July 4th - Psalm 119:1-2

Psalm 119:1-2 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the LORD. Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. This is the beginning of what is by far the longest psalm and the longest chapter in the Bible. It is made up of 22 sections, each one of which begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each of those sections is made up of eight verses, and the whole psalm is beautifully designed like a piece of intricate tapestry. It is nothing like those psalms in which the psalmist pours out his emotions of anger, sorrow and joy. The whole purpose of the psalm is to declare the blessing of God’s laws, because they are the key to living life to the full. It’s as if the writer sees God’s instructions as being so beautiful that, like a diamond, every single angle of them needs to be identified and celebrated. When we first hear the word ‘law’ we are inclined to think of restrictions, and no one likes the thought of that. We want to be free to do what we want. But God’s laws are given so that we can be protected from the things that can only damage our lives. The psalmist was convinced that God’s law offered the path to the deepest blessings and joys of life. He summed it up by declaring: “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” (Psalm 119:105). Question In what particular ways have you found God’s laws to be a blessing? Prayer Lord God, I thank You that You love me so much that You have given me rules to enable me to enjoy life to the full. Amen