In The Word
Read: Psalm 119:1-24
119 Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
Who walk in the Law of the Lord.
2 Blessed are those who comply with His testimonies,
And seek Him with all their heart.
3 They also do no injustice;
They walk in His ways.
4 You have ordained Your precepts,
That we are to keep them diligently.
5 Oh that my ways may be established
To keep Your statutes!
6 Then I will not be ashamed
When I look at all Your commandments.
7 I will give thanks to You with uprightness of heart,
When I learn Your righteous judgments.
8 I will keep Your statutes;
Do not utterly abandon me!
Beth
9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping it according to Your word.
10 With all my heart I have sought You;
Do not let me wander from Your commandments.
11 I have treasured Your word in my heart,
So that I may not sin against You.
12 Blessed are You, Lord;
Teach me Your statutes.
13 With my lips I have told of
All the ordinances of Your mouth.
14 I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies,
As much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on Your precepts
And regard Your ways.
16 I shall delight in Your statutes;
I will not forget Your word.
Gimel
17 Deal generously with Your servant,
That I may live and keep Your word.
18 Open my eyes, that I may behold
Wonderful things from Your Law.
19 I am a stranger on the earth;
Do not hide Your commandments from me.
20 My soul is crushed with longing
For Your ordinances at all times.
21 You rebuke the arrogant, the cursed,
Who wander from Your commandments.
22 Take disgrace and contempt away from me,
For I comply with Your testimonies.
23 Even though rulers sit and speak against me,
Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
24 Your testimonies also are my delight;
They are my advisers.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
October is the beginning of fall for us. How refreshing it is to welcome this new season into our lives. For me, Psalm 119 is much like that; it’s like a breath of cool air after a long summer of heat, and it could be for you as well. Let us open up the window of our hearts, and let the Word flow through our lives.
Today’s reading shows us how to be blessed, how to have God deal bountifully with us. God wants to bless us and fill our lives with good things. However, every promise has a personal responsibility attached to it. So what must we do for God to bless us? This scripture tells us to be blameless and pure if we desire to be blessed. Jesus and the disciples tell us the same thing in the New Testament: we are meant to be holy as our Father is holy in all of our behavior. Today’s reading tells us how to accomplish this.
We are meant to be humble and ask the Holy Spirit to teach us through the Word. We are meant to be honest with ourselves as we use the Bible as a mirror to look in to. We are meant to seek, meditate, delight, apply, and treasure what we see. We are called not to fit into this world. When we do these things daily, we will not wander from, forget, or be ashamed of what we find in ourselves. Then our Father will deal bountifully with us. We will be blessed!