Christians: What does Psalm 119 mean to you?

Harel13 said:

Psalm 119 is considered by Jews to be a psalm entirely about the love of Torah, that is, the divine law. Clearly the Psalmist, who some say is David (though it is anonymously written), was very much enthralled with the law of God. While not that many Jews may remember the entire chapter by heart, quite a few will recognize several verses, in particular those that were made into songs; songs about loving Torah. As the Torah as a book of law has essentially been nullified in Christianity, I'm therefore curious to know what meaning Christians place in this particular psalm.

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I love Psalms 119. It is filled with life.

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" - It remains forever true!

10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

- In the Christian view, not all of the laws are nullified (sacrificing lambs, of course, won't be done by Christians ) We simply love God and love our neighbor (or try) - and thus fulfill the law. But to seek God with my whole heart... may it forever be true. So, where it says "law and statutes" all we do is apply it to the law of love. It worketh

so many great sections can be used as a prayer

Nova2216 said:

The word of God says God hears not sinners? (Jn 9:31)

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Must take that in context. Every person who asks God for salvation asks as a sinner and He hears each one of those prayers

Harel13 said:

Torah, that is, the divine law

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Mosaic Law is a set of Law under the covenant given to the Jews through Moses. This set of Law is not universal. The set of Law applicable to the angels (as well as humans) is the set of universal Law. God went through the Jews to tell what Law could mean, such that He can later tell humans what Grace could mean.

To the Jews loving the Law means loving God's words.

Psalm 119:13,16
13 With my lips I declare all the ordinances of your mouth.
16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

To Christians then, God's word is the New Covenant, no longer the Mosaic one (which is for the Jews though some commandments are common in both covenants).

Hawkins said:

Mosaic Law is a set of Law under the covenant given to the Jews through Moses. This set of Law is not universal. The set of Law applicable to the angels (as well as humans) is the set of universal Law. God went through the Jews to tell what Law could mean, such that He can later tell humans what Grace could mean.

To the Jews loving the Law means loving God's words.

Psalm 119:13,16
13 With my lips I declare all the ordinances of your mouth.
16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

To Christians then, God's word is the New Covenant, no longer the Mosaic one (which is for the Jews though some commandments are common in both covenants).

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I disagree...

for Christian, some laws passed away, some laws stayed the same and some laws were adjusted:

Deut 6:5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
13 Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.
14 Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you;
16 Honour thy father and thy mother, as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

These, and others, never changed in the the New Testament for Christians.

Yes, we have a New Covenant, but it doesn't translate into "throw the whole of the TaNaKh out".

Romans 13;
8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
9For this, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET," and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."

Wandering Monk said:

If one takes the time to catalog all the commandments in the Torah that God calls 'eternal' and applicable 'throughout your generations' you will find that nearly all of them have to do with the Temple services and Holy Days.

So, ironically for Christians, the very laws they say have been made redundant by the death of Jesus are the very ones the God declared eternal.

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Not redundant but fulfilled eternally.

Psalms 119:
89 For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.
90 Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth.
91 They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.

What a great promise! We can trust God's word. Heaven and earth can pass away but His words will never pass away. So faithful to all generations. His ordinances, written in our hearts continue to this day. Not only are we your servants, you have honored us to be called your friends!

103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.
105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

What truths! Regardless of which Covenant we subscribe to, the truths given will always be a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Hating every false way, we continue with the truth of God's word which are medicine to our flesh, marrow for our bones, and life when we find them.

KenS said:

for Christian, some laws passed away, some laws stayed the same and some laws were adjusted:

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No, it is so because some commandments are enforced as laws in Mosaic covenant. These commandments are no longer laws in the New Covenant. That's why I said that they are the commandments common in both covenants.

The difference is, law is for you to break once then you are done. When commandments are no longer enforced as laws in the New Covenant, then you are fine to break them multiple times as long as in the end you are considered forgivable.

Judgment of Law: (God demonstrated through the Jews)
You break a law once then you will be judged to death by breaking a law resulting death.
It is an objective judgment in accordance to your past deeds as openly witnessed.

Judgment of Covenant:
It is a subjective judgment with a standard specified in the Bible (i.e., a covenant), in accordance not only to your past deeds, but also your hearts in the past, present or even future. It is a more thorough and more fair judgment by an omnipotent and omniscient God.

Humans have the choice to choose one of them, either being judged by Law or by covenant (make sure to pick the most updated one available), while the Bible prophesied that no human can pass the judgment of Law.

KenS said:

Must take that in context. Every person who asks God for salvation asks as a sinner and He hears each one of those prayers

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God may know they are asking for forgiveness of sins, but there is a prescribed remedy for sin (Acts 2:38,47 ; 8:5,12,13,26-40 ; 16:30-34 ; 22:16) .

KenS said:

Must take that in context. Every person who asks God for salvation asks as a sinner and He hears each one of those prayers

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Find one example of a person asking for forgiveness of sins (for their initial conversion) after The Death / Ress. of Christ.

It's not there.

Sadly people are teaching that is how people are forgiven of sins today.

Not so!!!

The new testament says Christ fulfilled the law and his crucifixtion nullifies the law yes? That is what I remember about it. But certain churches like the Seventh Day Adventist I went to for a year and others still keep the Sabbath and eat clean meats.

Nova2216 said:

God may know they are asking for forgiveness of sins, but there is a prescribed remedy for sin (Acts 2:38,47 ; 8:5,12,13,26-40 ; 16:30-34 ; 22:16) .

Find one example of a person asking for forgiveness of sins (for their initial conversion) after The Death / Ress. of Christ.

It's not there.

