A brief examination of Psalm 119 reveals benefits gained by those who absorb the Word. Let’s put three of them, wisdom, insight, and understanding, to the test by looking at a case study. Let’s imagine you recently got a job that has proven to be less than you expected. You prayed for employment, then, lo and behold, this job opened up. You were grateful. After a few weeks, however, you have found that the working conditions leave much to be desired.
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God’s Word the Cure
As I glance over Psalm 119:98–100, I see three benefits gained by those who absorb the Word: wisdom, insight, and understanding. Wisdom is the ability to look at life and its difficulties from God’s point of view. As I learn more of the Word of God and begin to get a grasp of its practical principles, I also gain the ability to look at life from a heavenly, eternal viewpoint.
Read MoreA Lack of Knowledge
Sometimes the grind of low enthusiasm results from not having sufficient knowledge to address life’s difficulties. While additional training in management or finances or parenting or vocational skills can certainly help, all knowledge must be built upon a foundation of spiritual wisdom. In verses 98–100 of Psalm 119, the composer speaks of the superiority of the Word over three sources of truth held in high esteem by the world.
Read MoreA Spiritual Problem
The psalmist’s lengthy poem about the Word of God holds the keys to regaining enthusiasm. Psalm 119 helps to identify issues that drag us down so we can address them with wisdom from above. After all, a lack of enthusiasm isn’t a problem with emotions; it’s a spiritual problem that can’t be corrected with a pep talk or even a happy experience.
Read MoreNeeding More
Interesting word, enthusiasm. It’s derived from two Greek terms, en (meaning “in”) and theos (meaning “God”), carrying the idea of being inspired. In the original sense of the word, a person was so overtaken with the presence of God, he or she could barely contain the excitement. That makes sense. The truth of God applied to our circumstances brings a burst of enthusiasm nothing else can provide.
Read MoreTimely Wisdom
I smile inside every time I hear someone say the Bible is irrelevant. Right away, I know that person is not at all acquainted with the pages of God’s Book. As one who has been an expositor of Scripture for more than five decades, I am still occasionally stunned at how up-to-date and on-target the Bible really is.
Read MoreComfort in God’s Strength
If Martin Luther’s great hymn, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” is any indication, he often turned to Psalm 46 for comfort. When you read his story, you can appreciate why. In 1520, after more than three years of conflict with the Church in Rome, the Pope warned Luther in a public letter that he would be excommunicated if he did not recant his teaching that salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone.
Read MoreSeek God’s Truth
Psalms 42 and 43 capture for us David’s situation of inner despair and disturbance. The source of his turmoil didn’t go away after his visit to the headwaters of the Jordan River (42:6). When he returned to Jerusalem, he found his troubles waiting for him. According to Psalm 43:1–2, David suffered another personal attack. People problems were upon him, and we all know how devastating they can be!
Read MoreMemorization Made Real
In years past, before the printing press and the Internet made information so readily available, people memorized—precisely, word for word—anything they considered helpful. With the mass production of books, memorization steadily declined. Today, with the Internet in everyone’s pocket, the discipline of memorization has all but died.
Read MoreListening with Retuned Ears
David sums up his feelings in Psalm 19 with a brief prayer. In fact, these three lines are some of the most familiar in the entire book of Psalms. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. (19:14) While God may seem silent at times, the problem is not that He isn’t communicating; it’s that we aren’t hearing Him.
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