Are You All In?
This fall we are going to begin an eight-part study of the longest chapter of the Bible. We will conclude our study of Psalm 119 in the early spring. What does it mean to be “all in”? Often when I use this phrase, I am describing a state of utter exhaustion. Our friends at Oxford tell us it also means being “completely committed to or very much in favor of something.” Are you completely committed to God’s way of living? That is the theme of Psalm 119. That is also a question on my heart this spring while I was on sabbatical leave. It was a blessing to have time to reflect on my life and ministry and ask, “Do I live – like the author of Psalm 119 – very much in favor of God’s ways, commands, decrees, and precepts?”
This “way of the Lord” is where true blessing is to be found! “Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the Law of the Lord. Blessed are those who comply with His testimonies, and seek Him with all their heart.” (Psalm 119:1-2). The theme of seeking God “with all my heart” echoes through Psalm 119 (read verses 10,34,58,69,145). Author Kevin DeYoung suggests that Psalm 119 should be seen as a poem of love for God’s Word. He writes, “Surely it is significant that this intricate, finely crafted, single-minded love poem – the longest in the Bible – is not about marriage or children or food or drink or mountains or sunsets or rivers or oceans, but about the Bible itself.” (Taking God at His Word, Crossway, 2014, 12).
Despite being an ancient text, Psalm 119 resonates with the reality of the battle faced by modern believers. It challenges me to ask myself, “will I pursue a self-sufficient and self-indulgent pathway?” Or “will I live with loyalty to the way of the Lord?” One day during my sabbatical I was drawn to Psalm 119. I have always been fascinated by its structure. But to be honest, I was always frustrated by the repetition. So, I began charting out the various terms used in the psalm for the Word of God. Slowly I became engrossed in this project (see chart below). I realized that each of these terms reflect an aspect of the Word of God. What is more, if obeyed, I could be led into deeper relationship with God. So, each sermon in our series will examine one of the eight synonyms of God’s Word. In so doing, we will study 64 of the 176 verses which make up Psalm 119.
Most people know that Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible. This poetic, praise song is skillfully crafted with amazing alliteration. It is an alphabetical acrostic, like Psalm 111 and 112. Each of the twenty-two sections centers on a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In each section or “strophe” there are eight verses, each of which begin with the same Hebrew letter. The various terms used for God’s Word combine to give robust picture of God’s truth for humanity’s need. Psalm 119 is also considered a “wisdom psalm” because of the blessing formula found in verses 1-3. Along with delight in God’s Word, Psalm 119 contains lament (read verses 25,51,94,137,143,149,153-160).
Psalm 119 exalts the Law of God, the Torah, and some classify it as one of four “Songs of Torah” (see also Psalm 1,15,24). But what I am learning from Psalm 119 is not merely devotion to God’s Law, but devotion to God Himself. Willem VanGemeren writes, “This is a psalm, not only of law, but of love, not only of statue, but of spiritual strength, not only of devotion to precept, but of loyalty to the way of the Lord. The beauty in this psalm resounds from the relationship of the psalmist and his God.” (Expositors Bible Commentary: Psalms, Zondervan, 1991, 736-737)
So, we must find balance in Psalm 119. All my reading and charting and evaluating could lead to one extreme or the other. On one hand, I could become idolatrous of the text, focusing only on the amazing literature itself. On the other hand, I could reduce the text down to a collection of practical principles for a happy, successful life. In either case, I would miss the most important part of this psalm – God Himself! Kevin DeYoung describes three responses to Psalm 119. We can have the “yeah, right” attitude of a skeptic, scoffer, or cynic. We could give a “ho, hum” response like those who are agreeable but indifferent to God’s Word. But the best response is, “Yes! Yes!” Yes!..This is when you think to yourself, ‘I love this psalm because it gives voice to the song of my soul’.” (15-16)