Psalm 119:143

Psalm 119-:143

Your commands give me delight

It should be abundantly clear to anyone who reads this commentary, that Psalm 119 is unlike any other Psalm. Some find it tiring, repetitive and uninspiring for the psalmist continuously revisits the same old material, all based on his love for the commands, precepts, laws, statutes, decrees and promises of God. That love of the Word seems to be highly personal because he makes it clear that very few share his passion! Psalm 119 has no compelling new facts to share, no uplifting accounts of God’s past deeds, no insights into deeper spiritual truths, instead we are treated to a verse-by-verse plod through the monotonous ramblings of a man who is fanatical about the laws that God has spoken! Or so it seems.

If that sums up your view of this Psalm and many would agree, remember this, God is not a conversationalist, up to this point in human history His communications with mankind have been limited and confined to a few chosen people. The only time when the Lord became extremely eloquent and expressive, pouring out new announcements day after day, was when He gave the Law to Moses. It took weeks to record all that was said and years to understand and apply it! In fact, we might say that we are still trying to understand it all!

This is why the psalmist was fanatical about Torah, the commands and laws of God, it was all he had, it was the only communication from heaven to earth and in embracing it and loving it, the author knew that he was embracing and loving God. So, he could claim that whilst trouble and distress came upon him, while the whole world seemed to be against him, he could turn to the major explanation of God’s relationship with men, the Law, and here he found purpose and meaning and absolute delight. Do we?

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