This is The Way – Devo Day 3

Aleph – Psalm 119:1-8

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

Psalm 119:1–8 (ESV)

Psalm 119 starts with the same word that begins Psalm 1 (ashre) “blessed.” The word ’ashre appears frequently in the wisdom literature of the Old Testament to identify the conduct and attitudes of those that are God-followers. The one blessed is always connected to their obedience to God’s Word, not just mental assent or agreement. In Psalm 119 the psalmist acknowledges that the ways of the “blessed” are blameless because they walk in the ways of the Word of God and seek instruction with their heart. In this instance, the psalmist holds up the “blessed” one as a person who takes God’s Word seriously.

Whenever the psalmist refers to the torah, it never stands alone (i.e., the torah); rather, the term appears as either the “torah of the LORD” or as “your torah,” thus once more stressing the importance of the covenantal relationship. In the first half of the strophe (vv. 1–4) the psalmist describes the blessed life as one rooted in the torah of Yahweh, the Word of God.

In the second half of the stanza he refers to the tumultuous circumstances that appear to threaten him. The psalmist worries about being put to shame (v. 6) and left forsaken (v. 8). Thus, the opening verse holds in tandem the desire to live a blessed life that is rooted in the Word of God and the reality of a threatened existence. The psalmist avoids trite platitudes that suggest that faithfulness to the Word of God actually insulates one from challenging circumstances. On the contrary, Psalm 119 reminds the reader of the need to root one’s life in the Word of God amid the challenging circumstances in life.

Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! – This is The Way

Questions to ponder

1. What have you gleaned from the Scriptures (promises, wisdom, guidance, correction, encouragement) in hard or challenging times in the past that encouraged or helped you?
2. What situations, people, circumstances are you dealing with now that is either beyond you or your attempts at dealing with them have failed? Have you turned to God and His Word for help? If not, where or how might you go about that search?
3. Are you growing in your relationship with God? How has your reliance on His Word change recently? What encouraged that change and what would it take for you to take it to the next level?

If you are just starting and want to go back and read the previous posts in this series