Love from the Longest Psalm

 

This morning I woke up with a 'pull' to spend some meditative time in a renewed study of Psalm 119. It's the longest psalm, and with a whopping 176 verses, is the longest chapter in the Bible.

That, and a few other literary points of interests, do indeed help make sure we keep this (and all Scriptural texts) properly anchored to genre and context. And I've been digging around in the commentaries again, like the nerd that I am.

But what's coming to the surface in my first, bigger-picture read-throughs so far is how crazy emotional this psalm is.

Whoever wrote it - obviously brilliant judging from the acrostic layout, probably a well educated Levite priest - was no stuffy intellectual hiding away in a dusty ivy-league library. This guy was all-out gushing with passion for God's Word.

First off, that's what the psalm is about - Holy Scripture. Every Hebrew word possible is used to keep that focus; words translated into English as word, laws, statutes, precepts, ways, decrees, commands. Ironically, none of these words in English usually illicit affection. More, a sense of restriction or confinement.

Not for this guy.

"I walk about in freedom, for I have sought your precepts." Verse 45.

And then statement after evocative statement describing over-the-top, crazy-for-love, all-consuming-delight in pressing deeper and deeper into the ways God has communicated His redemptive-living vision for His people. His WORDS to us.

"I have hidden your word in my heart." verse 11
"I delight in your decrees." verse 16
"I reach out for your commands, which I love." verse 48
"Oh, how I love your law!" verse 97
"Your statutes are wonderful." verse 129
"Your commands give me delight." verse 143

And those are just a smattering. Over and over again, this emotional attachment to the Word of God is expressed. It's like he can't find enough ways to say it.

What a joy, and a solid uplifting in spirit it's been for me to read through Psalm 119 again. A great way to start a Friday morning, and end what's been a very good week.

I hear we're supposed to have two days in a row of sunshine this weekend! Wonder if there will be a special weather statement about that?

Happy Friday to you.
Hope your spirit is lifted by what brings you joy.
Have a great weekend, everyone!

Photo: Sunrise on frosted tree tops, from a walk last winter, when the sun actually did rise from time to time.