Day 177. Psalm 119

Psalm 119
This is a long—very long—teaching psalm focusing upon the burden and joy of keeping the law and is arranged as an acrostic poem. Ancient people delighted in such word games. Each of the 22 stanzas of the psalm begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each stanza has eight lines and each of these also begins with a different letter. In a time when written texts were rare and literacy limited, people depended on their memories. Devices like acrostics were aids to memory. And as we will see, this is a very, very long psalm to recite without a text--"a written memory"--to guide you—and the word game was useful as a "prompt."
Stanza 1
The psalm begins by talking about the happiness of those who "walk in the law of the LORD" (119:1). The word "happy" is a clue that we are dealing here with wisdom literature--writings that are intended to teach a person how to live a successful life in relationship with God and with other people. In the broadest sense wisdom literature gives advice. Here the study and keeping of God's precepts "diligently" (4) is recommended as the way avoid "shame" (6) and achieve a full and meaningful existence.
Stanza 2
How shall the law be studied? It is a lifelong process, but it should begin with "young people" (9) and be pursued for a lifetime. The Law is something to learn (12) and also something to teach. "With my lips I declare all the ordinances of our mouth" (13), the psalmist says. The Law is a living tradition to be passed down from one generation to the next, to youth from the aged.
Stanza 3
Those who keep the Law will always be a minority (19), and keeping it creates hostility among "insolent, accused ones" who ignore it. Some of these people are politically powerful, and obedience to the law of God always creates tension with those in power. The voice of psalmist, whose delight is in God's decrees, prays for protection from such people.
Stanza 4
Human beings were created out of the dust, and our soul—our being—still "clings to the dust" (25). We are pulled downward by our mortality. The psalmist prays that through God's teaching, he may be revived—brought to new life—and overcome the "entropy of mortality." The keeping of the law makes it possible for those who follow it to rise above "sorrow," weakness, and "false ways" to a closer relationship with the LORD, who gives the Law in order to make it possible for those who follow it to live a truly human life.
Stanza 5
There are any number of trivial concerns with which we can waste our lives, but the psalmist prays that the LORD will "turn [his] eyes from looking at vanities" to the keeping of the Law, and give [him] life in [his] ways" (37).
Stanza 6
"I shall walk at liberty," the voice says, "for I have sought your precepts" (45). The Law gives freedom, because it tells those who hear and keep it exactly what to do in order to please God. And having pleased God and lived up to his expectations they will not be "put to shame" even in the presence of kings (46).
Stanza 7
The psalmist finds in the law a "comfort in [his] distress" (50), because through it he knows that he is indeed righteous—acceptable to God and put right because he has "kept [God's] precepts" (56).
Stanza 8
"The LORD is my portion," (57) the psalmist says. He is satisfied with what has been given—the Law of the LORD and the guidance it provides. The voice of the psalm may be a priest, and "my portion" may refer to the "portion" allotted to priests and Levites by the law of Moses for their maintenance. But the Law of the LORD is a possession that makes all others unimportant by comparison. The Law makes those who keep it "a companion of all who fear" God—it creates a community based upon the love of his "precepts" and obedience to his commandments (63).
Stanza 9
Human sin flows from our pride and independence, but the Law calls us to the attitude of an obedient servant. "Before I was humbled I went astray," the voice says (67). It may be painful to our wounded pride, but it is a "good" thing to be humbled because it clears the way for us to "learn [God's] statutes" (71) and follow them. And following the commandments leads to a fulfilled and fulfilling existence.
Stanza 10
The purpose of human intellect is to "learn [God's] commandments" (73). Meditating upon the Law and teaching it to others gives "delight" (77), "honor" (80), and purpose to life.
Stanza 11
The psalmist watches in hope for the fulfillment of God's promise--he "languishes"-- until his "eyes fail" (82). But he is sustained by God's "steadfast love" (88)—the memory of promises made and kept. He pleads for help against "the arrogant," so that he may continue to be faithful in keeping "the decrees of [God's] mouth."
Stanza 12
"I have seen a limit to all perfection," the psalmist says in a particularly wonderful line, "but your commandment is exceedingly broad" (96). In other words, everything the psalmist has ever experienced has fallen short in goodness to the Law, which is truly perfect and through which the LORD has given him life (93). "The LORD exists forever" (89), the psalmist says, and his devotion to God's word—will endure as long as he does.
Stanza 13
The commandments of the LORD are perfect and sufficient, and meditation upon them causes the psalmist to exclaim—"How I love your law!" (97). God's precepts can give him understanding exceeding that of his enemies (98), his teachers (90), his elders (91), of all save God himself. They are altogether sufficient to instruct him on how to lead a good life. "How sweet are your words to my taste," he says, "sweeter than honey to my mouth" (104)!
Stanza 14
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path!" (105) the voice of the psalmist says. God's spirit working through his word provides sure guidance in all of life's situations.
Stanza 15
"I hate the double-minded, but I love your law," the psalmist says (113). Having given himself whole-heartedly to following God's precepts, he despises those who are ambiguous and "soft' in their commitment. In this his attitude mirrors God's own, who spurns "all who go astray from [his] commandments" (118). Commitment to the law must be total and unconditional.
Stanza 16
As the LORD's faithful "servant," the psalmist cries out for justice and salvation from his "oppressors" (121). And now "is the time for the LORD to act," because his "law has been broken" (126). God is called upon to hurry to judgment on his servant's behalf.
Stanza 17
The psalmist again expresses regret because by some "God's law is not kept" (136). He hungers and thirsts for righteousness, as Jesus says in the beatitudes, and longs to be satisfied. His desire is almost physical in its intensity—"With open mouth I pant," he says, "because I long for your commandments" (131).
Stanza 18
The life of the psalmist—spiritual and physical—is tied to his keeping of the commandments (144). "Small and despised," he finds strength and vindication in God's word (141). God reveals his true nature perfectly in the law. His goodness shines through it. (We as Christians would agree—up to a point. But we acknowledge that the perfect keeping of the law is beyond us. It only accuses us of our failures. But in Jesus Christ God perfectly reveals himself in his love and mercy, "apart from the Law," as St. Paul says.)
Stanza 19
We can feel in these words the psalmist's sincere struggle to keep the law. God's commandments "are true," and he is drawn to them as truth. But he has to cry out to God constantly to "save" him on the basis of his keeping the commandments (146), rather than resting in the assurance that he has been saved. He has difficulty finding the rest that truth should bring.
Stanza 20
If God is just, he will save those who call out to him (156). And yet, it seems, he must be asked, begged, pleaded with again and again to do just that. There is no end to the need for rescue from the psalmist's "persecutors" and "adversaries" (157). The commitment of the voice is genuine enough, but the struggle to keep the Law is an endless one—and exhausting.
Stanza 21
The psalmist has enemies in high places, but he remains steadfast in his obedience to God's commandments. "Great peace have those who love your law," he says (165). That peace comes from the knowledge that if you can keep the Law you have done all that God commands. You have satisfied him. And obedience to his will draws human beings into relationship with the LORD.
Stanza 22
"I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek out your servant," the psalmist says. The scriptures are the story of God's search for lost sinners. The Law is the way that the LORD reached out to rescue Israel, his chosen people. It represents the first stage of his rescue program. Through the Law of Moses he taught them his statutes so that they could know his will and obey it. He did not fail—we did. The law only further establishes our inability to please God with our flawed obedience—Jesus Christ came not to dissolve the law, but to satisfy its demands through faith in him.