Psalm 119 is most well-known for being the longest chapter—as well as the longest psalm—in the Bible. However, many people look over this psalm because of its length, and its meaning is often missed. Today, I’m going to show you the beautiful design of Psalm 119, as well as how we can use its message in our own writing.

Have you ever noticed that Psalm 119 is divided into stanzas in some Bibles? Well, that was done for a specific reason. You see, this particular psalm is an acrostic poem—a style of poetry that employs the first, the last, or (occasionally) the middle letter of a line or stanza to spell a phrase.

In the case of Psalm 119, every stanza features a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Each line (or verse) of the stanza starts with the corresponding Hebrew letter. So, every line in the first stanza begins with Aleph, every line in the second stanza starts with Beth, and so on.

Of course, since the psalm has been translated into English, we don’t observe the acrostic occurring. But the translators of some Bible versions have separated the stanzas in order to retain the psalm’s poetic properties.

There are other acrostic psalms in the Bible, but Psalm 119, with twenty-two stanzas and one hundred seventy verses, is by far the longest. When you take into consideration the creativity that went into writing an acrostic poem that long, this psalm is truly a masterpiece.

If you like writing poems, this example can inspire you to write your own acrostic poem. And if not, you can still use this knowledge of Psalm 119’s design to help you meditate on it.

One of the other incredible things about Psalm 119 is its message. Almost every verse in the psalm includes some mention of the scriptures. The psalmist rejoices in it, instructs from it, ponders it, delights over it, and prays about it. Above all, he recognizes the importance of keeping God’s Word close to your heart in everything you do.

This is true of us as writers. While our stories may not have as much biblical content as a sermon, they should accurately reflect the fact that we are followers of Christ. Spiritual truths, Bible verses, Christ-like characters, allegories, and so much more can be used in our writing. Done well, our faith will become a seamless part of the story—and, indeed, should be the very foundation.

Any character portrayed as a “hero” in our stories ought to value God’s Word, and any character who condemns the Bible should be shown to be wrong in that aspect. Our readers should not be left wondering what our stance is on the Bible—we should make it very clear that we believe it to be the source of all truth, straight from our Father’s mouth.

I know these two points can’t do the entire psalm justice, but I hope they will help you further understand and appreciate it a little bit more. I also encourage you to study Psalm 119 on your own with these tips in mind.

Comment below your thoughts on Psalm 119, or your favorite verse from it!