In Psalm 119 we see that, by meditating on the word of God, the psalmist was not only spiritually fed and enlightened, but even strengthened to pass through the trials and afflictions the Lord measured to him.

Like the prophet Daniel, who “purposed in his heart” not to defile himself (Dan. 1:8), the psalmist was determined to abide in the Lord’s word so he would not be turned away from Him:

Your word I have hidden in my heart,
That I might not sin against You.
— verse 11

I have sworn and confirmed
That I will keep Your righteous judgments.
— verse 106

Direct my steps by Your word,
And let no iniquity have dominion over me.
— verse 133

And as such a one, he was able to delight himself in the word of God, so that he was not stumbled in his walk with the Lord even when he faced difficulties:

Unless Your law had been my delight,
I would then have perished in my affliction.
— verse 92

My life is continually in my hand,
Yet I do not forget Your law.
— verse 109

Trouble and anguish have overtaken me, Yet Your commandments are my delight.
— verse 143

I rise before the dawning of the morning,
And cry for help;
I hope in Your word.
— verse 147

Even when he faced persecution from “princes,” “the proud,” and “the wicked,” the word sustained him:

Princes also sit and speak against me,
But Your servant meditates on Your statutes.
— verse  23

Let the proud be ashamed,
For they treated me wrongfully with falsehood;
But I will meditate on Your precepts.
— verse  78

The wicked wait for me to destroy me,
But I will consider Your testimonies.
— verse  95

The wicked have laid a snare for me,
Yet I have not strayed from Your precepts.
— verse  110

He even recognized that it was through such trials and afflictions that he came to know the Lord, through His statues, in a deeper way:

Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word.
— verse  67

It is good for me that I have been afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes.
— verse  71

The psalmist was surely one who knew what it meant to “live by the word of God” (Matt. 4:4, Deut. 8:3), and as such is a real pattern for us today. As the followers of Christ, we should not be those who only have a few favorite verses in the Bible that we refer to; rather, may the Lord grant us His grace to be those who spend time to meditate on His word so that it enters deeply into us and thus may feed, enlighten, and strengthen us to walk with Him and stand for Him as we should, though all the world oppose us.

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—  25 January 2025 —