By Marek Zabriskie
Psalm 119 is one of my favorite psalms in the Bible. It is also the longest. It has 176 verses. Compare that with the much beloved Psalm 23, which has only 6 verses. Psalm 119 is nearly 30 times longer. Yet, Psalm 119 is full of stunning spiritual insights. We read:
Oh, how I love your law!
It is my meditation all day long. (Ps. 119:97)
It echoes Psalm 1, which is said to be the key to understanding the entire Psalter or collection of 150 psalms. Psalm 1 begins with these words:
“Happy are those who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
or sit in the seat of scoffers;
but their delight is in the law of the Lord,
and on his law they meditate day and night. (Ps. 1:1-2)
The Psalter was the hymnal that Jesus and his fellow Jews used for worship. The psalms were set to music and were sung. Many of the psalms are said to have been composed by King David, who was not only a political and a military leader but also a very gifted musician. His wonderful harp playing soothed King Saul, who suffered from terrible migraines.
The ancients knew that meditating on God’s Word allowed spiritual nutrients to enter the soul.
The author of Psalm 119 was well aware of this, but he gets a little carried away as his lack of humility demonstrates:
Your commandment has made me wiser than my enemies,
and it is always with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers,
for your decrees are my study.
I am wiser than the elders… (Ps. 119:98-99)
There’s an adage, “If you are the wisest person in the room, then you are in the wrong room.” If you are wiser than your teachers, you need to find new teachers or switch schools.
I once asked Canon Donald Allchin, who had served as a tutor to Archbishop Rowan Williams while he was a seminary student, “What was that like?” Allchin replied, “There was nothing that I could teach him that he didn’t already know.” But, of course, few minds in the history of Anglicanism are on par with that of Rowan Williams.
The author of Psalm 119 goes on to say:
I hold back my feet from every evil way,
in order to keep your word.
I do not turn away from your ordinances,
for you have taught me. (119:101-102)
In the letter to the Hebrews, we read:
“Indeed, the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing until it divides the soul from spirit, joints from marrow; it is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)
We live in a time when we must reclaim the Christian conscience. We must hold onto the moral order or else we as a people will greatly suffer. Life is not reality TV. We need to tell the truth to others and to ourselves and be willing to listen to the truth spoken to us. We must also call out those who would serve up a steady stream of lies.
Reading God’s Word and marinating ourselves in it, helps us to develop a Christian conscience, which is indispensable for faithful Christian living. That’s why attending church, praying a little bit each day and reading some Scripture is vital, especially in times of great uncertainty and change.
The author of Psalm 119 notes,
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.
Throughout Scripture that are references to consuming God’s Word like manna from heaven. The prophets are said to have tasted God’s Word and found it sweeter than honey.
I drink my coffee with honey, not sugar, each morning as I read the Bible at home, and I, too, find God’s teachings are sweeter than honey.
If I read three chapters of the Old Testament, a psalm, and a chapter of the New Testament, I never find a day where I do not feel spiritually refreshed by what I have read. Even if I just read one chapter of the New Testament a day, I still never come away without some spiritual nugget or vital truth that refreshes my soul.
The key is to read slowly and meditatively. To mull over what you read in the Bible like a cow chewing her cud. Savor a particular word or phrase that stands out like “the glory of God,” or “I came that they might have life, and have it abundantly” or “peace be with you.”
Then let the words sink in. Let them carry out their mystical, magical work. You will often be amazed on a little slow, meditative Bible reading at the beginning of the day will transform the entire rest of your day.
The Rev. Marek Zabriskie is committed to putting God’s Word at the center of Christian community and in the life of each follower of Jesus.
