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Psalm 119 is the longest of all the psalms. As any commentary
would make clear, it is an amazing piece of Hebrew poetry that focuses on
the Word of God. Its structure, divided into 22 stanzas of 8 verses each,
is obviously intentional and masterful. Each stanza utilizes the same letter
of the Hebrew alphabet to begin each verse within the stanza. For English-speakers,
it would be like writing eight verses of praise for God’s Word with
each verse beginning with “a” and then eight more beginning with
“b” and so on. Because Psalm 119 has been translated from Hebrew,
this particular characteristic is not apparent.
As you read Psalm 119, the singular focus is evident in the
psalmist’s use of a variety of terms to repeat the theme over and over
again: “commands,” “decrees,” “statutes,”
“ways,” “precepts,” etc. James Mays writes in his
commentary on Psalms:
The poem is meant to be read aloud to others or to oneself so that repetitions
guide the hearing and the variations enchant the imagination. . . . In liturgical
and devotional use, only a part of the psalm, often one eight-line sections,
is read. Because of the way the parts are composed, each part can stand for
the whole, but the whole is needed to reach the effect of fulfillment.1
Verses 10-16 have been chosen as the text for this message because
of the first-person grammatical structure (“I”) that runs throughout
these verses (minus the question in verse 9) and because of the familiarity
of verse 11. Many will have heard verse 11 somewhere along the way but may
not be aware of its origin in Psalm 119. Verses 9-16 encompass the beth (Hebrew
letter “b”) section of this psalm, and you may or may not want
to include verse 9 in your text.
As you listen to the text, note how being a person of God’s
Word is not a casual or easy enterprise. It’s not just some mental exercise.
It involves seeking (v. 10), learning (v. 12), recounting (v. 13), following
(v. 14), and meditating (v. 15) in addition to other practices or actions.
Doing all these things engages so much more than just the mind. The heart
is involved (vv. 10 and 11). The lips are employed (v. 13). And surely, feet
are necessary to follow (v. 14). This full-body effect and experience is requisite
to hearing the theme of this stanza and psalm clearly.
Another aspect of the text I did not hear on my initial reading,
but discovered as I looked and listened more closely, is the analogy in verse
14. When the Bible makes a comparison of one thing to another, the sermon
possibilities begin to flourish. Jesus made great use of this technique in
His parables. How many times did He begin by saying, “The Kingdom of
heaven is like”? Then He would paint a picture and draw a comparison
that was attention-grabbing. This is what happens in verse 14. The rejoicing
in being devoted to God’s Word or following God’s statutes is
likened to the rejoicing that comes with great (unexpected?) riches. What
an intriguing thought, and ripe for exploration!
One of the great needs of our time is the discernment to realize
in an information-overloaded culture, we must filter out so much we may not
take the time or set the priority for dwelling upon God’s Word. We are
constantly required to become almost numb to images and words targeted for
our minds and yet we receive very little encouragement to hide God’s
Word in our heart. This idea has simply become more and more foreign to our
society.
The late Neil Postman, in a speech in 1990, was addressing the
inundation of information we experience on a daily basis: Everything from
telegraphy and photography in the 19th century to the silicon chip in the
20th has amplified the din of information, until matters have reached such
proportions today that for the average person, information no longer has any
relation to the solution of problems.
The flow of information certainly hasn’t slowed since
1990. With the proliferation and expansion of the Internet, it’s done
nothing but become a raging, flooding river. Simultaneously with the astronomic
availability of information in the world, there seems to be a corresponding
absence of biblical knowledge and awareness, much less the incorporation of
biblical truth into practical and daily decision-making. Any of the late-night
talk show hosts in the U.S. periodically go out into the streets and ask questions
about biblical stories or characters, only to receive blank stares and answers
drawn from cartoons and fairy tales. What to do?
Psalm 119 lifts up and reminds us of the importance of God’s
Word—God’s instructions, plans, and ways. It is important in and
of itself, but its importance for us is actualized as we dwell upon it, meditate
upon it, and allow it to permeate our lives. God has created us in such a
way that the ideas, concepts, images, and stories that occupy our minds will
find expression in our speech and behavior.
The Apostle Paul, a man of the Word, understood this so acutely.
He wrote to his friends in Philippi, “Whatever is true, whatever is
noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about
such things” (Philippians 4:8). God’s answer to the problem of
“garbage in, garbage out” is to put good things in! His answer
is to allow Him to create some space for the Word.
For most of us, even in the church, it’s not really about
taking the time, but it’s about partnering together to make the time.
Great effort and energy will have to be expended. God’s grace and power
will be needed to exercise discipline and to persevere. But in the end and
even along the way, God provides “rejoicing” (v. 14) and “delight”
(v. 16) as we become people of His Word.
The Psalmist articulates so clearly and passionately the practices
he has incorporated into his life and the impact they have had upon him. One
response from some in our congregation may be, “That doesn’t look
like my life!” The hiding, the praising, the recounting, the meditating
simply haven’t made it into the DNA of their lives. They may be the
place to begin. This may provide the starting line from which they can move
forward on the journey.
Another response may be a new or renewed desire for our living
and our thinking to more closely resemble that of the psalmist. A response
that moves beyond recognition of the current, unacceptable state to a desire
for things to be different is fertile soil in which the Lord can make something
grow.
One of the issues to which we all must respond revolves around
the ideas and thoughts we read and upon which we dwell. Dennis Kinlaw had
a conversation with his son who was training to become a medical doctor. He
said to him,
“You are going to give everything you have, and you are
going to give it night and day. But you must be careful. The first thing you
know, you will wake up and be 50 years old, and the only thing you will have
between your ears will be human anatomy and how to cut on it.” That
is a pretty thin ration on which to live intellectually, emotionally, and
spiritually.2
With God’s help, are we going to do something about our
“spiritual ration” or are we going to scrape by on less than what
God wants for us?
(For the full manuscript
of this sermon go to www.preachersmagazine.org and click on “Sermons.”)
We are surrounded by words. As you walk or drive from place
to place, pay close attention to the plethora of signs, banners, and graffiti
screaming to be read. Words are written and printed on the sides of buildings,
on the back windows of automobiles, on the concrete of our roads, on billboards
above our heads, and in the grocery store aisles under our feet. We are awash
with words. But what about the Word? This may be a way to enter the world
and concerns of Psalm 119.
In the NIV translation of verses 10-16, seven sentences begin
with the pronoun “I.” They are declarations or confessions of
devotion and adherence to the ways and precepts of God. You may consider offering
your people a way to paraphrase or personalize these confessions and then
utilize one for each day of the week. This repetition throughout the week
would, in some ways, parallel the aspect of repetition in the text and within
the entire psalm.
In the sermon manuscript provided (see www.preachersmagazine.org),
I chose to preach inspirationally about how important and life-changing a
love and passion for God’s Word can be in the life of an individual
and in the life of a congregation. Of course, in preaching to my people, I
was hearing God’s voice for my own life and practice.
1. James Luther Mays, Psalms, Interpretation: A Bible Commentary for
Teaching and Preaching (Louisville: John Knox Press, 1994), 382.
2. Dennis Kinlaw, This Day with the Master (Grand Rapids:
Zondervan, 2004), February 13.