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Getting To Know God - Psalm 119
Getting To Know God - Psalm 119
This is eternal life, that you might know GOD… BUT how? He is invisible. He has chosen to speak only to a select few people during the course of world history. HOW then can I know Him: his thoughts, his likes, his hates, his plans, etc.? He HAS revealed himself and has chosen it to be in a written record, a record that provides an external source of knowledge that can be checked and verified by all. To ignore His revelation in trying to know Him leaves us only with our own imaginations. Thus, in our reasoning we create an image of God in our minds that is often quite flawed from the reality of God's true nature and character. Psalm 119 is a psalm of praise for God's revelation.
In this Psalm he will use eight keywords that describe and define how we should think of God's word. I am going to condense a study by Walter D. Zorn, from his commentary on the book of Psalms*.
1) Torah: (law, direction, instruction). God has in this revelation "instructed his people as to the manner of life that would both glorify him and lead to true fulfillment and true happiness for his people. This is torah—a manner of life… Torah, then, is a general term indicating “instruction,” whose basic idea is “pointing the way.”
2) Promise (saying, word). The dominant idea is of the spoken word.
3) Word: Like torah, it is an inclusive term embracing all the truth of God, however formulated or expressed.
4) Decrees: (statutes, prescriptions, regulations). Special note: It literally means that which is engraved, valid for all time, recognized as the law of the land, which is to be observed by all its citizens.
5) Commands: (commandments). This word gives specific expressions of God’s will as to human conduct, that is, the words of one who has the right to command and the power to enforce his commands.
6) Laws: (ordinances, judgments). Special note: Since judgments often involve two parties, these would have to do with person-to-person relationships.
7) Statutes: (stipulations, decrees, testimonies, witness). Special note: The noun at times carries the meaning of warning or admonition…
8) Precepts: (instructions, procedures, regulations). The noun may refer to an assignment given, an expression of God’s will for one in a particular case. An Aramaic cognate has the meaning of “command.”
God has revealed himself unto us. With this revelation we can know what we must know about the mind of God. Thru this revelation we can know God. How should man respond to this? The Psalmist asks: "How can a young man keep his way pure?" and then responds: By keeping it according to Your word" That being the way of life and fellowship with God, the Psalmist instructs us to walk in it (1,3), Observe it (2), Keep them diligently (4,5,8), Learn (7), look upon (6), and thus, to seek Him with all of our heart (2). Further, we are admonished to 'store up' the word in hearts (11), declare it to others (13), meditate upon it (15), and not to forget it (16).
Does this Psalm really describe your attitude towards and understanding of God's word? I think it is time for us to turn off the tv and radio, turn off our smartphones, turn off our computers, and pick up our bibles and get to know God.
Hugh DeLong
The College Press NIV Commentary, Psalms, Vol. 2, Walter D. Zorn, College Press Publishing Company, Joplin, Missouri.
