Hans Sangtoki Bible Reading: Psalm 119
“Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.” (Psalm 119:97)
In the entirety of Psalm 119, the Psalmist speaks about how he finds his joy in God’s Word a total of 26 times with different phrases such as “In the ways of your testimonies I delight” (v. 14), “I find my delight in your commandments” (v.47), “The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces” (v. 72), “Your testimonies…are the joy of my heart” (v. 111), “I love your precepts” (v. 159).
Again and again, the Psalmist sings about his love for God’s Word. God’s law is the Psalmist’s delight because God’s Word gives the Psalmist his life. Around 15 times, the Psalmist pleas, “give me life according to your word!” (v. 25). God’s Word is alive to the Psalmist. It overflows with streams of life that give him joy, meaning, purpose, direction. They guide him and teach him God’s statutes and ways. They show him how to live according to God’s wisdom. They help him to walk pure and right before God. In this he delights; that he can walk with God.
Is the Psalmist’s heart in us? Do we love God’s Word? Do we cling and depend on God’s Word for our very lives? Is God’s Word the food that gives us strength for each day, the treasure that gets us up each morning? Does God’s Word overflow with streams of life and joy and purpose in our lives? Do we behold His wondrous ways?
A heart that loves God’s law is not something we can make up. It is a divine gift from God alone. Unless His Spirit gives us new hearts that love Him and His Word, our eyes would be directed to selfish gain and worthless things.
Even the Psalmist recognises that worldly pleasures and lies are constantly tugging at his heart, and so he prays, “Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways.” (Psalm 119:36-37)
I suggest going back and rereading the whole of Psalm 119. Carefully ask if the Psalmist’s heart is our heart and pray that our hearts may be moulded into one that loves God and His Word.
Lord, work in us that our hearts may be changed. Plant in us a love for You and a delight in Your Word. Teach us to find our joy in following You, obeying You, and walking with You. Incline our hearts to Your testimonies and not to selfish gain! Turn our eyes from looking at worthless things, and give us life in Your ways. We ask in Jesus’ name, amen.
Hans Sangtoki (18) is the coordinator of RE Generation Z. He has a passion for serving his generation and sharing hope in Christ. He also has an interest in classical music and dreams of conducting an orchestra one day.