The Importance of God's Word As Revealed In Psalm 119 (4,499 words)

Psalm 119 is a unique chapter in the Bible and a truly unique psalm among the psalms. It is the longest chapter in the Bible, it is an acrostic where each eight-verse stanza is associated with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and there are twenty-two stanzas. The letters are presented in the proper order of the Hebrew alphabet, and the first letter of the first word of each verse begins with the letter of its respective stanza.

While being unique in length and style, Psalm 119 also has some important messages to tell. Throughout the psalm, the importance of the Bible is presented, plus the psalmist's devotion to God is revealed. Along with these general themes, the right attitude for reading the Bible and for learning more about God is also emphasized. This psalm teaches that the Bible is Truth. It speaks of the importance of studying God's Word as a way to live a clean, spiritually wholesome life. It describes the Bible as a book that brings comfort and counsel to those who study it, and it talks about the high worth of the Bible, saying that its value far exceeds that of gold and silver. Matthew Henry, in his Matthew Henry's Commentary, said that the general scope of Psalm 119 is "to magnify the Law, and make it honourable; to set forth the excellency and usefulness of divine revelation, and to recommend it to us" [1].

In this paper, some introductory issues of Psalm 119 will be considered, such as the author of the psalm and the time of its writing. Some of the key words that were used for God's Law throughout the psalm will be discussed. Some of the major teachings of the psalm will be presented, and finally, an approach for effectively studying and applying the Bible to one's life, as is indicated in Psalm 119, will be given.

I. Introductory Issues

Since there is not a superscription at the beginning of Psalm 119, the author of the psalm and the time of its writing are not clearly known. C. H. Spurgeon, in The Treasury of David, indicated that David is the likely author. He said that the psalm "is Davidic in tone and expression, and it tallies with David's experience in many interesting points" [2]. Matthew Henry implied that the psalm also belonged to David because David had such a "great esteem and affection" for God's Word [3].

Unlike Spurgeon and Henry, however, Dr. William A. VanGemeren, in The Expositor's Bible Commentary, volume 5, excluded David as the possible author by suggesting that the postexilic era was the most likely time of its writing [4]. Similarly, Mr. Kenneth L. Barker, general editor of The NIV Study Bible, identified the author as "an Israelite of exemplary piety" and also indicated that the psalm was probably written after Israel's exile in Babylon [5]. In short, the lack of a superscription or other form of corroborating information means that no one really knows for sure who wrote this psalm or when they wrote it.

Nevertheless, regardless of the psalm's author, several things are still clear. The psalmist knew about the oppression of evil. He knew and understood wickedness and suffering. Yet, despite his understanding of these hardships, he still had a deep, profound, dedicated love for God and God's Word. Mr. Barker wrote, "devotion to the word of God (and the God of the word) is the dominant theme [of Psalm 119]" [6].

II. Key Words That Were Used For God's Law

Psalm 119 was written to celebrate the psalmist's love for God's Word and God's Law. Throughout the psalm, the psalmist expressed his devotion and commitment to the Torah, so torah is naturally a key word and theme of the psalm. According to Dr. Wayne E. Sterling of Liberty University, torah in Psalm 119 can have one of three different meanings. It can refer to the first five books of the Old Testament, it can mean a single law of God, or it can be talking about the psalmist's devotion to all of God's laws.

Dr. Sterling considered the latter choice, that of a devotion to all of God's law, to be the most logical because several synonyms for torah were used throughout the psalm [7]. He reasoned that the use of different synonyms for torah made the entire psalm more meaningful, easier to read, and less redundant and that the different synonyms were probably used by the author, under inspiration of course, for these literary type reasons.

According to Dr. VanGemeren, the number of synonyms used in Psalm 119 to express God's Law was eight [8]. Mr. Barker added that the twenty-two stanzas might have been the specific lengths of eight verses each because the author had used the eight synonyms for torah in his discussion of God's law. Had the author only used five or six synonyms, then perhaps the stanzas would have only been five or six verses in length. As was also pointed out by Mr. Barker, an examination of the psalm will show that the author had used at least six of the synonyms in each stanza and that, in eight stanzas, he had used all eight [9]. Accordingly, each of the eight synonyms is discussed below.

