I find God’s word here to be very relevant to my spiritual life. It teaches me how to keep my way pure – by “guarding it” according to God’s word (1). If I don’t want to drift away from God’s word, I need to seek God in it “with my whole heart” (2). I don’t please God with half-hearted devotion. The stories of the “good” kings of Judah testify to the tendency to do what is right but not wholeheartedly (e.g., 2 Chronicles 25:2). If I don’t want to sin against God [like young Joseph refused to do (Genesis 39:9) & King David admitted doing (Psalm 51:4)], I need to store up or treasure God’s word in my heart (11). The Christian life is definitely a matter of the heart, for from it flow all the issues of life (Proverbs 4:23). If I want to bless or praise the LORD, I need to remain teachable (12). I can do all that’s in verses 9-12 by doing what’s in verses 13-16. Reading Scripture aloud – declaring God’s word with my lips – often keeps my mind from wandering (13). Delighting in God’s word as much as I delight in anything else I enjoy or consider valuable helps my heart know what’s worth hoarding (14). This might even help my tendency to forget (16). Probably the best exercise or spiritual discipline I can practice that is extensively promoted in the psalms is to “meditate on” [God’s] word and “fix my eyes” where they belong – on his “ways” (15). I am so prone to distraction. So, Lord, please keep my guarding, seeking, storing up, learning, declaring, delighting in and meditating on your word today.
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