Such Joy in Keeping His Word!

Psalms 119:65-72

ט TETH

65 You have dealt well with Your servant,
O LORD, according to Your word.

66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge,
For I believe Your commandments.

67 Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.

68 You are good, and do good;
Teach me Your statutes.

69 The proud have forged a lie against me,
But I will keep Your precepts with my whole heart.

70 Their heart is as fat as grease,
But I delight in Your law.

71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes.

72 The law of Your mouth is better to me
Than thousands of coins of gold and silver.

This ninth letter of the Hebrew alphabet in this grand psalm starts by declaring how God deals with us; His word demonstrates that He is fair, just, and merciful.  That is how He deals with His people, not just the psalmist, but also including us, according to His word.  The cry of our hearts then is the ongoing prayer asking to be taught not just the facts of knowledge l but also good judgment, which is wisdom to apply what we are instructed to everyday life.  We ask out of faith, trusting His words of life.  Faith takes God at His word.  It believes Him and all He says, no matter how inconvenient or unpleasant or demanding it might first appear.  Sometimes it takes extreme adversity for us to learn these things, but it points us back to treasure and keep His word according to the scriptures from out of His mouth.  Those trials build faith and willing obedience.  It is because they reveal the character of our Lord, good and doing good for we His people, that we yearn to learn more and more.  We develop a burning desire of the heart and mind to know and do more when we are regenerated in Christ by the Spirit of God come into our hearts, and that drives open our eyes and ears to see and hear all we can.  Unfortunately, life often overtakes and diverts us, entangling us for a time.  We must untangle the world’s thorns often to keep that heartfelt love in our learning from Him through His word.  For even when the proud haters and deniers of God slander us, we still have our hearts set on pilgrimage in living and believing according to His word.  Even though they are mired in fat hearts like grease, we continue to find our delight in the scriptures.  Therefore, we can say along with the psalmist that it is good to be afflicted with troubles, or we might not learn the depths of trust and love for His words of life to us as His beloved children.  Yes, His words truly are better than all material riches we could ever temporarily accumulate, for what comes from our Lord and God from His word is the true and eternal treasure that never fades away or can be taken from us.  There is such joy in keeping His word!