Psalm 119 Pt. 146 Some Concluding Thoughts On Psalm 119

We have spent more than one year studying through Psalm 119 and I would like to pause, so that we may study a different part of the Bible. 

Even though we have only covered the first fifty verses of the grand Psalm about God's Word, there are some patterns we can benefit from. 

Repetition of truth is what we need. 

Jeremiah 35:12-15  Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, 13)  Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Go and tell the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, Will ye not receive instruction to hearken to my words? saith the LORD. 14)  The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me. 15)  I have sent also unto you all my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, Return ye now every man from his evil way, and amend your doings, and go not after other gods to serve them, and ye shall dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers: but ye have not inclined your ear, nor hearkened unto me. 

Jehovah asked a profound question to His people through His prophet, Jeremiah. "Won't you receive my instruction and obey my words?"

Jehovah goes on to commend the descendants of Jonadab for obeying their long deceased father's instructions about abstinence. 

He is pleading with His people, that if Jonadab's relatives still obeyed their earthly father, why weren't the Israelites obeying God? Jehovah said "I have spoken to you, early each morning, but you have not listened to Me!"

What a rebuke to the people of God! They listened to their earthly fathers which was their Biblical duty. Yet, they ignored their heavenly Father. 

This is why God repeats the same truths many times, throughout the scriptures. We need to hear it often so that it eventually sinks into our hearts. 

Repetition of themes and subjects are built in to the fabric of the scriptures. Why so much repetition? Because we are finite people reading infinite truth from God. 

Repetition helps us retain some of what we learn and helps foster a growing understanding of what God is saying to us. 

When we begin to grasp what God is saying, then we have a foundation upon which we can build our lives. 

The things that we think about, the words that we say or the actions that we take, will be guided and shaped by what we understand from the scriptures. This is what God has for His children.

Remembering involves spiritual homework.

2 Timothy 2:15  Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

A good way to think about repetition of truths in the Bible, is viewing repetition as spiritual homework from our loving Father. 

For example, mathematics is learned best by diligently doing all of the homework problems. Repetition by studying and doing homework, builds the rules of math into our minds. Then, when we take an exam, we will remember how to solve each type of problem. 

Diligent study of God's Word does the same thing in our soul. Our minds retain His truth and when we face a moral choice, we remember what God said, and base our decision on His truth. 

He knows our limitations and that what we can grasp and obey is only a small portion of all that He says to us. 

Therefore, He commands us to study His Word by taking the time to study and making a diligent, consistent effort to study, to learn from the Spirit of God, our Teacher in the scriptures. 

Studying God's Word brings blessing. Our Father will approve of His studying children, when we stand before Him in resurrection glory, and we will not be ashamed. 

Psalm 119 teaches us to remember.

Psalm 119:16  I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

Psalm 119:55  I have remembered thy name, O LORD, in the night, and have kept thy law.

Christians who study God's Word, find delight in what God says to us in the scriptures. The more time and energy that we devote to studying His Word, the better that we will remember His truth. 

Remembering God's truth brings comfort in time of distress, hope in time of trouble and solace when we are grieving. 

Eight times the Psalmist mentions remembering or not forgetting God's Word.

Five times the Psalmist instructs us to meditate or think carefully about the truth of God's Word. 

Eight times the Psalmist speaks of the hope he received from studying the scriptures.  

Psalm 119 teaches us to seek instruction from God. 

Psalm 119:18  Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. 

Psalm 119:135  Make thy face to shine upon thy servant; and teach me thy statutes.

Teaching is mentioned many times in Psalm 119, always referring to God teaching us His truth. Thus, we pray that Jehovah will open our eyes to read and understand His Word and to behold the wonderful things He says to us. 

We pray for our spirit to be ready to receive truth. We desire to be teachable and submissive under the instructing guidance of God's Spirit. 

Ten times the Psalmist tells us about our need to be taught by God, truth from His Word. 

Psalm 119 teaches us to have our whole heart engaged with scripture.

Psalm 119:2  Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. 

Psalm 119:34  Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart. 

When we seek God with our whole heart, He will bless us by helping us keep His testimonies. He will give us understanding and a desire to observe His law, so that we do not sin against our Holy God. 

Our faith is never to be some lukewarm, halfhearted endeavor where we merely go through the motions of religion. No, our faith is a living faith, one that creates zeal and passion for loving and serving God. 

Anything less than this is unacceptable to our Father. He did all at great cost in order to save us and make us His children. Our whole allegiance should willingly be surrendered to Him. 

Six times the Psalmist speaks of seeking God with his whole heart engaged. 

Psalm 119 teaches us about being revived by the scriptures.

Psalm 119:25  DALETH. My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.

Psalm 119:107  I am afflicted very much: quicken me, O LORD, according unto thy word.

Even the most sincere child of God can become weary in well doing. Our prayer life can suffer and our joy during worship can be diminished. 

God's word quickens human hearts. Quickening begins when we hear and heed the gospel of Christ and are born again by the scriptures (See John 3:3, 2 Timothy 3:15; 1 Peter 1:23). 

Periodic quickening is promised when we are filled by the Holy Spirit of God (Ephesians 5:18). 

Quickening is needed when our spirit is dried out like the sun-bleached bones that Ezekiel saw (Ezekiel 37). Quickening is needed when we are spiritually worn out and physically drained.

When our soul is stuck fast in the dust of this life's problems and turmoil, God's Word will quicken us. It will revive us and re-energize us, so that we rise up to love and serve Him with renewed passion. 

Eleven times the Psalmist tells us of the quickening power of the scriptures. 

Psalm 119 teaches us how to walk with God. 

Psalm 119:1-3  ALEPH. Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. 2)  Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. 3)  They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. 

God's word is a bright lamp that shows us the dangers right in front of our feet, so that we do not stumble and fall into sin. It is a bright light that illuminates the holy path that God wants His children to walk on (Psalm 119:105). 

We hide His word in our hearts so that we do not sin against Him (Psalm 119:11).

We would not know how to behave or what pleases God, apart from Him telling us in His Word. Praise God that He does tell us in great detail in the scriptures. 

Nineteen times the Psalmist says "I will" in telling us how he chose to walk through this life, honoring and obeying God. 

Thirty times the Psalmist says "I have" in telling us about his faithfulness to God in the past, and vowing to remain faithful in the future. 

Psalm 119 teaches us about our emotional connection with the scriptures. 

Psalm 119:127  Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. 

The Psalmist speaks of his love for the scriptures twelve times. From a Biblical perspective, a love of God's Word is also love for the God who gave us His Word. 

Psalm 119:174  I have longed for thy salvation, O LORD; and thy law is my delight.

The Psalmist speaks of longing intensely for reading and studying the scriptures seven times and he expressed his delight in the Word three times. 

Psalm 119:38,39  Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear. 39)  Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good. 

The Psalmist speaks of having a fear and reverence for God that comes from knowing His Word. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

We may come back to this study of Psalm 119 at some point. However, I think that we have studied this chapter deeply enough to grasp what God says to us, not once but many times.

Repetition in scripture is intentionally included by our Creator. He knows best what we need and repetition is very beneficial for us. 

Each of the highlighted themes I mentioned can be easily traced in Psalm 119 by using a concordance. 

God's purpose in putting patterns and repetition of themes in His Word, is to benefit His children. 

It we seek the same patterns that the Psalmist has in his life, it will transform us from the inside out and help us rejoice in our LORD more and more each day.

May God bless this rich study of Psalm 119 and use it for His glory and our good.

Bob