meditating on God's law

Good morning friends,
Today's reading is from Psalm 119, the longest Psalm in scripture. The whole Psalm is a mediation on God's law or Torah. We often think about law or commandments as negative, things we have to do. The Psalm reminds us that God's law (also commandments, decrees, ordinances) give life by teaching us the right way to live. This long Psalm is organized in 22 stanzas of 8 lines each. Each stanza begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet in sequence. There are different feelings in the Psalm, but the focus throughout is God's guidance through the Torah. May you find sweetness and blessing in this poem and in God's guidance today.

God bless,
Sam

Psalm 119:24-31

²⁴Your decrees are my delight, they are my counselors.

²⁵My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to your word.

²⁶When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes.

²⁷Make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works.

²⁸My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.

²⁹Put false ways far from me; and graciously teach me your law.

³⁰I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your ordinances before me.

³¹I cling to your decrees, O Lord; let me not be put to shame.

Happy are those...

Good morning friends,
For some of the next few weeks we'll be reading from Psalm 119. This is the longest of the Psalms and one of several Psalms about the joy of following God's way. There are lots of different words the psalmist uses to talk about God's way: ordinances, commandments, decrees, law. The term the Old Testament often uses to encompass all of these ideas is Torah, usually translated Law. We talk about the Torah as the first five books of the Old Testament since that's where most of the religious law is found. Law is only part of what Torah means, however. It also means instruction or teaching.

As we can see from the psalmist's enthusiasm as we continue in the days to come, following God's law means more than sticking strictly to a rulebook. It means rooting our whole life in God's word and God's way for our life. We were talking yesterday afternoon about how confirmation is a great opportunity for kids to dive into the Bible. We were also wishing there were more opportunity for adults to do the same, but time is always a challenge in making that happen. Anyone who spends a lot of time with the scriptures can testify that the word is sweet and nourishing for our life. I pray this Psalm will help us appreciate that sweetness and encourage us to find the happiness of God's instruction.

God bless,
Sam

Psalm 119:1-8
1Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord.
2Happy are those who keep his decrees, who seek him with their whole heart,
3who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways.
4You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently.
5O that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!
6Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
7I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous ordinances.
8I will observe your statutes; do not utterly forsake me.