Loving God’s Law – Psalm 119:97

Oh, how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day.

Psalm 119:97 NKJV

When we think of the law, it usually brings to mind images of the police or a set of rules that we must comply with. If we don’t, then we have to accept the punishment that comes for noncompliance. But God’s law is different. For a Christian conforming to God’s law is a pleasure. It is something that we are happy to do because it brings us closer to a loving Father and ultimately the blessings that we receive from Him.

In Psalm 119, the psalmist continually talks about his love for the law and keeping the precepts of God’s word. But what does this mean to us and how can we apply this to our lives? First, in order to love God’s law, we need to understand exactly what it is.

God’s law is a gift that He has given to those of us who are saved through belief in His Son, Jesus Christ. It’s not for everyone, only for us. It is a set of instructions that gives us direction and teaches us how to live as God intended us to. God’s law is not meant to harm us or keep us from the things that we enjoy. His law is for our benefit, to guide us, help us and keep us in alignment with His will.

God has given us His law because He loves us and wants us to have joy and fulfillment in life. In return, we love God and want to live within His will. It is our love for God draws us to His law and our thankfulness for our salvation that attracts us to keeping it. Once we understand this truth, then we can begin to study His law and implement it in our lives. So, with that in mind let’s look at just a few of the many verses from Psalm 119.

I opened my mouth and panted,
For I longed for Your commandments.

Psalm 119:131 NKJV

Here, the psalmist likens his love for God’s law to an animal panting for water. We only have to go a short time without water before we begin to feel thirsty, then start panting as we become more and more dehydrated. Just like the animal in Psalm 119, we can’t live without water any more than we can live without God’s law. We become thirsty for it, then more and more desperate to get it as time goes by. We long to have God’s law because we know deep down inside that we need it to survive.

How sweet are Your words to my taste,
Sweeter than honey to my mouth!

Psalm 119:103

We can all relate to the craving for something sweet like cake or chocolate or as the psalmist said, honey. When that craving comes over you, it is all you can think about until you taste the sweetness in your mouth. You can’t get enough of it until that craving is satisfied. When we learn to love God’s law, we crave more of it and more of Him. We never get our fill of it, because there is always more to learn and more to experience.

Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.

Psalm 119:105

As I said earlier, God’s law is a set of instructions. I like to think of it as a roadmap for life. But even if you have the instructions you can’t get anywhere in the dark. So, we need a light to shine the way. Our source of light is God’s word and when the world is dark, God shines His light on our path and shows us the way. But the only way for us to have this light is to know God’s word inside and out. To memorize it, store it in our hearts and meditate on it daily. That brings us back to our original verse.

Oh, how I love Your law!
It is my meditation all the day.

Psalm 119:97 NKJV

The best way to grow your relationship with God is to read His word, meditate on it throughout the day and love His law. I’m just like you, I have struggles and days when I’m not as faithful to spend time with God that I know I should. I am guilty of putting God on the back burner when I get busy. But I do long for God’s law and His word. I want to spend more time with God and develop a deeper relationship with Him. I encourage you to think about your relationship with God and the closeness that you feel or don’t feel with Him. He understands where you are right now and where you want to be. God is full of grace and understanding. He has given us His law so that we can have the relationship with Him that we were always meant to enjoy. Through time reading God’s word and in prayer, He will teach us how to love His law and how to live within it. When we do, we will see His blessings.

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Rebecca L Jones