Happy and Blessed - Pt. 17

 

I have done what is just and right; do not leave me to my oppressors. Give your servant a pledge of good; let not the insolent oppress me. My eyes long for your salvation and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise. Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes. I am your servant; give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies! It is time for the Lord to act, for your law has been broken. Therefore I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold. Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right; I hate every false way. (Psalm 119:121-128 ESV).

 

In this section of Psalm 119 we find some of the most memorable words in the entire psalm, as the writer declares that he loves God’s Word “more than gold, more than pure gold.” But if we lift this beautiful confession out of its context, we miss a more subtle truth in these verses: the psalmist’s plea to understand God’s Word. That is the true wealth. In declaring how he treasures God’s Word, the psalmist isn’t merely offering a beautiful senti­ment. He offers this like evidence in a court of law, as if he is testifying like a plaintiff. Because he loves God’s words above all else and seeks to follow them, God should rescue him from his oppressors.

 

Knowing that we tend to see only our own point of view and that we often fall short, most of us would hesitate to put God on trial in a way like this. Nevertheless, we can learn from the psalmist’s request. He acknowledges his need for help in understanding God’s precious Word.

 

Though we may not all dare to call God to account in pleading for his help, we all need guidance in discerning the truth of God’s Word. We hear God’s voice most clearly when we ask him to remove our distractions and reveal himself and his will to us. And when God does speak to us through his Word—as he certainly will—we must apply God’s teaching to our daily lives.

 

I hope you are spending more time in the Scripture each day. However, at least as important is meditating on whatever portion you read through the day. I like to think of it as pondering the Scripture. It is like a cow chewing on a cud. They rechew each bite to make sure they extract every bit of protein that might be present. Do that with your readings for just seven days throughout each day. Let the Holy Spirit use this technique to give you something so valuable that even the finest gold pales in comparison.