“You are my portion, O Lord; I have promised to obey Your words.

I have sought Your face with all my heart; be gracious to me according to Your promise.

I have considered my ways and have turned my steps to Your statutes.

I will hasten and not delay to obey Your commands.

Though the wicked bind me with ropes, I will not forget Your law.

At midnight I rise to give You thanks for Your righteous laws.

I am a friend to all who fear You, to all who follow Your precepts.

The earth is filled with Your love, O Lord; teach me Your decrees.”

-Psalm 119:57-64 Heth

In this octave the psalmist is prompted to think and turn toward God’s righteousness (verse 59; line 3 above). This is helpful for all Christians as we grow in faith. Anyone who desires to know the Lord and abide with Him will first meditate on His truth revealed in the Written Word. After considering, praying, and possibly wrestling over a text, we then respond to it. Everyone reacts. It may be you remain unmoved and apathetic to the Scriptures. Or you leave the pages a changed soul, even the slightest move toward our Lord rather than drifting away from His Presence. No one is stagnant. This is the beauty of the Bible. It is living and active and will reveal our inner thoughts and motives. What do we think about God? Do we believe the Bible is true? Can we trust in Jesus to save and keep us for eternity?

The psalmist contemplates how he is living before God. What an encouragement to know even the writer of Psalm 119 needs the Lord to refine him. He might even echo the prayer in Psalm 139:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” (vv. 23-24)

The psalmist has meditated and responds to the truth he knows. We are all invited to do the same:

Think of God’s ocean of mercy toward us, known and loved by Him before the foundation of the world.

Think of His favor by allowing us to seek His face.

Think of His shepherding love and faithfulness.

Think of how undeserving we are.

Think of how sin clings to us like tar.

Think of your private and public life before God.

Turn in humility.

Turn in need of God’s grace.

Turn to the One who forgives, saves, restores.

Turn and praise our Creator, Redeemer and Friend.

 

Grace upon grace,

April