While Psalm 119 is a hard some to memorize since it contains 176 verses it should be read and re-read often because it talks extensively, in almost every one of its verses, about the preeminence of the Word of God. I would like to share in today’s and tomorrow’s devotions nine amazingly exciting verses that I pray will help you to fall more in love, like the psalmist, with the Scriptures.
Verse 11: “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”
The psalmist clearly understood that one of the best ways to keep from sinning is to know and hide the Word of God deep within our hearts. We know from (Matthew 4) when Satan tempted Jesus that our Savior quoted Scripture (three verses from the book of Deuteronomy) in order to stop the devil in his tracks. We too can stand on the Word of God when tempted to sin as a potent antidote because there is power in the Bible.
Verse 14: “I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, as much as in all riches.”
The word testimony here is another word for the Word of God – the Bible. Here the psalmist says that the Bible is worth truly rejoicing over because it gives us peace, joy, purpose, knowledge of God, and certainty of our eternal destiny. While all of us want riches, we want them for what they can give us. But the Word of God is worth so much more than worldly riches because of all the blessings we can receive through knowing it and obeying its commands. Knowing the Bible should be a great source of joy because this is where our true riches lie; in knowing the written Word and the living Word – Jesus.
Verse 18: “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.”
The Bible is full of wondrous things. Reading the Word is like going on a great treasure hunt and mining for nuggets of true gold and incomparable wisdom. No wonder the psalmist is crying out to have his eyes opened by the illumination of the Holy Spirit to see and experience the true riches contained in the pages of Scripture.
Verse 24: “Your testimonies also are my delight and my counselors.”
This theme of the Scriptures being the psalmist’s delight is expressed over and over again in (Psalm 119). I love this word delight because it implies that the Bible is something not to be feared but enjoyed. And here the psalmist not only says he enjoys and delights in the Word, but considers the Word his treasured companion and counselor; guiding him in the right way on this journey called life. We know that God wants to give us the desires of our heart and the more we fall in love with the Word and Jesus we can see God’s desires becoming our desires – and experience the reality of (Psalm 37:4): “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.”
Verse 72: “The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver.”
All of us would love to have thousands of coins of gold and silver. With them we could buy the best cars, houses, and vacations – all of which in themselves are great. But here the psalmist says that the true riches contained in the Bible far exceed these worldly possessions. The person who really knows the Bible will be full of joy and contentment no matter what his lot in life may be. What can be more wonderful than having a personal and intimate relationship with the Author of the Word of God – Jesus Christ!
In tomorrow’s devotion we will explore four more precious verses from (Psalm 119).