My soul languishes for your salvation; I hope in your word. – Psalm 119:81
Psalm 119 is the longest song within our Scriptures. The author of the psalm is unknown, but most modern scholars believe it was written in a post-exilic (after exile) time for Israel’s history. For a people trying to turn back to God’s ways, and knowing that there was a great and significant revitalization of God’s Law during that time, make sense that this psalm is so intent on understanding the beauty and wonder of “God’s word.”
For the people and time in which this psalm was probably written, the word of God would have been the law, or how the law was interpreted by the priests and prophets of the time. It is likely that this psalm was also written over a long period of time, and later compiled, as it is argued that this psalm has no definite flow of thought. However, there is one recurring thought. Hope in God’s word.
Though not unique to this or any psalm, time and again within Scripture we find hope associated with the word of God. Moreover, we as Christians have an even greater sense of this hope, especially if we payed attention to the gospel of John. John 1 reminds us that “the word became flesh and dwelt among us (John 1:14).
The word of God, for us, is living and breathing, and it breathes new life into us each day. The word reminds us that we have a life that is everlasting, that is eternally blessed. Even when we don’t feel like it, even when the walls of our house become like a prison, we know we have a sanctuary in God’s word. The beauty that is seen in God’s living word, is that it is found everywhere, in everything , and in every person. Some of the words stories have yet to be written, and other are still to be told. However, there is a word living inside of you, too.
I hope you will give thanks to God for the living word that speaks life to you today, for your soul is longing, languishing, searching for that word of life, and it is found in Jesus.
Grace & Peace,
Sam