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God says a lot. He has given us lots to think about. God’s wisdom is the key to our life, every minute of every day.

When we need to know how to do something, just consider how God does it. That is what to pay attention to. That is God’s goal for us.

How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O Yahweh [Lord]; teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word. [1]

Psalm 119:9–16

We need to give more time to thinking about God’s wisdom. It nourishes our souls to do so. How can I increase the amount of time I devote thinking about what God has to say? What can I eliminate that is not really a good use of my time?

May I ponder every bit of God’s wisdom.

This entire section of Psalm 119 is bracketed by the term “word” (dabar). In the opening verse (v. 9b) the psalmist announces that the pure path is reached by choosing to live according to God’s word, and in the final verse the psalmist pledges not to forget God’s dabar.

In verse 11 the poet declares that he has “hidden your word” in his heart so that he might not sin against God. The word “hidden” (tsapan) in this instance means “to store up” rather than simply “to hide.”

As a result, the heart of the blessed person becomes a storehouse of God’s words; they too help him pursue the path of purity. In the final line of the Beth strophe the psalmist declares, “I will not neglect [lit., ‘forget’] your word [dabar].”[2]

How precious is God’s word. May it be my delight all day long.

[1] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Ps 119:9–16). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

[2] Tucker, W. D., Jr. (2018). Psalms 107–150. In T. Muck (Ed.), Psalms (Vol. 2, p. 705). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.