Psalm 119

In 1984 the film Karate Kid made its debut. It was a story of a young boy who suddenly found himself in a new environment and out of step with his peers. He is taken under the wing of Mr. Miyagi, a simple handyman with profound wisdom and a  master in Karate. The two form a bonding relationship and the boy not only learns the fine art of Karate, but the wisdom of living an honest and good life.

In one of the scenes Mr. Miyagi is teaching Daniel how to balance  himself and maintain control. In that scene, Mr. Miyagi talks to the young boy about balance and says, "the whole world needs balance."

In Psalm 119 the theme of balance is a critical point to understanding what the Psalmist is saying about God's Word.  There is an obvious and regular tension between the Psalmist's understanding of his obedience to God's law and the fear of falling short of what God's law requires. Verses 8 and 120 are good examples of this.

I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!"

My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments.

That is also why there seems to be sense of self-centeredness about the writing. It is often that the psalmist has a "look at me, then look at them" theme that draws attention to his own righteousness compared to the sinfulness of others. (vs. 97-104) I am not quite ready to say it is a holier-than-thou attitude, but it borders pretty close to it.

Nevertheless, that should not cause us loose sight of the tremendous devotion directed in this piece and its ultimate focus: "The sum of God's Word is truth, and every one of His righteous rules endures forever." (v. 160)

Probably the two most quoted verses from this psalm are verse 11; "I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you." And "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (v. 105)  However, I would contend that perhaps the verse we ought to hide in our heart is verse 165

Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.

It certainly speaks to the issue we all face in our Christian pilgrimage - understanding how God's principles strengthen our ability to stand in the midst of adversity and temptation. It is similar to what Jesus conveyed in his words, "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness..." (Matthew 6:33) It is also indicative of why Jesus quoted God's principles when tempted by the evil one.

Knowing truth when confronted with a lie, is imperative for a balanced life.

Let my soul live and praise you, and let your rules help me. (v. 175)