A delightful way to live ∙∙
Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. – Psalms 119:35
Psalms 119:33-48
33 Teach me your decrees, O LORD; I will keep them to the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I will obey your instructions; I will put them into practice with all my heart.
36 Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money!
37 Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word.
38 Reassure me of your promise, made to those who fear you.
39 Help me abandon my shameful ways, for your regulations are good.
40 I long to obey your commandments! Renew my life with your goodness.
41 LORD, give me your unfailing love, the salvation that you promised me.
42 Then I can answer those who taunt me, for I trust in your word.
43 Do not snatch your word of truth from me, for your regulations are my only hope.
44 I will keep on obeying your instructions forever and ever.
45 I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments.
47 How I delight in your commands! How I love them!
48 I honor and love your commands. I meditate on your decrees.
The Beauty of Giving
Giving gifts to others is a timeless practice that has existed since the dawn of the human race. They are meant to brighten lives, spark joy, and bring encouragement. The value of a gift does not lie in its price but in the thought and meaning behind it. For the recipient, a true gift is always freely given.
Gifts can take countless forms, from material possessions to acts of service. They are meant to brighten lives, spark joy, and bring encouragement. Sometimes, the simplest gestures, like a kind word or an act of forgiveness, carry the most profound significance and lasting impact.
The Father’s Remarkable Gifts
The Father, in His boundless love, delights in giving gifts to His children. One of His most profound offerings to humanity is His Word. The Scriptures are a priceless treasure, providing wisdom, encouragement, grace, and hope to all who seek. Yet, the greatest gift of all is the Lord Jesus Christ, whose incarnation and redemptive death promise salvation and eternal life.
Psalms 119 celebrates the Father’s incredible gift of truth, encapsulated in the Law of Moses, the Torah. The Torah serves as the ultimate guidebook for life, offering divine instructions designed for our benefit.
The Gift Celebrated in Psalms 119
Psalms 119 is a poetic masterpiece and a loving tribute to the Father’s truth. Spanning 176 verses, it is both the longest Psalm and the longest chapter in the Bible. Its length underscores the unparalleled value and importance of God’s Word.
Through the Psalm, we are invited to meditate on, pray through, and even sing its praises. When children of the King intentionally take the time to do so, we demonstrate our gratitude and reverence for the Father’s precious gift. Praising Him through prayer and song not only glorifies Him but stirs within us a yearning to embody His goodness and reflect His love.
Freedom in Following His Word
The Father’s instructions are not restrictive; they are liberating. By learning and following His teachings, we avoid the self-destructive patterns that lead to unnecessary sorrow and pain. Instead, His Word sets us free to live life as it was intended—with joy, purpose, and peace.
When we align ourselves with the Father’s will, we find forgiveness and release from the guilt and burdens that often weigh us down. His truth brings healing and freedom, transforming our lives in ways we could never achieve alone.
What a delightful way to live!
REFLECT & PRAY
“People with renewed hearts delight to obey God and learn from his Word, which guides them” (ESV Study Bible). When we fall in love with the Father, obedience and service flow naturally from our hearts.
Father, please soften my wounded and hardened heart so that I may grow deeper in love with You. Help me to become a Theophilus, a lover of God.
INSIGHT
Falling in Love with the Father
Most of us know what it feels like to love and be loved deeply. Psalms 119 invites us to experience that same kind of love—not with another man or woman, but with the Father and His Word. Imagine being fully “in love” with the Father, cherishing His presence, and delighting in His guidance. This is precisely what the Father desires for each of His children.
The author of this Psalm, though unnamed, gives us a vivid picture of this love. He pleads with the Father in Psalms 119:33-34, saying, “Teach me your decrees, O Lord; I will keep them to the end. Give me understanding, and I will obey your instructions; I will put them into practice with all my heart.” His longing is not simply to understand God’s Word intellectually but to live it out with undivided devotion. For the psalmist, the ultimate goal is a deep, intimate relationship with the Father.
Knowing the Father More Deeply
To truly love the Father, we must know and recognize His character and ways. This mirrors how children come to know their parents’ values, learning what delights and pleases them. Similarly, Psalms 27:11 and Psalms 86:11 urge us to seek God’s guidance and truth. While the Scriptures provide a complete revelation of God’s will, understanding how it applies to our lives requires inner illumination. Warren Wiersbe puts it beautifully: “We must come to understand the character of God and the workings of His providence . . . so we might discern His desires for us.”
The psalmist shows us this path of knowing God, but he also identifies the obstacles that can hinder us from wholeheartedly loving Him.
Impediments to Undivided Devotion
Two significant barriers to loving the Father are found in Psalms 119.
The Love of Wealth
Psalms 119:36 implores, “Give me an eagerness for Your laws rather than a love for money!” The Hebrew word for “love of money, gain, or greed” here is betsa, which initially referred to “weavers cutting a finished cloth from the loom.” Over time, it took on a darker meaning, “symbolizing dishonest or greedy desires.” The problem is not the idea of gain itself but the motivations behind it. Greed-driven pursuits, such as cheating or dishonest dealings, pull us away from devotion to God. In modern times, we might speak of money laundering or skimming off the top. These distractions consume our attention and harden our hearts to His truth.
Worthless Things
The psalmist also highlights the danger of vanity and futile pursuits, praying in Psalms 119:37, “Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through Your Word.” The Hebrew word shav, translated as “worthless things,” refers to “things with no eternal significance, the fleeting pleasures of this world that fade like grass and flowers.” Isaiah 40:8 reminds us, “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.” There are only two things on planet Earth that will last forever: the word of God and the human soul.
When we fixate on temporary, worldly matters, we lose sight of the eternal. Wiersbe warns, “Outlook determines outcome. Abraham looked for the heavenly city and ended well; Lot looked at Sodom and ended badly (Genesis 13; Hebrews 11:8-16). What the heart loves and desires, the eyes will see. To have one eye on the world and the other on the Word is to be double-minded, and God does not bless double-minded people (James 1:5-8).” Love for the Father requires singular devotion, not a divided heart that looks both to God and to fleeting gratifications.
Choosing the Light
Left on our own, we often cannot distinguish between the paths leading to life and those ending in destruction. Amidst this confusion, God’s Word acts as a searchlight, cutting through the darkness and guiding us to safety. Charles Stanley explains, “God’s Word provides us with a searchlight to cut through the darkness and lead us to safety.”
By immersing ourselves in Scripture and praying to fall in love with the Father, is the prayer Father longs to hear and fulfill. The psalmist underscores this idea throughout Psalms 119 with his declarations of devotion, prayers for understanding, and desires to follow and live out God’s Word wholeheartedly.
A Transformed Life
Falling in love with the Father reshapes our priorities and frees us from the entanglements of greed and vanity. When we focus on His Word, we align our hearts with His will, gaining clarity, peace, and purpose. We stop striving for the temporary and start living for the eternal.
Ultimately, Psalms 119 shows us that true joy and fulfillment come not from wealth or worldly pursuits but from an ongoing, loving relationship with the Father. He invites us to seek Him wholeheartedly, free of distraction, and to experience the abundant life He offers. What could be more beautiful than living a life driven by love for the One who first loved us?
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© Dr. H 2025
Dr H Reflections 