Ah, Psalm 119! That beautifully poetic, record-breaking chapter with its 176 verses of pure love and adoration for Yehovah's Word. It’s the Christian favourite for all things "light and lamp," the go-to Scripture for youth retreats, Bible camps, and Instagram posts. But there’s an elephant in the room (an entire herd, really) that we simply must address: How is it that a chapter so resoundingly devoted to the eternality of Yehovah’s Word somehow gets reduced to nothing more than a series of convenient soundbites? Let’s just say that when it comes to the "cherry-picking" Olympics, Psalm 119 has truly earned its gold medal.
"Your Word is a Lamp to My Feet"—But Only When It’s Convenient
Let’s start with the classic: "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light for my pathway" (Psalm 119:105. What a visual! What a sentiment! The Christian church is all over this one, branding it on everything from greeting cards to devotional mugs. But ask about which Word the psalmist is talking about, and things get a little fuzzy. Surely, we all know that the psalmist here is speaking of Yehovah’s instructions … His Torah, His divine commandments, His eternal wisdom.
But here’s where things get tricky. If Psalm 119:105 is about the eternality and guidance of Yehovah's Torah, then isn’t it a little odd that many Christian denominations have relegated the Torah itself to the theological dumpster, marking it as "done away with"?
Apparently, it’s one thing to have a metaphorical "lamp" and "light," but actually following that light when it includes things like Sabbaths, feasts, and (gasp!) dietary instructions? Now, that’s a bit much!
Psalm 119 and the Strange Case of Disappearing Context
For those who may not have ventured beyond the Pinterest-friendly verses, allow me to summarise Psalm 119’s actual theme: It’s essentially a love letter to Yehovah’s Torah … the entirety of His instruction. The psalmist repeatedly praises His statutes, precepts, laws, decrees, and commandments. It’s a 176-verse anthem of eternal dedication to the very thing that many churches insist is now obsolete.
Case in point: "Great peace belongs to those who love your instruction, and nothing makes them stumble" (Psalm 119:165. Let’s pause for a moment here … what instruction is being loved? I’ll give you a hint: It’s not just the vague idea of being a nice person or loving your neighbour (though those are important). No, this is a full-hearted embrace of every word Yehovah spoke, starting with His divine Torah.
And yet, we’ve all been in that sermon where the preacher gleefully quotes Psalm 119, conveniently skipping over the uncomfortable truth that the psalmist is talking about the Torah … the same Torah they’ve spent an entire theological career dismissing as "irrelevant."
The Great Psalm 119 Pick-and-Choose Parade
Of course, if you look closely at the broader motif of Psalm 119, one thing becomes abundantly clear: the psalmist is not interested in cherry-picking Yehovah’s instructions. He’s not flipping through the Torah like a selective shopper at a supermarket, tossing aside the "difficult" or "outdated" items. No, the psalmist treasures all of Yehovah’s commands.
Verse after verse, we read things like:
"Oh how I love your Torah! It is my meditation all day." (Psalm 119:97
"I will never forget your precepts, for with them you have revived me." (Psalm 119:93)
"Forever, Yehovah, your word is settled in heaven." (Psalm 119:89
Forever, huh? Settled in heaven? But, wait, isn’t the Torah just some old, dusty relic of an ancient time? You know, something we’ve “moved on” from now that we’re living in the enlightened era of "grace"? Oh, the awkward tension.
Grace Over Law, But Not When It’s Psalm 119!
Let’s take a moment to revel in the grand irony here. When it comes to Torah … Yehovah’s foundational instructions that guided His people Israel … many churches shout, "We’re under grace, not the Law!" Yet, Psalm 119 is practically saturated with reverence for those very laws. The whole psalm is a declaration that these commandments are not temporary; they’re eternal.
Yet somehow, Christian doctrine often splits its theological personality. The Torah is too Jewish when it comes to, say, keeping the seventh-day Sabbath or honouring the feasts. But throw in a metaphor about "light" or "peace" and suddenly, we’re all in love with it again. Funny how that works, right?
If Yehovah’s Word Is Eternal, Why Isn’t His Torah?
Here’s the rub. Psalm 119 doesn’t mince words: Yehovah’s statutes are eternal. The very idea that His Torah could somehow expire or become irrelevant is foreign to the psalmist. If Psalm 119 is to be believed (and let’s assume the Word of Yehovah is worth believing), then Yehovah’s commandments are timeless, not bound to one era or one people.
Yet, many churches insist that these commandments … this very Word that Psalm 119 holds in such esteem … were "nailed to the execution stake (cross)." Why? Because it’s inconvenient to follow them? Because they interfere with our carefully curated, modern Christian culture?
The Psalm 119 Time Machine: From Ancient Israel to Instagram Posts
So here we are, stuck in a time machine. We’ve transported Psalm 119 from its original context … an ode to Torah-keeping Israel … and turned it into an Instagrammable verse to brighten someone’s Monday. And as long as we stay far, far away from the pesky verses about what the Word actually says (you know, those commandments), everything will be just fine.
The Gospel According to Psalm 119—Pick What You Like!
Psalm 119 isn’t just a nice collection of "inspirational" sayings about light and peace. It’s a call to embrace Yehovah’s entire instruction. Yet, in much of Christian culture, we’ve distilled this rich and profound text into bite-sized, feel-good quotes, stripping it of its actual meaning.
If we’re going to plaster Psalm 119 all over our social media feeds, perhaps it’s time we give it the full respect it deserves. After all, it’s not just about a metaphorical "lamp" or "path." It’s about the eternal Word of Yehovah … His Torah … that guides us from Genesis to Revelation. If we’re going to embrace this psalm, let’s stop cherry-picking the bits that fit into our "modern" religious systems and embrace the whole picture: His Word, His instruction, His eternal Torah.
You can’t have the lamp without the light that comes with it.