A. Law (torah). The word "torah," which means law, occurred twenty-five times in Psalm 119 and was often used in the Old Testament in the narrow sense to refer to the Deuteronomic or Mosaic Law [10]. However, Dr. Frank Hirsch, in "Law in the OT," wrote that torah, as used in Psalm 119, referred to the general body of Divinely given law. His interpretation, like Dr. Sterling's, takes into account the broader sense of torah. According to him, using this word showed that the end of the Law was to teach men and women about God and about their relationship with Him. In this broader application, torah is a person's guideline for living [11].

B. Word (dabar). The word "dabar," which means word, occurred twenty-four times in Psalm 119 and was used to imply speech, saying, utterance, or word. Dr. VanGemeren wrote that dabar referred to any word that proceeded from the mouth of the Lord [12]. Throughout the psalm, dabar appeared in the expression "thy word." The psalmist repeatedly indicated that his hope for cleansing, delight, guidance, life, and strength was in God's dabar and that he was totally dependent on the words that had proceeded from the Lord.

C. Laws (mispatim). Mispatim occurred twenty-three times in Psalm 119 and was often used in singular form to mean judgment or sometimes the act of judging. Dr. Hirsch said that this word was usually used to indicate laws of a particular kind and that those laws might have originated from some kind of judicial proceeding [13]. Dr. VanGemeren said that the laws would have come from God's judgments through Divine revelation and that they would have been contained in God's Word [14].

D. Statutes (edut/edot). This word occurred twenty-three times in Psalms 119 and was used to indicate testimony or witness. According to God's Word For Windows, this word for statutes or testimonies was "always plural and always of laws as divine testimonies" [15]. The psalmist wrote in Psalm 119:2 that we are blessed when we keep God's statutes and seek Him with all our heart. Dr. VanGemeren pointed out that this word was often used in conjunction with the covenant relationship that existed between God and Israel. He also said that the observance of those statutes signified each party's loyalty to the covenant [16].

E. Commands (miswah/miswot). Miswah, which means command, occurred twenty-two times in Psalm 119 and carried the idea of living by God's commands because doing so is His will [17]. According to Mr. Barker, these commands were covenant directives that had been specifically ordered by God [18].

F. Decrees (huqqim). Huqqim, which means engrave or inscribe, occurred twenty-one times in Psalm 119. Dr. VanGemeren wrote that God is the Author of the decrees and that this fact shows "His royal sovereignty by establishing His divine will in nature (148:6) and in the covenant community." Dr. VanGemeren also said that the decrees of the Lord give order to human life and uphold order in the created world [19].

G. Precepts (piqqudim). Piqqudim, which means precepts, was only used in the Book of Psalms and occurred twenty-one times in Psalm 119. The word referred to the precepts that were to be applied to the various circumstances in which a person finds him or herself [20]. Dr. VanGemeren indicated that this word appears to be tied to the word "covenant" and the revelation of God and that it showed the authority relationship that exists between the speaker and the hearer [21].

H. Word (imrah). This word, which occurred nineteen times in Psalm 119, was used to indicate anything that God had spoken, commanded, or promised [22].

III. The Major Teachings of Psalm 119

Charles Spurgeon wrote that the "one theme [of Psalm 119] is the word of the Lord" [23], and as was stated above, Mr. Barker would agree. This psalm teaches that the Word of God is Truth, that it will help the Christian live a clean, spiritually pure life, that it will comfort those who are burdened, and that it has great value to the person who carefully studies it.

A. Psalm 119 Teaches That The Bible Is Truth. Psalm 119:160 says, "Thy word is true from the beginning: and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever." Psalms 119:90 says, "Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth." The Bible is truth, and it teaches truth. It is the inerrant, inspired Word of God, and it conveys a personal message to all mankind directly from God. A person can read it, study it, and practice its teachings without ever having to fear being incorrectly instructed.

