A longing for God’s law

“Remove from me the way of lying, and grant me Your law graciously.” Psalm 119:29.

This was a constant cry and a heart-felt prayer that David had in his heart.

Psalm 119

Have mercy on me! Give me wisdom from above! Give me insight into Your glorious laws!

“Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.” Psalm 119:18.
“My soul breaks with longing for Your judgments at all times.” Psalm 119:20.
“Un­less Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction.” Psalm 119:92.
“The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives un­derstanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:130.

We get a good look into the psalmist’s pure and good heart. He would never have had such a long­ing and prayer in his heart if he had considered God’s law as a constraint! He understood that these laws were the key to progress and growth. They would show him the way to the works which God had given him to do.

This is also the attitude of heart of each upright servant. Our love for God and for the people whom we shall serve must be the source of our longing to look into the wondrous things in God’s law. Love is the bet­ter way to the gifts of the Spirit.

David loved justice, and he saw that God’s law would be a great blessing for himself and for the people. In verse 20 he said, “My soul breaks with longing for Your judgments at all times.” Psalm 119:20. When my soul breaks, or is crushed, I do not harbor thoughts of greatness or strong opinions about other people or things in the church. But then I have fellowship with David in “The entrance of Your words [revelation in Your word] gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:130.

The law of the Spirit of life

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2. A desire for the law of the Spirit of life should have its source in love and not in fear of being lost. This made David a man according to God’s heart, a king whom God could entrust with an eternal kingdom—God’s house!

“I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.” Job 23:12. God gives His laws only into such people’s minds and writes them into their hearts—those who have put their human under­standing aside and are receptive and hungry for God’s wisdom.

May love increase more and more in knowledge and all discernment so that God can increasingly and con­stantly reveal the wondrous things in His law!