God Speaks
He
33 Teach me your decrees, O Lord;
I will keep them to the end.
34 Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions;
I will put them into practice with all my heart.
35 Make me walk along the path of your commands,
for that is where my happiness is found.
36 Give me an eagerness for your laws
rather than a love for money!
37 Turn my eyes from worthless things,
and give me life through your word.
38 Reassure me of your promise,
made to those who fear you.
39 Help me abandon my shameful ways;
for your regulations are good.
40 I long to obey your commandments!
Renew my life with your goodness.
Waw
41 Lord, give me your unfailing love,
the salvation that you promised me.
42 Then I can answer those who taunt me,
for I trust in your word.
43 Do not snatch your word of truth from me,
for your regulations are my only hope.
44 I will keep on obeying your instructions
forever and ever.
45 I will walk in freedom,
for I have devoted myself to your commandments.
46 I will speak to kings about your laws,
and I will not be ashamed.
47 How I delight in your commands!
How I love them!
48 I honor and love your commands.
I meditate on your decrees.
Zayin
49 Remember your promise to me;
it is my only hope.
50 Your promise revives me;
it comforts me in all my troubles.
51 The proud hold me in utter contempt,
but I do not turn away from your instructions.
52 I meditate on your age-old regulations;
O Lord, they comfort me.
53 I become furious with the wicked,
because they reject your instructions.
54 Your decrees have been the theme of my songs
wherever I have lived.
55 I reflect at night on who you are, O Lord;
therefore, I obey your instructions.
56 This is how I spend my life:
obeying your commandments.
Heth
57 Lord, you are mine!
I promise to obey your words!
58 With all my heart I want your blessings.
Be merciful as you promised.
59 I pondered the direction of my life,
and I turned to follow your laws.
60 I will hurry, without delay,
to obey your commands.
61 Evil people try to drag me into sin,
but I am firmly anchored to your instructions.
62 I rise at midnight to thank you
for your just regulations.
63 I am a friend to anyone who fears you—
anyone who obeys your commandments.
64 O Lord, your unfailing love fills the earth;
teach me your decrees.
Source: New Living Translation: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
Reflection: Consider the following questions regarding Psalm 119:33-40, 41-48, 49-56, and 57-64:
1. What do these verses from Psalm 119 tell me about God?
2. What do these verses from Psalm 119 tell me about the human beings He created?
Here is one possible answer to each of these questions. Ask the Holy Spirit if there are any others for you personally to ponder.
Verses 33-40
1. The LORD God is ready, willing, and able to help the people who will trust and obey Him to follow His instructions joyfully.
2. We human beings need God’s help to abandon our sinful ways that displease Him.
Verses 41-48
1. The LORD God’s love is unfailing, and His promises are trustworthy.
2. People can only walk in freedom when we devote ourselves to following God’s commandments.
Verses 49-56
1. The LORD God can be known and followed.
2. People who know God are comforted, revived, and instructed.
Verses 57-64
1. The LORD’s unfailing love fills the earth. It is available to all who will receive it.
2. We people need to ponder the direction of our lives. Do they line up with the LORD’s just regulations?
Prayer:
[The author of this blog has formed prayers based on Psalm 119 with a view of the LORD God calling people to follow His instructions as laid out in this beautiful psalm. All of Psalm 119 has been “prayer-a-phrased” to pray for We the People of the United States of America.]
3. How might I pray regarding Psalm 119:33-40, 41-48, 49-56, and 57-64?
He
33. Please teach US Your decrees, O LORD; help US keep them to the end.
34. Give US understanding and We the People will obey Your instructions; We the People will put them into practice with all our hearts [as we depend on Your Holy Spirit].
35. Make US walk along the path of Your commands, for that is where our happiness is found.
36. Give US an eagerness for Your laws rather than a love for money!
37. Turn our eyes from worthless things and give US life through Your word [and in Your ways].
38. Reassure US of Your promise, made to those who fear You.
39. Help US abandon our shameful ways; for Your regulations are good.
40. May We the People long to obey Your commandments! Renew our lives with Your goodness.
Waw
41. LORD, give US Your unfailing love, the salvation that You promised US.
42. Then We the People can answer those who taunt US, for we trust in Your word.
43. Do not snatch Your word of truth from US, for Your regulations are our only hope.
44. May We the People keep on obeying Your instructions forever and ever.
45. [Then] We the People will walk in freedom, for we have devoted ourselves to Your commandments.
46. We the People will speak to kings about Your laws, and we will not be ashamed.
47. How We the People delight in Your commands! How we love them!
48. We the People honor and love Your commands. We meditate on Your decrees.
Zayin
49. Remember Your promise to US; it is our only hope.
50. Your promise revives US; it comforts us in all our troubles.
51. The proud hold US in utter contempt, but We the People will not turn from Your instructions.
52. [With the help of Your Spirit] We the People will meditate on Your age-old regulations; O LORD, they comfort US.
53. We the People [who follow You] become furious with the wicked, because they reject Your instructions.
54. Your decrees have been the theme of our songs wherever we have lived.
55. We the People reflect at night on who You are, O LORD; therefore, we obey Your instructions.
56. This is how We the People spend our lives: obeying Your commandments.
Heth
57. LORD, You are [our God]! We the People promise to obey Your words!
58. With all our hearts, We the People want Your blessings. Be merciful as You promised.
59. May We the People ponder the direction of our lives and turn to follow Your laws.
60. May We the People hurry, without delay, to obey Your commands.
61. Evil people [are trying] to drag US into sin, but [may] We the People [be] firmly anchored in Your instructions
62. May We the People rise at midnight to thank You for Your just regulations.
63. May We the People be a friend to anyone who fears You–anyone who obeys Your commands.
64. O LORD, Your unfailing love fills the earth; teach US Your decrees.
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, if He wants you to work on one of the suggestions below or something else more personal that He points out.)
4. What action does the LORD want me to take in response to Psalm 119:1-8, 9-16, 17-24, 25-32
- I will ask the LORD, as I read and study the Bible, to help me understand and obey it.
- I will quietly but firmly use the Bible as I stand up against those who taunt me (or who mistreat others).
- I will make a list of at least ten things that the LORD promises to those who follow His instructions.
- I will seek to befriend someone of a different background who fears the LORD God.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.