Based on the instruction of Psalm 119:105, Dr. Elmer Towns, in his book Theology For Today, indicated that the Bible has the power to guide a person through life [24]. Also commenting on Psalm 119:105, Matthew Henry wrote that the Word of God, by nature, shows us things concerning God and ourselves that we would not otherwise have known [25]. We can trust the Word of God because we can trust the God of the word. He is faithful, and His goodness towards us is everlasting.

Because God is the author of His Word, Dr. Towns suggested that the Bible is a reflection of the Lord's nature and character. He used Psalm 119 to define the character of God and the Bible as holiness, truth, justice, power, love, goodness, righteousness, purity, wisdom, life-giving, comforting, merciful, faithful, immutable, joy-producing, wonderful, and eternal. Then, he said that a person should expect to see God's nature and character in the Bible because God is the author [26].

B. Psalm 119 Teaches That Bible Study Will Keep The Christian Clean. Psalm 119:11 says, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." Because the Bible is Truth, it can show a person how to overcome sin, how to avoid sin altogether, and how to live victoriously in the Lord. The psalmist wrote in Psalm 119:11 that he had studied God's Word and internalized many of its teachings just so he could successfully resist sin. He was simply saying that a child of God can order his or her life based on biblical teachings and not be brought down by the sins that can destroy a life. Dr. Charles Ryrie, in his book Basic Theology, said, "God's Word in our hearts will serve to prevent sin, for it will warn, remind, encourage, strengthen, and guide us when we are tempted to sin" [27]. Psalm 119:105 says, "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

In addition to committing oneself to a study of God's Word to learn the truth and keep from sin, Psalm 119 also teaches that an individual can be drawn closer to the Lord by suffering affliction and humiliation. In referring to this psalm to write about the value of God's chastisement, Dr. Millard J. Erickson, in his book Christian Theology, wrote, "The psalmist elsewhere acknowledges that punishment had been good for him since he had thereby learned the Lord's statutes (Ps. 119:71)" [28]. As we learn more about God and His standards and as we endure more suffering for Him, we will be more able to live successfully and spiritually for Him.

C. Psalm 119 Teaches That The Bible Brings Joy And Good Counsel. Psalm 119:24 says, "Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors." According to this verse, the Bible brings comfort, joy, and satisfaction to the reader who is trusting in the Lord. Dr. J. I. Packer, in his book Knowing God, wrote that the psalmist had a practical concern for wanting to know more about God. Dr. Packer said, "[The psalmist's] supreme desire was to know and enjoy God himself, and he valued knowledge about God simply as a means to this end" [29]. The author of Psalm 119 was telling his readers that there is joy in knowing the Lord and in having a personal relationship with Him.

The Bible also is like a counselor to help the Christian through the difficult challenges of life. According to Dr. Packer, God's Word provides a "working definition of true humanity" [30]. He went on to say that the Bible shows us what we were made to be, that it teaches us how to be truly human, and that it gives us many warnings against moral self-destruction. In his commentary on Psalm 119:28, Dr. VanGemeren wrote that the Word of God can comfort or strengthen someone who has been overcome with sadness or sorrow [31].

D. Psalm 119 Teaches That The Bible Has Great Value. Dr. Erickson wrote that Psalm 119:72 describes the Word of God as gold and silver and that Psalm 119:105 says it is as a lamp. He also said that the "Word of God is powerful and able to accomplish great work in the life of the individual" [32]. Many people would choose gold and silver over God's Word, but the psalmist implied that such a choice would not be wise. Why would anyone choose gold or silver over all that the Bible has to offer? This book will tell someone where they came from, what they are doing here, and where they are going. The Bible will show a person how to be forgiven for their sins and how to have a vibrant, real relationship with their God and Creator.

IV. Effectively Studying and Applying God's Word

God's Word is Truth, and a person can greatly benefit from rightly applying its teachings. But like most things in life, an individual usually gets out of something based on what they have put into it. The studying of God's Word is very much the same, and to that end, Psalm 119:10-16 identified eight attitudes that are important for the student of the Bible. Discussion of each is given below.

