Lover of His Word: Seeking to Live Truth

The Psalmist here extols the great value of God’s Word. And it is not just in his knowing it but in his application of it. Truth is not learned fully unless applied. Mere head knowledge simply puffs, making us prideful, but Truth applied makes us more like Jesus. He was the Word that became flesh and dwelt among us. And through the knowledge and application of God’s Word we keep ourselves pure. Indeed, the psalmist declares in Psalms 119:9-11 (NIV): “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” Jame also tells us in James 1:22 (NIV): “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.”   

God does not want us to be like mere hummingbirds flitting around from one promise of Scripture to another rather grasping the Truth wholly and applying the Truth to our lives when taught. We have a lot of “bumper sticker” Christians who are a mile wide and an inch deep and this should not be so. Paul also tells us in 2 Timothy 2:15 (NIV): “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” This is the whole of Scripture not simply the verses of our liking. Scripture is our Guidebook for all of life and we do ourselves much harm when we neglect its total Truths.

We are also told that God’s Word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path, helping us to stay in the center of His will for our lives, mature and fully assured. Let His Word be the joy of your heart as it dwells in you richly. We can place our hopes in it as God never goes against it. It is the greatest gift. In setting our hearts on keeping His decrees we will never, ever be disappointed. And no longer would we be double-minded men, blown and tossed about by the wind, unstable in all we do. We can place our hopes in His Word as it is true Truth and God will never go against it. His Word is eternal and stands firm in the heavens.