August 9, 2013
Psalm 119:97-100
(All scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated.)
I wonder why teenagers are so wise and know so much about life?!! And why is it that – as they grow into adulthood – their parents get so much smarter?!! Psalm 119:97 through 100 is just the scripture for teenagers! Jesting aside, it is the scripture for every believer who wants to be knowledgeable, understanding and wise in living out their life before God:
O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your
commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my
meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts.
Psalm 119 is the longest chapter of the Bible – 176 verses. In just about every verse, there is reference to the Word of God using different terms – law, testimony, ways, precepts, statutes, word, commandments, judgments, way of truth, Your way, ordinances, Your words. If you would know What The Word Will Do, then Psalm 119 is a great and valuable resource!
According to the last three verses of our scripture, look at What The Word Will Do:
• Verse 98 – “You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies;
for they are ever with me.” Wisdom is certainly more than just knowledge! A good
working definition of wisdom is: Applying what you know to what you do. Now
there is “…the wisdom of this world [but it] is foolishness with God.” (I Corinthians
3:19). Such worldly wisdom is applying what you know – the knowledge with which
the godless world indoctrinates us – to what you do. The result is a lifestyle that is
lived out apart from God and results in loss, both temporal and eternal! James says
in James 3:14 through 16:
But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie
against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly,
sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every
evil thing will be there.
…my enemies, referred to in verse 98, are enemies of the righteous psalmist – and
so the enemies of God. Obviously, if you are a believer following the Lord Jesus
Christ, you do not want to walk the way of your enemies, living by “…the wisdom
of this world….” So God’s “…commandments, make me wiser than my enemies;
for they are ever with me.” – That is, my enemies are always around me in this
old world!
• Verse 99 – “I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your
testimonies are my meditation.” This is the verse that so many teenagers would
love to take for their own through high school!!! But the meaning is this: You
can exceed even the understanding of your godly teachers, IF you make it
your practice to meditate continually on God’s Word!
• Verse 100 – “I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your
precepts.” In ancient Israel, the aged were respected and revered because their
long life had taught them wisdom. Elihu expresses this idea in Job 32:7: “Age
should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.” But the aged can
also be foolish if they have not lived according to God’s precepts. In either case,
God’s Word can give understanding beyond what even the elders have
known!
But I have included verse 97 in our scripture for this blog: “O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.” This is the key – for it says in Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” You must develop such a love for God and His Word that scripture will become part of your thinking – your life – everyday! And the only way to do that is to make it your “…meditation all the day.” Read it, study it, meditate on it, obey it! The Word of God will then do its work to make you both wise and understanding!
This is What The Word Will Do, and this should be the desire of every Christian!