September 13, 2019 -- Psalm 119:16 -- Instructions for life

I will delight in your statutes;

I will not forget about your word.

Psalm 119:16 English Standard Version

Notice the two-part vow the writer of this psalm is making. First he will delight in the statutes of the LORD. Years ago I used to love the cartoon strips of Calvin and Hobbes. Calvin was a young lad and his faithful companion was a stuffed tiger who he imagined was alive. Young Calvin had a to-be-assembled model of a World War II airplane. He loved the picture on the box. He was excited about, and imagined what, the finished result would look like—but he refused to use the instructions. So, he pulled pieces apart from the kit and haphazardly started putting things together. As he progressed he realized his model plane did not look anything like the picture on the box. Taking a hammer he smashed it to small pieces saying “It was hit by enemy fire.” We laugh because we can relate to this.

Our lives come complete with instructions: the statutes of the LORD. This are the instructions laid down for us in the Bible. The ultimate vision is this: eternal pleasures at God’s right hand (Psalm 16:11). As we follow these statutes we understand there will be trials and challenges, fussy bits and times of frustration—however, those who belong to Jesus know He has made us new. The challenges posed by the instructions we live by are worth it, every detail, because we know He has already won the victory over sin, death, and hell. Those who believe in Him will never have their lives smashed beyond repair and sent to the never-ending fires of hell. Knowing what we are rescued from and the purposes for which He is putting us together—such things truly bring delight!

The second part of the vow of the psalmist is never to forget the Word of God. Everything God has spoken he will keep in mind. Impossible—that is what my mind is telling me—that is impossible. Is it? Remember that Psalm 119 is written so that each of the twenty two stanzas starts with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Recall also this is a device to help the psalmist remember it. My guess is that he will not forget the Word of God—all the things God has spoken—because he is committing it to memory.

While that seems daunting. consider how many things we remember! Many among us don’t have to open our cupboards before we go shopping because we know what we need to shop for. Others among us make an on-going list on the fridge to remind us. Either way, we are keeping before us the things we need. So too with the Word of God—we can have post-it notes all around us, reassuring us of the great things God has spoken, or we can commit it to memory and rehearse such things regularly.

So many things crowd our thought-life. As the day unfolds there are different challenges and duties to perform. Yet the psalmist has bound himself to this: he will not forget the Word of the LORD. It will be his guide so that his life and his future will be put together as God intends.

What glories You have in store for all those who believe—Father, Source of Every Good Thing! Renew in us the vision of all that is in store for us in eternity. Fill us, Spirit of Truth, with the awareness of the blessednesses^ that accrue to all who walk in obedience to Jesus. We confess that following Your statutes can feel more like hard slogging than delight, but we pray—hold us through the trials and the storms until the strength and peace which accompany Your love fill our thoughts and hearts. Your Word is truer than all the lies that surround us—help us to remember this—according to Your Word and Your great mercy—increase our capacity to remember. Amen.

Yes, I understand “blessednesses” is not grammatically correct, so, in order to understand its usage, I recommend you turn back to the reflections on Psalm 119:1.