You’re blessed when you stay on course,
walking steadily on the road revealed by GOD.
You’re blessed when you follow his directions,
doing your best to find him.
That’s right—you don’t go off on your own;
you walk straight along the road he set.
You, GOD, prescribed the right way to live;
now you expect us to live it.
Oh, that my steps might be steady,
keeping to the course you set;
Then I’d never have any regrets
in comparing my life with your counsel.
I thank you for speaking straight from your heart;
I learn the pattern of your righteous ways.
I’m going to do what you tell me to do;
don’t ever walk off and leave me. (Psalm 119: 1-8, The Message)
Psalm 119 – Aleph starts this beautiful psalm off with telling us how blessed we are when we follow God’s direction. Indeed, the Hebrew symbol, Aleph is a physical representation of our relationship with God and His ways.
When we focus on our relationship with God, learning His ways and applying them to our lives, we are truly blessed. We do need to be careful, though, that we don’t become dogmatic in keeping God’s laws. According to the ESV Study Bible, “God entered into a covenant relationship with Israel freely out of grace, and within that relationship God gave them His law to obey. He was not asking them to earn His favor, or pay for their redemption. It was the way of thankful obedience for those in covenant with Him.” The NIV Cultural Study Bible states that the Psalmist is blessed because he wants to keep God’s law as a means of Glorifying God, and not for personal gain. However, many people who follow a religion, practice it as a set of do’s and don’ts that have to be kept in order to gain God’s favor and blessing on one’s life.
Jesus knew many misunderstood the spirit of the Law and addressed it when He preached the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5. Jesus tells us that we are blessed when we are not arrogant, when we mourn, are gentle, hunger and thirst for righteousness, are merciful, pure in heart, are peacemakers, have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, and when people insult us, persecute us and say all kinds of nasty things against us because we stand with Christ. Notice in this list, there is absolutely nothing about having to sacrifice a set amount of animals to God, or say in today’s context, showing up to church every time the doors are open. Jesus tells us that we are blessed when we follow God’s ways, which ultimately bring Him glory because we are showing love to others and to Him.
This is important to understand throughout Psalm 119 as the Psalmist refers many times to keeping God’s laws and precepts. These are the precepts of the heart, which develop us into citizens of Heaven, and not the laws of the Old Testament. This doesn’t mean the law of the Old Testament is mute, rather, God has used the Covenantal Law to point to Christ and the ultimate law of loving God and others. Jesus even qualified His list of attributes for blessings in Matthew 5:17, 18: “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.”
It is also important to understand that blessings do not equal financial wealth. All Believers will be blessed beyond our even grandest imagination when we are living in our eternal home of Heaven. However, here on earth, just because a Believer follows God’s ways, does not mean he/she will be earthly wealthy. Personally, I think the best blessings to receive are having a true friendship with God and being able to live a life of joy and contentment, no matter what our circumstances. Knowing God intimately allows us not to be thrown by life’s surprises. Rather, we are able to rise above terrible events, knowing God is right beside us and He will make sure we will prevail.
Writing about blessings reminds me of the song, Count your many blessings. As you finish reading this blog, may you reflect on God’s blessings in your life and be blessed all week long.
When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
o Refrain:
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God has done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God has done.
[And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.]
Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.
When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings—money cannot buy [wealth can never buy]
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
Resources:
Keener, C. 2016. NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible: Bringing to Life the Ancient World of Scripture. Zondervan.
Raskin, A. 2003: Letters of Light. Sichos Publishers.
Sproul, R. (Ed.) 2020. ESV Reformation Study Bible, (Kindle Ed.). Reformation Trust Publishing.
