Bibliophilia ∙

Bibliophilia ∙

Those who love Your law have great peace, and nothing shall offend them. – Psalms 119:165

Psalms 119:159-165

 159 See how I love your commandments, LORD. Give back my life because of your unfailing love.

 160 The very essence of your words is truth; all your just regulations will stand forever.

 161 Powerful people harass me without cause, but my heart trembles only at your word.

 165 Those who love your instructions have great peace and do not stumble.

On December 7, 2010, Reuters reported that a privately owned copy of John James Audubon’s richly illustrated “Birds of America” sold for a record $11.5 million, smashing all previous records for a printed book.

The book was purchased by London book dealer Michael Tollemache, who described the work as “priceless” after the sale.

The term “bibliophilia” denotes a love for books, originating from the Greek words phila (love, lover) and biblio (book). A bibliophile is someone who loves books and is fascinated by them and the stories they tell.

“Bibliophile” is an ideal term for someone who is in love with the Book of Books, the Bible, and the Word of God. David, king of Israel, was such a man, a true bibliophile.

Psalms 119:47 How I delight in your commands! How I love them!

What biblical materials did David have available to contemplate, cherish, and hide in his heart?

David lived around 1000 BC. The parts of the Bible that were written at his time included the Torah, which consists of the Five Books of Moses, as well as Joshua, Judges, and Job. David spent most of his time reading and contemplating the Torah, which contained the Law of God, including commandments, statutes, and ordinances. While some people find the content of these books, especially Leviticus and Numbers, to be tedious and seemingly irrelevant to everyday life, David found them fascinating. To him, they were sweet, delightful, precious, and highly desirable.

Ideally, when you fall in love with God, loving His Word is a natural outcome. Anyone can do it.

Psalms 19:10 They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.

They brought David great delight and joy. The serious student of the Bible already knows this. When you get beneath the surface, the Father often discloses great treasures unnoticed by the casual reader. David was a unique individual with a special heart for the Father and His Word.

We live in the 21st century with access to a complete Bible. We discover the profound beauty, knowledge, and wisdom in the Gospel of John, the Psalms, and Proverbs. There are thought-provoking, extremely cerebral books such as Romans, Ephesians, and Hebrews. We also have challenging and almost titillating books regarding the end times, such as Daniel and Revelation.

We have so much more than David could ever imagine. Yet do we ravenously feast upon it, never seeming to get enough?

Winston Churchill said regarding the Battle of Britain, “Never was so much owed by so many to so few. Sadly, with apologies to Churchill, we can paraphrase his thoughts, “Never have so many done so little, with so much.”

REFLECT & PRAY

Psalms 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Father, may I experience a profound and enduring love for Your Word. May I regularly meditate on it, allowing it to guide and inspire me in all aspects of my life.

INSIGHT

Focusing on the Father and loving His Word has two delightful benefits: peace and stability.

Remarkable things happen when we worship the Father and partake from His Word. “Focusing on the Lord, asking for nothing, and totally lost in our praise of Him has a way of making the problems look much smaller and the future much brighter. But praise also helps us to have poise in our Christian walk and not to stumble (Jude 24) or cause others to stumble (1 Corinthians 8:13; Romans 14:13). The singing saint is a stable saint, walking on a level path even when the enemy digs pits and sets up obstacles” (Wiersbe).

Psalms 119:165 Those who love Your law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble.

The Hebrew word translated as peace is shalom. Shalom means far more than the absence of conflict. It implies well-being, wholeness, health, completeness, prosperity, and having nothing essential lacking (UBS).5352844

The Scriptures characterize life as a walk, a journey.

The Hebrew term translated as stumble or offend is mikshol. Mikshol conveys the image of a hindrance or obstacle (HAL). Consider an individual traversing a challenging path through rough terrain. When such an individual loves the Father’s Word, they are less likely to stumble or fall due to offenses. Although stumbling blocks exist, they do not get tripped up by them.

When we fall in love with the Word of God, we become less responsive to offenses, insults, and hardships that are inherent in our fallen world. We can confront the upheavals and challenges of life with calmness, tranquility, and steadfastness. This inner peace and stability are not derived from an absence of difficulties but from the ability to maintain composure during adversity. The children of the King are not exempt from grief or hardship, but they possess the freedom not to be trapped by them.

In Psalm 23:4, the term traditionally translated as the shadow of death elsewhere simply means darkness. Here, it has the sense of “the valley of deep darkness,” “the dark valley,” “the darkest of all valleys,” and “a valley dark as death.” It connotes a dangerous and foreboding place (UBS).

Psalms 23:4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

The rod and staff provide reassurance and protection from the perils of everyday life. “The rod (a cudgel worn at the belt) and staff (to walk with, and to round up the flock) were the shepherd’s weapon and implement: the former for defense (cf. 1 Samuel. 17:35), the latter for control – since discipline is security” (Kidner).

Previously, the Father was portrayed as a compassionate shepherd leading David (Psalm 23:2) and guiding him on his journey. However, now, the Father is described as walking beside David, acting as a companion and providing not only guidance but also protection.

King David was a man after God’s own heart. He had fallen deeply in love with the Father and His word. He shows us how to face dark and foreboding circumstances confidently and fearlessly.

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© Dr. H 2024