The Nugget:
Psalm 119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.
My Comment:
I doubt very much that the Psalmist is being inordinately boastful. He is declaring a matter of fact in his experience. Shame on each of us individually if we do not experience this very thing for ourselves. The Psalmist meditated upon God’s Word. This was a regular, daily part of his life. Surely, if he studied the Bible independently, and kept at it, it should be expected that he could surpass his teachers. In my own experience teaching in public school I am aware of at least one of my former pupils, Pastor Emory Moss, that has likely surpassed his old English teacher when it comes to the knowledge of the Bible he shares daily on his radio program on WLQV in Detroit, AM1500. I’m sure he would not mind if you listened in on the program which airs from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm daily, Eastern Time, Monday through Friday. It is “streamed” on the Internet at www.am1500wlqv.com. The program is called “Bible Talk,” and listeners are encouraged to call in with their Bible questions, or answers to the challenges Pastor Moss sometimes issues at the beginning of the program. So, through very ordinary but diligent study and meditation upon God’s Word in the Bible, each of us ought, over time, to have more understanding than all our teachers. But this is a remarkable testimony in the Bible itself to the perspicuity of Scripture. Now don’t run away scared by the big word. The doctrine of the perspicuity of Scripture simply means that the Bible itself teaches that it can be understood!
For those who desire to DIG DEEPER into this subject:
(1) Consult the cross references given in Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible on page 631.
(2) Consult the cross references given in The New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge on page 676 or in Logos 5 Bible software for Psalm 119:99.
(3) Lacking access to those two resources, consult the cross references for this passage as I have developed them further given below:
Psalm 119:99. I have more understanding. Those who make the written Word of God the object of their continuing meditation and study can arrive at a greater understanding of spiritual things than all their teachers. This shows that the source of knowledge we are to go by is the written Word of God found in the Bible. Dt *4:6. 1 S 18:30. Jb 6:24. *32:8. Pr 2:9. *28:5. Is 29:24. Da 1:17, 20. 9:2. Mt 7:24. Lk 2:47. Ac +*8:30. 1 C 14:20. Col +*1:9. than all. Dt *4:6, 8. 2 S 15:24-26. 1 Ch 15:11-13. 2 Ch 29:15, etc. 30:22. Je 2:8. *8:8, 9. Mt *11:25. 13:11. *15:6-9, 14. 23:24, etc. Lk *2:46, 47. He *5:12. teachers. Ps 18:34. 94:10. 144:1. 1 C 1:19-21. 1 J *2:27. for thy testimonies. ver. 24. Mi 2:7. Ac 8:28. 2 T **3:15-17. are my meditation. Jsh +*1:8. Jb 15:4mg. 1 T *4:15.
psm 119.99 i have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. isa 66.2 gives the example of man who is willing to be taught by word
of god. vs 2 for all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been,
saith the lord; but to this man will i look,” even to him that is poor and of a contrite
spirit, and trembleth at my word” there are teachers today that dont teach the bible
jer 2.8 warns “the priests said not, where is the lord? and they that handle the law knew me not. the rulers also transgressed against me, and the prophets prophesied by
baal, and walked after things that do not profit. jer 8.9 the wise men are ashamed; they are dismayed and taken. lo, they have rejected the word of the lord; and what
wisdom is in them?
there are some good cross references in the nt. matt 11.25 ” at that time jesus answered
and said, i thank thee, o father, lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hidden
these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. mt 13.11
he answered and said unto them, because it is given unto you to know the mysteries
of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. mt 15.8-9 this people draweth
near unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is
far from me. vs 9 but in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the comman
dments of men. “11 tim 3.16-17 all scripture is given by inspiration of god, and is pro-
fitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, vs 17
that the man of god may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”