GOD’S WORD
DRIVES MY LIFE!
Psalm
119:161-168
Princes
persecute me without cause,
but my
heart stands in awe of your words.
I rejoice
at your word
like one
who finds great spoil.
I hate and
abhor falsehood,
but I love
your law.
Seven times
a day I praise you
for your
righteous rules.
Great peace
have those who love your law;
nothing can
make them stumble.
I hope for
your salvation, O LORD,
and I do
your commandments.
My soul
keeps your testimonies;
I love them
exceedingly.
I keep your
precepts and testimonies,
for all my
ways are before you.
The writer
exudes peace. He starts by setting the context: he is persecuted and sees no
reason for it. He could complain and be bitter, but he has a different focus. There
is something that human hands cannot take away. He loves the Word and finds
rest in it.
His heart
is not moved, for he is in awe and rejoicing over the righteousness and truth
of the Word of God. At this point we should ask ourselves are we awed by the
Scriptures?
Are we
amazed by the fact that God revealed himself to us? Are we in awe of what we
find out about the person and character of God? Are we surprised by what He has
done for us? Are we convicted by the description of our hearts and lives and
the incredible offense we were to the holiness of God? Are we speechless as we
observe the eternal love God has placed on us, and the cost and magnitude of
the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for our sins? Are we finding rest in the
meticulous care God has for us? Are we delighted by our eternal destiny and the
glory of heaven?
Think about
it: we would know nothing about all this if God had not chosen to give us the
Scriptures!
The writer
knows that the Word is his most valuable treasure, and he loves it. Hating what
is false, he rests in assurance that the Scriptures are true.
Do we stop
to think about the fact that the Word is true, reliable, eternal, unchanging,
powerful, transforming, encouraging, good, useful, that it gives life, protects
us, and so much more!
The
psalmist’s day is filled with praise because he has God’s Word. Does living
your days aware of the truth cause you
to continually bless God? Are you amazed over the instruction and guidance you
have at your disposal? Lack of conscious praise for the amazing gift of God’s
revelation to us means that we are living in our own strength, unaware of the superior
wisdom and power available to us through the Scriptures.
This
awareness produces peace - complete absence of worry and bitterness. Knowing
the Scriptures caused the writer to exclaim that nothing could make him
stumble. His love for the Word caused him to simply obey God and keep His
commandments. Do we want peace? Then the Scriptures are our guide to finding it!
The writer
looks to God for his salvation. He is resolved to keep God’s law and to love
it. He will not look to any other place; he has his eyes fixed on God. We must
remember that the Scriptures are our only resource to know the truth about God. The writer looks to the Scriptures alone for truth. To
rely on mere men’s thoughts and theories about God will only lead to heresy and
falsehood.
He
concludes that, as he obeys and submits to the Scriptures, God is watching his
life. This truth is both a deterrent and an encouragement. How would our daily
thoughts and actions be corrected if, in the moment, we were aware and fearing
the fact that God is watching? Knowing what God thinks about our sin and how
much it offends His holiness should certainly be a deterrent from it! Knowing God is watching over us is also a
great encouragement as we live with enemies and with difficulties. God is fully
aware of our circumstances, and He will come to our rescue when He knows those situations
have produced in us His intended work.
May we be
guided and encouraged today by the amazing gift we have received from God: His
revelation!
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