We Love His Word!

Psalms 119:161-168
ש SHIN

161 Princes persecute me without a cause,
But my heart stands in awe of Your word.

162 I rejoice at Your word
As one who finds great treasure.

163 I hate and abhor lying,
But I love Your law.

164 Seven times a day I praise You,
Because of Your righteous judgments.

165 Great peace have those who love Your law,
And nothing causes them to stumble.

166 LORD, I hope for Your salvation,
And I do Your commandments.

167 My soul keeps Your testimonies,
And I love them exceedingly.

168 I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies,
For all my ways are before You.

This song teaches us to hold to God’s word through adversity.  When wrongly persecuted (1 Peter 2:20), especially by important people who may be rulers in the government even, we should follow the example to reflect in His word with awe and wonder, fearing God and not man (Luke 12:5).   Even more, we should treasure God’s word as a pearl of great value and rejoice in hearing from Him whose word we resolve to follow in thankful pleasure of both Him and us.  If we really love Him and His word, then we also love our neighbors as ourselves, without deception in our own words as God has none in His towards us.  We should hate lying and deceit as much as He does, and love His word as much as we are able by absorbing it into our hearts and minds, that it may overflow out into our words and actions.  Like the psalmist, our praise should be often and with a view towards perfection in its purity of sincerity because of His righteous judgments given in the scriptures to us.  Then our love for His word yields the good crop of peace with Him (Romans 5:1) and a walk with minimal stumbling along the way, straying due to sinful ways.  His word keeps us from stumbling (Jude 1:24).  We hope with absolute certainty now in His salvation to deliver us into His eternal kingdom and its celestial city of the New Jerusalem, and therefore keep His word obediently to please and glorify God and His commandments written in our hearts and minds.  Yes, we keep His commands not to earn salvation, but as a result of His work on our behalf.  We love His word!  We keep His word!  Since all we do and think is known before His eyes (Romans 14:12, Hebrews 4:13), we live more diligently to please God in keeping the word of His we love so dearly.  Amen!