A. Seeking God With All One's Heart. Psalms 119:10 says, "With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments." This verse shows two important attitudes. The first is that the psalmist had put his whole heart into seeking the Lord. To learn from God, one must seek God first and above all. Matthew 22:36-38 says, "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment." When we refuse to surrender our all to Him, we reduce His ability to bless and teach us. Spurgeon wrote that Psalm 119 teaches the student of the Bible that he or she must possess a true and sincere godliness in order to prosper from its study [33].

B. Seeking The Lord In Prayer. Psalm 119:10 also shows the importance of having a prayerful spirit. The psalmist asked God to keep him from wandering, and by uttering that petition, he was displaying a trusting spirit and a needy spirit. We cannot learn from God's Word unless the Holy Spirit reveals the truth to us. Similarly, we cannot apply its teachings to our life unless the Holy Spirit gives us the power and understanding to do so. Like the psalmist in Psalm 119, we must come to the Lord in faith, without wavering, and with a trusting, prayerful attitude.

C. Hiding God's Word In One's Heart. Psalms 119:11 says, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee." The psalmist studied God's Word so that he could keep sin out of his life. It has been said that the Bible will keep a person from sin and that sin will keep a person from the Bible. As Christians, we should recognize God's Word, His Truth, and His Laws as our aids for living a godly life in an ungodly world. But Dr. VanGemeren emphasized that hiding God's Word in one's heart is more than just scripture memorization. He said that it also involves living holy before the Lord [34]. The Bible will show us the right path, but we must be willing to submit to the leadership of the Holy Spirit to follow that path.

D. Having A Willingness To Learn. Psalms 119:12 says, "Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes." Psalms 119:33 says, "Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end." Like in Psalm 119:10, the psalmist showed his dependence on the Lord and displayed a willingness to learn. He also showed a commitment to walk in the Lord's ways. If we are going to profit from Bible study, we must have a teachable spirit and be dedicated to living for Him. Psalms 119:73 says, "Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments."

E. Taking Account Of God's Word. Psalms 119:13 says, "With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth." The Hebrew word for declared is caphar, and it means to count, recount, or relate [35]. Because the psalmist loved God and His Word so much, he continually counted or rehearsed God's teachings in his heart one by one. When we study the Bible as we should, we will benefit most when we have a genuine love for its principles and teachings.

F. Rejoicing In Following God's Teachings. Psalms 119:14 says, "I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches." A person does not learn about the Lord or walk in His ways by accident. Living a life that is pleasing to God requires an individual pursuit of Him with a full desire to find Him. We must seek the Lord first, we must seek Him in prayer, and we must rejoice in Him and His teachings when He blesses us with a knowledge of His truth. When a person fails to rejoice in Him and His teachings, he or she limits His power to act in and on their life.

G. Meditating On God's Precepts. Psalms 119:15 says, "I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways." The psalmist wrote in Psalm 1 that he meditated on God's torah both day and night. We cannot truly benefit from God's Word until we commit ourselves to Him and to it. The Bible is God's love letter to humanity, and each of us needs to reflect on its teachings as we go through the day and even into the night. The psalmist did more than instruct us to love God and His Word. He told us to love them and to also dedicate ourselves to them.

H. Delighting In God's Decrees. Psalms 119:16 says, "I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word." Delighting ourselves in God's decrees is the same as meditating on His precepts, and restating the same truth in this verse shows the psalmist's desire to emphasize this important point. We cannot maximize our gain from God's Word if we do not commit ourselves to it. As has already been stated on several occasions, Psalm 119 teaches a person to love God first and above all. Then, with that love in our heart for Him, we can open His Word and be taught His Truth by the Holy Spirit. All the things we need in this life are contained in the Bible, but we will only receive them if we first turn our heart towards Him. When we delight in the Lord, then we will also delight in His Word.

VI. Conclusions

Psalm 119 is the longest of all the psalms and also the longest chapter in the Bible. Being an acrostic, the psalm has a unique style. It talks in depth about the importance of seeking God first in one's life and also in committing oneself completely to God's laws. Eight words were used in Psalm 119 to express the idea of God's laws, and these different words support the belief that the psalmist was writing about a personal commitment to all of God's laws.

