Perhaps the most unique chapter in all the Bible is Psalm 119. It has likely been used as a Hebrew primer for Jewish youth at some point because it is divided into 22 stanzas, each titled by one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order. The 8 verses in each stanza begin with the designated letter.
Psalm 119 is also the longest chapter in the Bible. In his Study Guide for Psalm 119, David Guzik relates the story of George Wishart who served as Bishop of Edinburgh, Scotland in the mid-1600s. Wishart was condemned to death and led to the scaffold where he was to be beheaded. As was the custom of the day, he was allowed to choose one psalm to be sung just prior to the execution. Wishart chose Psalm 119, and before two-thirds of the psalm was sung, a pardon was delivered to the scaffold and his life was spared. What an illustration of the power of God’s word and of singing the Scriptures!
Indeed the obvious teaching feature of Psalm 119 is the focus on the Word of God. The writer – most likely David – gives personal testimony of how learning, meditating upon, and obeying God’s word has been his strength, delight, deliverance, guide, and comfort on countless occasions in his life. May God’s word be all of that and more to all of us as we give ourselves to hear, read, study, memorize, meditate, and obey it day-by-day.
Give me understanding, that I may observe Thy law, and keep it with all my heart.
Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path (Psalm 119:34, 105).
Yours and His,
Pastor Ed Smith