Introduction:
The book of psalm is a collection of
prayer, Hymns and Poems that focus the worship of God, Praise and adoration.
Each Psalms has their forms that makes possible for a better understanding of
both their meaning and their original life. The Psalms Originated as an
Israel’s responds to the acts and word of God.[1]
On first reading, Psalm
119 seems exceptional for nothing except its length. It is the longest of all
Psalms but does not display exceptional poetry, or vivid images, or original
insights, or excitement about anything, it just exhibits a quite, meditative
tone about “Law” with no internal development. One can start at the end and
read the verses backward and it makes equally good sense. Yet, Psalm 119 was
not composed for the Epic moments of life but for the 90 percent of time in
which life is uneventful, even monotonous. It becomes the moment of prolonged
contemplation in god’s presence.[2]
Authorship and setting:
The authorship of Psalm 119 is a
mystery. Some scholars think it was King David. Others think it might have been
Ezra, the prophet. Others believe it is a collection of works by several
authors, possibly written for the king. Unlike many other parts of the Psalms
that begin with phrases such as "The Song of David," the author of
Psalm 119 does not include his name in the text of the chapter.
Talmud and Midrash rabbis, and later
Rash and Ladakh, say that Psalm 119 was written by King David. This should come
with no surprise, since there are other instances of “orphan Psalms” that we
know were penned by David, like Psalm 105.
By contrast.Ibn Ezra (as well as many
modern scholars) suggest that this psalm may actually have been written by an
unknown individual who lived during the Babylonian Exile. Some even attribute
the Psalm to Ezra the Scribe.
Psalm 119, a massive alphabetical acrostic, follows the “Egyptian
Hallel” it begins with the word content “ ’asre ”are the ones whose way is
sincere, the one who walk in the instruction of (Torah) of the Lord. It is
recited at the feast of Pentecost, the spring festival observed fifty days
after Passover, which celebrates the giving of the Torah to Moses at Sinai
during the Wilderness wanderings.[3]
Form and structure:
Psalm 119, a massive
alphabetical acrostic, follows the “Egyptian Hallel”. Each letter of the Hebrew alphabet takes a turn in
introducing a verse of the Psalm.
Psalm 119 contains prayers, comforts,
instructions and thanks in great number. It is important that we write to be
happy about God's Word. He praises God's Word from start to finish and warns us
not to be bored or belittle God's Word. For this reason, it is often considered
a consolation psalm. His main concern is that we have a pure heart about God's
Word and are willing to listen to it. From this concern, one can pray for
strength, guidance, gratitude, prophecy, worship, poverty and anything that
pleases Allah and destroys Satan.
Each stanza of eight verses begins with
the succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and all eight verses starts with
the same letter.[4] The poem has a common “wisdom” form in composing the psalm –
the Acrostic.
Allen describes it as “the most
developed instance in the OT (of the acrostic form).
Kraus describes it as “the art of
alphabetical organization has produce an unusual opus which in schematic and
compulsion of form has no parallel in OT”.
Acrostic poems were the works of highly
skilled literary artists and functioned in ancient Israelite in a number of
ways. Acrostic were most likely memory devices to aid in public and private,
individual and corporate – recitation. Literarily, they summarized all that
could be said or that needed to be said about a particular subject from ‘aleph to taw’.
EXEGETICAL
NOTE:
Verse 1.Blessed are the
undefiled in the way, who Walk in the law of the Lord.
The undefiled character
described in this verse marks “an Israelite in whom is no Guile”, not one
without sin, but one who walks in the path of the law.Undefiledhas its
equivalent meaningin some other verses as, upright, perfect,
sometimes complete; in application to sacrifices the word is
used as without blemish. Several time rendered as an adverb, sincerely,
or as a noun, sincerity.[5]
Explanation
of the passage:
This verse talks about Moral Law. There
is a divine order for a righteous life to be maintained. The Creator has given
laws to each of his creations, and has given each his own law. Compliance with
this law gives people happiness, "blessing", etc. gives. People's
happiness is in good work, "Blessed are those whose Tao is not
contaminated". It is not a thought, a study, a celebration, but a good
attitude.
A man's true happiness is found only in
his actions; not in their thoughts or feelings, but in their actions.
Well-Doing has respect to the Divine, “who walk in the way of the lord”. The
respect for the Divine must be thorough, God must become the Moral Monarch of
the soul, inspiring and controlling the whole.[6]
Verse 2. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek
him with the whole heart.
Blessed, as in verse 1.Keep; found ten times and uniformly
rendered in this Psalm; elsewhere sometimespreserve, also observe.
