A Psalmist Who Loved God’s Law

5, 6. Although we may not know his name, what can we learn about the writer of the 119th Psalm 119 by reading and meditating on what he wrote?

⁵ The writer of the 119th Psalm 119 certainly had deep appreciation for God’s Word. Who wrote that psalm? The writer is not identified in the Bible. From the context, however, we learn some details about him, and we know that his life was not problem free. Some of his acquaintances who were supposed to be worshipers of Jehovah did not share his love for Bible principles. Nevertheless, the psalmist did not allow their attitude to prevent him from doing what was right. (Psalm 119:23) If you live or work with someone who does not respect Bible standards, you may see similarities between the psalmist’s situation and your own.

⁶ Although a godly man, the psalmist was by no means self-righteous. He frankly acknowledged his own imperfections. (Psalm 119:5, 6, 67) However, he did not allow sin to control him. “How will a young man cleanse his path?” he asked. His answer: “By keeping on guard according to your word.” (Psalm 119:9) Then, underscoring what a powerful force for good God’s Word is, the psalmist added: “In my heart I have treasured up your saying, in order that I may not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11) A force that can help us avoid sinning against God is powerful indeed!

A Prince Who Dared to Be Different

9. What attitude did King Hezekiah cultivate toward God’s Word?

⁹ The contents of the 119th Psalm 119 harmonize well with what we know of Hezekiah when he was still a young prince. Some Bible scholars suggest that Hezekiah was the writer of the psalm. While this is not certain, we do know that Hezekiah had great respect for God’s Word. By his life course, he showed that he was in heart harmony with the words at Psalm 119:97. Of Hezekiah, the Bible states: “He kept sticking to Jehovah. He did not turn aside from following him, but he continued keeping his commandments that Jehovah had commanded Moses.”​—2 Kings 18:6.