BRF - Psalm 119

Being the SIMPLE, black and white, no frills type person I am, I have never enjoyed literature much. I prefer everything to be quick and to the point so I wasn’t really expecting to get much or enjoy much from this Psalm. I love that I was so wrong.

It is all I can do to write my review before reading the others! I use the Message, so my wording may be slightly different.

What I found in this Psalm is that almost every stanza includes the same 4 basic principles simply reworded: Teach me, help me meditate on your Word, help me live by the Word, and don’t let go of me.

Here are a few synonyms…every one says so much to me.

Train me: I learn the pattern of your righteous ways, show me, give me clear directions, breathe your wisdom over me


Meditate: Look for your truth and wisdom, watch for your words, treasuring your revelation, when I take a long careful look at your ways, keep a steady gaze, haven’t relaxed my grip on your counsel, reverently ponder it all day long, concentrate, absorb, lovingly embrace, honor your words,

Live the Word: I post your road signs, stay the course, my whole life one long obedient response, trust your words, In step with your word

Don’t let me go: Don’t ever walk off and leave me, build me up again, Get me on my feet again, hold me tight, revive me, save me, stick with me and I’ll be all right, should I wander seek me.

One of the most striking things I found is the BOLDNESS of the author. He plainly tells God don’t walk away and leave me. He pleads and demands it. The passion amazed me.

Approximately the first half seems to be the author acknowledging that he needs to be taught, meditating and living on the word and demands God not to let go of him…he implies softly that he himself is who he needs to be saved from. The second half shifts slightly to the author acknowledging that he still has enemies but he himself isn’t so much one of them and that he is stating more in a past tense you did teach me, I did meditate so that I could live by the Word, but I still need you to not let go of me.

That just about sums it up, but there are other very important messages to be found. I personally have been trying to make a decision about where to serve at my church…whether to stay in a particular place or to make a move to fill another need.

“Let those who fear you turn to me
for evidence of you wise guidance” Psalm 119:78