Psalm 119, like few other psalms, shows us passion for God’s word beyond measure. In the longest of all the psalms, the author expresses repeatedly his passion for God’s commands:
My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times (v. 20).
Your testimonies are my delight (24).
…my hope is in your rules (v. 43b).
…I find my delight in your commandments, which I love (v. 47).
When I think of your rules from of old, I take comfort, O Lord (v. 52).
My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word (v. 81).
How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth (v. 103).
Your testimonies …are the joy of my heart (v. 111).
I open my mouth and pant, because I long for your commandments (v. 131).
In just these few verses, the Psalmist exclaims again and again: “I long for the salvation of the Lord! I am consumed by Your commands! I cannot live without them. They are my delight, they are my joy, and my comfort. They are my hope!”
This is inspiring—and incredibly convicting. I desperately want a passion like this for God’s word and His commands. I want to be able to say that, “The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces” (v. 72). And I want that passion to fuel everything I do: How I treat my wife, raise my children, do my job, serve the church.
Absolutely everything.
I don’t want to consume, but be consumed by the Scriptures—and in the person that they reveal: Jesus Christ.
I’m definitely not there, at least I don’t think I am. I hope I will be someday.
Correction; I know I will be someday, even if it’s not until I’m standing face-to-face with Him.
Some questions to think about today:
What are you passionate about?
What do you want to be passionate about?
Where does your passion come from?
For other entries in this series, please visit the Blogging the Psalms page.
