Psalm 119:97-104 - Love for God's Law

Psalm 119:97-104

⁹⁷ O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.
⁹⁸ Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever mine.
⁹⁹ I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation.
¹⁰⁰ I understand more than the aged, because I have observed Your precepts.
¹⁰¹ I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word.
¹⁰² I have not turned aside from Your ordinances, for You Yourself have taught me.
¹⁰³ How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
¹⁰⁴ From Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.

Message: Love for God's Law

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

I return to my study of Psalm 119, being guided by TableTalk's devotional. I have looked past at this year and realized I have only done 68 entries. It seems like more, but I have been slow through this study of the Wisdom Literature. I am just now in the month of July 2015, but I guess I continue to press on, so that is good.

O How I love your Law, it is my meditation all the day. This is true of my life. I do love God's word. It is rich to my life. When I read it and meditate on it and think of it, it is everything to me.

Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever mine. Lord, I know that your law makes me wiser. CS Lewis said that even if he found out tomorrow that the Bible was not true, he would still have to live like it is. I agree. It makes sense in life to live by it.

I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. Bible teachers are good, but meditating on God's word is more important. Lord, help me to stay connected to your word and reading it. Thank you for the teachers you have placed in our lives. But, its your word that makes the biggest impact in my life. The world professes to have schools of sage instruction; but the poorest believer, enlightened by the Spirit, is wiser than this boasted wisdom.

I understand more than the aged, because I have observed Your precepts. Lord, what makes me strong is being your disciple and being obedient to Your word. Sometimes I wonder if my acts of service keep decreasing. But, help me to stay connected to learning Your Word. As I read your word it makes me feel more learned than old men or the aged or ancients.

I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word. Lord, as I read your word, my desire is to not do evil. I struggle with this daily Lord. You know I still want that emotional contact with my wife and kids. And when I don't get it, I tend to revert to my life as a single and what brought me enjoyment then. But, Lord, help me to always wait on you and you alone. I need to trust in You, no matter my circumstances.  

I have not turned aside from Your ordinances, for You Yourself have taught me. Lord, as long as I am in your word and listening to Your ordinances then I will not turn aside. Your teaching is the best teaching.  

How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Lord, your words are sweeter to me than food. Keep me engrossed in Your word.  

From Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Lord, Your word is what gives understanding. Help me to read it and stay connected to it. As I do, I will hate evil. It is a solid truth that understanding is obtained by diligent adherence to God's precepts.

Promise: From Table talk, I really liked this: "We live in a lawless age that disdains boundaries and restrictions. Thus, the notion of loving God’s law seems quite strange to the unbeliever. Yet it should never seem strange to us. If God by His Spirit has poured His love into our hearts (Rom. 5), then we will love whatever reflects His character. We will love His law because it shows us who He is, and He is altogether lovely. Do you love God’s law? Pray that the Lord would increase in your heart your love for His law."