Book of Psalms Psalm 119 - Introduction The Sufficiency of Scripture Unique features of this psalm: • It is the longest chapter in the Bible (176 verses) – It is longer than 30 entire books of the Bible. • It is an alphabetical psalm (22 sections of 8 verses each) – Each section begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. • It is a tribute to God’s Word – It reveals what the Scripture does for us and what we must do with the Scripture. God’s Word is mentioned in every one of the 176 verses except verses 84, 90, and 132. Psalm 119 is similar in content to Ps. 1 and Ps. 19. From sunrise to beyond sunset, God’s Word dominated the psalmist’s life. He spent time in the Word before dawn (vs. 147), daily (vs. 97), seven times a day (vs. 164), nightly (vs. 55, 148), and at midnight (vs. 62). • It refers to God in every verse – God and His Word are not identical, but they are inseparable. • It is a personal psalm – The writer refers to himself 325 times in this psalm. This psalm describes the intimate relationship between a believer and his Bible. • It is a collection of prayers and meditations – After verses 1-3, everything else is a personal prayer or meditation. The writer makes about 70 requests in this psalm. • It reveals that the writer is suffering affliction – This is mentioned in 65 verses. Scripture is described by these words: 1. Law (torah) – used 25 times and denotes direction or instruction. This word usually refers to a body of teaching, usually the books of Genesis-Deuteronomy. 2. Word (dabar) – used 20 times and is a general term for God’s revelation. The Ten Commandments are called “Ten Words” (literal Hebrew reading, Deut. 4:13). 3. Sayings (imrath) – used 19 times and may be translated as “words, promises.” 4. Commandments (mitswah) – used 21 times in the plural and once in the singular. It has the idea of a clear, definite, authoritative command. 5. Statutes (huqqim) – used 21 times and means “things inscribed or engraved.” It denotes the permanent, fixed, unchangeable nature of God’s Word. 6. Judgments (mishpot) – used 19 times in the plural and 4 times in the singular. It stands for a legal decision or a ruling from the bench that establishes a precedent. 7. Precepts (piqqudim) – used 21 times and has the idea of taking charge. It refers to God’s edicts, mandates or requirements. 8. Testimonies (edoth) – used 22 times in the plural and once in the singular. It refers to the solemn declarations of God’s standard for human behavior. 9. Ways (derek) – used 5 times in the plural and 6 times in the singular to refer to the pattern of life marked out by God’s Word. 10. Paths (orah) – used fives times and is similar to “ways.” Sources: John Phillips, Exploring the Psalms: Psalms 89-150 , 260-274. Lawrence O. Richards, The Bible Reader’s Companion , 376. Walvoord and Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament , 879-880. Scripture shows us how to walk in God’s ways: Verses 1-3 introduce the theme of this psalm, walking in God’s ways. All who walk in God’s ways are blessed. Walking in God’s ways refers to the normal and habitual pattern of everyday living. Walking is something we learn to do and it involves these things: 1. We must know God’s ways (vs. 7) John MacArthur said: “The greatest failure of modern Christianity is not in people’s inability to recognize problems—the failure is when they look to human wisdom for the answers because they don’t understand God’s Word enough to trust it.” 2. We must seek God’s ways (vs. 2, 10, 34) The heart refers to the inner person (mind, will, and emotion). Complete commitment of the whole heart appear six times (vs. 2, 10, 34, 58, 69, 145). 3. We must keep God’s ways (vs. 2, 4, 5, 8, 17) Twenty-eight verses emphasize obedience to God’s Word. 4. We must remember God’s ways (vs. 11, 16) 5. We must treasure and enjoy God’s ways (vs. 14, 16, 24, 72) 6. We must meditate in God’s ways (vs. 15, 23, 97) 7. We must choose God’s ways (vs. 30, 101) Chuck Swindoll wrote: “If I could have only one wish for God’s people, it would be that all of us would return to the Word of God, that we would realize once for all that His Book has the answers. The Bible is the authority, the final resting place of our cares, our worries, our griefs, our tragedies, our sorrows, and our surprises.” Book of Psalms Psalm 119 - Introduction The Sufficiency of Scripture Unique features of this