Near to God – Psalm 119: 97 – 112
מ Mem
97 Oh, how I love your law! It is my meditation all day long.
98 Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is always with me.
99 I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your decrees are my meditation.
100 I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts.
101 I hold back my feet from every evil way, in order to keep your word.
102 I do not turn away from your ordinances, for you have taught me.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
104 Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.
נ Nun
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
106 I have sworn an oath and confirmed it, to observe your righteous ordinances.
107 I am severely afflicted; give me life, O Lord, according to your word.
108 Accept my offerings of praise, O Lord, and teach me your ordinances.
109 I hold my life in my hand continually, but I do not forget your law.
110 The wicked have laid a snare for me, but I do not stray from your precepts.
111 Your decrees are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart.
112 I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end.
Psalm 119 is an ‘Acrostic Poem.’ It is a collection of 22 poems, which start with each Hebrew Alphabet. All 176 verses lead us to understand the importance of the Word in our lives.
Today we see two stanzas, which begins with ‘מ Mem’ and ‘נ Nun.’
In the first stanzas, the Psalmist describes his practice of meditating on the word. Meditation of the word means to chew on it and dwell on the word to find its meaning to my life. When we devote our attention to hearing God’s Word, we will discover and understand God’s direction.
97 “Oh, how I love all you’ve revealed; I reverently ponder it all the day long.” – The Message
The second stanzas sing how the word remains to be the Psalmist’s direction, even though life might hit him hard. The word becomes the source of us getting back on track.
We often say that we aren’t able to devote our time to the Word because we are too busy. However, busyness shouldn’t be our excuse for not reading and meditating on the Word. We need to devote ourselves more to the Word since it gives us the source to overcome all difficulties of the World.
107 “I am severely afflicted; give me life, O Lord, according to your word.” – NSRV
The world becomes the source of our life.
We are in the season of Advent. During this time, we devote our lives to prepare for the coming King. As people holding onto the hope, should we not hold on this time to listen carefully to God’s Word?
May us continue to devote ourselves to following God’s direction, through God’s Word.
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