詩篇 119:1-24 Psalms 119:1-24
- 馬克牧師
- 12 minutes ago
- 9 min read
《詩篇 119》人生指南
各位平安，我們今天要來讀的是《詩篇》第119篇。這是一篇非常特別的詩篇，不只是詩篇中最長的一篇，更是整本聖經中最長的一章，總共有176節，一共分成22段，每段8節，使用了希伯來全部22個字母作為每一段的開頭。也因此整篇詩歌結構非常工整、對仗。
儘管它被歸在「詩篇」中，但其實你會發現，它的風格更接近《箴言》或《傳道書》。它不像其他詩篇那樣強調情感的抒發，而是更著重在邏輯性、理性與信仰的結合。它談的是：如何用神的話語過一生。
我認為這篇詩篇可以說是一部迷你的傳道書，或者說是一個屬靈的《箴言精選》。它幫助我們用信仰的角度來看人生中的各種情境，無論是順境、逆境、迷惘還是堅持，都能從中找到指引。
為了幫助大家更容易理解，我會嘗試將這一篇詩篇分成四個段落來進行分享。當然，這並不是一個嚴格的劃分，而是希望讓大家更有系統地消化這篇豐富的經文內容。
接下來的四集，我會帶大家一起來思考：當我們用神的話語來過人生時，我們會經歷什麼？我們要怎麼在生活中具體地活出對神話語的信靠？而這些經文又如何成為我們在人生旅程中的安慰與力量？
讓我們一起來走進詩篇119篇，重新找回一個以神為中心的人生節奏。
而且我建議你如果可以的話，拿起放大版聖經一起來研究，這個版本會更詳細地解說一些細微但很重要的經文。
我們今天要開始看《詩篇》119篇的第一段，也就是第1到第8節。
一開始你會發現，詩人用了非常多詞彙來形容「上帝的話語」。在原文中，這些詞共有八種，而中文翻譯後，則有多達十二種不同的說法，這本身就非常有意思。
我們來快速瀏覽一下這些用來描述神話語的詞彙：
耶和華的律法
祂的法度
祂的道
祂的訓詞
祂的律例
祂的命令
祂的典章
祂的公義的判語
這些詞彙聽起來好像類似，但其實各有其強調的面向。有的強調法律的規範性、有的偏重教導的性質，有的則指出神的旨意如何成為我們人生的道路與方向。比如說談到律法，就是要我們知罪悔改，訓詞，是為了要我們勸誡彼此，祂的道，是為了要引我們走上正路，祂公義的判語，是為了讓我們在不公義的時候倚靠的盼望，等等。
換句話說，這段經文在告訴我們：神的話語不只是一本書、一些用來背誦的命令，而是一整個生活的結構與價值系統。這段詩篇的開頭就像是在立下總綱，告訴我們：有福的人，是那些遵行神話語、心中尋求祂的人。翻譯成白話文，就是在上帝的話語之上 “建立自己的生活結構和價值系統”。這是 “遵行”。
這邊打一個比方，你用電腦或手機的時候，你知道這個機器裡有一個作業系統，像是Windows，Mac，Android，這個底層的作業系統就決定了你的手機有些能做的，有些不能做的。表面上看起來功能可能都類似，（能打電話，能上網，能發訊息等等）但是當你實際使用過以後，你就會知道有些貴的手機真的好用，比如說能夠做到更強大的功能，比較不容易當機，可以用比較久等等。
古代哲人先賢想出很多不同的作業系統，儒家思想，道家思想，等等等等的這些作業系統。而上帝的道，就是那完美的作業系統。我們就一同來看看這個作業系統的主軸。
我們人生中有一個很可惜、卻又很常見的問題，就是——當我們年少、體力旺盛、有精力、有衝勁的時候，往往卻缺乏智慧與經驗。年輕的時候，我們想做的事情很多，也真的能做很多事，但我們判斷力不夠，智慧還不成熟，於是就容易做錯選擇、走錯路，甚至在錯誤中受了傷，留下遺憾。
但諷刺的是——等到我們人生歷練過了，走過一些高山低谷、得到了智慧和經驗的時候，體力卻已經不比從前了。所以，如果我們每一代人——那些走過一些路、學會一些功課的——能夠早一點把這些智慧分享給年輕人，讓他們聽見、記住、甚至有一天願意實踐，那會是多麼有價值的事。
當然，我們也知道，年輕人不一定馬上聽得懂，也不一定能馬上領受，因為年紀、背景和人生經驗都有限。但我們的責任，不是強迫，而是預備。我們要把上帝的話語、人生的智慧講清楚、活出來，然後在他們需要答案的時候，讓他們知道可以來找你、找真理。
詩篇119:9「少年人用甚麼潔淨他的行為呢？是要遵行你的話！」如果他們能早早走在神的道路上，對他們的人生會有極美的果效。
我們剛才說到，少年人要如何潔淨自己的行為？答案很簡單也很深刻：是要遵行神的話語。
但問題來了——我們怎麼樣才能真正「遵行」？
我認為，關鍵在於——你要先愛慕祂的話語。
你看，第14節說得非常美：「我喜悅你的法度，如同喜悅一切的財物。」換句話說：你能不能把上帝的話語當作財寶一樣地珍惜？
當我們願意這樣去看神的話，那麼接下來的這一節就自然了：
第16節：「我要在你的律例中自樂，我不忘記你的話。」英文是：I will delight in your statutes.Statutes 是法規、律例，一般人聽到這個詞，大概都會皺眉頭——「怎麼可能喜歡法規？我們會喜歡條文條款嗎？」
