The 119thPsalm offers some wonderful, timely, and practical lessons for daily Christian living, nearly all of which are rooted in the power and glory of God’s word. Let us consider a few.
Psalm 119:97
There’s an old adage that says, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” That may hold true in some situations, but not when you’re discussing the law of God. Familiarity breeds love. It was because of the psalmist’s daily and day-long contemplation of God’s word that he could exclaim, “O how I love Your law!” And, in turn, his growing love for the law made it his “meditation all the day.”
I don’t know about you, but that’s a repeating cycle I’d like to be in!
Psalm 119:97-99
“Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation.”
There are two thoughts I want to leave with you today:
- When the law of God is loved, it will occupy one’s thoughts throughout the day. This is a big reason why memorizing Scripture is beneficial. With passages stored in your memory, you have something to think about when you can’t actually read the Bible.
- The psalmist claims to have out-distanced his own teachers in understanding because he meditates on God’s word. Reading the Bible is important, but the real growth comes when you think about what you read. If you have to read less each day that you might meditate more, then do it!