Sadly people are teaching that is how people are forgiven of sins today.

Not so!!!

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I never said "asking forgiveness for their sins. I said "ask God for salvation"... big difference. But I understand what your are saying.

and you are missing the context completely. My point was simply answering that God doesn't hear sinners. The reality is "all have sinned" and yet God still hears prayers.

Harel13 said:

Psalm 119 is considered by Jews to be a psalm entirely about the love of Torah, that is, the divine law. Clearly the Psalmist, who some say is David (though it is anonymously written), was very much enthralled with the law of God. While not that many Jews may remember the entire chapter by heart, quite a few will recognize several verses, in particular those that were made into songs; songs about loving Torah. As the Torah as a book of law has essentially been nullified in Christianity, I'm therefore curious to know what meaning Christians place in this particular psalm.

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As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I believe the Law of Moses was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. But I don't believe that that fulfillment nullified all commandments. There are valid commandments of God today, many of which we find in the Old Testament, e.g., "Thou shalt not steal". I believe there are some "forever" laws, commandments, or expectations that God has for us. The Law of Moses, on the other hand, was a specific law given to a particular people, time, and place. For example, when Cain murdered Abel, that was a violation of God's law. That law was established from the beginning, long before Moses. Also, God sanctified the seventh day at the end of creation, long before Moses. On the other hand, the commandment to not eat pork was given to the children of Israel as part of a temporary law given through God to Moses. The particulars of the Law of Moses are no longer valid. But forever commandments such as no murder, no stealing, no coveting, etc. are very much in place today. When I read Psalm 119 I apply it to myself and to what I believe God commands of me today.

KenS said:

I never said "asking forgiveness for their sins. I said "ask God for salvation"... big difference. But I understand what your are saying.

and you are missing the context completely. My point was simply answering that God doesn't hear sinners. The reality is "all have sinned" and yet God still hears prayers.

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What does (Jn 9:31) mean?

Joh 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.


One cannot be saved until his sins have been forgiven b/c sin separates man from God (Isa.59:1,2).

Is it your contention that man can be saved BEFORE having his sins forgiven?

Nova2216 said:

What does (Jn 9:31) mean?

Joh 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.


One cannot be saved until his sins have been forgiven b/c sin separates man from God (Isa.59:1,2).

Is it your contention that man can be saved BEFORE having his sins forgiven?

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The context is in Jesus doing miracles.

Acts 10:4
And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.

It takes just one example to prove it wrong. Cornelius was a sinner yet his offerings and prayers - came to God and God opened the door for salvation.

KenS said:

The context is in Jesus doing miracles.

Acts 10:4
And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God.

It takes just one example to prove it wrong. Cornelius was a sinner yet his offerings and prayers - came to God and God opened the door for salvation.

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Can you prove his sins were cleansed when he said the prayer? - NO

Cornelius was commanded to be baptized (in water) as those in (Acts 2:38,47 ; 8:5,12,13,26-40 ; 16:30-34 ; 22:16)

Ac 10:47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.Acts 10:48)

Believe + Baptism = Saved (Mark 16:16)

Notice when Pauls sins were forgiven (Acts 22:16).

1. arise,
2. and be baptized,
3. and wash away thy sins,
4. calling on the name of the Lord.

Nova2216 said:

Can you prove his sins were cleansed when he said the prayer? - NO

Cornelius was commanded to be baptized (in water) as those in (Acts 2:38,47 ; 8:5,12,13,26-40 ; 16:30-34 ; 22:16)

Ac 10:47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.Acts 10:48)

Believe + Baptism = Saved (Mark 16:16)

Notice when Pauls sins were forgiven (Acts 22:16).

1. arise,
2. and be baptized,
3. and wash away thy sins,
4. calling on the name of the Lord.

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Again, you omit the context that he prayed and his prayers were heard BEFORE he was saved. So your point is mute.

KenS said:

Again, you omit the context that he prayed and his prayers were heard BEFORE he was saved. So your point is mute.

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Did God lie when he said the following?

God hears not sinners... (Jn 9:31)

Maybe Cornelius was not in Gods mind a sinner.

Since he was a devout man who served God already.

Ac 10:2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

Harel13 said:

Psalm 119 is considered by Jews to be a psalm entirely about the love of Torah, that is, the divine law. Clearly the Psalmist, who some say is David (though it is anonymously written), was very much enthralled with the law of God. While not that many Jews may remember the entire chapter by heart, quite a few will recognize several verses, in particular those that were made into songs; songs about loving Torah. As the Torah as a book of law has essentially been nullified in Christianity, I'm therefore curious to know what meaning Christians place in this particular psalm.

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Born again believing Christians value the entire Bible, including what Hews refer to as the Torah. Besides recording God’s interaction with humanity, in particular the nation of Israel, the scriptures such as Psalm 119 and others in reference to the Law reveal the character of the Creator God and His standards.

The Christian perspective is that no one has, nor ever could live perfectly up to God’s Law ( which is eternal and never changing ), except the promised Christ/ Messiah who came in the Person of Jesus to completely fulfill the Law and save those who trust Him for deliverance from their shortcomings and sin. So Christians while loving God and His Law, are not under the Law or bound to keep every jot of it, yet are freely submitted to live under Christ who perfectly and completely fulfilled God’s Law for us.

Nova2216 said:

Did God lie when he said the following?

God hears not sinners... (Jn 9:31)

Maybe Cornelius was not in Gods mind a sinner.

Since he was a devout man who served God already. x

Ac 10:2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway.

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Your off topic and you haven't made a point. (Romans 3:23) - and Naaman the Syrian General.