Longing to Know and Keep God’s Word

Psalms 119:129-136
פ PE

129 Your testimonies are wonderful;
Therefore my soul keeps them.

130 The entrance of Your words gives light;
It gives understanding to the simple.

131 I opened my mouth and panted,
For I longed for Your commandments.

132 Look upon me and be merciful to me,
As Your custom is toward those who love Your name.

133 Direct my steps by Your word,
And let no iniquity have dominion over me.

134 Redeem me from the oppression of man,
That I may keep Your precepts.

135 Make Your face shine upon Your servant,
And teach me Your statutes.

136 Rivers of water run down from my eyes,
Because men do not keep Your law.

Ah, to keep this longing of the heart alive and burning for God’s word, that I may know more in order to apply it obediently to my life!  His testimonies in scripture are so wonderful, enough that keeping them is the resulting effect of increasingly knowing them and my God ever more (2 Corinthians 3:18).  How can we not do according to His word?  It gives light to see and give life to us, allowing our simple mortal minds to grasp the infinite heavenly truths by the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:9-10, 12, 16), who is the word alive.  Do we then long for His commandments as the psalmist, as one dying of hunger and thirst (Matthew 5:6, Jeremiah 15:16, Psalm 42:1)?  We look to our Lord for mercy and grace because He has shown it to us and others before us as recorded on the pages of scripture.  It is His custom to do these things to all who love His name, whose name we are called according to.  This is why we also pray for guidance, asking for the lamp and light of His word to direct each step we take towards our glorification.  Likewise, we turn our hearts and minds to the scriptures to keep us from sin regaining a foothold to rule over us again.  He redeemed us from man and the oppression of sin in that fallen state, and that so we are able and willing to keep His word by living to please Him.  We therefore ask, oh Lord, that You will shine the grace of Your face upon us as You teach us (John 6:45, 1 Thessalonians 4:9); we feel the value of Your word even more as we weep for the many taking the wide road to destruction by willingly disobeying Your word.  Give us grace and strength to shine the light of You on them according to Your word, we pray!  We long to know and keep Your word, and that others may share that joyful passion.  Amen.