Psalm 119, the longest Psalm in the Bible teaches us the importance of God’s Word. In a world that is constantly warring against our souls to fit us into its “mould,” only the Word of God can keep us from straying away from God’s way!

 

The words- the law, statutes, decrees, testimonies, righteous judgments, commandments, precepts- used in the Psalm, are all synonymous with God’s Word. In our walk on the earth, the guidelines given in God’s Word keep from becoming “undefiled in the way.” (Psa 119:1).

 

Why should God’s precepts become our priority? Two verses to draw our attention:
 

 

• Psa 119:9: “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word."
   

• Psa 119:11: “Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.”

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To live according to God’s Word, there are a few principles we can gather from our reading:
 

• Hide God’s Precepts in your heart: Psa 119:11 tells us to hide God’s Word in our hearts that we keep far away from sin. We can be influenced by peer pressure to conform to the world’s standards of fun and pleasure and thus fall into sin if we do not resist those temptations with the precepts as guidelines for our godly living in this ungodly world. God’s Word hidden in our hearts helps us discern and ward off such sinful lures. 
   

• Learn & Meditate its Principles: Psa 119:7, 15,23 point to what the Psalmist did with God’s Word- learn and meditate. Psalm 1:2 talks of the benefit for the one who delights in and meditates God’s Word: “That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.”
   

• Keep its Practice: Psa 119:2,4 speak of Keeping God’s Word. Its just not enough to read, listen, learn or meditate God’s Word, its important that we show a diligence to keep doing it. In Matt.7:24, Jesus equates a man who does His Word: “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock:”- nothing affected him.
   

• Delight in its Prescriptions: The prescriptions in God’s Word are for our well- being. It would do us good if we delight in them as the Psalmist did (Psa 119:16,24). Otherwise the strong pull of the world in dragging us along its way will make us find delight in other things that do not please our Lord. May the prescriptions in God’s Word become our guideline in making right choices. 

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Jesus Christ Himself is GOD’s Word who was from the very beginning and came in flesh to this world and dwelt among us (John 1:1,14). When we accept Him into our lives and as His Word takes preeminence in our lives, we will learn to walk in His Way that we may not be lured into the ways of the world. Remember: “And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 1:17)

 

 

Can we pray thus daily:

LORD Jesus, "Open my eyes to see wonderful things in your Word.”

Psalm 119:18 TLB

 

Listen- ‘Wonderful Words of life’