Psalms 119:1-176

Psalm PSALM—NOTE ON Psalms 119:1. This psalm celebrates the gift of God’s law as the perfect guide for life. Its theme is echoed in Psalms 19:1 and in such wisdom psalms as 1 and 112. It is the longest psalm (and the longest chapter in the Bible, longer than many of the books) and the most carefully structured. By singing and praying this psalm, one expresses heartfelt admiration to God, who has so lovingly provided the law as a great gift for his people. One also voices a deep desire that one’s personal life would reflect the loveliness and goodness of the law. The psalm is in an acrostic pattern (see esv footnote at Psalms 119:1). There are 22 stanzas of eight verses each, following the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet in order. Within a stanza, the first word of each verse begins with the letter for that stanza. The psalm uses a number of terms for God’s covenantal revelation: “law” (v. Psalms 119:1, instruction); “testimonies” (v. Psalms 119:2, what God solemnly declares to be his will); “precepts” (v. Psalms 119:4, what God has appointed to be done); “statutes” (v. Psalms 119:5, what the divine Lawgiver has laid down); “commandments” (v. Psalms 119:6, what God has commanded); “rules” (v. Psalms 119:7, what the divine Judge has ruled to be right); “word” (v. Psalms 119:9, what God has spoken).