A Pattern

We've already mentioned the overall structure of Psalm 119......an acrostic poem with 22 stanzas, one for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet.  We've noticed that each stanza has 8 lines (or verses) and have noted that in Hebrew, each line of the stanza begins with the corresponding letter of the Hebrew alphabet.  We also pointed out that a number of synonyms are used to refer to God's Word.  These are law, testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, ordinances (also sometimes translated judgments), word and way.  In case you are interested, the corresponding Hebrew words are torah, edah, piqqud, choq, mitsvah, mishpat, imrah, and derek.  I give you that information in case you want to get a Bible dictionary, Hebrew lexicon or other word study tool and dig out the differences.  The pattern I really want you to see is that at least one of those words is used in every line of this Psalm.  (Remember that I am using the NASB; if you are using a different translation, the English word may be different but the Hebrew word is the same.)  Every line of this Psalm gives us some information or insight about the value of the Word of God!  How exciting and awesome is that?!!

In the first stanza, the psalmist focused on the blessing of following God's way.  The next stanza (verses 9-16) begins with a question....how?  How do we live a life that follows God's way?  How do we live a life of purity?  That's the question.  Then he answers his own question......by living according to God's Word.  And as we saw in yesterday's lesson, the way we know how to live according to God's Word is by spending time in that Word, by getting to know it for ourselves, by taking time to know what God's Word says about how we are to live and then applying that knowledge......living our lives in line with what we've learned!

Read the beth stanza again and consider the following questions:

• What does this stanza tell us about God's Word (commandments, statutes, ordinances, testimonies, precepts)?
• Is any of this relevant today?  In what way?  How do we apply these truths in 21st century America?
• Look at verse 10..."with all my heart I have sought You."  This is the 3rd time the word "heart" has been used so far in this Psalm.  What do we learn from the "heart" references?  What does it mean to seek God with all your heart?  What does that "look like" in real life?
• Similarly, look at verse 16....."I shall delight in Your statutes".  What does it mean to "delight" in God's Word?  Again, what does that "look like" in real life?
• And finally, look at verses 10 and 16 again, at what we might call the negative aspect (seeking with a whole heart and delighting in God's Word are the positives).  The psalmist talks about "wandering" from God's commandments and "forgetting".  Do you ever wander?  Do you ever forget?  Be specific.  How do we avoid "wandering" and "forgetting"?

That's quite a lot to think about for today, isn't it?  If you have insights you're willing to share, please live a comment.

"For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it."  (Ezra 7:10)