RECALIBRATING WITH PSALM 119: Day 1 – א Aleph

Hebrew Letter Focus: א (Aleph)

Meaning: The first letter of the Hebrew alphabet represents the number one.

Symbolic Significance: Represents primacy, unity, and the beginning of wisdom. As the first letter, Aleph reminds us that all true wisdom begins with God.

Key Word Study

The opening word of this stanza, אַשְׁרֵי (ashrei), sets the tone for our entire journey through Psalm 119. While commonly translated as “blessed” or “happy,” ashrei describes something far deeper than momentary happiness. It points to a profound state of well-being and contentment that comes from living in alignment with God’s ways. This same word opens the entire Book of Psalms, suggesting that true joy isn’t a destination but a path we walk. When we consider that this word appears at the very beginning of this magnificent psalm as well as the very first Psalm, we see it as a doorway inviting us into a life of deep, settled joy that can only be found in following God’s instruction.

Today’s Theme: The Foundation of True Joy

The Psalmist begins this epic celebration of God’s Word by laying a crucial foundation: true joy comes from walking in God’s ways. This isn’t a reluctant submission to rules but a wholehearted embrace of divine wisdom. The eightfold repetition in this stanza emphasizes completeness – a total commitment to God’s path.

Notice the progression: from “blessed are those” (verse 1) to “Oh that my ways” (verse 5) to “I will praise” (verse 7). It moves from observation to aspiration to determination. This is the journey we’re all invited to take – from seeing the beauty of God’s ways to desiring them to living them out.

Personal Application

1. What does it mean to you personally to “walk in the law of the LORD”?
2. Where do you see a gap between knowing God’s ways and walking in them?
3. How might your perspective on God’s commands shift if you viewed them as pathways to joy rather than restrictions?

Prayer Focus

• Praise: Lord, You are the source of true joy and perfect wisdom
• Confession: Where we have sought happiness in our own ways
• Request: For a heart that delights in Your commands

Today’s Declaration

“I choose to walk in God’s ways, knowing they lead to true and lasting joy.”

Going Deeper

• Helpful Cross-references:
  • Psalm 1:1-2 (The blessed life)
  • Proverbs 3:13-18 (Wisdom’s rewards)
  • John 15:10-11 (Joy in obedience)
• Further Study: The concept of “walking” (halakh) in Hebrew thought implies steady progress, not perfection
• Action Step: Write down one command of God that you can reframe as an invitation to joy rather than a restriction

This first day establishes the foundational connection between joy and obedience, setting the tone for the entire journey through Psalm 119. It invites us into a deeper understanding of true happiness and contentment found in God’s ways.