Psalm 119

As a lifelong student of language, it was refreshing to see Psalm 119 in a new way today. How appropriate that a psalm about the Word of God should be an acrostic psalm—meaning that each stanza begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet, from start to finish.

I love the idea that God’s Word is the language of life, relevant to every situation we encounter. His Word brings wisdom, imparts life, and corrects us when we go astray. If we don’t begin and end with the Word of God, we have nothing.

To give you a better idea of what this psalm would have been like in English, I decided to summarize each stanza using words beginning with the letters of the English alphabet. (The Hebrew alphabet only has 22 letters; that’s why my list stops with “V”.) No wonder God said that man should live by every word that comes out of His mouth! God’s Word:

Acts as the authority in our lives.
Bathes our hearts.
Counsels us in how to make right choices.
Displays the right way to live.
Educates us and gives us understanding.
Frees us from fear.
Gladdens and encourages us.
Helps us when times are tough.
Improves our sinful condition.
Judges rightly.
Keeps hope alive in us.
Lasts forever.
Makes us wise.
Numbers our steps.
Oversees and sustains us.
Pays big dividends in our lives.
Quenches spiritual thirst.
Reveals righteousness.
Satisfies like nothing else can.
Transforms us.
Urges admiration and worship.
Vanquishes our enemies.

God is the language of life. Just as the letters in our alphabet are the foundation of language, so God’s Word is the foundation of life. In Him, we live and move and have our being. Without Him, we are hopelessly stuck in ignorance, fear, hunger, and idolatry. Today, let us choose life!