SCRIPTURE | Psalm 119:113-120
Samekh 113 I hate the double-minded, but I love your law. 114 You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word. 115 Depart from me, you evildoers, that I may keep the commandments of my God. 116 Uphold me according to your promise, that I may live, and let me not be put to shame in my hope! 117 Hold me up, that I may be safe and have regard for your statutes continually! 118 You spurn all who go astray from your statutes, for their cunning is in vain. 119 All the wicked of the earth you discard like dross, therefore I love your testimonies. 120 My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments.
DEVOTIONAL | Psalm 119:113-120
I grew up going to church every week, but we were never encouraged to read the Bible. While I knew about Jesus, I didn’t think of myself as a sinner who deserved death and separation from God forever. I didn’t understand that He willingly died on the cross to take my place. Hoping to fix our troubled marriage, Jody and I started attending a Bible church where they taught the Word and how to apply it to our lives. After hearing biblical truth taught every week for months, I finally realized I needed Jesus as my Savior. I trusted Him when I was 37. I continued reading and studying God’s Word. I started by reading one chapter of Proverbs every day. My understanding grew. A few years later, our pastor invited me to come to Dallas to take a two-week summer school course at Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS). It was the hardest class I’ve ever taken, but I loved it. A few years later, at age 50, I closed my ad agency, sold our home, and moved to Dallas to attend DTS full-time. I grew to appreciate, understand, and love how awesome God’s Word really is. Jesus and His Word changed my life. These eight verses (Psalm 119:113-20) each include comments about God’s Word or a synonym for God's Word (law, word, commandments, promise, statutes, testimonies, and judgments). In these verses, we are encouraged to love, hope, obey, regard, and be in awe of God’s Word. We find that God is our hiding place, our shield, and our protector who keeps us safe and gives us life. Those who do not trust God and ignore His Word are in deep trouble. The Almighty Creator, the God of the universe Who gives eternal life and every breath we take, has given us a magnificent instruction manual for our best lives.
Major Ian Thomas said, “Jesus gave His life for you, so He could give new life to you, so He could live His life through you.”
Love God. Love His Word. Be blessed.