Psalm 119’s “Greatest Hits”

Psalm 119's "Greatest Hits"

PsAlM 119'S "GReATeSt HiTS" - TheMe: The IMpORtANce Of GOD'S WORD

Background:

The poetry of Psalm 119 is such that this Psalm is divided into 22 sections.

Each section corresponds to one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

In the Hebrew text, each verse also begins with the same letter found in the heading of that section.

It is a form of poetry (the Psalms are songs, after all) that made it easier for Hebrew speakers to memorize this Psalm.

Both the anti-slavery British Parliamentarian William Wilberforce (Movie: “Amazing Grace” – Ioan Gruffud – 2006)

…and the Scottish Missionary Explorer of Africa, Dr. David Livingstone, had memorized Psalm 119 in its entirety (Movie: “Stanley and Livingstone” -Spencer Tracy – 1939).

Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm and the longest chapter in the Bible. It contains 176 verses, and every verse exalts God.

Psalm 119 stresses the importance of God’s word. All but 5 of its verses are about the word of God.

This was the first Psalm that young boys in Jesus’ time were required to memorize!

ON The 24TH - MORNiNG/ NOON/eVeNiNG PRAYeR: PSALM 119

PsAlM 119'S "GReATeST HiTS" - ARe GReAT MeMORY VeRseS

⁹ How shall a young man cleanse his way? By paying close attention to Your word.

¹¹Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.

¹⁸Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things in Your law.

⁶²At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You because of Your righteous judgments.

⁸⁹Forever, O Lord, Your word is settled in Heaven.

⁹⁷O how love I Your law! It is my meditation all day long.

⁹⁹I have more understanding than all my teachers: for Your testimonies are my meditation.

¹⁰⁵Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

¹³⁰The entrance of Your word gives light; it gives understanding to the naive.

¹⁶⁴Seven times a day I praise You because of Your righteous judgments.

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ON The 1st - MORNiNG PRAYeR: PSALM 1

PSALM 1

(On the 1st – Morning Prayer: Psalm 1)

Theme: Christ, The Blessed Man, Is Our Example

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1 Blessed is the Man that does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful.

²But His delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law He meditates day and night.

³He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth His fruit in its season; His leaf shall not wither, and whatever He does shall prosper.

⁴The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind carries away.

⁵Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, or sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

⁶For the LORD knows the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

E.M. Bounds On Prayer

“When faith ceases to pray, it ceases to live.”

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“The Word of God is the fulcrum upon which the lever of prayer is placed, and by which things are mightily moved.”

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“Prayer is no petty duty, put into a corner; no piecemeal performance made out of the fragments of time which have been snatched from business and other engagements of life;

but it means that the best of our time, the heart of our time and strength must be given.”

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“Prayers are deathless. They outlive the lives of those who uttered them.”

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-E.M. Bounds (1835-1913)