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Introduction
And here we come to a great hymn of gratitude and praise, offered up to God for His glorious law. We have here the definitive answer for those who accuse us of “bibliolatry” simply because we treat the words of God like the treasure they are. It is of course true that there is an absurd sin of actual bibliolatry out there in the religious world, the kind of sin that misses the whole point (John 5:39). But how could it be bibliolatry if we resolutely refuse to miss the point?
The Text
“Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord . . .” (Psalm 119:1-176).
Summary of the Text
This psalm, taken as a whole, is a work of towering literary craftsmanship. It has twenty-two sections, each one presided over by each successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For example, the first section is ruled by aleph, and that letter is repeated eight times throughout that section at the beginning of each discrete thought. The next section belongs to beth, and it is repeated eight times, and so on.
It is also a song of deep devotion, again showing that true dedication to God and craftsmanship in literary art are not in any way at odds.
A facile but wrong-headed summary might want to say that a psalm of 176 verses that is dedicated to praising the law of God might have to get a tad repetitive—as though the psalmist could only say nothing more than yay law a couple hundred times. But this is not what we find at all. There are many shades of meaning here, and many lessons for us to learn.
In the Word
We shall shortly see that the Word of God is an amazing tool chest. It is large, and contains hundreds of tools. Christians who do not read their Bibles are like those who are given a tool chest that they store in the garage or attic, never acquainted themselves with what they have, with what they have been given. Not only so, but every day they have numerous tasks for which they need one of those tools, but which they do not know they have. The same thing goes for elders and ministers. The Word of God is given, in part, so that the man of God might be “thoroughly furnished” for all “good works” (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
So how might this psalm be a blessing for you? There are many ways, although we just have time to discuss a handful of them.
Prevention of Sin
We begin with the simple truth that Bible memory will help you in the hour of temptation. What did Jesus do when tempted? He quoted Scripture. “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, That I might not sin against thee” (Ps. 119:11).
We are shown that our choice is binary—either/or. Either the Word or covetousness. Either the Word or vanity. “Incline my heart unto thy testimonies, and not to covetousness. Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity; And quicken thou me in thy way” (Ps. 119:36–37). It is one way or the other.
And when we are in the Word, we learn more than just a tsking disapproval. “Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law” (Ps. 119:53)
Instruction
The more we learn, the more we are able to learn. We are enabled to see wonderful things. “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law” (Ps. 119:18). When we eat, we grow bigger, beginning with the heart. “I will run the way of thy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart” (Ps. 119:32).
When we are taught this way, we are given a great advantage over our enemies, and we even find ourselves ahead of our teachers. “Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: For they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers: For thy testimonies are my meditation” (Ps. 119:98–99).
Encouragement
Who does not have moments of discouragement? The Word is there. “My soul melteth for heaviness: Strengthen thou me according unto thy word” (Ps. 119:28).
The fact that we need to be driven to the Word is one of the reasons why afflictions arise. “It is good for me that I have been afflicted; That I might learn thy statutes” (Ps. 119:71). Some saints, like some oven dishes, can only be adequately prepared at high temperatures.
Guidance
Suppose you don’t know which way to go, or what to do. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Ps. 119:105). And when we wander away from the path—the one illumined by this light—the reason we did so was because of pride. “Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments” (Ps. 119:21).
Protection
While affliction drives us to the Word, that Word is not a paper fortress. God drives us there because He wants us to see what He can do. “Consider mine affliction, and deliver me: For I do not forget thy law” (Ps. 119:153).
As we have noted before, the psalmist had enemies. He also had the Lord and His Word, which were his strong tower. “The proud have forged a lie against me: But I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart. Their heart is as fat as grease; But I delight in thy law” (Ps. 119:69–70).
Praise
And all of this comes back around to the God who spoke the Word. The perfect God spoke the perfect Word. The living God spoke the living Word. The constant God spoke the constant Word. “For ever, O Lord, Thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: Thou hast established the earth, and it abideth” (Ps. 119:89–90).
Our knowledge of God is mediated to us. No creature can apprehend God directly—He dwells in unapproachable light. And so He mediates His glory to us in various ways. He does so through the glory of creation. His glory fills the earth. He does so through His incarnate Son, who lived, died, and rose among us, and ascended to the right hand of the Father. He does so through the glory of the gospel. And He mediates His glory to us through the vehicle of His perfect Word, all of which causes us to praise and glorify His name.
“Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments” (Ps. 119:164).