Verse: Psalm 119:10-16
I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray from your commands.
11 I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
12 Praise be to you, Lord;
teach me your decrees.
13 With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.
14 I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.
15 I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.
16 I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.
Devotion
Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm and it is all about the benefits of knowing and following God’s Word. As I was reading this portion today, I was struck by how the author’s whole being is involved in knowing God’s Word.
First, the Word is hidden in his heart. I love that picture. It is so important for us to internalize God’s Word, for it to take root in our hearts, for us to even have important verses memorized.
Second, the Word is on his lips! How important it is to talk about God’s Word! One of my favorite parts of small group is when we read God’s Word out loud together. There is something powerful about saying God’s Word out loud – it’s different than just reading it silently.
Third, he meditates on his Word with his mind. Not only do we want to hide it in our hearts, but we want to know it in our minds. We want to think about God’s Word. We want to ponder it. To consider it. To discern how it relates to us. To understand what it meant originally, and what it means for us. We are not called to turn our brains off when we read God’s Word, but rather to fully engage with it intellectually!
The author prays, “do not let me stray from your commands.” And the way he seems to be pursuing that goal is by making sure God’s Word is in his heart, on his lips, and filling his mind. May the same be said of us!
Author: Christian Dunn
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