Sept 4, 2010 Psalm 119:129-152

Today is our next to last day in Psalm 119. Join with me as we read along today's scripture reading for the day.

Pe
Verses 129-136 The psalmist thanks God for the laws.  Verse 130 says God's law is simple for anyone to understand.  The other day I picked up my 3 year old grandson from day care. To keep all the children safe from harm the day care has created procedures to ensure the children's safety.  My daughter informed day care I was picking him up.  When I arrived, first I had to use a pass code to get into the building because it the doors are security locked.  Next I had to show my drivers license to prove I was who I said I was - then I was shown where my grandson's classroom was. It would have been nice to just walk into the day car facility and say I'm here to pick up my grandson and when the staff heard him say "Hi Grandma"  that would have been proof enough that I really was his Grandma. He willingly went home with me because his Mommy told him Grandma was going to pick him up at the end of the day. (I would call this following Mommy's instructions). I know this is a really simple story but I hope this proves the point that God loves us, cares for us, and gives us common sense laws to live by.  I am thankful that my grandson is in a day care facility that has rules in place regarding what happens when Mom or Dad can't pick a child up at the end of the day. God's law is no different.  God's law is not confining, they are freeing.  Breaking God's law causes grief - verse 136.

Tsadhe
Verses 137-144 Gods laws are righteous, they are timeless, and as relevant today as when God first gave them to us.  When we love God following his laws are easy. We know his ways are better than man's ways,and not following God's law causes trouble and distress.

Qoph
Verses 145-152 The psalmist asks for Gods help before dawn that he will obey God's decrees. He will meditate on God's decrees until evening. The following is Jewish prayer recited daily. When I read these verses I wondered if the Psalmist was thinking of the Shema.

The Shema (שְׁמַע)

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Hebrew

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵינוּ יְהוָה אֶחָד׃ וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְהוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶךָ׃ וְהָיוּ הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי מְצַוְּךָ הַיֹּום עַל־לְבָבֶךָ׃ וְשִׁנַּנְתָּם לְבָנֶיךָ וְדִבַּרְתָּ בָּם בְּשִׁבְתְּךָ בְּבֵיתֶךָ וּבְלֶכְתְּךָ בַדֶּרֶךְ וּבְשָׁכְבְּךָ וּבְקוּמֶךָ׃ וּקְשַׁרְתָּם לְאֹות עַל־יָדֶךָ וְהָיוּ לְטֹטָפֹת בֵּין עֵינֶיךָ׃ וּכְתַבְתָּם עַל־מְזוּזֹת בֵּיתֶךָ וּבִשְׁעָרֶיךָ׃

English (ERV)

Hear, O Israel: the LORD our God is one LORD: * 5 and thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. 6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thine heart: 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. 8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes. 9 And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thy house, and upon thy gates.

* Or, the LORD our God, the LORD is one. Or, the LORD is our God, the LORD is one. Or, the LORD is our God, the LORD alone.

Quotations of Deut. 6:5 in the Gospels
(UBS text)

Mark 12:29-30.   ἀπεκρίθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι Πρώτη ἐστίν, Ἄκουε, Ἰσραήλ, κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν κύριος εἷς ἐστιν, 30 καὶ ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ψυχῆς σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς διανοίας σου καὶ ἐξ ὅλης τῆς ἰσχύος σου. [Jesus answered, The first is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God, the Lord is one: 30 and thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength.]

Matthew 22:37.   ὁ δὲ ἔφη αὐτῷ, Ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ψυχῇ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ διανοίᾳ σου· [Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.]

Luke 10:27.   ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν, Ἀγαπήσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ψυχῇ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ ἰσχύϊ σου καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ διανοίᾳ σου ... [And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind ... ]

http://www.bible-researcher.com/shema.html

Father God, I thank you for the words you gave to the psalmist today. I ask that because I love you I will respectfully and willingly obey your commands. In Jesus name I pray Amen.