The “testimony,” in the singular number,
usually denotes the whole canon of the inspired writings, the revelation of the
will of God to mankind, the standard of faith.
Explanation
of the passage:
This blessed does not belongs to the
mere outward obedience; but rather to that practical habit of mind, which seeks
to know the will of God inorder to “keep” it. This habit is under the influence
of the promise of God. And in thus “keeping the testimonies of God,” the
believers maintain the character of one that “seek him with the whole heart.”[7]
Verse 3.They also do no
iniquity: they walk in his ways.
Negative and positive goodness is seen
here. Negative goodness: “They do no iniquity.” In their external conduct, and
to the eye of society, they appear faultless. It is socially valuable. A person
who honestly respects the rights of others in society. This is priceless
justice. Not to sin is a virtue, but to do evil is a sin.[8]
Positive goodness: “They walk in
his ways.” To walk in his ways implies, 1). Spiritual life. A dead man
cannot walk. There is no walking in the divine way unless the soul is quickened
into spiritual life, a life of supreme sympathy with God. 2). Spiritual Vigor:
The man who walks in the right has moral Vigor-a vigor that grows with every
effort. 3). Spiritual Progress: Continuous progression from one to the next.
Every desire and desire is a step forward.
Explanation
of the passage:
This was not their character from their
birth. There are both bad and good people here. They do no inequity; do not
work iniquity; do no unrighteousness; do not practice wrong. They walk in his
ways, they habitually behave as the Lord requires in his Word.
Verse 4.Thou hast commanded us
to keep thy precepts diligently.
Translated “Wholly”.Hast
commanded, hast brought the full weight of thy authority in an
explicit requirement.
Keep; it its various forms this Verb occurs more than twenty times
in this Psalm and often elsewhere. It is defined as holding, watching,
watching, controlling, narrow-mindedness, surveillance. He shows great caution.
Diligently, elsewhere
exceedingly, greatly, utterly, very, mightily. It
occurs again in the following verses. The business of a pious man’s life should
be thoroughly gone through with.[9]
Explanation
of the passage:
The attitude just referred to be
reflected particularly in this verse. God’s precepts are given with the very
idea in mind that they may be kept, and kept diligently (the Hebrew says: kept
very much). To this thought the earnest wish or prayer is appended that the
speaker’s ways might be so firm in their whole nature that he might keep God’s
statutes. By paraphrasing, it means: O that the bent of my mind were firmly set
in the direction of always keeping what thou hast commanded.[10]
Reasons to work hard and listen to God:
If you don't work hard in this world, you can't do good things. less spiritual.
For three causes we should keep the commandments of the Lord with diligence:
first, because of our adversary, second, because we ourselves are weak and
infirm and third, Satan has brought us down very well because of all the
advantages he has over us.[11]
Verse 5.Oh that my ways were
directed to keep thy statutes!
Directed has its equivalent terms
like: Confirmed, prepared, directed aright, and made steadfast.
Remembering human frailty and instability, and knowing that man cannot himself
obey God’s law, the Psalmist prays for the Divine power to regulate aright and
establish his ways.[12]
Explanation of the Passage:
It implies: Experience the highest sense
of holiness. A settled love of goodness and hatred of iniquity.A vigorous,
constant, and prevailing desire to keep God’s statutes.Fervent desire of God’s
assistance in the practice of holiness.[13]
Verse 6.Then shall
I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
A clear conscience: we are not under the law, but we are not
lawless.
Have respect: see, look, behold, consider.[14]
Explanation of the
passage:
Here the composer does not really think
about his worldview. His profound obedience to God. afraid of not being able to
do certain things. His earnest desire to obey all the divine commands.That
peace which would follow upon his keeping all the Divine commandments.[15]
What the Psalmist here means that, one
must not be ashamed and disappointed in their hope when he/she have respect not
merely to some, or even many, but to all His commandments.[16]
Verse 7.I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have
learn thy righteous judgment.The duty
of thankfulness: Simply, it means “sincerity” as opposed to formal lip service.
To praise God aright, we must learn by the Divine Spirits teaching the Holiness
of God, and his righteousness reflected in his words and laws.[17]
Explanation of the
Passage:
This verses is somewhat striking. Upward
praise as being offered by the way of learning God’s righteous judgments seems
to be an incongruity.[18] Thankfulness is a duty wherein we are all obliged to the
Lord. To be fair, that's a good thing. Since the Lord has given us good things,
their goodness is ours, and their glory is to Himself, by His power and what
they have done to us. It is good to praise God in regard of himself, who is the
object of our praises.[19]
The righteous judgments of God include
the whole revelation of his word. But what is the motive that enlivens the
believer in this holy learning? Could it be due to the light breathing of human
applause?No, rather, that he may praise his God with uprightness of heart. Our
lips are sealed when our hearts are dark.
