Christopher Ash's Bible Delight is a wonderfully rich, pastorally sensitive exposition of Psalm 119. Taking a section at a time he slows us down to hear the music of grace in the background of what at first listen might sound strident; slows us down to dig up beautiful gems in apparently unpromising ground; slows us down to take in the nuances and carefulness of what might at first sight seem thrown together. If you haven't got a copy, check it out - it'll do your soul good. I recently read through Bible Delight a second (or maybe third) time and did a series of 22 little audios for my church small group. In this strange lockdown time many of us have been finding it hard to concentrate, hard to read more than a sentence, hard to pray. So this was intended as bitesize encouragement a few times a week. The format is simple: I read the section of Psalm 119 (almost always using Christopher Ash's own translation of the Hebrew); spend two or three minutes going through the
6 ministry thoughts from 2 hugely important verses: I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. (2 Corinthians 11:2-3) Who is Christ? He's the husband - the bridegroom to whom the church is betrothed. Such an important category. Such an important vision of Jesus. Yes, he is our prophet, priest, king, Lord, sacrifice - but he's also - wonderfully - the husband to whom we are given. He came into the world for that. His incarnation was so that he could say to us, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh." He died to pay a bloody dowry for us. He is in heaven now longing for us, desiring the day of the wedding banquet. All that stuff in the Song of Songs about the husband cherishing his wife, the bride delighting