Help Me Treasure Your Word! | Psalm 119

We’ve been looking through the imaginative paintings of God’s life-creating power in Genesis 1-3 as we read Psalm 119. (To understand more what makes Psalm 119 so unique in the Bible, read the show notes from the Dec 21 episode.) What’s your attitude toward the Bible? Not your beliefs, but your feelings about the Bible’s place in your life? If you’re like me, it’s kind of mixed. My good self thinks of it as water to my dry and parched soul. But often my more hardened-hearted self would rather read or watch something else instead. But once I start reading it something happens. My heart softens and it’s like a breath of God’s fresh air breathed into my soul. Sometimes that happens more than other times, but a little happens each time. That’s because God’s Spirit living within me is using the breath of God’s word to bring spiritual oxygen back into my spiritual blood stream. What I’ve just done there is imagine a picture that describes a deeper, more mysterious reality. And that’s what Psalm 119 does repeatedly regarding our need for God’s word. And that’s what Genesis 1-3 does as well. Imagery and Imagination are essential if you’re going to desire God and want to live by his promises and his word. God created us as powerfully imaginative beings, and it’s why the word of God is filled with compelling imagery and imagination. One of the most repeated images in Psalm 119 focuses us on the true delight of God’s word to our true self re-created in Christ and indwelt by God’s Spirit. For me, it just helps to remind myself why I really do delight in God’s word. It cuts through all the fog that gets me to ignore God’s word and even dread reading or hearing it. I think that’s the frontline of spiritual warfare in our lives. It is in mine. And why the repeated images and meditations in Psalm 119 on the value and treasure and delight of God’s word is so helpful for us to imagine. Let’s do that together in this episode. Psalm 119 ESV 14 In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. 24 Your testimonies are my delight; they are my counselors. 35 Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. 37 Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways. 72 The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. 77 Let your mercy come to me, that I may live; for your law is my delight. 103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 111 Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart. 127 Therefore I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold. 143 Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight. 162 I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil. 174 I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight. Jesus says… Matthew 13:44–46 NIV “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. 72 The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces. 127 Therefore I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold. 162 I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil. Psalm 19:7–13 NIV 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. 9 The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous. 10 They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter...