Remembering to be Thankful

As we continue to look at Bible passages dealing with giving thanks, we come to a New Testament passage where Paul is instructing Timothy on dealing with some false teachers. In this passage, he tells Timothy of things that are to be received with thanksgiving.

¹The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. ²Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. ³They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth. ⁴For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, ⁵because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

1 Timothy 4:1-5

• The false teachers that Paul warns Timothy of are in part telling people what they shouldn't eat. But Paul tells Timothy those things should be received with thanksgiving.
• The Greek word used here - eucharistia - means to freely give thanks.
• The English word Eucharist - which refers to Communion is derived from this Greek word. So, when we have Communion, we should remember to give thanks to God for what Jesus did for us.
• Paul goes on to tell Timothy that "everything from God is good." The Greek word here is kalos which means beautiful, handsome, excellent, eminent, choice, surpassing, precious, useful, suitable, commendable, admirable.
• Because the things we receive from God are good, we are to receive them with thanksgiving.
• Furthermore, the things we receive from God are also consecrated - hagiazō - set apart and dedicated to God.
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• What are some things that you have received from God?
• Have you thanked Him for them?

Thank You For Saving Me

Today, we continue on the theme of giving thanks. Yesterday, we looked at Psalm 100 and how giving thanks and praise are tied together. We looked at some of the things to be thankful for: mainly for God's love and faithfulness to us. Today, we are going to look at the story of Anna, one of the people who got to see baby Jesus, when Mary and Joseph brought him to the temple.

³⁶There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. ³⁸Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.

Luke 2:36-38

• The original language for the New Testament is Greek (not the Hebrew we're used to from the Old Testament. The word used in verse 38 for giving thanks is anthomologeomai. This word means "to acknowledge fully, to celebrate fully in praise with thanksgiving." This long word is actually a compound word in the Greek - anti and homologeō which itself is a compound of homou and logos - which in it's parts mean "because of," "together," and "word." homologeō by itself means to agree, to praise and to celebrate. The prefix anti (though in other cases it could mean what we think of in English) means "because of." In other words, as Anna is giving thanks and praising, she is recognizing that it is because of Jesus that she is giving thanks.


• What is Anna thankful for? the redemption of Jerusalem


• The word for redemption - lytrōsis - means "deliverance, esp. from the penalty of sin"
• Jerusalem can be taken to mean the people of Israel, God's people
• Anna recognized that baby Jesus was going to deliver God's people from the penalty of their sin. She had been waiting all of her life for this and was excited that it had finally arrived.
• Are you thankful that Jesus has delivered you from the penalty of your sin?
• Are you glad you didn't have to wait all of your life for it?
• If we know that Jesus has delivered us from the penalty of our sin, what should we do?

Enter His Gates With Thanksgiving

This Thursday, we will celebrate the holiday Thanksgiving. As we gather with family and eat lots of good food, we will also remember to thank God for the many blessings that He has given us.

A psalm. For giving thanks.

^{1 Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.}

^{2 Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.}

^{3 Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.}

^{4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.}

^{5 For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.}

Psalm 100

In particular today, we are going to focus on verses 4 and 5. In this verse, we see the concepts of thanksgiving and praise coupled together twice. So let's look at those two concepts a little.

• What does it mean to give thanks? the act of giving thanks; grateful acknowledgment of benefits or favors, esp. to God
• What does it mean to give praise? the act of expressing approval or admiration; commendation
• The Hebrew word for thanksgiving - towdah - means give praise to God or thanksgiving in songs of liturgical worship, hymn of praise
• The Hebrew word for praise - tĕhillah - means praise, song or hymn of praise or praise, adoration, thanksgiving (paid to God)
• The Hebrew words for give thanks - yadah (hiphil) - mean to give thanks. (Well, duh) But it's interesting to note that the verb here by itself can also mean to shoot as in shooting arrows. To me this implies that giving thanks is active not passive and that there is a target for giving thanks.
• The second word we see translated as praise - barak - means to praise or to bless.
• So from this verse we can see that thanksgiving and praise go together. The thanksgiving can be in song and it is active and directed towards God.
• What, here in this Psalm, is the Psalmist thankful for?
• God is good - in Hebrew towb - meaning good, pleasant, excellent, right
• His love - checed meaning goodness, kindness, faithfulness - endures forever
• His faithfulness - 'emuwnah meaning firmness, fidelity, steadfastness, steadiness - continues to all generations.
• What are you thankful for?

Psalm 119: Wrapup

So did you remember the 7 words referring to God's word? Let's look back on something we read before we got to Psalm 119.

¹⁶All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

• What is God's word useful for
• teaching
• rebuking
• correcting
• training in righteousness
• equipping the man of God for good works
• What are some of the other things that we read about in Psalm 119?
• promoting the fear of God
• helping us live pure lives
• comforting us when dealing with bad people
• comforting us when we're not happy
• focusing on what God wants us to do
• living boldly
• growing when we're afflicted
• benefitting others
• helps us when waiting
• God's word is eternal
• making us wise
• guiding our path
• God's word is to be greatly desired
• God's word is right and trustworthy
• we can put our hope in God's word when crying out for help
• What have you learned about God's word

Psalm 119: A look back

Do you realize that it was over a month ago that we started Psalm 119? Today (and tomorrow) we are going to take a look back at some of the things that we've learned.

• What was the main focus of Psalm 119? God's word or law
• How many of the different words referring to God's word can you remember?
• commands
• decrees
• law or laws
• precepts
• promises (or promise or promised)
• statutes
• word or words
• Which is mentioned most frequently? law or laws is mentioned 45 times
• All of these words, except promise, are mentioned at least 20 times. Promise is only mentioned 14 times. All total, these words are mentioned 177 times. Since there are only 176 verses, you can see that this is the central theme to Psalm.
• What are some of the things the Psalmist is going to do that were mentioned over and over?
• obey - mentioned 17 times
• meditate - mentioned 8 times
• praise - mentioned 6 times

¹⁵ I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.

¹⁶ I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.

Psalm 119:15-16

• When you think about God and His law, what are some things you think about?
• What are some ways that you want to focus on (not neglect) God's Word?

Taw

We come now to Taw the last letter in the acrostic in Psalm 119. We've learned a lot about God's Word by reading His Word. We'll review some of what we learned the rest of the week, but today let's look at some of the psalmist's closing thoughts.

¹⁶⁹ May my cry come before you, O LORD; give me understanding according to your word.

¹⁷⁰ May my supplication come before you; deliver me according to your promise.

¹⁷¹ May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees.

¹⁷² May my tongue sing of your word, for all your commands are righteous.

¹⁷³ May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.

¹⁷⁴ I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight.

¹⁷⁵ Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws sustain me.

¹⁷⁶ I have strayed like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I have not forgotten your commands.

Psalm 119:169-176

Discussion Questions

• What are some of his closing thoughts?
• He wants understanding (v. 169)
• He humbles himself before God (supplication) (v. 170)
• He praises God (v. 171)
• He sings of God's word (v. 172)
• He has chosen God (v. 173)
• He delights in the law (v. 174)

Let's look at one of Jesus' parables:

¹²"What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? ¹³And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. ¹⁴In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.

Matthew 18:12-14

• He's a lost sheep who hasn't forgotten God's word. (v. 176) Will God take him back?

Now let's look at a passage in Romans.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

Romans 12:1

• The Psalmist wants his life to praise God. In Romans our lives are supposed to worship God. Should our attitude be like the psalmists?
• How do we know we can do this? His word sustains us.
• Food also sustains us. But what must we do for it to sustain us? Eat it
• Can we just eat once and that will be enough? No, we must eat multiple times every day.
• Should we then read God's Word every day?

Sin and Shin

We are almost to end of Psalm 119. It's been a long time that we've been looking at it, but it's been well worth the time that we've spent on it. Today we come to Sin and Shin. Here we read about how God's word is to be highly treasured and loved. We saw some of this last week and today we see more of how the psalmist loves God's word. Let's read.

¹⁶¹ Rulers persecute me without cause, but my heart trembles at your word.

¹⁶² I rejoice in your promise like one who finds great spoil.

¹⁶³ I hate and abhor falsehood but I love your law.

¹⁶⁴ Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws.

¹⁶⁵ Great peace have they who love your law, and nothing can make them stumble.

¹⁶⁶ I wait for your salvation, O LORD, and I follow your commands.

¹⁶⁷ I obey your statutes, for I love them greatly.

¹⁶⁸ I obey your precepts and your statutes, for all my ways are known to you.

Psalm 119:161-168

Discussion Question

• What are some of the things we read here that tellof how the psalmist feels about God's Word? Let's look at them and you tell me what they mean...
• My heart trembles at Your Word (v. 161)
• I rejoice in Your promise like one who finds great spoil. (v. 162)
• I love your law. (v. 163)
• Seven times a day, I praise You for Your righteous laws. (v. 164)
• Great peace for those who love Your law. (v. 165)
• I love them greatly. (v. 167)
• Now let's look at two of these and dig into what they are saying.
• I rejoice in your promise like one who finds great spoil. (v. 162) He finds great spoil.
• Do you remember in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull how excited Mac was when they found all of the treasure at the end? Mac was os enamored of th treasure that it cost him his life.
• Can you think of a time when you found great spoil?
• How did you feel when you got your new Bibles? Did you rejoice?
• Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws. (v. 164) Seven times a day
• Do you eat seven times a day?
• Do you play with legos seven times a day?
• Do you play Wii seven times a day?
• Do you suppose this indicates the Psalmist is constantly praising God?
• Do you suppose the psalmist really, really loves God's word?
• Why does the psalmist say he will obey God's Word?
• He loves it
• All of his ways are known to God

Remember God's Word is a valuable treasure that you should love and obey. But also remember God is watching you.

Resh

We've got just a few more days to go before we finish up our journey through Psalm 119. In today's study we come to the letter resh. We once again see the psalmist contrasting himself with the wicked people around him and wanting his life to be preserved. Let's read.

¹⁵³ Look upon my suffering and deliver me, for I have not forgotten your law.

¹⁵⁴ Defend my cause and redeem me; preserve my life according to your promise.

¹⁵⁵ Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek out your decrees.

¹⁵⁶ Your compassion is great, O LORD; preserve my life according to your laws.

¹⁵⁷ Many are the foes who persecute me, but I have not turned from your statutes.

¹⁵⁸ I look on the faithless with loathing, for they do not obey your word.

¹⁵⁹ See how I love your precepts; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your love.

¹⁶⁰ All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal.

Psalm 119:153-160

Before we get to our discussion questions, I want to do something a little different. First, I want to look at a few of these verses from a different translation - the Amplified Bible.

We will see here how different translators bring out different aspects of the text. Sometimes this can be helpful for understanding the message of the text. Consider when you're playing Star Wars Lego on the Wii. There's a weapon that you call a "meter." When you boys are playing and talking about meters, you each know what the other is talking about. To me, a meter might be a parking meter where you would put money in to pay for parking or the primary unit of linear measure in the metric system. If you only knew about your "meter" then you might be confused if I told Mommy about having to keep going out every 15 minutes to feed the meter. But if instead I said I had to keep going out every 15 minutes to pay for parking, you might understand better. By looking at a different translation, you might better understand a passage of Scripture or you might respond to it differently.

¹⁵³ Consider my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget Your law.

¹⁵⁴ Plead my cause and redeem me; revive me and give me life according to Your word.

¹⁵⁵ Salvation is far from the wicked, for they seek not nor hunger for Your statutes.

¹⁵⁶ Great are Your tender mercy and loving-kindness, O Lord; give me life according to Your ordinances.

Psalm 119:153-156 (Amplified Bible)

Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

Now, I will admit that when I read this text in the Amplified Bible, something clicked that hadn't when just reading it in the NIV or the NIrV. I recognized it as being the inspiration for the song "Revive Me" by Jeremy Camp which we have heard sung in church a couple of times. When you hear the words sung, you may get yet a different impression of this passage of Scripture because of the way emotion can be communicated through the singing. So, let's listen to the song.

Discussion Questions

• Which did you like best? The NIV, the Amplified, or the song?
• I know my impressions of greatly differed between the NIV and the song. The song doesn't have all of the words in the text and chooses words to help focus on the theme. Did you get different impressions from the different versions?
• We've talked before about how singing God's word is valuable. Do you think that this song is a good example of singing God's word?
• Though the full text in the Bible that we read touches on several themes, what is the theme that you hear in the song?


• Do you think that this song is a good representation of this part of Psalm 119 or do you think it misses? Or in other words, do you think the theme in the song is found in the text?
• Did you find it refreshing today to look at this text differently by using another translation and using a song?

Qoph

Today we come to qoph in our journey through Psalm 119. The theme that I want to look at today is that when we call out for help, we can put our hope in God's word. So, let's read!

¹⁴⁵ I call with all my heart; answer me, O LORD, and I will obey your decrees.

¹⁴⁶ I call out to you; save me and I will keep your statutes.

¹⁴⁷ I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word.

¹⁴⁸ My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.

¹⁴⁹ Hear my voice in accordance with your love; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your laws.

¹⁵⁰ Those who devise wicked schemes are near, but they are far from your law.

¹⁵¹ Yet you are near, O LORD, and all your commands are true.

¹⁵² Long ago I learned from your statutes that you established them to last forever.

Psalm 119:145-152

Discussion Questions

• The psalmist is calling out for help. To whom?
• The first two verses may sound a little different from what we've read before. But really they are not. The psalmist isn't really saying that he expects God to answer and then after God has answered he will obey. Rather, he is saying that he expects God to answer and while he is still waiting for the answer, he will obey. (v. 145-146)
• How urgent is his cry for help? Urgent enough, that he's getting up early to cry for help (v. 147)
• In what is he placing his hope (a wish and expecting the wish will be fulfilled)? God's word (v. 147)
• How important is it to the psalmist to focus on God's word? He is staying up all night meditating on God's word (v. 148)
• Who is it that is causing him to cry out for help? those who devise wicked schemes (v. 150)
• How is he comforted?
• God is near (v. 151)
• God's word is true (v. 151)
• He has learned from God's loaw (v. 152)
• He knows that God's laws will last forever (v. 152)

Tsadhe

We now come to the Hebrew letter Tsadhe. Today, we read about how God's word is right and trustworthy. In the Hebrew, we can translate righteous/right as what is right or just or normal, rightness, justness (of weights and measures) or straight, upright, correct, right. When we read trustworthy, the original Hebrew can be translated as firmness, faithfulness, truth, fidelity, steadfastness, steadiness. Count how many times right or righteous is mentioned. Count how many times words meaning trustworthy are mentioned. Let's read!

¹³⁷ Righteous are you, O LORD, and your laws are right.

¹³⁸ The statutes you have laid down are righteous; they are fully trustworthy.

¹³⁹ My zeal wears me out, for my enemies ignore your words.

¹⁴⁰ Your promises have been thoroughly tested, and your servant loves them.

¹⁴¹ Though I am lowly and despised, I do not forget your precepts.

¹⁴² Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true.

¹⁴³ Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands are my delight.

¹⁴⁴ Your statutes are forever right; give me understanding that I may live.

Psalm 119:137-144

Discussion Questions

• How many times was right or righteousness mentioned? 5 Define it
• How many times were words meaning trustworthy mentioned? 2 Define it
• Do you think if these are repeated over and over they are important?
• What does the Psalmist say about how he feels about God's word?
• He loves it (v. 140)
• He delights in it (v. 143)
• What are some situations the Psalmist says God's word helps him?
• when people don't like him (v. 141)
• when he's having trouble (v. 143)
• How does he know God's word will help him? it is right and trustworthy
• Do you think God's word can help you? When?

Pe

As we continue our journey through Psalm 119, we come to the Hebrew letter Pe. Here, we readed about how God's word is to be greatly desired. Can you remember the feeling on Christmas morning or your birthday when you are about to open a present? Can you recall the excitement as you start to rip away the paper and try and figure out what the present is? This is how the psalmist feels about God's word. Let's read!

¹²⁹ Your statutes are wonderful; therefore I obey them.

¹³⁰ The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

¹³¹ I open my mouth and pant, longing for your commands.

¹³² Turn to me and have mercy on me, as you always do to those who love your name.

¹³³ Direct my footsteps according to your word; let no sin rule over me.

¹³⁴ Redeem me from the oppression of men, that I may obey your precepts.

¹³⁵ Make your face shine upon your servant and teach me your decrees.

¹³⁶ Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed.

Psalm 119:128-136

Discussion Questions

• What is the best gift you ever got? Did you know what it was beforehand?
• What did you think about that gift? Was it bad, okay, or wonderful?
• How did the psalmist feel about God's word? (v. 129)
• How did you feel as you were unwrapping this gift?
• The psalmist talks about the unfolding of God's word. This means opening up of or beginning to understand God's word. Do you think he was excited by it? (v. 130)
• Reading verse 131, how do you think the Psalmist felt about God's word? Bored, sad, exicted? Why?
• If we can agree that the Psalmist thought God's word was a wonderful gift (that keeps on giving!) what are some of the things he did as a response?
• he obeyed (v. 129, 134)
• he followed the right path (v. 130)
• he learned (v. 135)
• he was saddened when people disobeyed (v.136)

Ayin

As we continue our journey through Psalm 119, we come to Ayin the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The theme I want to touch on today is this: When faced with multiple paths, hate the wrong ones. In light of what we read yesterday about people who stray from the path and the day before about how God's word is a light to our path, we know the importance of the right path. But sometimes we are tempted by other paths that may not be the right path. So, let's read.

¹²¹ I have done what is righteous and just; do not leave me to my oppressors.

¹²² Ensure your servant's well-being; let not the arrogant oppress me.

¹²³ My eyes fail, looking for your salvation, looking for your righteous promise.

¹²⁴ Deal with your servant according to your love and teach me your decrees.

¹²⁵ I am your servant; give me discernment that I may understand your statutes.

¹²⁶ It is time for you to act, O LORD; your law is being broken.

¹²⁷ Because I love your commands more than gold, more than pure gold,

¹²⁸ and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path.

Psalm 119:121-128

Discussion Questions

• Before we look at how the Psalmist hates the wrong paths, we need to see where he is first.
• He is living a "good" life
• doing what is righteous and just (v. 121)
• serving God (v. 125)
• wanting to understand God's laws (v. 125)
• He is looking to God
• looking for God's salvation and promise (v. 123)
• looking for God to respond to bad people(v. 126)
• He is motivated by God's word
• He loves God's commands (v. 127)
• God's word is valuable to Him (v. 127)
• He considers God's word right - as in the right path, a straight, level path
• As a result of living a life obedient to God, looking to God, and realizing that God's word points to the right path, he hates the wrong paths. It is important to note:
• Hate - literally means to hate. Not "not like as much as the other" and not "slightly dislike" and not "dislike", but hate!
• wrong - translated elsewhere as false meaning a lie, deception, disappointment, falsehood
• path - way, path, road, passing of life, way of living

Samekh

Do you sometimes get frustrated with the people around you? Do you find that people do things that you don't like or don't want them to do? Do you sometimes see people doing things that are wrong? How should you react? What does the Bible say about how we should react? As we get to the next section of Psalm 119 for the Hebrew letter samekh we find the Psalmist talking about how he wants to deal with bad people around him. Let's read!

¹¹³ I hate double-minded men, but I love your law.

¹¹⁴ You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.

¹¹⁵ Away from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commands of my God!

¹¹⁶ Sustain me according to your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed.

