Psalm 119:1

Scripture #

Source Scripture #

Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD!

• Psalm 119:1 (ESV)

How blessed and favored by God are those whose way is blameless [those with personal integrity, the upright, the guileless], Who walk in the law [and who are guided by the precepts and revealed will] of the LORD.

• Psalm 119:1 (Amplified)

Happy are those whose lives are faultless, who live according to the law of the LORD.

• Psalm 119:1 (GNT)

Cross-references #

Blessed are those ... #

But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

• James 1:25 (ESV)

Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree
planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.

• Psalm 1:1–3 (ESV)

... whose way is blameless ... #

There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil.

...

And the LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?"

Job 1:1,8

.... who walk in the law of the LORD! #

Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.

• Hosea 14:9

Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.

• 1 Thessalonians 4:1

Observation #

1. Scripture often uses various grammar patterns. In this verse, the author is using a series where the second half of the verse ( who walk in the law of the LORD ) is echoing the first half ( whose way is blameless )
2. There are three different categories of Old Testament laws:
      - Civil (dealing with disputes between individuals), for example: "You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor." (Leviticus 19:15, ESV)
      - Ceremonial (Dealing with festivals, how sacrifices are made, what foods are clean, and so on), for example: "And the pig, because it parts the hoof and is cloven-footed but does not chew the cud, is unclean to you." (Leviticus 11:7, ESV)
      - Moral (Dealing with our relationship with God), for example: "... You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy." (Leviticus 19:2)
3. Jesus said "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." (Matthew 5:17, ESV)
      - Paul says in Romans 10:4, "For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes." (ESV)

Application #

Based on the way the verse is structured, we can infer the following: the way to be blameless is to walk in the law of the LORD. Because we are no longer under the old testament law, what does this mean for us? Walking in the law of the LORD doesn't mean keeping the ceremonial laws, but we're still interacting with other people and building our relationship with God, so those aspects still apply to us.

Living a perfect blameless life is impossible for us, as we can't keep our relationship with others and God perfect. However, this is why we have the Holy Spirit to help us!