LEARNING DAILY

Deuteronomy 7:9, Know therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His faithfulness to a thousand generations for those who love Him and keep His commandments.

I have been messing around with trying to make some toy trains. It has been fun. Have you ever thought about a train can only move when it stays on the tracks that have been set out for it. It moves easily when the tracks are clearly defined, free of obstacles. You have seen what the results are when the tracks become damaged or when something is on the track – derailment. God has laid out a clear way, a narrow way that those who follow Him are to follow. They are well-defined tracks or standards by which His Followers are to live by. That was yesterday’s message by Pastor Ed Newton.

For the next few weeks, I would like to encourage you with words written for Believers to “meditate on” from Psalm 119. The heading for this Psalm in my Bible is “Meditations on the Excellence of the Word of God.” The author is unknown and was probably written over a period of time; the thoughts were probably put together later to form this Psalm because there is no definite flow of thought from beginning to end. The sections and verse are not like a chain, where one link is connected to the other, but like a string of pearls where each pearl has equal, but independent value. (David Guzik).

Why study this Psalm? I want to use it as an encouragement for each of you to see the importance of reading/studying/meditating on God’s Word daily. Yesterday, I was in a cycle class at the gym. About half way through I wanted to stop; I was tired. It became a matter of willing myself to continue so I would finish the class. I was reminded that being in God’s Word was also a matter of the will (at times); it is making the time to be with God so “this train” (you and me) would stay on the track and our travel on the narrow way would be God’s way and not the way of the world.

Psalm 119 refers to God’s Word repeatedly. In fact, it is mentioned in almost every verse. According to David Guzik there are eight words that are used in this Psalm to describe scripture. “Law” is used 25 times to mean teach or direct. “Word” is used 24 times with the idea of the spoken word, God’s revealed word to man. “Judgment” is used 23 times meaning to determine or regulate our lives and show the rules by which we determine right from wrong as we walk the narrow way. “Testimony” is used 23 times is related to the word witness and signifies God’s covenant or loyalty to Israel. “Commandment” is used 22 times to emphasize the straight authority of what is said …the right to give orders. “Statute” is written 21 times with the idea of God’s written Word declaring His authority and power for giving [Believers] laws to follow.  “Precept” is used 21 times to point to the specific instructions of the Lord because He cares about the details. “Word” (a different word) is used 19 times to mean anything God has spoken, commanded, or promised.

Psalm 119 “expresses the majestic love for God’s written Word. It deals with the word as promise, commandment, guide, testimony, teaching, wisdom, righteousness, and reproof. It is presented as the psalmist’s comfort, protection, treasure, rule for life, delight to his heart and soul, and resource for all his needs” (Life in the Spirit Study Bible). May the Word of God become this to each Believer.