Commentaries on Psalm 119 fade. That is, they treat each paragraph in sum and make only brief comments. I suppose this saves space because Psalm 119 can be treated as 22 individual psalms. Today I\u2019ll look at the flow of the first \u201cletter\u201d (vv. 1-8). Commentaries on Psalm 119 fade. That is, they treat each paragraph in sum and make only brief comments. I suppose this saves space because Psalm 119 can be treated as 22 individual psalms. Today I\u2019ll look at the flow of the first \u201cletter\u201d (vv. 1-8).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":197,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1753],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1854","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-psalm-119"],"yoast_head":"\n
\nIt begins with a blessing <\/em>on those who listen and learn from the Torah, then it reminds <\/em>everyone that, after all, the Torah is the law of God to be kept. Then the one who utters this psalm expresses the wisdom <\/em>of this psalm: \u201cwould that my ways were firm in keeping your commands (chaqim<\/em>).\u201d This leads to a resolution <\/em>on the part of the psalmist: \u201cI will praise you \u2026 as I learn your just rules (mishpat<\/em>). I will keep your laws.\u201d
\nThen the dark word: \u201cdo not utterly forsake me.\u201d
\nThink it through: the Torah is God\u2019s gift to guide God\u2019s people; God\u2019s people is wise when it listens and heeds; this leads to God\u2019s blessing. It is foolish to avoid the Torah.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"