Psalm 119:97–104—Psalm 119 is an example of Hebrew poetry, which is different
than English poetry. First, the psalm is an acrostic: that is, every line of
each section starts with the same Hebrew letter, in this case ‘mem’ (מ). Another characteristic of Hebrew
poetry is parallelism, where the two halves of each line complement each other
in some way. Here, we see that the second half of each line serves to amplify
the thought in the first half.
Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the
day.
Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for
it is ever with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers for your
testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the aged, for I keep your
precepts.
I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word.
I do not turn aside from your rules, for you have
taught me.
How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than
honey to my mouth!
Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I
hate every false way.
The psalmist proclaims that the Word
of God is the source of wisdom; it rewards the one who meditates on it by
making him wiser than my enemies and having more understanding than all my
teachers. So, too, let us not fail to immerse ourselves in the study of God’s
Word, for it is sweeter than honey to my mouth.
Collect for Psalm 119: Lord, you are just and your commandments are eternal. Teach us to love you with all our hearts, and to love our neighbor as ourselves, for the sake of Jesus our Lord.
Collect for Psalm 119, For All the Saints, A Prayer book for and by the Church Vol.III © 1995 The American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, Delhi, NY
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