Psalm 119:1-3 

“Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the LORD!”
Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
who seek him with their whole heart,
who also do no wrong,
but walk in his ways!”

Many of the psalms we’ve been meditating on this fall have been songs for particular seasons like anger, fear, or grief. Psalm 119 is a wisdom psalm and, as such, is a song for every season of life. Or to put it slightly differently, it’s a song to guide us into life in every season.

We began this series with Psalm 16, a prayer for God to preserve us as we continually take refuge in Him. It ended with the promise, “You make known to me the path of life” which leads to fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore. That’s one image with three parts: a destination (life), a route (pathway), and a map (truth).

Psalm 119, the longest psalm in the Bible, is a 176-verse alphabetical acrostic ode to God’s word, the map that guides us into the way of life. We’re urged to seek life in it, choose it, delight in it, keep it, walk and run in it. But it’s not just a song of commands, but petitions. “Oh, Lord…

• Let me not wander… (10)
• Open my eyes that I may behold… (18)
• Teach me… (26)
• Enlarge my heart… (32)
• Incline my heart… (36)
• Give me life in your ways… (37)

This Sunday, Mike Winger will preach selections from Psalm 119 for us and Kenny Clark will lead us in our worship through prayer and singing. Would you pray for them as they prepare?

To prepare your heart for Sunday, besides reading thoughtfully through Psalm 119, could I suggest praying through John 15:1-11? Jesus, who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me (John 14:6)” invited us into His blessed way with the image of abiding as a vine abides in a branch.

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

Ask the Lord to help us abide in Him by letting His word abide in us.

See you Sunday, Grace.