. In translations since the King James Version of 1611 “Judgments” has been translated as Ordinances, and “Testimonies” as Witness.  For the sake of clarity, I will use the KJV terminology.

“Why is this important?” you may ask. It is my contention that each of these words actually refers to specific passages of Scripture and helps the student of the Bible to better understand what God intended for the reader and/or hearer. 2 Timothy 2:15 says that one should study to show oneself approved unto God and “rightly dividing the word of truth.” God told Joshua (Joshua 1:8) that the book of the Law should not “depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”

The purpose of that meditation was so that Joshua would know how to obey God and be prosperous and successful according to God’s standards.

Again, we see in 2 Timothy 3:16: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” It is obvious that not all of the Scripture is doctrinal (i.e. teaching), or filled with reproof, or evidently corrective, or outright instruction in the principles of righteous living. All Scripture is filled with Laws to obey, Words of encouragement given by God, Judgments given under various circumstances, Commandments to live by, Testimonies of God’s unfailing faithfulness and mankind’s wavering faithfulness or unfaithfulness, Statutes for a successful society, and Precepts to help in our daily life.

Definition of Symptoms

Law

While there are laws all through Scripture, to the Hebrew mind of the Old Testament, this term always referred to the Law of Moses, specifically as recorded in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5.  By application the term was used of the five books that Moses wrote:  Genesis – Deuteronomy in our English Bibles.

Word

All of the Bible is the “inspired, inerrant, and infallible” Word of God.  But, throughout the Scripture there is a narrative that uses the personal knowledge of the individual writers “as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”  Within this narrative there are phrases such as “God said…” and “the Angel of the LORD said…”  As one moves into the New Testament a reader would see quotes within the narrative where our Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son, said something that the disciples and apostles who were “moved” (2 Peter 1:21) to write, wrote verbatim.  This is the meaning behind “Word” as used in Psalm 119.

Judgments/Ordinances

There are situations that reveal themselves as one reads through Scripture, where God had not declared His will or when the circumstance did not quite fit previous revelation.  One example of this as it relates to sin, is Genesis 6-8.  As sin became more rampant, God announces in effect, “I’m starting over!”  God’s judgment was that a flood would destroy mankind and the effects of their sin on His creation.  But God also had a caveat.  He would provide for redemption.  Genesis 6:8 says, “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.”  Another illustration that did not involve sin, but was a puzzle to God’s people, is found in Numbers 27.  In the previous chapter God had given instructions concerning the division of the Promised Land and the inheritance thereof.  The emphasis was on the sons of the fathers who would inherit the land divided to their fathers.  But chapter 27 presents a problem not addressed by God:  what if a father had no sons, but only daughters?  Zelophehad had five daughters.  Where would the inheritance go?  God said in vs. 7, “The daughters of Zelophehad speak right…”  God then gives His judgment concerning this matter.  Women were not to be overlooked and to be allowed to inherit their father’s property.  God also went on to add instruction concerning men who passed away without children.  There are many illustrations of later judgments which gives the student of the Scripture insight in what to do if a clear “black & white” answer is not in the Bible.

Commandments

This term goes beyond the obvious 10 Commandments.  What does one do if he or she violates one of the basic 10?  In the Old Testament, Leviticus is characteristic of God’s commandments.  A commandment is a Divine order given to the outworking of the Law.  As one moves to the New Testament, the reader sees Jesus Christ explaining the Law more carefully.  Matthew 5-7 (the Sermon on the Mount) is a classic example of this “Divine order”.  Before His death and resurrection, Jesus took time with His followers giving His ultimate commandment, “This is My commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you.” (John 15:12).  As He said in Matthew 22:37-40, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like to it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Testimonies

A testimony is a witness concerning the character of oneself or another.  In Psalm 119 testimony(ies) is most often a statement about the character of God.  Throughout the entire Scriptural text there are many testimonies given by God directly or as a praise statement by one of His people.  Often with a testimony is a promise given.  The point being, “if you can’t trust God, whom can you trust?”  The God of the Bible in all His fullness is a promise-keeping God.

Statutes

A statute is an order given by God as to what, where, when, and how the order is to be carried out.  In the Old Testament there are several times Israel found themselves in dire straits.  One is actually found in Joshua 6 where they were ordered to march around the city once each day for six days.  The only sound was to be the shofar- trumpets that seven priests were to blow.  Then on the seventh day the people were to march around seven times.  At the end of the march the shofar carriers were to blast at the walls.  The promise was made by God that the walls would fall flat.  Quite an exciting statute!  In the beginning of Acts 1, Jesus tells His disciples that He is about to return to the Father.  The statute was quite clear:  go to Jerusalem and wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit.  Ten days later, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and power.  But there was another aspect to this statute.  Once they were filled, the disciples were to be witnesses (i.e. testimonies) of Jesus Christ in a special order.  First, Jerusalem, second Judea, third Samaria, and fourth to the uttermost part of the earth.  This would require that they pick up the mantle of discipleship so that the Gospel would be spread generationally.

Precepts

These are God’s “Do it now!” orders.  Urgency is implied or directly stated.  One of the most urgent precepts given to all who read this is actually found in 2 Corinthians 6:2. “For He says, ‘I have heard you in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succored you:  behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.’”  As a reader, have you believed on the Lord Jesus Christ for your personal salvation?  If not, why delay?  Take unto you a new life in Christ, an eternal life which places you upon the roles of heaven.

It is with these preliminary thoughts that I set forth my treatise.   God wants us to be blessed and empowered rightly by the Holy Scriptures.  Then, as His witnesses in our society, to be a blessing by sharing the truth that God has set forth which brings conviction, repentance, and restoration to the soul with the God Who gave us His Bible.

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