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My friend in the state of Washington, David Peckham, - website: www.onhisshoulders.com – has taken upon him to share with his readers series of key thoughts from the longest psalm of the Bible, Psalm 119. I don ´t have the same courage, I´m afraid. But being thus reminded of that unique portion of God´s word afresh, I sat down on my garden bench after my early morning walk today and re-read that psalm and was blessed.
The psalm is about God´s word. In this psalm it´s sometimes called “God´s law, His way, testimony, commandments, precepts, judgments, statutes or just His word. God´s word is about God´s word intended to saturate us, not as those who knew the letter only, but not the Lord, Joh. 5:39-40. (“Those who handle the law did not know me.” Jer. 2:8.) Day by day, at the feet of Jesus, with our opened Bibles, we´re refreshed.
Some have called Psa. 119 the saints´ alphabet with the verses at our fingertips as our A B C.
C.H. Spurgeon called this great psalm an “Extractum Bibliae”, i.e. an extract of the Bible and its truths, but to me personally the psalm is like a spiritual diary of precious experiences. I often I cried out with the psalmist, “My soul clings to the dust, revive me according to your word” (v.25) and “My soul melts from heaviness, strengthen me according to your word!” (v. 28), at the same time rejoicing how “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”, v. 105 and “The entrance of your word gives light, it gives understanding to the simple” (v.130). So the entrance of God´s word in me has saved me from going for ever astray though I sometimes did (v. 176).
It´s generally believed that David was the author of Psa. 119. We don´t know for sure. But as I again sat down with this psalm and its vast ocean, I seemed to hear my Savior´s voice there. A happy voice. Maybe it was His language in particular as an obedient servant of God on this earth? An uplifting thought, indeed.
Let Psa. 119 be your diary of experience, too. Dig into it regularly and be strengthened!
-jn-
August 12, 2010
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