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The first question in any series about how to study the Bible is a simple one: why study it at all? For many Christians, the Bible can remain something we hear about at church or open occasionally without ever learning to dig into it for ourselves. Yet Scripture was not given simply to sit on a shelf or provide us with interesting religious information. In Part 1 of this series, we begin in Psalm 119 and ask what the Word of God can actually do in the life of someone who receives it, believes it and begins to live by it.
Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible, and throughout its 176 verses we repeatedly find the psalmist speaking about God’s Word, His statutes, testimonies, precepts, commandments and judgments. One of its best-known verses says, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11). From there, the psalm shows us God’s Word bringing revival when the soul is downcast, strength when the heart is heavy, hope in affliction, wisdom for life, a firm foundation and direction for our steps. Scripture does not simply tell us what is true – it teaches us how to walk in that truth.
As we continue through Psalm 119, the picture becomes deeply personal. God’s Word is described as sweeter than honey, a lamp to our feet, a light to our path and treasure more valuable than silver or gold. It brings understanding, exposes false ways and helps shape a changed heart. That matters because Bible study is not about demonstrating how much we know. The purpose is transformation – to know God more rightly, recognise what is true, turn from what is false and increasingly live in faithful obedience to Him. The Word of God can become more than something we occasionally read; its truth can begin to shape our decisions, our character, and the direction of our lives.
The practical starting point is wonderfully simple. Open Psalm 119 for yourself and read it slowly, perhaps over several sittings, with a pen or notebook nearby. Mark the places where the psalm speaks about God’s Word and notice what it says His Word provides. Then make the prayer of Psalm 119:169 your own: “Give me understanding according to Your word.” You do not need to understand everything at once. Begin by asking, reading, thinking and praying. As we continue through this series, we will look at practical ways to read Scripture, follow cross-references, understand how the Old and New Testaments fit together and develop a method of Bible study that helps us know God and His Word more faithfully.
