PSALM 119:97-104 THY LAW…MY DAILY LOVE & MEDITATION
O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.
Although we believe fervently:
doctrine of the inspiration/Bible, yet beyond establishing its fact,
there is very little else we can say about it.
We believe it preserves/writers from recording error, for we
believe not only in an inspired Bible, but also in an
inerrant/infallible Bible also. Basic Christian doctrine. However, we
cannot adequately describe the process/inspiration simply because we
are not told. 2 Peter 1:21 (Quote) records the fact, but not the actual
process.
From our verse (and many others of a similar nature) we know: the fact
& process did not override the personalities/writers.
Nothing mechanical about inspiration.
Text: we have the Psalmist crying out/bursting forth & recording how he felt about the Bible.
It does not compromise the doctrine of verbal/plenary inspiration by allowing such exclamation to appear in the text/Bible.
A heartfelt emotion.
Not stage managed in any way…such would be rank hypocrisy. It was real.
It was heartfelt & yet its inclusion/Bible by the H/Spirit renders
it an infallible expression to be believed & repeated according as
it becomes our experience also. Full verse…we see 4 main points:
1) PSALMIST RECOGNISED THE AUTHORITY/GOD'S WORD:
"…thy law…"
A/ David uses many/varied descriptions/titles re: God's word. A
different shade/meaning suggests itself upon individual study. None may
be taken in any way which lessens their impact as anything less fully
authoritative. Title: Law is self explanatory. It is something to be
obeyed. Constitutes a guideline to be followed. More than a
suggestion/hint or a mere sense/direction. Bible is not only a lawful
Book, but itself constitutes what is/what is not lawful. Last
verse/section establishes the benchmark idea (v104) Again v128 is of a
similar nature. Bible is authoritative.
B/ David (as King) Himself had over legislated many laws/reign in
Israel. These were laws/obeyed. Where the word/king is, there is
power… (Eccles 8:4) i.e. His word carries weight. Authoritative.
C/ It is this view/Bible which marks us out as Christians. Read Matthew
7:21-29 Notice it all…but especially/last verse (v29)
Like Luther (Diet/Worms): We are captive to a Book. It is binding upon
us. Paul considered himself: a slave/Jesus Christ because he recognised
Christ's word (Bible) had the last word. Sure, such might cramp our
style…but if our style is taking us out into a Christless hell,
then our style needs to be cramped & we are thankful God has
provided that which does it.
2) PSALMIST LOVINGLY BOWED TO THE AUTHORITY/GOD'S WORD:
"O how I love thy law…"
A/ Certainly not a grit-your-teeth-and-bite-your-lip tolerance.
A lot of us abide certain laws/state like that. Hang our heads in shame
because our country legislates for things like sodomy etc., Not very
much we can do about it. Have to tolerate it as a law (although we can
speak out & denounce it etc.,) Such is life.
This was not David's experience with the Bible. Grown up with this
Book. Inherited most of it. His education had centred around it (2
Timothy 3:15-16) he had been chastened by His father on the basis of
it. It had cramped his style on many occasions (v67) but still, on
speaking about this Book, He expresses love for it.
B/ This love expresses itself in a two fold manner. It was:
[i] VERBAL. Note: definite language. Note: exuberance/language.
As if he is putting himself forth again as the main contender for
loving/Bible. Just as once he took the field against
Goliath…with no rivals from within the Israelite
camp…again he feels as if he stands alone in his love/Bible.
Words cannot express his love. (Obviously he was not alone…but
he can hardly express the depth of his own feelings…never mind
try & articulate others)
[ii] PRACTICAL: Expand more/next verse but note how this love for the
Bible laid to his daily meditating upon the same. He did not love in
word only…but also in very deed. Otherwise words are but mere
froth. Fanciful but meaningless. An insult.
C/ Can we match this? Object: David was an exceptional believer &
therefore the challenge is unreasonable. Ans:- True, David was
exceptional (Acts 13:22) but this does not negate the force of the
challenge. Although only recorded in the Bible of one…yet
history will record millions who could match David's love/zeal. Don't
hunt around for excuses…let the verse break powerfully over our
heads/hearts & rally to the challenge immediately!
3) PSALMIST MADE EVERY EFFORT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BIBLE:
It is my meditation all the day.
A/ We will never attain to such fervent love/Bible without going
the way set forth here. Sometimes we hear great sermons etc., Where did
they come from? Ans: A heart that took a long time meditating upon the
Bible. No easy road. It is a spiritual thing & spiritual things
cannot be manipulated or tweaked or made/suit. Psalmist put in the
hours - willingly - in his meditation/Bible.
B/ He did not merely read or even study (Both highly recommended: 1 Tim
4:13/2 Tim 2:15) but he meditated. When he had done the
"homework" - took time to do the "heart work"
C/ Furthermore, he did not adapt other men's meditations. He created
his own. It is one thing to use someone else's milk (daily
devotionals/commentaries etc.,) but do churn your own butter! I get
great blessing out of the writings of others: Ryle/Calvin/CHS etc., but
the meditations must be mine. Sometimes, I find myself reading a
paragraph & then almost unconsciously being winged away in thought.
Make sure you meditate upon the Law/God.
D/ He did not leave the meditating part to the various church services.
Things we do together as a church…meditating upon the Law/God
must also be done as individuals.
E/ Notice too when he mediated: all the day David was a very busy man. He occupied a lot of different offices/relationships:
[i] A King. A very busy one at that. A man/war.
[ii] A Son. Due obligations/ageing father/mother
[iii] A Husband. (Alas! To more than 1 wife)
[iv] A Father (to many children)
[v] A Friend/Neighbour also.
And yet, not merely despite this (but because of it) he took the time
& effort to meditate upon the word/god. What a challenge!
4) HE TOLD GOD ALL ABOUT IT:
Although we have the privilege of sharing his thoughts here… remember they are directed first/foremost: God. Significant.
A/ Bible is only a means to an end. Given by God to reveal Himself to
us. We read the Book in order to know the Author. We cannot know the
Author without the Book.
B/ If we are strong on the Bible but weak in the devotional aspects of
love to God etc., then we have missed something. Likely we are not
meditating upon the word. Amassing large amounts of information/Bible
but not feeding upon it. Soul could starve while we've enough
information to write a Bible dictionary!
C/ Let's go to God & tell Him exactly how we feel about His word.
If we cannot honestly match David…at least tell him that we
would love to & seek His help to attain by the appointed way such a
love. Such a prayer will not go unanswered. Why do you think such an
exclamation was included in the first place?