但聖經告訴我們可以，甚至應該喜悅。為什麼？
因為當我們真正明白神話語的意義，當我們認知被提升、眼界被打開的時候，我們會看見神話語背後的智慧與保護，那就不再只是「規條」，而是指引人生方向的寶藏。
你看，第18節詩人這樣禱告說：「求你開我的眼睛，使我看出你律法中的奇妙。」
這是一個很深刻的禱告。就像我們常說的：「外行人看熱鬧，內行人看門道。」英文裡表達我明白的時候你不是說 “I understand” 這個用詞通常是用在 “我理解，但是…” 你如果要表達你明白了一個重要的觀念就是 “Oh I see, I see” 我看見了。我看明白了，我真正理解了。
當你真正進入神話語的深處，你就會開始樂於閱讀、樂於默想，樂於發現其中奇妙的邏輯與啟示。
我自己也曾經經歷過讀聖經完全讀不懂的時候。那時候我覺得聖經真的好難，像是一本「天書」，每個字都認得，但連在一起就是不知道它在說什麼。
但上帝的恩典就是這麼真實。祂讓我在人生的過程中，一段一段地體會祂的話語。當我經歷困難、受傷、跌倒，甚至痛苦流淚時，我才開始真正明白，原來神的話語不是知識，而是生命的力量，是在低谷中陪伴我走過的亮光。
就像大衛一樣，他年輕時打敗歌利亞，從那時到登上王位，整整經歷了20年，不是被高舉的20年，而是不斷被掃羅追殺、被背叛、被誤解、甚至被迫逃亡的20年。
我常在想，大衛之所以能寫出那麼動人、那麼有深度的詩篇，絕對不是因為他會寫詩，而是因為他的人生經歷讓他對上帝的話語有真實的體會與依靠。
而你我今天也一樣。當你越走過人生的風雨，你就會越發現：神的話語不是一種宗教語言，而是真正可以托住你、改變你、保守你心思意念的真理。
感謝各位的聆聽，我們明天繼續分享。願上帝祝福各位。
Psalm 119: A Life Manual
Greetings everyone, today we are going to read Psalm 119. This is a very special psalm — not only is it the longest chapter in the book of Psalms, but it's also the longest chapter in the entire Bible, with 176 verses divided into 22 sections, each containing 8 verses. Each section begins with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet, making the entire psalm beautifully structured and poetic.
Although it's categorized under the Psalms, you’ll notice that its tone and style resemble the Book of Proverbs or Ecclesiastes. It does not primarily express emotion like many other psalms; instead, it emphasizes logic, reason, and the integration of faith. At its core, it teaches us how to live a life according to God’s Word.
I would describe this psalm as a mini-Ecclesiastes or a spiritual anthology of Proverbs. It helps us interpret life’s situations — both highs and lows, confusion and perseverance — from a faith-based perspective, offering us divine guidance in all seasons.
To make this rich text easier to grasp, I will divide it into four parts for our reflection. This isn’t a strict division but a helpful way to digest the psalm’s depth more clearly.
In the coming four episodes, we’ll reflect on these questions:
What do we experience when we live according to God’s Word?
