I Have Stored Up Your Word in My Heart
Let’s read part of Psalm 119:1-16 because it’s the longest of the Psalms and contains 176 verses. It’s known for its lyrical way of describing “walk in the law” to mean to consistently follow the path that God has revealed through His Word leading us to a blessed life.
It’s one of more popular Psalms because it reflects the plots, the slanders, and taunts against believer’s. Over history, many have claimed this Psalm as their favorite including Martin Luther.
- Bishop Cowper called it “a Holy Alphabet.”
- Philip Henry recommended to his children that they take a verse of it every morning “and meditate upon it, and so go over the Psalm twice in a year, and that will bring you to be in love with all the rest of Scripture.”
2. Trustworthiness (verse 42)
3. Truthfulness (verses 43, 142, 151, 160)
4. Faithfulness (verse 86)
5. Unchangeableness (verse 89)
6. Eternality (verses 90,152)
7. Light (verse 105)
8. Purity (verse 140)
1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord!
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, 3 who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways!
Where the whole heart loves the Word of God, the whole life will be clean, and no evil habits will be allowed. Yet even those who keep his Word need to look for God more and more. Their goal is to learn the Word of God so we can walk in His ways perfectly, but absolute perfection is not reached in this life.
4 You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. 5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes!
What a mercy when our prayer is to keep God’s commandments. As far as our views, desires and affections aligned with the influence of The Holy Spirit. These two verses show us that what God wants his people to desire His ways so we do not defile ourselves. “It is God who works in [us], both to will and to work for his good pleasure.”
6 Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
True obedience does not pick and choose. It is happy with all the rules of the Lord. If we begin to say, “this rule does not apply to me” and, “that rule does not apply to me,” where will we stop? The only way a person can truly live and walk with God is to sincerely obey all the commands of God. Then even those who hate them cannot say anything against them that is actually true. We all need great grace from our great God to live this way.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart, when I learn your righteous rules.
The result of all of our learning should be to worship God. The more we know of God Word in our studies helps us in our Prayers. As we build our knowledge of God, we understand him and we can Praise Him. This is our aim of our studying His Word and the result of it.
8 I will keep your statutes; do not utterly forsake me!
Deciding to keep God’s laws is good, but we need to pray and ask God to help us keep them. The last sentence,”do not utterly forsake me” should be on our lips every day. What a disaster it would be if our Lord deserted us!
9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it! Be on guard we are told according to The Word of God. This verse asks a very big question and then gives a very good answer. All people young and old should think seriously about both the question and the answer. Grace in the heart is the person’s best life insurance.
10 With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments!
Those who are most sincere in their Christian walk of faith are the most afraid of failing in it. This concern is wise. However good intentions will not protect us from sin. The most eager seeker after God will soon wander into terrible sin unless the grace of God keeps them safe. We must pray protection over ourselves! Ephesians 6
11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
The best thing we can do is place God’s Word in the best place. . . which is in our hearts. When we Mediate on His Word it is placed in our hearts. For practices like journaling and breaking down verses like I am doing here on this devotional blog create God’s word to be stored within my heart. I love ❤️ the Word of God so much!!
12 Blessed are you, O Lord; teach me your statutes!
David gives God glory and asks God to give him grace. Prayers and praises should go together making for a grateful heart.
13 With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth.
Those who can speak well should speak often for their Lord.
14 In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches.
In the last verse he says that he had guided others in the way of truth. In this he rejoices that he himself has accepted God’s word. When we share what we are learning, our testimony ignites faith among those who are listening! Try it out and see for yourself.
15 I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. 16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.
What the heart delights in, the mind remembers. It’s A warm heart does not forget the Lord’s word. Let us seek the Word of God in all His ways! Is our heart warm?
