A Home for God’s Word
“Thy word have I hid in mine heart
that I might not sin against thee.”
Psalm 119:11 (KJV)
The book of Psalms is the songbook of Israel containing 150 self-contained songs. Israel was a nation that sang. The Israelites sang in their homes while they worked; sang in their fields while they planted and harvested crops; sang on the road as they traveled; and sang in the temple as they worshipped. They sang songs of deliverance after great battles; songs of praise while rejoicing at festivals, marriages, and royal coronations; songs recalling God’s faithfulness; and songs of suffering, sorrow, lament, and discouragement during long seasons of waiting, loss, or exile. Some of Israel’s songs were prophecies of the long-awaited Messiah written hundreds of years before Christ was born. These songs are poems that were first written and then sung or prayed generation to generation.
Psalm 119 is the longest and most elaborate Psalm in the Psalter. Located in the center of the Bible and composed of 176 verses, it is also the longest chapter in the Bible. “This poem is not, and does not pretend to be, a sudden outpouring of the heart…It is a pattern, a thing done like embroidery, stitch by stitch, through long, quiet hours, for love of the subject, and for the delight in leisurely, disciplined craftsmanship,” writes C.S. Lewis in Reflections on the Psalms.
At least 171 of the 176 verses in Psalm 119 deal with some aspect of God’s Word. A dozen different words, including law, testimonies, commands, and precepts, are used as synonyms to describe God’s written revelation. Psalm 119 is an acrostic poem consisting of 22 stanzas, one for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and each stanza consists of 8 verses. This construction aided with memorization. The Psalm was written anonymously, but most biblical scholars believe King David to be the likely author. Its theme is the Word of God and making our heart a home for God’s Word. Old Testament scholar Derek Kidner declares, “Psalm 119 is a giant among the Psalms.”
Kevin DeYoung agrees. “Surely it is significant that this intricate, finely crafted, single minded love poem- the longest in the Bible- is not about marriage or children or food or drink or mountains or sunsets or rivers or oceans, but about the Bible itself.”
Psalm 119’s first stanza begins with a “blessed” benediction, a contemplation of the blessedness, contentment, or satisfaction that is attributed to those who treasure the testimonies of God. Those who are blessed search, understand, love, and obey the scriptures. The Psalmist’s opening words remind us of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount beatitudes and the Psalter’s first word recorded in Psalm 1.
Psalm 119 isn’t just a wholehearted love poem about the beauty, blessings, and benefits of God’s Word, however. It’s also a record of the Psalmist’s many prayers and sufferings. At least 85 prayers are found throughout the Psalm’s 176 verses. Some of his requests include:
Teach me
Help me
Save me
Open my eyes
Let me understand
Strengthen me
Charles Spurgeon once wrote that “short prayers are long enough.” This Psalmist specialized in short prayers, especially his “teach me” prayer which is repeated eleven times. His heartfelt confession and prayer in verse 28, “My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word” was one of my “go to” verses when James Bruce died three years ago and one that I now use to comfort others who have experienced great losses. Other personal favorite Psalm 119 verses include:
I seek you with all my heart.(v10)
Open my eyes that I might see wonderful things in your law.(v18)
You are good and what you do is good; (v68)
Teach me your decrees. (v68)
I will not neglect your word.(v16)
Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.(v105)
Let no sin rule over me. (v133)
I stand in awe of your laws.(v 120)
Charles Spurgeon once summarized the Psalmist’s “Thy Word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee” (Psalm 119:11 KJV) as follows:
The best thing- God’s Word
Hidden in the best place- my heart
For the best reason- that I might not sin
We get a handle on God’s Word as we hear it, read it, study it, memorize and meditate on it. What do you need to do to make your heart a home for God’s Word?