Blog

Editor’s Note

This week, we’re changing our rhythm. Normally we read one chapter a day, but this week we’re going to spread out this one chapter over the next six days. Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in all of Scripture, so squeezing it all into one day could make it hard to absorb. While we don’t know who wrote this psalm, we do know that it was written as a collection of thoughts and prayers largely focused on one main idea: God’s Word. Today, we’ll read verses 161-176. Thanks for reading along! 

Go Deeper.

We have come to the final stanzas of what ended up being the longest chapter in the Bible, and the Psalmist eloquently sums up how much he loves God’s Word. Verse 161 says, “…but my heart stands in awe of your words.” Verse 167 says, “My soul keeps your testimonies; I love them exceedingly.” Verse 174 proclaims, “I long for your salvation, O Lord, and your law is my delight.” These statements should cause all of us to think about, “What do we stand in awe of?”; “What do we love exceedingly?”; “What do we long for?” Is it the Word of God?

We also get a glimpse into where the Psalmist’s awe, exceeding love, and longing stems from.  The beginning of Psalm 119:165 says, “Great peace have those who love your law.” This is a simple cause and effect equation: IF you love God’s Word, THEN you will have great peace. The writer of this passage has adoration for the Word of God because amidst persecution, it is where he has found refuge. We know from earlier verses in this chapter that the Psalmist was literally on the verge of death, yet despite fear, he found hope in the promises of God. All 176 verses of this psalm are a personal testimony to us that no matter what we are facing, we can find refuge, hope, and peace by loving God’s Word.

The entirety of Psalm 119:165 reads “Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.” The second half of the verse has also been translated as “…and nothing shall offend them (KJV)” or “…and nothing can defeat them (NCV).” In a world full of stumbling blocks, offensive topics, and situations to feel defeated by, we are given the promise that God’s Word will protect us and give us peace. 

So as we come to a close on our study of this chapter, we can reflect on what we have learned from the whole: the Word of God is true; the Word of God is sufficient; and the Word of God is powerful. This is a chapter that we can refer back to and learn from when we need to be reminded of these truths. As a team, we are grateful that you have taken the step to join us in the Bible Reading Plan. It is our prayer that as you continue reading God’s Word with us you will stand in awe of God’s promises, your love of God and His Word will grow exceedingly, and that you will long to know more of our gracious Father’s testimonies.

Editor’s Note

This week, we’re changing our rhythm. Normally we read one chapter a day, but this week we’re going to spread out this one chapter over the next six days. Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in all of Scripture, so squeezing it all into one day could make it hard to absorb. While we don’t know who wrote this psalm, we do know that it was written as a collection of thoughts and prayers largely focused on one main idea: God’s Word. Today, we’ll read verses 129-160. Thanks for reading along! 

Go Deeper.

If you were to ask a group of nominal Christians how they would describe the Bible, you might not have to go very far before you heard the response, “God’s rulebook.” For many people, the Bible is just a list of God’s do’s and don’ts. He doesn’t want you to cheat, steal, lust, lie, etc. These rules typically keep you from fun, but as long as you begrudgingly follow along then you get to go to Heaven. Not only is this an uninspiring view of Scripture, it’s just not accurate. God’s rules are not to determine who is “in or out”, but rather are a guidepost to the best available life for us. Since God is the creator of life, He knows how it is best meant to be lived.  In verse 140 the psalmist writes, “Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.” This isn’t how Christians typically think about God’s commands! However, the author loves God’s word because it has been tested and proven to be the path of life.  

One of the most noticeable things about this passage is the genuine joy that this writer has in following God’s commands.  It is like he has found the best way to live and eagerly desires to walk in it, while also grieving for those who are still lost. Yet many times modern Christians have the opposite reaction.  They grieve over having to follow God’s word and think they are missing out on some better way of life in which the world gets to participate.  This is just not true! As evidenced in this psalm, God’s word is wonderful (v. 129), giving light (v. 130), fully trustworthy (v. 138), righteous (v. 144), and true (v. 160).

As followers of Jesus we don’t have to do what He says, rather, we get to. We’ve been given good commands from a loving Father who wants the very best for His children. Today, use Psalm 119 as a reminder that it is a delight to follow the laws of the Lord. These commands aren’t meant to keep you from joy, but rather provide it. As verse 133 says, may we eagerly desire that God would “Direct [our] footsteps according to [His] word”.

Editor’s Note

This week, we’re changing our rhythm. Normally we read one chapter a day, but this week we’re going to spread out this one chapter over the next six days. Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in all of Scripture, so squeezing it all into one day could make it hard to absorb. While we don’t know who wrote this psalm, we do know that it was written as a collection of thoughts and prayers largely focused on one main idea: God’s Word. Today, we’ll read verses 97-128. Thanks for reading along! 

Go Deeper.

It is clear by now that the author of Psalm 119 loves God’s Word. Throughout today’s reading, he states its many benefits: God’s word makes us wise (v. 99), teaches us how to live (v. 102), keeps us from going down the wrong path (v. 101), gives understanding (v. 100), and lights our way (v. 105). The author loves God’s Word because of how it enriches and blesses his life.

