His Word!

Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm dedicated to expressing the goodness and glory of God's Word. The psalmist uses many terms when exalting the Word of God including "testimonies", "statutes", "commandments", "rules", "law", "judgments", "precepts", and "word". In describing the Word of God, the psalmist declares his joy, hope, and peace found in the written Word, for God's glory is revealed in Scripture.

As an acrostic poem, these verses are divided into 22 sections, each beginning with the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. As I read through this psalm in the past week, verses 105-112 particularly stood out to me, as they described some important aspects of Scripture. Since we, as believers, are to continue to search the Word daily, perhaps these words will be an encouragement to you all to keep reading and studying the words that contain eternal life.

God's Word is a Light and Lamp
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." (Psalm 119:105, ESV)
Directing our steps, God's purpose and plans prevail over those of man. He guides and sustains us in our darkness just as He does in the light. We don't have to know all that is ahead--God does, and where His will leads us, His grace will keep us.

God's Word is Righteous
"I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules." (Psalm 119:106)
Here the psalmist here promises to keep the rules of God, for they are the only true and pure commandments that are worth fighting for. The relativity of the world provides no foundation, but in the midst of compromised truth, God's righteous rules provide a solid Rock.

God's Word gives Life
"I am severely afflicted; give me life, O Lord, according to your word!" (Psalm 119:107)
Affliction, trials, tribulations, and general spiritual weaknesses drain our spirit, and here the psalmist cries out to the Lord. God's Word makes us alive to Christ, and gives us strength and perseverance when we are weary.

God's Word Teaches
"Accept my freewill offerings of praise, O Lord, and teach me your rules." (Psalm 119:108)
The Lord has promised that those who ask for wisdom will receive it. By reading Scripture, communicating with God, and allowing the Holy Spirit to convict us we will be taught the rules of God. And as the psalmist bring his offerings, He praises the Lord. The rules of God should prompt us to praise and glorify God for who He is and what He commands.

God's Word must be Remembered
"I hold my life in my hand continually, but I do not forget your law." (Psalm 119:109)
Though there was often danger, the psalmist says that nothing could move him to forget the Word. Scripture is that which will never pass away, and it is these Words that we are commanded to meditate on day and night in order to walk in God's way. It requires active remembrance and purposeful meditation to remember the law of God.

God's Word Protects
"The wicked have laid a snare for me, but I do not stray from your precepts." (Psalm 119:110)
The society and culture around us present many temptations for us; we are constantly attacked with Satan's devices and only faithfully holding to that which is holy and true will lead us in the right path. We must know wrong from right in order to avoid evil, and if we are to stick closely to God's precepts then we must study them to have a deep knowledge of them.

God's Word gives us Joy
"Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart." (Psalm 119:111)
This is my favorite verse from the passage. Perhaps Calvin's commentary describes it best: "Without the Divine word all other things were in his estimation as nothing; so that he could willingly leave to others, riches, honors, comforts, and pleasures, provided he possessed this incomparable treasure." When we treasure God's testimony above all else, earthly inheritances and possessions become nothing to us. God's Word is our delight and it is that which completely satisfies our hearts. It brings us inexpressible joy and we live in the blessedness of God's glory. What we treasure shows where our heart is. When we treasure Scripture, our hearts find delight in Christ.

God's Word is Eternal
"I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end." (Psalm 119:112)
The psalmist here makes a conscious choice to turn his heart to the Word of God until the end of his days. The reward for him will be eternal. God's statutes will remain eternally, and so he commits to following them for all the days of his life. We can't do this on our own, but by drawing strength from the Holy Spirit and meditating on the Words of life, we, too, can fix our eyes on the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. It will be worth the wait.

Stay in the Word. Learn to meditate on it. Seek to make Scripture the joy of your heart.