Psalm 119:100

Psalm 119:100

The bearded ones!

The Hebrew word for elders literally means “bearded ones.” In most ancient cultures a beard was a symbol of wisdom and strength and the longer and thicker it was, the better. Presumably this means that to qualify as an elder of the people you must be an older man, full of experience, known to be wise and having considerable influence. The role was pretty obvious, such men were at an age when they had become the older statemen in their families, clans and tribes and people naturally looked up to them. These were the men who been there, seen it, done it and got the T shirt! They were respected for their knowledge and as such they served as arbitrators in legal and administrative matters as well as being the equivalent of local counsellors. Some would, of course, assist in military maters depending on their experience and skill sets. 

We might think that it takes a bit of cheek for the writer of Psalm 119, who obviously had not reached the status of an elder, to claim that he had more understanding than they! However, there is a hint that these were not always godly men, they relied on their own intuition and experience. The writer does not claim to be more understanding because he has any of their attributes, his claim is based solely on the Word of God. He is boasting in the Word and the precepts of the Lord which he obeys. Remember that precepts are the rules that apply to the governance of others, the elders took their lead from one another and from lifetimes of experience and tradition, that is very different to standing on the precepts of the Lord. It is a wise man or woman indeed who bases all their decisions, values and judgements on what is written in God’s Word. However, if we do, then we can’t go wrong, can we.