Feed Your Faith With Psalm 119: Spiritual Encouragement For Teens

Being a Christian teen is difficult. 

You want to fit in, but then your peers start talking about the latest blockbuster and you find yourself bobbing your head awkwardly because you haven’t seen it. You’re the only one who has to skip the Sunday morning basketball tournament because of church. And when your civics class gets into a discussion about abortion as a woman’s right, you shift nervously in your seat, wondering if you dare speak up against it.

Sometimes you look around and wonder if you’re the only Christian in the room. 

When pressure rises against your faith, go to Psalm 119, a fountain of spiritual encouragement for teens.

Psalm 119: Super Long and Full of Goodies

At a whopping 176 verses, Psalm 119 is indisputably the longest chapter of the Bible. But don’t let the length scare you away. When broken into groups of eight verses (which it is, each starting with a different letter of the Hebrew alphabet), this Psalm becomes much more palatable. You’ll find a repetition of three themes throughout:

1. Being a Christian is insanely difficult. 
2. God’s Word is honey for your soul.
3. You can call on Him to help you do what’s insanely difficult.

3 Truths to Offer Spiritual Encouragement For Teens

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1) Being a Christian is Insanely Difficult 

The writer of Psalm 119 knew all about the hostility and ridicule faced by believers. Take a look at this sampling of verses:

• Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees. (v. 23)
• Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget your law. (v. 61)
• Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies, I keep your precepts with all my heart. (v. 69)
• The wicked are waiting to destroy me, but I will ponder your statutes. (v. 95)
• Trouble and distress have come upon me, but your commands give me delight. (v. 143)
• Many are the foes who persecute me, but I have not turned from your statutes. (v. 157)

Christianity isn’t all tiny bubbles and soft-petaled roses. It’s hard, and sometimes you want to quit. But notice the two-part nature of each of the above verses. Over and over, the psalmist lays out the hardships he encountered while following God’s will, yet he refused to budge. He’s essentially saying, “Look what’s happening to me, God, but I’m still with you.” 

What an example to follow!

It makes you wonder, though: If being a Christian is difficult to the point of persecution and pain, why do it? Why continue to follow God’s Word?

The psalmist considers that as well.

2) God’s Word is Honey to Your Soul

Unless you’re a masochist (a word I became familiar with after reading Twilight), continued hardship makes little sense without a beneficial outcome. It’s the very definition of self-torture.

What in life lasts forever? Pillbox hats, shoulder pads in jackets, harem pants, and platform shoes were all the rage in their day and have (thankfully) ceded the limelight to other styles. High school jumps to college, which spits you out into the professional world. You start a family, move three or four times, switch jobs, and lose track of old friends. 

What might be a huge deal in your life now will eventually fade or disappear altogether.

Through it all, only one remains both eternal and unchanging: God.

“Your word, Lord, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens. Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures. Your laws endure to this day, for all things serve you.” (v. 89-90)

We don’t follow God’s word to show everyone else what good people we are. We follow it because he’s all that matters in the big picture. Consider the joy the writer of Psalm 119 finds in God’s Word:

• I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. (v. 14)
• You are good, and what you do is good; teach me your decrees. (v. 68)
• The law from your mouth is more precious to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold. (v. 72)
• I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous. (v. 75)
• Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. (v. 97)
• How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! (v. 103)

When you’ve found something as delightful and everlasting as this, you don’t give it up at the first—or hundredth—sign of trouble. You cling to it.

But the human heart is easily distracted by lesser things. Which leads to the final piece of spiritual guidance found in Psalm 119.

3) You Can Call on Him to Help You Do What’s Insanely Difficult

Though the psalmist alludes to his ongoing dedication to God’s commands, he also makes it clear this is not something he can accomplish on his own:

• Keep me from deceitful ways; be gracious to me and teach me your law. (v. 29)
• Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. (v. 33)
• Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good. (v. 39)
• Save me, for I am yours; I have sought out your precepts. (v. 94)
• Sustain me, my God, according to your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed. (v. 116)
• Make your face shine on your servant and teach me your decrees. (v. 135)
• May my lips overflow with praise, for you teach me your decrees. (v. 171)

You don’t have to walk through the woods alone. God is with you wherever you go. Call upon him for guidance and the fortitude you need to stand firm. He delights in sharing his strength with you.

Move Forward With Eyes on the Horizon

Yes, being a Christian teen is difficult but worth it. Believe me when I say in five years (sooner even) you won’t care what your high school classmates or college peers think of you now. What matters is that you keep your eyes on the horizon of eternity. 

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. I wait for your salvation, Lord, and I follow your commands.” (v. 105, 166)

Take it Further

Consider using Psalm 119 as part of your daily devotions. Read one eight-verse section a day and ponder how it applies to you in the moment. Let God speak to you through his Word!

Find more spiritual encouragement for teens in Feeling Left Out: When The World Is Having Fun Without You and How to Build Rock-Solid Faith When God Stirs the Coals.