Psalm 119:33-48 NKJV
ה HE
33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of Your statutes,
And I shall keep it to the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep Your law;
Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart.
35 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments,
For I delight in it.
36 Incline my heart to Your testimonies,
And not to covetousness.
37 Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things,
And revive me in Your way.
38 Establish Your word to Your servant,
Who is devoted to fearing You.
39 Turn away my reproach which I dread,
For Your judgments are good.
40 Behold, I long for Your precepts;
Revive me in Your righteousness.
ו WAW
41 Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord—
Your salvation according to Your word.
42 So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me,
For I trust in Your word.
43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth,
For I have hoped in Your ordinances.
44 So shall I keep Your law continually,
Forever and ever.
45 And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.
46 I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings,
And will not be ashamed.
47 And I will delight myself in Your commandments,
Which I love.
48 My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments,
Which I love,
And I will meditate on Your statutes.
“Give me understanding, and I shall keep your law” (34). Understanding a commandment is vital to truly keeping it. How often do children, employees, citizens—even Christians—ask why they are to do something, only to hear, “Because I said so.” Children are to obey their parents, employees their supervisors, citizens their government, and Christians their pastors. In some cases, “Because I said so,” works, but only for a brief time. But if a person understands why they are commanded to do something, they are more apt to do it from an internal motivation. How much truer is this for God’s commandments, which are not only about governing the outward existence, but chiefly govern the heart?
It is one thing for God to command, “Thou shalt not do this or that.” It is quite another thing to understand why God forbids this or that. The why is often that God’s commandments protect His blessings. “Do not misuse the name of the Lord” because God’s name is a blessing that He gives you to use in prayer, praise, and thanksgiving. “Do not commit adultery” protects the blessing of marriage. “Do not murder” protects the blessing of life. “Do not covet” protects the heart against discontent and idolatry. When we understand His law, why He commands us to do certain things and forbids us to do other things, we can say, “Indeed, I shall observe it with my whole heart” (34) because I see all the ways in which God’s law protects me from sin and its consequences, both externally and internally.
This allows us to walk “at liberty” (45), not living according to the law because we have to or even because God said so, but because we understand that God’s law prescribes the best life for us to live. Only the heart that has been made new by the gospel can live this way. The sinful nature hates God’s law and wants to live according to its own desires. But the heart, mind, and will that is renewed by the Gospel truly begins to love God and His will, so that it loves God’s commandments, understanding that they are not rules for life, but the way of life for God’s redeemed children.
Let us pray: Give us understanding of Your law, O Lord, that we may willingly and joyfully walk in Your ways. Amen.