Psalm 119: 1-2, 4-5, 17-18, 33-34

The entirety of Psalm 119 has to do with the Law of God, which is mentioned in every verse as one of nine distinct terms: law, precepts, ways, decrees, commandments, statutes, ordinances, words, promises. The longest psalm by far in the Psalter, it praises God for giving such splendid laws and instruction for the people to live by.

In its entirety, the psalm is acrostic: its twenty-two stanzas of eight verses each are in the order of the Hebrew alphabet. Each of the eight verses within a stanza begins with the same letter, and each verse contains one word for “instruction” (tôrâ).  The creative genius of the psalmist is seen in the innovative ways in which the Law is extolled, each verse expressing a slightly different idea. Continue reading “Psalm for the 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)” →