“I will bless HaShem at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”
Psalms 34:1 (34:2 Hebrew)

Introduction

• Psalms 119 is made up of 22 stanzas of eight lines each. It is called the ‘Repetition of Eight’.
• Each stanza’s eight lines all begin with the same letter, alef to tav of the 22 Hebrew consonants.
• Each stanza makes extensive use of parallelism.
• The Psalm uses 10 key words that give us better appreciation for G-d’s Word, and explain its role in our lives.

Alef: Ashrei = Blessed (Verses 1-8)

• Alef = strong, power, leader, first
• Picture = ox
• Spelling = alef-lamed-fay sofit
• Value = 1
• Meaning = G-d is first and all powerful.
• Made with 3 letters: 2 yod + 1 vav
• This stanza points to the fact that G-d leads and shepherds His people by what He speaks. The alef speaks not only of HaShem’s headship, but of our head, and therefore our response to Him: we understand Him as He is revealed through His Word, and perceived with our minds. Job 33:33: ‘teach’ = alef.

Alef Words
alef words italicized

1 Blessed are the undefiled in the Derek, who walk in the Torah of HaShem!
2 Blessed are those who keep His Edut, who seek Him with the whole heart!
3 They also do no iniquity; they walk in His Derek
4 You have commanded us to keep Your Pikudim diligently.
5 Oh, that my Derek were directed to keep Your Chokim!
6 Then I would not be ashamed, when I look into all Your Mitzvot.
7 I will praise You with uprightness of heart, when I learn Your righteous Mishpatim.
8 I will keep Your Chokim; oh, do not forsake me utterly!

Key Words

• Derek = way, path. The ‘highway of life’ – our main purpose.
• It occurs in this Psalm 13 times :  v 1, 3, 5, 14, 26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33, 37, 59, 168.
• “undefiled in the way” = “t’mimei-darekh” First usage: tamiym = Gen 6:9 – complete, blameless) . First usage: derekh = Gen 3:24
• The way back into the presence of G-d: derekh etz ha-Chayim = the Way to the Tree of Life.
• John 14:6; Acts 22:4: The followers of Yeshua understood: He was ‘the Way’ into the presence of G-d. They had found the “way back”.
• Torah = Instruction. From yarah – to shoot, or aim.
• It occurs 25 times :  always in the singular :  v 1, 18, 29, 34, 44, 51, 55, 61, 70, 72, 77, 85, 92, 97, 109, 113, 126, 136, 142, 150, 153, 163, 165, 174.
• “Torah of HaShem” = anything He speaks. First usage: Genesis 26:5 (3 of our key words, mitzvot, chokim/chukot, torah (plural).
• Ex 12:49: The first explicit instruction called “torah”, Passover – for native born, and sojourner = One Torah.

Bible Study Tools

• Read the text, simple observation – look for patterns, lists.
• Original language, cross-reference, and principle of first mention.

Our Response

• How does this reveal the character of G-d?
• Is this something that G-d does for me?
• Is this something that G-d wants me to do in response to Him?
• Is this something that G-d wants me to do with Him?

Summary                                                              

• David begins this Psalm with the letter alef. He wraps up all of G-d’s Word into the concepts of Derek and Torah – Torah is what G-d instructs, and derek is the purpose for us.
• We are to walk in the derek. Yeshua is the only derek – He is the Way.
• G-d desires His people be complete in the Way. To walk in His Instructions.