¹¹⁷ Uphold me, and I will be delivered; I will always have regard for your decrees.

¹¹⁸ You reject all who stray from your decrees, for their deceitfulness is in vain.

¹¹⁹ All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross; therefore I love your statutes.

¹²⁰ My flesh trembles in fear of you; I stand in awe of your laws.

Psalm 119:113-120

Discussion Questions

• We see different people referred to in this passage. What do some of these mean?
• double-minded men - this implies evil, false, useless, lying men
• evildoers - this implies spoiled, rotten, good for nothing, bad people who harm others
• those who stray from God's decrees - are people who make a mistake and lies and deception take them away from the God's path
• the wicked - people who are morally wrong, actively (not just occasionally) bad
• What does the Psalmist say in response to these people?
• He loves God's law
• He puts his hope in God's word
• He wants to keep God's commandments
• He will have respect for God's commandments
• He fears God
• He stands in awe of God's laws
• Do you remember how we defined fearing God?
• Do you know what it means to stand in awe of God's law?

Nun

Now we come to Nun. Today, we're going to do things just a little bit different. We'll be having some discussion questions before we do our reading and then we'll have more after we do our reading. But, anyway, back to nun, the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. In this section we see that God's word guides us. God's word helps us to know where to go and keeps us heading in the right direction.

Discussion Questions

• If you are walking through the woods in the dark, what tool would you want with you? A flashlight?
• If there's a path through the woods, would you want to stay on it?
• If you are walking in the dark and drop your favorite toy, what would you do?
• If you are walking in the woods at night and hear a strange noise off the path, what would you do?
• If you're walking at night in the dark, do you think you should remember your flashlight?

Now, keeping in mind that God's word guides us, listen as we read for how God's word keeps us on the right path.

¹⁰⁵ Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

¹⁰⁶ I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws.

¹⁰⁷ I have suffered much; preserve my life, O LORD, according to your word.

¹⁰⁸ Accept, O LORD, the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your laws.

¹⁰⁹ Though I constantly take my life in my hands, I will not forget your law.

¹¹⁰ The wicked have set a snare for me, but I have not strayed from your precepts.

¹¹¹ Your statutes are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.

¹¹² My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end.

Psalm 119:105-112

Discussion Questions

• Based on verse 105, what would you compare God's word to?
• Does the Psalmist plan to stay on the path? How? (v. 106)
• The Psalmist is suffering and worried about losing his life. How does he expect to not lose it? (v. 107)
• The wicked are out to get him. What does he do? (v. 110)
• How do we know he'll have his "flashlight" with him? (v. 109)
• How does he plan on staying on the path? (v. 112)

Mem

Mem is the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet that we come to in Psalm 119. In this section of Psalm 119, we read about how God's word makes us wise. Webster.com defines wise (adj) as "characterized by wisdom : marked by deep understanding, keen discernment, and a capacity for sound judgment." For our purposes, we can think of it as being smart, having common sense, having good judgement, making good decisions, having insight into and understanding about things. Listen for some of these words and concepts as we read. Also, pay attention to how the Psalmist has to do things (put effort into) in order to gain some benefit (get something out of it) from God's word.

⁹⁷ Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long.

⁹⁸ Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me.

⁹⁹ I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes.

¹⁰⁰ I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts.

¹⁰¹ I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word.

¹⁰² I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me.

¹⁰³ How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

¹⁰⁴ I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.

Psalm 119:97-104

Discussion Questions

• What does the Psalmist put into God's word? What does he do with it?
• He loves it (v. 97)
• He meditates on it (v. 97, 99)
• He obeys it (v. 98)
• He statys away from evil (v. 101)
• He doesn't depart from the law (v. 102)
• He "eats" or consumes it (v. 103)
• What does he get out of God's law?
• made wise (v. 98)
• insight (v. 99)
• understanding (v. 100, 104)
• able to obey (v. 101)
• learned it (v. 102)
• gains pleasure from it (v. 103)
• What do you want to put into learning God's word?
• memorizing?
• meditating?
• praying?
• singing?