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Psalm 119 is a massive alphabetic acrostic, in which its 176 verses are divided into stanzas of eight verses, each of which begins with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Thus, verses 1-8 all begin with the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, aleph; verses 9-16 all begin with the second letter, beyt, and … Continue reading “Psalm 119:33-40 Commentary by Nancy deClaissé-Walford”

Christians generally have not been in love with Psalm 119. It is too long: 187 verses, the longest chapter in the Bible. It has the “law” as its major interest or theme, repeatedly using synonyms to make the point. If taken seriously, it might undo all our efforts to set people free from the burdens … Continue reading “Psalm 119:1-8 Commentary by Wendell Frerichs”

Psalm 119 follows Psalms 113-118, known as the Egyptian Hallel, which are psalms recited during the Jewish festival of Passover. It, like Psalms 111 and 112, is an alphabetic acrostic in form, but it is vastly in substance. While Psalm 111 consists of only seventy-two words and Psalm 112 of seventy-nine words, Psalm 119 has … Continue reading “Psalm 119:1-8 Commentary by Nancy deClaissé-Walford”

Since this pericope represents the first eight verses of Psalm 119, it might help to say a word or two about the entire psalm. Psalm 119 is among several psalms that are arranged acrostically, according to the letters of the Hebrew alephbet.  Psalm 119 is the longest of these — and the longest of all … Continue reading “Psalm 119:1-8 Commentary by Hans Wiersma”

Most modern Christians find Psalm 119 rather difficult to engage. After all, at 176 verses, it is extraordinarily long. Moreover, mainline Christian theology might seem at odds with the central theme of Psalm 119. Christians today do not typically share the psalm’s unflagging insistence on (and celebration of) strict adherence to the “law” or torah. … Continue reading “Psalm 119:1-8 Commentary by Joel LeMon”

Psalm 119, the first eight verses of which is the appointed psalm for this Sunday, is the big dog of the psalter. But the gargantuan size of this massive prayer frequently casts a spell upon its would be interpreters that results in a flood of trivia: Longest chapter of the Bible by verse count (176 … Continue reading “Psalm 119:1-8 Commentary by Mark Throntveit”

On Easter Sunday, the church proclaims, “O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!” (Psalm 118:1). Jesus Christ is risen. And in Christ, we too shall rise.  God’s steadfast love endures forever!  The words of Psalm 118 have long been used to herald Easter. “This is the day … Continue reading “Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 Commentary by Nancy Koester”

Given that the occasion of this Sunday is so prominent (as it should be), we will inevitably end up interpreting this Psalm through the lens of Easter resurrection. Therefore, I am going to do so unapologetically right from the start. What role might this Psalm play in your Easter sermon? Here are a few possibilities: … Continue reading “Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 Commentary by Shauna Hannan”

Psalm 118 is a bounty of riches. Scholars debate whether the imagined speaker is a solitary individual or a great throng. Of course, we live our lives before God as both. The Psalm’s rousing invitation to give “thanks” should stimulate much thought. Our culture breeds us to be takers, achievers, people who feel entitled or … Continue reading “Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 Commentary by James Howell”

Psalm 118 has been and is an extraordinarily important psalm in the history of Judaism and Christianity. It was Martin Luther’s favorite — “My own beloved psalm,” as he put it. Luther considered verse 17 to be “a masterpiece,” and he asserted that “all the saints have sung this verse and will continue to sing … Continue reading “Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 Commentary by J. Clinton McCann”