Verse 8.I will keep thy
statutes: O forsake me not utterly.
The section ends with an expresses
resolution. The spirit of it is: I can't obey these laws unless God helps me. Therefore,
“O forsake me not utterly” is an expression of self-insecurity.[20]
The resolution “keep the Lord
statutes”is the natural of having “learned his righteous judgments” how happily
does the writer combines “simplicity” of dependence with “godly sincerity”
Explanation of the
passage:
Even though good people are far from
what they have to do and what they want to do, they still want to do God's will.
The redeem man knows that he is not his own. Sensible of his own weakness and
corruptions, he still hunger and thirsts after righteousness, and will continue
to do so, more and more; and never will he be satisfied till he awakes in the
divine likeness.[21]
Conclusion:
Psalm 119 can be conclude by saying that
it is a psalm of prayer that includes many different elements, including
prayers of praise. Alef, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Verses 1-8
all has its beginning with Aleph. And the psalm contents ingenious and
passionate meditation upon the Law of the Lord. Law, however is not the
Pharasaic Legalism in the OT. The Hebrew Word for it was ‘Torah’ which means
teaching.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Bridges, Charles. An Exposition Of Psalm 119. New York: Robert Carter, 1876.
Declaisse-Walford, Nancy, Jacobson A. Rolf and Taneer, Beth Laneel.The New International Commentary on the Old Testament: The Book of Psalms. Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1994.
Exell, Joseph s.The Biblical Illustrator: The Psalms Vol. V. Michigan: Baker Book House, 1977.
Leupold, H. C. Exposition Of Psalms. Secunderabad: OM Books, 2003.
Mays, L. James, McCormick, Cyrus.Edited.Harper’s Bible Commentary. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1988.
Plummer, W.S. Psalms. Pennsylvania: The Banner Of Truth Trust, 1867.
Rowley, H.H.,The Old Testament and Modern Studies. London: Oxford University Press, 1962.
[1] H.H. Rowley, The Old Testament and Modern Studies (London: Oxford University Press, 1962), 166.
[2]James L. Mays, Cyrus McCormick, edited, Harper’s Bible Commentary (New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1988), 486, 487.
[3]Nancy Declaisse-Walford, Rolf A. Jacobson and Beth LaneelTaneer, The New International Commentary on the Old Testament: The Book of Psalms (Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1994), 870.
[4]James L. Mays, Cyrus McCormick, edited, Harper’s Bible Commentary (New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 1988), 486, 487.
[5] W.S. Plummer, Psalms (Pennsylvania: The Banner Of Truth Trust, 1867), 1023.
[7] Charles bridges, An Exposition Of Psalm 119(New York: Robert Carter, 1876), 1-5.
[8] Joseph S. Exell, The Biblical Illustrator: The Psalms Vol. V (Michigan: Baker Book House, 1977), 2-4.
[9]Joseph S. Exell, The Biblical Illustrator: The Psalms Vol. V (Michigan: Baker Book House, 1977), 4-5.
[10] H.C. Leupold, Exposition Of Psalms (Secunderabad: OM Books, 2003), 824.
[11]Joseph S. Exell, The Biblical Illustrator: The Psalms Vol. V (Michigan: Baker Book House, 1977), 2-4.
[12] A. R. Fausset, A Commentary: Critical, Experimental, And Practical Vol. II (Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1978)360.
[13]Joseph S. Exell, The Biblical Illustrator: The Psalms Vol. V (Michigan: Baker Book House, 1977), 4, 5.
[14]W.S. Plummer, Psalms (Pennsylvania: The Banner Of Truth Trust, 1867), 1023.
[15]Joseph S. Exell, The Biblical Illustrator: The Psalms Vol. V (Michigan: Baker Book House, 1977), 2-4.
[16]A. R. Fausset, A Commentary: Critical, Experimental, And Practical Vol. II (Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1978), 360.
[17] A. R. Fausset, A Commentary: Critical, Experimental, And Practical Vol. II (Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1978), 360.
[18]H.C. Leupold, Exposition Of Psalms (Secunderabad: OM Books, 2003), 824-826.
[19]Joseph S. Exell, The Biblical Illustrator: The Psalms Vol. V (Michigan: Baker Book House, 1977), 2-4.
[20]H.C. Leupold, Exposition Of Psalms (Secunderabad: OM Books, 2003), 824-826.
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