ADDICTED TO THE WORD.
(PSALM
119.17-24)
The Psalmist is clearly a great model of
dependence for believers of all ages. He
prays for grace that he might obey
(v.17) and he prays for illumination that
he might see and understand the truth
(v.18). I wonder how often we as his
spiritual grandchildren follow after such
wisdom.
How often do we hit our face and pray
with passion that God would grant that
we live in order to obey?!
(v. 17) Deal bountifully with Your
servant, That I may live and keep Your
word.
OR before cracking open our Bibles or
while studying or sitting under the
preaching of the word, how often do we
pray as he:
(v.18) Open my eyes, that I may behold
Wonderful things from Your law.
I will readily admit that I cannot identify
with what he is praying in v. 20. I
cannot recall a time when I have been
“crushed with longing after” the divine
ordinances.
(v.20) My soul is crushed with longing
After Your ordinances at all times.
Sure there have been times that I have
been particularly excited to study, teach,
or sit under biblical teaching, but this is
something more! The Psalmist is
modeling sanctified behavior that is
similar to what we see coming from an
addict. These comparisons are
obviously polemical in terms of what
they are desiring, however, the posture
of being “crushed with longing” is
similar. It is like you could not take the
Bible away from this guy. If you did get
it away, he wouldn’t stop talking about
it with you, and if you would not talk he
would just meditate, and if he couldn’t
meditate, he would just sit there and
delight in the Law of God, even
worshipping him in his own heart,
overflowing with praise and
thankfulness.
The word used here for crushed carries
with it the concept of being disciplined.
The soul of this man of God is so
enthralled with the word that the
deprivation of its utmost joy and value
is soul crushing!
Perhaps if we prayed like the Psalmist
for our eyes to be opened we would
behold such wonderful things from the
book and then be so enraptured by the
divine realities?!
I love this great hymn book of revival
because it is so necessary for my soul.
It is so necessary to see man’s
dependence and God’s greatness, to see
the supremacy of the word of God as
opposed to everything. It is necessary
to see that it does indeed please God to
have the whole soul of man pursuing
and even panting for his character and
testimonies as revealed through the
word. God is pleased to allow his
redeemed to join in the ceaseless and
marvelous exaltation of Godhead! What
grace, what a privelge, what joy awaits
us in this stewardship of the sacred text
of divine amplification.
Psalm 119:24 Your testimonies also
are my delight; They are my counselors.
[As a church we are reading through the
book of Psalms each Sunday morning.
As a result Thursday postings will be
geared toward a devotional look at the
respective Psalm for each week in effort
to kindle genuine affections in heart of
the child of God through the word of
God to the glory of God.]
119.17-24)
The Psalmist is clearly a great model of
dependence for believers of all ages. He
prays for grace that he might obey
(v.17) and he prays for illumination that
he might see and understand the truth
(v.18). I wonder how often we as his
spiritual grandchildren follow after such
wisdom.
How often do we hit our face and pray
with passion that God would grant that
we live in order to obey?!
(v. 17) Deal bountifully with Your
servant, That I may live and keep Your
word.
OR before cracking open our Bibles or
while studying or sitting under the
preaching of the word, how often do we
pray as he:
(v.18) Open my eyes, that I may behold
Wonderful things from Your law.
I will readily admit that I cannot identify
with what he is praying in v. 20. I
cannot recall a time when I have been
“crushed with longing after” the divine
ordinances.
(v.20) My soul is crushed with longing
After Your ordinances at all times.
Sure there have been times that I have
been particularly excited to study, teach,
or sit under biblical teaching, but this is
something more! The Psalmist is
modeling sanctified behavior that is
similar to what we see coming from an
addict. These comparisons are
obviously polemical in terms of what
they are desiring, however, the posture
of being “crushed with longing” is
similar. It is like you could not take the
Bible away from this guy. If you did get
it away, he wouldn’t stop talking about
it with you, and if you would not talk he
would just meditate, and if he couldn’t
meditate, he would just sit there and
delight in the Law of God, even
worshipping him in his own heart,
overflowing with praise and
thankfulness.
The word used here for crushed carries
with it the concept of being disciplined.
The soul of this man of God is so
enthralled with the word that the
deprivation of its utmost joy and value
is soul crushing!
Perhaps if we prayed like the Psalmist
for our eyes to be opened we would
behold such wonderful things from the
book and then be so enraptured by the
divine realities?!
I love this great hymn book of revival
because it is so necessary for my soul.
It is so necessary to see man’s
dependence and God’s greatness, to see
the supremacy of the word of God as
opposed to everything. It is necessary
to see that it does indeed please God to
have the whole soul of man pursuing
and even panting for his character and
testimonies as revealed through the
word. God is pleased to allow his
redeemed to join in the ceaseless and
marvelous exaltation of Godhead! What
grace, what a privelge, what joy awaits
us in this stewardship of the sacred text
of divine amplification.
Psalm 119:24 Your testimonies also
are my delight; They are my counselors.
[As a church we are reading through the
book of Psalms each Sunday morning.
As a result Thursday postings will be
geared toward a devotional look at the
respective Psalm for each week in effort
to kindle genuine affections in heart of
the child of God through the word of
God to the glory of God.]
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