Growing in the Grace of God Through the Word of God

Posted by Pastor Pat on March 6, 2009

“How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103)

Psalm 119 is an unusual Psalm.  First, there are twenty-two paragraphs within the Psalm.  Second, each of the paragraphs begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. Third, each verse within the paragraphs begins with the same letter.  For example, the first eight verses all begin with the letter “a.”  The second paragraph (verses 9 – 16) all begin with the letter “b,” and so forth and so on.  Finally, the entire Psalm communicates a passionate desire for the Word of God.  The Psalmist is in love with the Word.  He uses several descriptive words to declare His passion for hearing from God.  Let us consider several of his statements.  This is not an exhaustive study, but it is accurate and does reveal for us the heart of the Psalmist.

v.10     sought (vv.45, 94)

v.11     treasure

v.14     rejoice (v.111 “joy of my heart,” 162)

v.15     meditate (vv.23, 27, 48, 78, 97, 99, 148)

v.16     delight (vv. 24, 35, 47, 70, 77, 92, 93, 109, 143, 174)

v.16     not forget (vv.61, 83, 93,  109, 141, 153, 176)

v.20     crushed with longing

v.22     observe (vv.2, 33, 34, 56, 69, 100, 115, 129, 145)

v.31     cling

v.40     long for (v.82, 123, 131)

v.42     trust in

v.43     wait for (vv.74, 81, 114, 147)

v.45     seek

v.47     love (vv.48, 97, 113, 119, 127, 140, 159, 163, 165, 167

v.60     I hastened and did not delay

v.66     believe

v.67     keep (vv.4, 5, 8, 17, 34, 44, 55, 57, 60, 63, 67, 88, 101, 106, 134, 146, 167, 168)

v.72     better to me

v.95     diligently consider

v.103   sweet

v.161   stands in awe

The power and passion of his statements are breath-taking.  How I pray for the work of grace in my own heart so I too might treasure His Word and stand in awe of it.  We must pray for this passion and pursue hard after Him through the study of His Word.  In Psalm 42: 1, the Psalmist longs for God and illustrates for us his craving with this graphic depiction, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God.”  There is a tone of despair within the Psalm, yet he is confident he will be satisfied.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:9 and 10, “God’s secret plan has now been revealed to us; it is a plan centered on Christ, designed long ago according to His good pleasure. And this is His plan, at the right time He will bring everything together under the authority of Christ – everything in heaven and on earth.” (NLT)

Jesus Christ is the center-piece of our lives individually and corporately.  Without Him, life becomes meaningless.

It is not an idle boast that as a church family we are learning to “Find, celebrate and declare that He is enough in this life and in the life that is to come.”  We are striving to be a “Christ-Exalting, Word-Centered, Global-Impacting, Grace-Based Fellowship.”  We do this through the systematic study of God’s Word.  As His people we seek to live transparently before God and man.  We are confident that God is faithful and will complete that which He has begun (1 Thess. 5:24).  We believe this.  May you find rest in your walk with Him as you work through His Word.  May He continue to be your joy.

By Pastor Patrick J. Griffiths.  For more information see the Waukesha Bible Church site.