Today’s reading is Psalm 119 (vss. 97-112).
Don’t Be a Fool
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. We know that. We’ve heard that before (Psalm 111:10). But where do we go from there? How does wisdom continue? How does it grow? We’re seven weeks into Psalm 119, I hope you can already tell where I’m going. Wisdom begins with properly assessing and valuing God. It continues and grows by properly assessing and valuing God’s Word.
Our psalmist makes three wisdom claims:
- God’s Word makes us wiser than our enemies.
- God’s Word makes us wiser than our teachers.
- God’s Word makes us wiser than the aged.
Without God’s Word, my enemies will bowl me over. With it, I can stay a step ahead of their snares and traps. The second and third statements help us out. Jesus declared a disciple can never get past his teacher. If we choose a blind one, we’ll follow that blind teacher into the pit (Luke 6:39). We, however, can avoid being limited by human teachers, all of whom are blind to some degree, by being in God’s Word. Of course, we can only be the wisest of teachers if we are merely passing on God’s Word.
But do not miss this point. Before asserting his wisdom, the psalmist makes this claim:
Oh how I love your law!
It is my meditation all the day.
Psalm 119:97 (ESV)
He doesn’t say, “Oh how I love your law it is the subject of a class I attend once or twice a week.” He doesn’t say, “Oh how I love your law! It is the basis for sermons I listen to on a pretty regular basis.” He doesn’t even say, “Oh how I love your law! It is my reading material on a mostly daily basis.” He says, “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day.”
The exceeding and surpassing wisdom of God’s Word doesn’t come to those who dabble in it. It comes to those who dive in, drink deeply, and hang on continually. The wisdom doesn’t come from a morning reading, even a daily morning reading. The wisdom comes from taking that reading with you through the day, thinking about it, dwelling on it, ruminating on it, musing over it, pondering it, coming back to it.
Meditation is not only a daily discipline to develop but an all-day occupation to pursue. I don’t mean only someone whose job is in the Word. This isn’t just for preachers. Rather, no matter our career, our minds and thinking need to be occupied by God’s Word. Because the psalmist is occupied with God’s Word, all other occupations will be governed by God’s Word. Because he thinks about God’s Word all day, he thinks about everything else in a Word-ly way.
Allow me to encourage you in an exercise today. If you aren’t doing it with some other passage, why not write down this MEM stanza or part of it. Carry it with you in your pocket and pull it out throughout the day. Read it. Think about it. Ask how it impacts what you are working on in that moment. If you need to, set an alarm for a few times through out today that will remind you to pull it out and meditate.
Fill your mind with God’s Word and let God’s Word fill your life with God’s wisdom.
Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 119 (vss. 87-112).
PODCAST!!!
PATHS:
Discuss Today’s Meditation with Your Family
How does Psalm 119:87-112 prompt or improve your praise of God?
Read the Bible 