May 30, 2024 -- Psalm 91:1 -- Hiding the Word of God in your heart

Celui qui demeure sous l’abri du Très-Haut
repose à l'ombre du Tout-Puissant.
Psaumes 91 NEG 1979

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
Psalm 91:1 ESV

Dear friends in Jesus—how many of you are memorizing Scripture? I remember the first time I was required to memorize more than a single verse. I was going to be a camp counselor among men and women with mental and physical handicaps, I was told to memorize Philippians 2. I thought it was impossible. One of the counselors there, to my shame, a woman who hadn’t finished high school (and here I was preparing for college, feeling mentally superior) simply and without hesitation recited it. Funny. That was more than forty years ago. It stays with me. The power of the word recited from memory.

John Piper noted that our purpose on earth, as Christians, our purpose is clearly stated in I Peter. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His own possession that you may proclaim the praises of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” I Peter 2:9 ESV. There it is. Your life’s purpose statement. More than a rich retirement, more than plenty of friends, more than a happy life—over every single goal of your life, this over-arching purpose stands—you have been rescued from death, sin and hell, so that you can proclaim God’s praises.

Why mention that? Well, how are you doing with that? One way to proclaim God’s praises is to memorize Scripture. My friend Mike and I each challenged the other to memorize a chapter of the Bible. Since his first language is French and he said memorization in English is hard, I offered to memorize it in French while he learns it in English. Yes, Psalm 91 is our target. (We’re not doing great, by the way! But today is my shout-out to my buddy to work at it with renewed zeal and vigor!)

When one memorizes, one begins to know the text. One begins to love the text. One sees verbal linkages to other parts of Scripture. When looking at Psalm 91, one realizes God is Most High—there is nothing above Him, none greater than He Is. He is in a class and category all on His Own. The merest falling of His shadow on your life is protection and help and grace way beyond whatever you can comprehend. The Psalm will spell that out as you continue to see it and learn it. When one memorizes the Bible, one has prayer language with which to speak to God. One has wisdom from God on High, to know Him better.

Take up the challenge today. Find a chapter of the bible that is meaningful to you and memorize it. I guarantee you, it will be even more beautiful and precious to you. The constant repetition that is required when you memorize makes the Word sweeter to you and so deeply memorable that you will have access to it in your times of greatest need.

Spirit of the Living God, the Psalmist declared “I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You”. Today we confess we find it hard to read the Bible, to make time to examine it, let alone to hide it in our hearts by memory. Forgive us our laziness. Help us to take up our life’s mission of declaring the Father’s praises and doing so unto the glory and honour of Jesus Christ, through Whom we have access to God our Father. Spirit of God, of Whom Jesus said, He would take Jesus’ words and bring them back to mind for us, kick start in us a desire to memorize Scripture and a iron-clad will to carry through with it. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

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