Greets Harel.
Out of all the Pslams, the 119th has a special place in my heart. It is the longest chapter of a book in the Bible (although it is called a Pslam, it is a chapter as well). It is interesting that you say some think it was David that wrote it. My dad says he thinks it was Manasseh who wrote the Psalm. Some Jehovah's Witnesses speculate it may have been king Hezekiah. It is written by a servant of Jehovah who had strayed like a lost sheep, and then returned to Jehovah.
The first seven verses tell us about 5 things we find in the law of Jehovah. His reminders, orders, regulations, commandments, and judgements:
Happy are those who are blameless in their way,
Who walk in the law of Jehovah.
2 Happy are those who observe his reminders,
Who search for him with all their heart.
3 They practice no unrighteousness;
They walk in his ways.
4 You have commanded
That your orders be carefully kept.
5 If only I could remain steadfast
So as to observe your regulations!
6 Then I would not be put to shame
When I consider all your commandments.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart
When I learn your righteous judgments.
A person is happy by observing Jehovah's commandments. They are found written in the Bible. We see Jehovah's thinking on things, peer into his mind, as it were, by reading the Bible. It only gives us a glimpse of how he thinks, but by means of his word, the entire Bible, we are corrected by God's word.
I respect what you say as a Jew and how Jews view the Psalm. And it is not wrong to view it that way. It does carry more meaning than just the law of Moses though. I wish to convey this to you with compassion for you and how you believe, and perhaps help to open your mind to see a broader picture of things.
How can I put it in terms you can understand? Jehovah is a God of principle. Righteous principles. And he is a God of love. So all of his actions and the laws he gives us are motivated by love.
Laws can change according to circumstances. But the principle will always remain the same. Take for example a town that has a small rural road. Out of the principle of traffic safety they may put up a stop sign on the less trafficked road. As the town grows and the amount of traffic increases the stop signs might be replaced by an all-way or 4-way stop sign. And later on as the town grows even more and there is even more traffic the sign may be replaced altogether by a traffic light. The laws of a traffic light are different than those of a stop sign. But the principle remains.
When Jesus came to earth he fulfilled all of the law of Moses to the letter. But he did more than just that. He taught the people that his Father, Jehovah was not the cold, aloof, and harsh God the religious leaders of the day had them to believe he was. The Pharisees depicted Jehovah as harsh, demanding, distant, merciless. Jesus showed them that Jehovah is reasonable, patient, loving, and forgiving. He also showed it by his actions.
A Christian is governed by the "law of the Christ."- Galatians 6:2. The laws given to a Christian are also found in God's word. God's word is more ample than just the Torah, or even just the Hebrew portions of Scripture. They include the Christian Greek Scriptures.
And Bible prophecy tells us that in the future new world, in the near future, even more scrolls will be opened. At that time when the dead are resurrected to life on earth, they will be judged, not based on the law to Moses but on the law that God will give to all humankind at that time. Then there will only be one world-wide government with Jesus Christ as king. And everyone, the living and the dead who are brought back to life will be judged by the laws given in the scrolls that will be opened. No doubt the faithful servants of Jehovah in pre-Christian times will be raised to life. And perhaps it will be some of them, perhaps Jeremiah, or Daniel, or Isiah, that will be given those new rolls to be written to humankind.
And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and scrolls were opened. But another scroll was opened; it is the scroll of life. The dead were judged out of those things written in the scrolls according to their deeds.-Revelation 20:12.
Harel,
This old system in Satan's hands is full of deceit and falsely called knowledge. But the word of God is water that leads to everlasting life. And obeying God's word, and the reminders, orders, regulations, commandments, and judgements found in it opens our eyes to see ourselves for what we are. It corrects us, it guides us to be righteous, good people. Clean and holy before Jehovah God.
Remember my dad said he thought that maybe the wicked king Manasseh had written the 119th Psalm? He was indeed extremely wicked. Well he was taken into captivity to Syria. and there in prison he humbled himself and repented and returned to Jehovah. It reminds me much of the final words of the 119th Psalm:
May my request for favor come before you.
Save me, as you have promised.
171 May my lips overflow with praise,
For you teach me your regulations.
172 May my tongue sing about your saying,
For all your commandments are righteous.
173 May your hand be ready to help me,
Because I choose to obey your orders.
174 I long for your salvation, O Jehovah,
And I am fond of your law.
175 Let me live so that I may praise you;
May your judgments be my help.
176 I have strayed like a lost sheep. Search for your servant,
For I have not forgotten your commandments.
I was disfellowshipped from the Christian congregation. And returning to Jehovah I read through the Bible, and upon coming on Psalm 119 I read it over and over and meditated on its words. I knew they fit me perfectly. Especially these last words. If it was Manasseh who prayed those words, he also understood God's loving-kindness and forgiveness. And came to appreciate the surpassing value of God's word. And his laws that he gives us because of his great love for us.
We had a movie come out last year about Josiah. In the beginning of it it shows Manasseh teaching his grandson Josiah about loving Jehovah and praying to him to ask for forgiveness when you sin, even greatly, or many times against Jehovah. I took that little exert and share it here with you. It touched my heart, hopefully it may touch yours as well. It is less than a minute but very profound.