Continuing in Psalm 119 with the letter Zayin ז

Psalm 119:54 Your statutes are my songs In the house of my pilgrimage.

Statutes is the Hebrew word  “chaqaq” (חקק) and means to engrave, prescribe, a law and it also has the  idea of boundaries, and limits.

The Lord has prescribed in His laws, boundaries for righteous living. He has also designed specific boundaries for our individual destiny’s. We are not nomads wandering from place to place with no direction, (Proverbs 3:5-6) . Though we still have the freedom to cross the boundaries and go wherever and do whatever we want, especially if they are Godly choices,  why would we when we have Jesus as our example, who fulfilled all the will of the Father.

The word songs (which is actually the first word in the original text and begins with ז) is the word “zamar”  (זמר) and has the idea of   pruning, cutting, and to divide with reference to  rhythmical numbers, hence to sing, praises, music, an instrument…etc. The saying: “The song of the land”  means the most celebrated produce of the land…so we can say the “song of His statutes”  speaks of  the songs our lives produce when they are in are in perfect tune and harmony with God. No need to fret when we are being pruned, the Lord is just fine tuning our notes to sound more musical and harmonized.

I remember hearing about a recording artist and I don’t remember who it was, but he needed a new hit song in order to get his career in the Christian music industry back on track. After some time he finally felt he had written a great song, and knew it would become a very popular hit. Then he heard the Lord ask “would you play it for my ears only?”. He chose not to record this song and to only sing it for Jesus…the audience of One. I was so touched when I heard this and wished I could have the same opportunity but I don’t sing or write songs. Then I heard the Lord break into my thoughts with “You do have the same choice because your life is a song to Me”. I love that quantum physics shows that everything has vibration…our thoughts, motives, and actions all produce a sound. This puts a new twist on “sing a new song unto the Lord”. Our lives are hidden with Christ and whether or not we are noticed or appreciated by others, every movement, word, thought, and act of love and holiness is a lyric and note in our worship to our God.

Next we have house of my pilgrimage.

Pilgrimage has both the idea of sojourning as a stranger, and of dwelling. Some of the usages for house are: dwelling place, tent, and temple of God. Which reminds me of a dream that I received when I first began walking with God. In the dream I was shown a house on a beach that I knew had been given to me and though it was just perfect, I couldn’t believe it was really all mine. This was an ongoing dream and every night The Lord would show me a new room which had a doorway that led into another room…the rooms were endless. Now I couldn’t see or hear Jesus in my dream but I felt His presence. I knew He was there, and I could sense what He was saying. Initially the house was unfurnished but one night while walking into another room, and once again thinking “I can’t believe this is really mine, I can’t believe someone would actually just give this to me”  suddenly the rooms began to be filled with special treasures decorated with one of a kind type treasures. I knew that they were exactly what I would pick out and finally realized that the home was truly mine.

I can’t tell you how many times God has interpreted my dreams so specifically with the meanings of Hebrew words and scripture but for now I’ll just say that the house both represents a home/dwelling place and the heart of God. Each chamber is an aspect of who God is that  can be discovered if we choose to “stay in the boundaries” of His prescribed ways. I want to walk with Him, I want to do what brings pleasure to His heart and I want to discover all that I can on this side of eternity about Him. Really, is there anything greater in life than knowing God! 

 Laura