~ C.H. Spurgeon’s Comments Regarding
Psalm 119 ~
Introduction
~ Those who are familiar with
Psalm 119 understand that it is composed of 22 divisions of eight verses each
for a total of 176 verses—making it the longest chapter in the Bible. Each of those 22 divisions begin sequentially
with the next letter of the Hebrew Alphabet (ALEPH, BETH, GIMEL, DALETH, HE, VAU…).
In Germany this
psalm has been known in as The Golden
ABCs of the Word of God.
Personal Note
~ Soon after I accepted Jesus
Christ as my personal Savior Charles Haddon Spurgeon became one of my favorite
Christian leaders of the past. There are
many wonderful accounts of his preaching to literally thousands before the time
of microphones or amplifiers. My
maternal grandmother heard him speak.
Below I have reproduced one of his messages with some modifications to
make it more readable in contemporary English.
Spurgeon Still Speaks
~ This psalm is a wonderful composition. Its many expressions are as many as the waves,
its overall testimony is one like the ocean.
The psalm deals with one subject.
While it contains many verses, its one hundred and seventy-six stanzas
provide the same core thought. However,
it is not repetitive since there is always a shade of difference, even when the
overall thought appears to be the same. Some have said that in it there is an absence
of variety—but that is merely the observation of those who have not studied it.
I have weighed each word, and looked at
each syllable with lengthened meditation; and I consider this sacred song to be
charmingly varied from beginning to end. Its variety is that of a kaleidoscope: from a
few objects innumerable permutations and combinations are produced. In the kaleidoscope you look once, and there
is a strangely beautiful form you shift the glass a very little, and another
shape, equally delicate and beautiful, is before your eyes. So it is here. What you see is the same, and yet never the
same. It is always the same truth, but
always in new light, put in a new connection, or in some way or other invested
with freshness.
I do not believe that any subject
other than a heavenly one would have allowed of such a psalm being written
about. The themes of this world are
narrow and shallow. Neither could such a
handling have been given even to a sacred subject by any mind less than the
divine. Inspiration alone can account for
the fullness and freshness of this psalm.
The best compositions of men are
soon exhausted; they are merely cisterns, and not ever springing fountains. You enjoy them very much at the first
acquaintance, and you think you could hear them a hundred times over; but you
could not: you soon find them wearisome. Very soon a man eats too much honey: even
children at length are cloyed with sweets. All human books grow stale after a time; but
with the Word of God the desire to study it increases, while the more you know
of it the less you think you know. The
Book grows upon you: as you dive into its depths you have a fuller perception
of the infinity which remains unexplored. You are still longing to enjoy more of that
which it is you’re a great blessing to taste. All this is true even of the psalm which is in
itself nothing more than the eulogy of the divine testimony.
This wonderful psalm, from its
great length, helps us to wonder at the immensity of Scripture. From its keeping to the same subject it helps
us to adore the unity of Scripture, for it is but one. Yet, from the many turns it gives to its one
thought, it helps us to see the variety of Scripture. How manifold are the words and thoughts of
God. In His Word, just as in creation,
the wonders of His skill are displayed in many ways.
I admire in this psalm the
singular commingling of testimony, prayer, and praise. In one verse the Psalmist bears witness; in a
second verse he praises; in a third verse he prays. It is an incense made up of many spices; but
they are wonderfully compounded and worked together, so as to form one perfect
sweetness. The blending greatly
increases the value of the whole. You
would not like to have one-third of the psalm composed of prayer—marked up to the sixtieth verse, for instance; and then
another part made up exclusively of praise;
and yet a third portion of unmixed testimony.
It is best to have all these
divinely-sweet ingredients intermixed, and wrought into a sacred unity, as you
have them in this thrice-hallowed psalm. Its prayers bear testimony, and its
testimonies are fragrant with praise.
Mr. Charles Bridges has written
upon this psalm a peculiarly delightful work. I do not seek to rival him; but I would attempt
the edification of the Lord’s people in the same way as he has done, for he has
made no effort to display learning, but has aimed at promoting devotion. Several notable authors traversed this
heavenly country before Mr. Bridges, and I am one of those who follow after
him: the succession will not end till the Lord comes.
I commend my labor to my Lord’s
acceptance, and pray that his Holy Spirit may make these praises of Holy
Scripture to ring as sweet bells in the ears of his own people evermore.
~ Dear Reader, pray for Thy brother in Christ, C. H.
Spurgeon, Westwood, July 1887.
Reference
~ One of the places this CHS
sermon is found is in his seven volume “Treasury
of David.”
~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW
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