a Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments. I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.
Psalms 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible. It's 176 verses are purposefully divided into sections by the letters of the Hebrew alphabet.
a -Aleph
The psalmist's assumption is that it is most desirable to be "blessed". Blessed are the undefiled, those who walk in holiness, a living transcript of the ways of God (2 Corinthians 3:3).
How do we enter into such blessings? Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart. This is the key to this portion of Psalms 119, and indeed to the key to salvation. We know that salvation is not found in purely obeying the letter of the Law, but in loving the Lord with all our heart, our soul, mind and our strength. The writer is using a continuous present tense. You can't find Jesus one day and keep Him in your pocket for the rest of your life and expect to be blessed. Seeking God is a process which takes place over your entire life-time. God promises to respond to our seeking Him (2 Chronicles 15:2, Proverbs 8:17, Jeremiah 29:13).
It is this kind of seeking God which enables us to hold the ways of God in high esteem because we love Him. Our love for God and His grace, give us the sincere desire and ability beyond ourselves to obey the Law. The Word of God tells us that in the latter days, God will write His Law on men's hearts (Jeremiah 31:33). His Love will at that point constrain us to reject the ways of evil, and embrace Righteousness and Truth.
Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. Isaiah 55:6-7
Copyright © 2007 by Ruth Mayfield All rights reserved. These articles may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, by including this notice.
