Psalm 119 (using the King James Version)
Have you read
this chapter and really looked at Psalms 119 thoroughly?
It’s the
longest chapter in the Bible…176 verses! Have you ever wondered why this might be?
Have you
noticed something consistent through all 176 verses?
One day
while reading through it again…I noticed it…yes there are particular words that
are continually being used throughout these 176 verses:
Testimonies,
statues, laws, word(s), precepts, commandments, the way, judgments.
Have you
noticed it too?
I was so
struck by it,
Why I wondered…reading
Psalms 119 again…why such emphasis and then continually through these 176
verses and so’ many times?
God, I
believe wanted to make it clear to His readers that “His Word” which is His
testimony, His precepts, His commandment, His
judgment ARE MOST IMPORTANT! It is His
spoken word, His declaration to us… we…His creation! To live life by His word is to live in
peace, grace and have sense of direction!
In the Book of John, Chapter 1 it is written: “In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him and without Him was not anything made that was made. In Him was life and the life was the light of men.”
Do you see
that God is the Word, and Jesus dwelt with God in Heaven and then came down
through birth (as we humans did) and became the “living” breathed/spoken Word=Jesus!
And further
on in John 1:14 we read:
”The
Word became human and lived among us. We saw His glory. It was the glory that
the Father shares with His only Son, a glory full of kindness and truth.”
Yes, pretty neat huh? That God came down to us through Jesus and shared
His great Love for us! He spoke words of
grace and love and forgiveness! And most
importantly, of course, re-unification – by dying on the cross, we His creation
were once again (thankfully!) reunited in oneness with our Creator God!
God=Word=Jesus! God became the spoken word through Jesus when
He came to this earth! So Jesus is God
and God is Jesus…The Word! So as we read
His Words on the pages of the Bible….we ARE continually taking in the presence
of God, His Word into us…letting His Word reveal to us, ministering truth in us,
and restoring us and filling us…and so much more!
John 17:23 in the Bible version - GOD’S
WORD Translation (GW), we read what Jesus said in His last hours
before the crucifixion:
”I
am in them, and You (God) are in me. So they are completely united. In this way the world knows that You have sent
me and that You have loved them in the same way You have loved me.”
So as we
read through Psalms 119 – be aware and take in the descriptive words used:
testimonies (a declaration given by
a person, evidence in support of a fact or assertion, proof)
statues (a permanent rule
made by a body or institution)
laws (any written or positive rule or collection of rules
prescribed under authority of state or nation)
word (a spoken or written word)
precepts (a commandment, instruction, or order intended as an
authoritative rule of action)
commandments (a divine rule, a rule to be observed, the act or power of
commanding)
the way (a method, style, process, technique, system, or manner of
doing something)
judgments (an opinion or decision that is based on careful thought, an
evaluation of evidence to make a decision)
It’s always helpful
to have an understanding of the meaning of words. As you can see with these definitions of the
words above, how very important it is, when reading through chapter 119 and the
significance of the words God uses to talk to us through all the 176
verses. Yes He has given us the
resources to understand Him better – if we will read.
Take some time to
read through the verses again. And see
how God is ever encouraging us that life is blessed when we make reading His
words a part of our daily life. As we
meditate on God’s word, we are actually partaking of Him daily, receiving the
power & strength we need for that particular day, receiving the wisdom we
need to make right choices in all that life brings us daily, having the inner
peace that we need daily in this hectic, crazy world we live in!
Here are just a few really
wonderful verses – I have used different versions of the Bible to express better
each verse below.
Psalm
119:11 Living Bible (TLB)
I
have thought much about your words and stored them in my heart so
that they would hold me back from sin.
Psalm
119:18 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Open
my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Your law.
Psalm
119:20 Good News Translation (GNT)
My heart aches with longing; I want to know your judgments
at all times.
Psalm
119:24 21st Century King James Version (KJ21)
Thy
testimonies
also are my delight and my counselors.
Psalm
119:25 Living Bible (TLB)
I am completely discouraged—I lie in the dust. Revive
me by your Word
Psalm 119:32 Good
News Translation (GNT)
I will eagerly obey your commands, because
you will give me more understanding.
Psalm
119:35 Good News Translation (GNT)
Keep me
obedient to your commandments, because in them I find happiness.
Psalm
119:40 English Standard Version (ESV)
Behold,
I long for your precepts; in your
righteousness give me life!
Psalm
119:42 Good News Translation (GNT)
Then I can
answer those who insult me because I trust in your word.
Psalm
119:52 Modern English Version (MEV)
I
remembered Your judgments of old, O Lord, and I have
comforted myself.
Psalm 119:59 Modern
English Version (MEV)
I consider my ways, and I turn my feet to Your testimonies.
Psalm
119:66 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Teach me good judgment, wise and right
discernment, and knowledge, for I have believed (trusted, relied on, and clung
to) Your commandments.
Psalm
119:67 Modern English Version (MEV)
Before I
was afflicted I wandered, but now I keep Your word.
119:80
Names of God Bible (NOG)
Let my
heart be filled with integrity in regard to your laws so that I will not
be put to shame.
Psalm
119:92 Living Bible (TLB)
I would have despaired and perished unless your laws
had been my deepest delight.
Psalm
119:97 Amplified Bible (AMP)
Oh, how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day.
Psalm
119:103 Common English Bible (CEB)
Your word is so pleasing to my taste buds— it’s
sweeter than honey in my mouth.
Psalm
119:105 King James Version (KJV)
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a
light unto my path.
Psalm
119:112 Expanded Bible (EXB)
I will ·try [L incline my heart] to do ·what you demand [L your statutes/ordinances] forever,
until the end.
Psalm
119:130 GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)
Your word is a doorway that
lets in light, and it helps gullible people understand.
Psalm
119:135 English Standard Version (ESV)
Make your
face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes.
And the last, three
of my very own favorites…..
Psalm
119:140 King James Version (KJV)
Thy
word
is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it.
Psalm
119:165 King James Version (KJV)
Great peace have they which love thy law:
and nothing shall offend me.
Jeremiah 15:16 (This one is out of Jeremiah but I just had to share it
with you!!!!)
Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the JOY and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am
called by Thy name,
O Lord God of hosts.
I
hope you too, as I did, see through all these verses how God is reaching out to
us and saying:
“Read My
words, let them wash you and strengthen you!
Allow My words to encourage you daily in your walk & life, oh do you
see My child – how I love you and want so much for you to have a strong &
steady walk daily while you are living & breathing on this earth? I will go before you to help you, but read My
words because they will open your daily path and bring light to your steps
& path, choices & decisions to make every day of your life”
Oh, do enjoy reading Psalm 119 next time around, and
see how Your loving God, wants to fill you, equip you, strengthen &
encourage you with his living word. It
is yours for the taking & may it be forever an “anchor” for your new day!
God Bless you and be filled with His all-powerful
words!
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