Psalm 119 talks much about the value of the Bible. It reminds the reader that the Bible is God's Word and that it is the truth. An individual can read the Bible with confidence and build their life around its instructions. Psalm 119 teaches that the Bible will keep a person from sin and that the Bible can bring counsel, comfort, and joy to the grieving soul. The psalm also says that the Bible is worth more than silver and gold and, by so doing, shows how truly valuable it is to everyone. The Bible can show a person everything that he or she needs to see and teaches anything that someone might need to know.

However, Psalm 119 also teaches that a person must come to the Lord with the right attitude in order to profit from a study of His Word. Psalm 119 teaches the importance of seeking God with all one's heart. It speaks about the value of having a prayerful spirit, of hiding God's Word in one's heart, of having a willingness to learn, of taking account of the Bible, of rejoicing to live according to its teachings, of meditating on God's precepts, and of delighting in God's decrees.

1. Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary On The Whole Bible, Volume III - Job To Song Of Solomon (McLean, Virginia: MacDonald Publishing Company), p 685.

2. C. H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David, vol. 2 (Lynchburg, VA: The Old-Time Gospel Hour, 1985), p 130.

3. Henry, p. 685.

4. Willem A. VanGemeren, "Psalms," The Expositors Bible Commentary, gen. ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 5 (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1991), pp 736.

5. Kenneth Barker, gen. ed., The NIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1985), p. 914.

6. Ibid, p. 914.

7. Wayne E. Sterling, "Psalmists' Praise Of The Law (Torah)," Student Videotape Course Worktext For Psalms OBST 610 (Lynchburg, Virginia: School Of Lifelong Learning, Liberty University, 1988), p. 22-1.

8. VanGemeren, pp 737-738.

9. Barker, p. 914.

10. Ibid, p. 737.

11. Frank Hirsch, "Law in the OT," The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. III (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdsman Publishing Co., 1929), p. 1852.

12. VanGemeren, p. 737.

13. Hirsch, p. 1852.

14. VanGemeren, p. 737.

15. Kevin Rintoul, God's Word For Windows, version 2.0 (British Columbia, Canada: Online Bible Publications, 1997), Strong's Number 5713.

16. VanGemeren, p. 738.

17. Hirsch, p. 1852.

18. Barker, p. 915.

19. VanGemeren, pp. 738-739.

20. Hirsch, p. 1852.

21. VanGemeren, p. 738.

22. Ibid, p. 738.

23. Spurgeon, p. 131.

24. Elmer Towns, Theology For Today (Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 1989), p. 51.

25. Henry, p. 708.

26. Towns, pp. 69-70.

27. Charles C. Ryrie, Basic Theology (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981), p. 233.

28. Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1985), pp. 609-610.

29. J. I. Packer, Knowing God (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1973), p. 22.

30. Ibid, p. 114.

31. VanGemeren, p. 743.

32. Erickson, p. 1011.

33. Spurgeon, p. 135.

34. VanGemeren, p. 740.

35. Rintoul, Strong's Number 5608.

Barker, Kenneth. Gen. Ed. The NIV Study Bible. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1985.

Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1985.

Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s Commentary On The Whole Bible. Volume III - Job To Song Of Solomon. McLean, Virginia: MacDonald Publishing Company.

Hirsch, Frank. "Law in the OT." The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. Vol. III. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdsman Publishing Co., 1929.

Packer, J. I. Knowing God. Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1973.

Rintoul, Kevin. God's Word For Windows. Version 2.0. British Columbia, Canada: Online Bible Publications, 1997.

Ryrie, Charles C. Basic Theology. Chicago, Illinois: Moody Press, 1981.

Spurgeon, C. H. The Treasury of David. Volume 2. Lynchburg, VA: The Old-Time Gospel Hour, 1985.

Sterling, Wayne E. "Psalmists' Praise Of The Law (Torah)." Student Videotape Course Worktext For Psalms OBST 610. Lynchburg, Virginia: School Of Lifelong Learning, Liberty University, 1988.

Towns, Elmer. Theology For Today. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company, 1989.

VanGemeren, Willem A. "Psalms." The Expositors Bible Commentary. Gen. Ed. Frank E. Gaebelein. Vol. 5. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1991.