psalm: • It is the___________________________________________ in the Bible (176 verses) It is longer than 30 entire books of the Bible. • It is an________________________________________ (22 sections of 8 verses each) Each section begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. • It is a_________________________________________________________________ God’s Word is mentioned in every one of the 176 verses except verses 84, 90, and 132. Psalm 119 is similar in content to Ps. 1 and Ps. 19. From sunrise to beyond sunset, God’s Word dominated the psalmist’s life. He spent time in the Word before dawn (vs. 147), daily (vs. 97), seven times a day (vs. 164), nightly (vs. 55, 148), and at midnight (vs. 62). • It________________________________________________________ in every verse God and His Word are not identical, but they are inseparable. • It is a_________________________________________________________________ The writer refers to himself 325 times in this psalm. • It is a collection of______________________________________________________ After verses 1-3, everything else is a personal prayer or meditation. • It reveals that the writer is________________________________________________ This is mentioned in 65 verses. Scripture is described by these words: 1. _________________________ (torah) – used 25 times and denotes direction or instruction. 2. _________________________ (dabar) – used 20 times and is a general term for God’s revelation. 3. _________________________ (imrath) – used 19 times and may be translated as “words, promises.” 4. _________________________ (mitswah) – used 21 times in the plural and once in the singular. It has the idea of a clear, definite, authoritative command. 5. _________________________ (huqqim) – used 21 times and means “things inscribed or engraved.” It denotes the permanent, fixed, unchangeable nature of God’s Word. 6. _________________________ (mishpot) – used 19 times in the plural and 4 times in the singular. It stands for a legal decision or a ruling from the bench that establishes a precedent. 7. _________________________ (piqqudim) – used 21 times and has the idea of taking charge. It refers to God’s edicts, mandates or requirements. 8. _________________________ (edoth) – used 22 times in the plural and once in the singular. It refers to the solemn declarations of God’s standard for human behavior. 9. _________________________ (derek) – used 5 times in the plural and 6 times in the singular to refer to the pattern of life marked out by God’s Word. 10. ________________________ (orah) – used fives times and is similar to “ways.” Sources: John Phillips, Exploring the Psalms: Psalms 89-150 , 260-274. Lawrence O. Richards, The Bible Reader’s Companion , 376. Walvoord and Zuck, The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament , 879-880. Scripture shows us how to walk in God’s ways: Verses 1-3 introduce the theme of this psalm, walking in God’s ways. All who walk in God’s ways are blessed. Walking in God’s ways refers to the normal and habitual pattern of everyday living. Walking is something we learn to do and it involves these things: 1. We must_____________________________ God’s ways (vs. 7) John MacArthur said: “The greatest failure of modern Christianity is not in people’s inability to recognize problems—the failure is when they look to human wisdom for the answers because they don’t understand God’s Word enough to trust it.” 2. We must_____________________________ God’s ways (vs. 2, 10, 34) The heart refers to the inner person (mind, will, and emotion). Complete commitment of the whole heart appear six times (vs. 2, 10, 34, 58, 69, 145). 3. We must_____________________________ God’s ways (vs. 2, 4, 5, 8, 17) Twenty-eight verses emphasize obedience to God’s Word. 4. We must_____________________________ God’s ways (vs. 11, 16) 5. We must________________________________________ God’s ways (vs. 14, 16, 24, 72) 6. We must_____________________________ God’s ways (vs. 15, 23, 97) 7. We must_____________________________ God’s ways (vs. 30, 101) Chuck Swindoll wrote: “If I could have only one wish for God’s people, it would be that all of us would return to the Word of God, that we would realize once for all that His Book has the answers. The Bible is the authority, the final resting place of our cares, our worries, our griefs, our tragedies, our sorrows, and our surprises.” .