Getting Started with Psalms 119

I want my relationship with My Lord to be first, and my Facebook, Twitter and business relationships to be in last place(sorry, friends!) God must come first, next is my wife, and then Biblical family responsibilities, before I am qualified to minister to others. Business comes dead last.
I am striving to incorporate my Bible study into my internet time, hoping that since Facebook helps me to form a blog (as well as promote a blog) I'll see if I can get it ALL done, and not leave any calling out.
I like to start with Psalms 119 because it combines prayer with God's Word, and nothing is more powerful than praying THE WORD!
I choose to do meditations in the open. It could potentially be a time saver, having my devotion become a ministry, somewhat like David's Psalms moving from being a personal tool to a help for all believers. Openness in a shepherd's life is both a obvious teaching tool, and a weapon, for it's difficult for the enemy to start destructive rumors when all the facts are already public.
Psalms 119:39Turn away my reproach which I fear: for thy judgments are good. 
Lord, you are the One Who holds back reproach, a punishment we deserve, for we have all failed You.
Thank You for Your mercy, demonstrated by Your Son Jesus & His death on the Cross.

In Psalms 119, there are so many things God wants to do for us, if we would just ask Him. David put these in one verse prayers. I like them. They can be prayed anytime, like right now, if I may so boldly suggest!
Teach me, O LORD, the way of Your statutes!
Give me understanding!
Make me to go in the path of Your commandments!
Incline my heart unto Your testimonies!
Turn away my eyes from beholding lies!
Stablish Your word in Your servant's heart! (vs32-38)

Psalms 119


God' Mercy blocks the river of His fiery anger. The humble head for the high ground of the Cross.
The sirens of Judgement are blaring, but we wear our earmuffs of Proud Ignorance, and go our way.
God's lessons are fierce. A moment of foolishness can destroy and kill. But His love on the Cross is also fierce!
The proud blithely play in the Park of Good Times, below the Dam of God's Impending Judgement.
The proud build a fortress of excuses, but on Judgement Day the excuses will turn to dust!
Politics wins. Statesmanship does the right thing, win or lose. Better to lose an election than God's favor.
Death terrorizes us, cruelly snatching loved ones, but we cry out to You! Jesus, save us!
Pride blinds my soul, and darkens my path, but You, Jesus, are my Light!


Don't give up! Mose was once a basket case!
Calm, smiling, helpful postal workers make me nervous... whatever happened to tradition?

Madness takes it's toll. Please have exact change.
When no one understands you, chocolate is there.
I'm diagonally parked in a parallel universe... and I like it!

Want a Passion for the Word and Prayer?

My great need is to pray more and to get into God's Word more, and Psalms 119 is a powerful tool that I rely on over and over.

The structure of Psalms 119 is unique. Almost every verse is both a prayer and a comment on The Word of God, and can stand alone. There are 8 verses per grouping and each grouping starts with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet as a memory aid. 
The verses are supremely motivating to DRAW ME INTO PRAYER AND THE WORD OF GOD SIMULTANEOUSLY!

I come back to this chapter repeatedly for my meditation. I can not say enough about how motivating this chapter is, if you will pursue it like a lifetime treasure hunt!

 ¹Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.

 ²Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

 ³They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

 ⁴Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

 ⁵O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

 ⁶Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

 ⁷I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

 ⁸I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

 ⁹Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

 ¹⁰With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

 ¹¹Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

 ¹²Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.

 ¹³With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

 ¹⁴I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

 ¹⁵I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

 ¹⁶I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

 ¹⁷Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.

 ¹⁸Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

 ¹⁹I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.

 ²⁰My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.

 ²¹Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.

 ²²Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.

 ²³Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.

 ²⁴Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.

 ²⁵My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.

 ²⁶I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.

 ²⁷Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.

 ²⁸My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.

 ²⁹Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously.

 ³⁰I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me. (Psalm 119, King James Version)

Deeper into the Word and Prayer?

My great need is to pray more and to get into God's Word more, and Psalms 119 is a powerful tool that I rely on over and over.

The structure of Psalms 119 is unique. Almost every verse is both a prayer and a comment on The Word of God, and can stand alone. 

There are 8 verses per grouping and each grouping starts with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet as a memory aid. The verses are supremely motivating to DRAW ME INTO PRAYER AND THE WORD OF GOD SIMULTANEOUSLY!

I come back to this chapter repeatedly for my meditation. I can not say enough about how motivating this chapter is, if you will pursue it like a lifetime treasure hunt!
Psalms 119:1-30 at Bible Gateway

 ¹Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.

 ²Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

 ³They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.

 ⁴Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.

 ⁵O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

 ⁶Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.

 ⁷I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.

 ⁸I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.

 ⁹Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.

 ¹⁰With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

 ¹¹Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

 ¹²Blessed art thou, O LORD: teach me thy statutes.

 ¹³With my lips have I declared all the judgments of thy mouth.

 ¹⁴I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

 ¹⁵I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways.

 ¹⁶I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

 ¹⁷Deal bountifully with thy servant, that I may live, and keep thy word.

 ¹⁸Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

 ¹⁹I am a stranger in the earth: hide not thy commandments from me.

 ²⁰My soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments at all times.

 ²¹Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.

 ²²Remove from me reproach and contempt; for I have kept thy testimonies.

 ²³Princes also did sit and speak against me: but thy servant did meditate in thy statutes.

 ²⁴Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.

 ²⁵My soul cleaveth unto the dust: quicken thou me according to thy word.

 ²⁶I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes.

 ²⁷Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk of thy wondrous works.

 ²⁸My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.

 ²⁹Remove from me the way of lying: and grant me thy law graciously.

 ³⁰I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me. (Psalm 119, King James Version)

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