But he doesn’t utter these words without trial. The words he says here aren’t empty phrases; they’ve been tested by fire. Verses 110-128 talk about the writer’s desperate situation. He is oppressed by the wicked and overwhelmed by evil-doers who disregard God’s way. Everywhere he looks, people are walking down the wrong path. When he finds himself alone in his pursuit of God, he looks to God’s Word to sustain him (v. 116), deliver him (v. 117), and provide refuge (v. 114).

What do you do when you feel alone? What do you do when your back is against the wall? Where do you turn? The world around us is dark. At times, it’s easy to feel alone in our faith. When we do, we should follow the example of this psalmist and turn to God’s Word. Let God’s own voice remind us of who He is and who we are in Him. When we can’t find our way, let’s find comfort in the fact that what was true thousands of years ago, when the author penned this psalm, is still true today: God’s word is a lamp for our feet, a light on our path (v. 105).

Editor’s Note

This week, we’re changing our rhythm. Normally we read one chapter a day, but this week we’re going to spread out this one chapter over the next six days. Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in all of Scripture, so squeezing it all into one day could make it hard to absorb. While we don’t know who wrote this psalm, we do know that it was written as a collection of thoughts and prayers largely focused on one main idea: God’s Word. Today, we’ll read verses 65-96. Thanks for reading along! 

Go Deeper.

Although we don’t know the exact situation this psalmist was in, we know it was dire. In verse 87 and 92 the author references he was close to death because of the affliction he was facing.  Even though he could possibly die at the hand of these afflictions, he declares in both verses “…I have not forsaken your precepts.” The author of this Psalm is so devoted to the word of God even the threat of death would not cause him to ignore its wisdom and promise.

The Good News Translation of verse 82 says, “My eyes have become strained from looking for your promise.”  Our current culture understands eye strain. Digital eye strain is a very real condition that we have all likely experienced as a result of working too long at a computer or scrolling too long on a phone. We are familiar with the blurred vision, dry eyes, or even headaches we’ve had after staring at a backlit screen for too long. But how many of us have experienced these symptoms as a result of searching diligently for promises in God’s word?

It’s the diligence of the Psalmist in not only searching for these promises, but also in believing that they will keep him afloat amidst the tumultuous battles he is facing. In these 32 verses of Psalm 119, we are given the picture of a person who is fragile and weak but:

• “but now I keep your word.” (v. 67)
• “but with my whole heart, I keep your precepts.” (v. 69)
• “but I delight in your law.” (v. 70)
• “but I have not forsaken your precepts” (v. 87)

The author is modeling 2 Corinthians 4:8-10. He is “afflicted in every way, but not cursed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.” May we follow the example of this psalmist, and be a people of faith whose eyes are strained from reading and believing the promises of God’s word and whose eyes are fixed on Jesus, even amidst the battles we face.

Editor’s Note

This week, we’re changing our rhythm. Normally we read one chapter a day, but this week we’re going to spread out this one chapter over the next six days. Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in all of Scripture, so squeezing it all into one day could make it hard to absorb. While we don’t know who wrote this psalm, we do know that it was written as a collection of thoughts and prayers largely focused on one main idea: God’s Word. Today, we’ll read verses 33-64. Thanks for reading along! 

Go Deeper.

The theme of all of Psalm 119, and this section in particular, is rejoicing in the law of the Lord. The author of this psalm continually rejoices in it. However, our culture doesn’t seem to share the same attitude toward the authority of Scripture. We live in a culture that celebrates rebellion. We wrongly believe that freedom is the ability to do whatever we want, whenever we want. But ultimate freedom–freedom from sin and freedom in Christ–comes in submission to a good God. He gives us the law for our protection. God knows, even better than we do, what is good for us. He gives us His Word and teaches us that abiding by it will bring about abundant life. His instruction is good so we can rejoice in it and learn to live according to it, just as the psalmist does here. Praise the Lord for His Word, decrees, laws, and precepts! They are good and worth delighting in, meditating on, and memorizing. 

What can come of us following God’s Word? This passage tells us we will find delight (v. 35) and we will be able to walk in freedom (v. 45). Verse 52 tells us that the psalmist finds comfort in God’s Word. God’s Word is there for our good! Elsewhere in Scripture we see that God’s Word is sufficient to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness (2 Timothy, 3:15-17). It teaches us and gives us encouragement and hope (Romans 15:4-5). 

In order for us to pursue holiness and live in a manner worthy of the gospel, it is essential that we know God’s Word intimately. God transforms us as we renew our mind by meditating on His Word. Jerry Bridges, in his book The Discipline of Grace, puts it this way, “I am very much aware that Scripture memorization has largely fallen by the wayside in our day… But let me say this as graciously but firmly as possible: We cannot effectively pursue holiness without the Word of God stored up in our minds where it can be used by the Holy Spirit to transform us.”

