Psalm 119Recently I read through Psalm 119 in my daily Bible reading.  This is a really amazing chapter in the Bible.  It is the longest chapter in the Bible, and nearly every verse says something about God’s word.  If you want to learn something about the nature and purpose of the Bible, this is the place to come.

Each time I read through this chapter, I encounter a wealth of information about Scripture and am challenged to respond.  Rather than sharing my insights, I want to challenge you to do your own study of this wonderful chapter.  This chapter has the potential to revolutionize your relationship with the Bible, and through that, to transform your life.

Are you ready?  Let’s get started!

I suggest that you read through this chapter once per day for a week. If that seems like too much to cover, take two days to read through the chapter, and repeat until you have read it 4-5 times. Pick a good, readable translation.  Don’t bother with commentaries or notes in study Bibles–you won’t need them. It’s even better if you can find a few friends to commit to doing this study with you. You will be richly rewarded by sharing your discoveries with each other.

As you read, look for the answers to the following questions. You can make a list of your observations for each question, each on a separate sheet of paper. Or print out the passage and use colored markers, once color for each question. Or use both methods.

Here are the questions:

  1. How is God’s word described?  What are its characteristics?
  2. What are the effects of God’s word in our lives? How does it impact us?
  3. What is the attitude of the Psalmist toward God’s word? What are his feelings regarding God’s word?
  4. What commitments does the Psalmist make?
  5. What actions does the Psalmist take or plan to take?
  6. What does the Psalmist specifically ask God to do?

After you have read through the Psalm for seven days and recorded your observations, write a short paragraph summarizing what you have discovered in answer to each questions.

Now comes the most important part: application! For each question, reflect on how the Psalmist’s interaction with God’s word compares with yours. How would you answer each of these questions? Where do you see potential for growth? Is there one step that God is calling you to take right now to deepen your interaction with His word?

If you do this study, and take it seriously, I’m sure that God will use it to help you grow in your relationship with him. Please share some of what you have learned in the comments below, so that others can be blessed by what God has shown you.

 

 

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