Psalm 119 has been a personal favorite of mine since the early days of my Christian life, studying it was instrumental to my growth. Then, while helping to plant a church in Kansas in the late 1980’s, the Psalm became my choice for the first adult Sunday School class we offered. Working through the Psalm eight verses at a time with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ blessed my soul.

Therefore, when Mark Dever publicly read Psalm 119, and preached from it last week at the Inerrancy Summit, it was a special blessing to me. In his sermon, Mark challenged his listeners to work through the Psalm and note the ways the Word blesses us. So, I’ve spent my devotional times this past week mining the Psalm, doing what Mark exhorted, and now I’m sharing my findings with you.

Open your Bible to Psalm 119 and work through this list in your personal devotional time, or your small group. See if you find any more blessings that I missed.

The inerrant Word of God…

Shows us how to keep our heart and way blameless (1, 3, 80) Guides our wholehearted pursuit of God (2, 10, 145, 148) Guards us from the shame of sin when our attention remains fixed upon obeying it (4-6, 31) Generates heartfelt prayer and praise to God (7, 12, 48, 62, 64, 108, 146) Cultivates trust in God’s help and presence (8, 141, 150-151, 173-174) Keeps the young heart pure (9) Prevents sinning when we treasure it (11, 101, 133) Breeds an urgency to proclaim and teach it (13) Produces godly delight in eternal riches more than the abundance of temporal things (14, 16, 35-36, 72, 103, 127) Reveals the ways of God (15) Feeds humility in prayer and a longing for God’s blessing (17, 26, 56, 58, 132, 135) Gives insight into that which is truly spiritual, thus leading to a continuous cycle of growth (18) Guides our earthly pilgrimage, lighting our way in this darkened world (19, 176) Generates a never-ending longing for itself (20, 64) Rebukes the insolent and arrogant (21) Removes scorn and contempt (22) Gives confidence and perseverance in the face of enemies who plot against us (23, 51, 53, 61, 69-70, 78, 85-87, 94-95, 98, 110, 115, 121-122, 134, 150-151, 157-158, 161) Counsels us (24) Renews our soul when we are in the dust of despair (25) Gives understanding of the ways of the Creator (27, 73) Encourages meditation on the works of God (27) Strengthens our hearts when they are overcome by grief (28) Puts false ways away from us (29, 163) Explains “the way of faithfulness” (30) Enlarges our heart for God to run the race of obedience (32, 34, 57, 106, 112, 17-168) Nourishes perseverance of faith to the end (33, 112) Turns our eyes from worthless things and leads us to true life (37) Nurtures the fear of the Lord (79, 116, 120) Prevents reproach (39) Reveals the righteousness that leads to life (40, 156) Assures us of the promise of salvation (41, 94, 81-82, 123, 166) Answers our accusers (42, 78, 121-122) Generates hope (43, 49, 74, 147, 166) Leads to walking “in a wide place” (44-45) Emboldens our witness (46-47) Comforts us in our affliction ((50, 52, 75-76, 82-84, 141, 143, 170) Becomes the believer’s song for the earthly journey (54, 172) Reminds us of who God really is, what He is like, and of His steadfast love—His “name” (55, 76, 88, 124, 159) Cultivates a growing satisfaction in God (57) Renews our mind, leading to repentance from sin and obedience to God (59-60) Establishes the sphere of godly friendships (63) Describes how the Lord always does well with us (65) Teaches us good judgment and knowledge (66) Opens our spiritual eyes to God’s goodness and His good purposes for our affliction (67-68, 71, 75) Reveals the mercy of God, dispensing it to our needy souls (77, 156) Provides the basis for crying out to God for justice (84-86, 118-119, 126, 136, 139, 149) Stands forever; it never fails as an enduring testimony to God’s faithfulness ((89-91, 111a, 142, 144, 152, 160) Strengthens the inner man in times of affliction (92, 107, 159) Gives spiritual life to the soul (93) Provides the standard of perfection (96) Imparts wisdom and spiritual understanding (97-100, 125, 130, 169) Teaches us the path of God (102) Feeds and satisfies spiritual appetites (103, 131) Engenders hatred for sin (104, 113, 128, 163) Lights our way in this darkened world (105) Produces joy in the heart (111, 143, 162) Provides a refuge when attacked by evildoers (114-115, 117, 139, 153-155, 161) Renews the longing to obey God (129) Defines the righteousness of God (137-138, 142) Brings peace to the troubled soul (165)

Once you savor Psalm 119, you will find yourself returning there throughout your spiritual pilgrimage. He who truly tastes the food of the Word returns to its table, habitually.

[This post was first published March 12, 2015.]

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