Editor’s Note

This week, we’re changing our rhythm. Normally we read one chapter a day, but this week we’re going to spread out this one chapter over the next six days. Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in all of Scripture, so squeezing it all into one day could make it hard to absorb. While we don’t know who wrote this psalm, we do know that it was written as a collection of thoughts and prayers largely focused on one main idea: God’s Word. Today, we’ll read verses 1-32. Thanks for reading along! 

Go Deeper.

If you were blindfolded and dropped off in the middle of nowhere and told to find your way home, one thing can make or break your journey: a map. We have been given a roadmap to help guide us through life. We can either study it, learn from it, and let it become part of us or we can ignore it, keep it in our pocket, and just try and figure it out on our own.

The first section of this chapter sets the table for what this entire psalm is about: God’s Word is the foundation for all who follow Him. It is all we need—like spiritual oxygen. The author of this psalm uses several different words when talking about God’s instructions: law, commands, precepts, decrees, and more. While each of these words has a slightly different meaning, they convey the same message: following God’s Word always leads to life. Sin and disobedience, however, always leads to death. So, if it’s that simple, why does it feel so difficult sometimes? 

When we rely on our own hearts, we allow ourselves to be deceived by our own wants and desires. Psalm 119:11 says, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” That’s the psalmist’s answer to his own question regarding how to stay on the path of purity. Meditating on God’s Word and burying it deep inside our hearts changes everything. Jesus, in Luke 6:45, tells us that the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. If our hearts are full of Scripture, we will speak Scripture and life into the people around us. And if they aren’t, we won’t. 

If we believe that Scripture is inspired by God and was preserved for thousands of years, we would be foolish to not learn from each and every page of it. Whether the passage is descriptive (describing something that happened) or prescriptive (teaching or commanding something that should happen), all of Scripture is useful as we try to know and understand the character of God. 

We often look to anything and everything around us to find a sense of security. We look to our jobs, the amount of money in our bank account, the items we own, the relationships we’re in or want to be in, or our own abilities to determine how secure we feel. Psalm 118 speaks of God’s character and causes us to reexamine the source of our security.

David reminds us that attempting to find security in earthly things will only disappoint us (v. 8-9). We are told throughout Scripture that this earth and everything in it will fade away (Isaiah 40:8, Matt. 24:35, Hebrews 13:14). We can count on that.

We can also count on the promise God has given us – the promise of Himself. Because He is with us, we do not have to be afraid (v. 6). We are reminded throughout this chapter that, “His love endures forever.” His love will not fade like the things of this earth. From generation to generation we can count on His love toward us. God is our helper, and He alone is our strength (v. 7, 14). He is good (v. 1), so we can trust that what He does is good, even when we do not understand. In His goodness and love, He has secured our salvation by becoming the One who saves us. His promise is not simply to rescue us from our current, temporary situations, but to give us eternal security through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the cornerstone of our salvation, the One on whom our faith rests (Psalm 118:22, Ephesians 2:20, 1 Peter 2:4). Our only true and lasting security lies in the enduring love of our Father and the plan He has laid out since before the beginning of creation to bring us salvation.

We can walk in confidence today because we know that this life is only temporary, and our security lies in the One whose promise is unfailing. When we feel overwhelmed by life’s circumstances, may we look up and remember God’s enduring love and give thanks because of his goodness. We praise Him because His love endures forever.

Yes, that’s the whole chapter. Two verses. Psalm 117 is the shortest chapter in the Bible, but despite it’s length, we can still learn a lot from it this morning. So go read it again (it shouldn’t take too long), or as many times as it takes to let the words sink in, and then let’s dive in together. 

Our reading today begins with a simple command to all the nations: Praise the Lord. This command is repeated in the next line, and the last line of the chapter. When the Bible repeats something, it means we should be paying attention. It’s the author’s way of telling you something in a way that you can’t miss or ignore. It’s a simple command, but despite how clearly the Bible commands us to do this, many of us fail to do so. As we see this command, we should think about how often we praise the Lord and how we can do so more consistently. 

For some of us though, we might not see the point. “Why should I praise God? What has He done for me recently that gives me a reason to praise Him? What makes Him worthy of my time and praise?” We only need to look into the second verse to find reasons–His unfailing love is powerful, and His faithfulness endures forever. His love doesn’t fail. Ever. And His faithfulness endures. Forever. He doesn’t love us until we mess up or fall short. He doesn’t stop being faithful even when we turn away from Him. 

So now we know that we should praise God, and we know why. But what exactly does that mean? This is what gotquestions.org says in response to the question “What does it mean to praise the Lord?”: 

Whom do we praise? The Lord alone (Psalm 148:13). How do we praise Him? With singing (Psalm 149:1), with dancing (verse 2), with musical instruments (Psalm 150:3), with our words (Psalm 35:28), with our actions (Colossians 3:17), with our uprightness (Psalm 119:7), and with all our hearts (Psalm 86:12). 

Today’s reading was shorter than normal, but that doesn’t mean we spend less time with God. With this extra time, challenge yourself to really go through the questions, and write down your answers somewhere. Use the rest of your time praising the Lord, because His love never fails.