How do we apply trust in His Word practically in daily life?
How does Scripture become our comfort and strength in life’s journey?
Let’s dive into Psalm 119 together and rediscover what it means to live a God-centered life. If you can, I recommend picking up a large-print Bible — it often helps in noticing subtle yet crucial textual details.
Part 1: Verses 1–8
At the very beginning, you'll notice that the psalmist uses many different terms to describe God's Word. In the original Hebrew, there are eight distinct words, which in Chinese translations expand to as many as twelve. This variety alone is fascinating.
Let’s quickly go over these terms:
The Law of the Lord
His statutes
His ways
His precepts
His decrees
His commandments
His ordinances
His righteous judgments
These terms may sound similar but they emphasize different aspects. Some highlight legal authority, others point to instruction, and some express God’s will as our life direction. For instance:
Law helps us recognize sin and leads us to repentance.
Precepts are for teaching and correction.
Way refers to the path we are to walk.
Judgments provide hope amid injustice.
In short, God’s Word is not just a book or a list of commands to memorize — it’s an entire framework of living, a value system for life. This opening of the psalm sets a foundation: Blessed are those who walk according to the Word and seek Him with all their heart.
To put it in modern terms, it means building your life structure and values on God's Word. That’s what it means to "walk in His ways."
Here’s an analogy: when you use a computer or smartphone, there’s always an operating system — like Windows, macOS, or Android — running in the background. This OS determines what your device can and can’t do. Outwardly, all phones might look the same (they can call, text, browse the internet), but some perform faster, crash less, and last longer — because the system inside is better.
Over history, philosophers have proposed many “operating systems” — Confucianism, Daoism, and many more. But God’s Word is the perfect operating system. So let’s look into what defines this divine system.
A Common Human Dilemma
There’s a common and unfortunate truth in life: when we are young — full of energy, drive, and ability — we often lack wisdom and experience. We want to do many things, and we can, but our judgment is immature, so we make poor choices and suffer the consequences.
Ironically, by the time we’ve walked through life’s highs and lows and gained that wisdom, our strength isn’t what it used to be. So what if each generation — those who’ve walked some distance and learned some hard truths — could pass their wisdom early to the younger ones? What a difference that would make.
Of course, we know young people may not fully understand or absorb it right away — age and experience matter. But our job isn’t to force — it’s to prepare. We must clearly teach God’s Word, live it out, and be ready. So when they face struggles and search for answers, they know where to look.
Psalm 119:9 says: "How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word."
If young people can walk in God’s ways early, it will bear beautiful fruit in their lives.
How Do We Truly "Walk in His Ways"?
The key lies here: you must first love God’s Word.
Look at verse 14: "I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches."
That’s a beautiful expression — can we treat God’s Word like treasure?
If we do, then verse 16 makes sense: "I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word." (NIV)
Now, the word statutes might sound cold — like legal jargon. Who enjoys rules and regulations? But Scripture says we should delight in them. Why?
Because once your understanding is lifted and your perspective is expanded, you begin to see the wisdom and protection behind God's Word. It's no longer a rulebook — it becomes a compass.
The psalmist prays in verse 18: "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law."
That’s a powerful prayer. Like the saying goes: “The untrained see the spectacle; the trained see the structure.”
In English, when we finally understand something deeply, we don’t just say “I understand,” we say “Oh, I see!” Meaning: now it makes sense. Now I get it.
When you truly go deep into God's Word, you’ll begin to enjoy reading, reflecting, and discovering the incredible logic and beauty within.
I’ve also experienced seasons when reading the Bible felt dull and hard. It was like reading a foreign code — I knew all the words but couldn’t make sense of it.
But God’s grace is real. Through different life experiences — hardship, wounds, failure, even tears — God led me to truly understand His Word. Not just intellectually, but in my soul. His Word became a light in my valley, a strength in my weakness.
Just like David. He defeated Goliath when he was young, but it took 20 long years of being chased, betrayed, and misunderstood before he became king. He didn’t rise overnight. His psalms are not born from poetic talent — they were forged in pain, patience, and faith.
The same is true for you and me. The more storms we face, the more we will see that God's Word is not just religious literature — it’s the truth that upholds you, transforms you, and guards your heart and mind.
Thank you for listening. We’ll continue tomorrow. May the Lord bless you!
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