Devotions

20231119

light

Psalm 119:105-112 (JDV)

Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path.
Psalm 119:106 I have sworn, confirming that I will keep your righteous judgments.
Psalm 119:107 I am severely humbled; Yahveh, give me life according to your word.
Psalm 119:108 Yahveh, please accept my freewill offerings of praise, and teach me your judgments.
Psalm 119:109 My life is constantly in danger, yet I do not forget your instruction.
Psalm 119:110 The wicked have set a trap for me, but I have not gone astray from your directions.
Psalm 119:111 I have your warning signs as a heritage forever; indeed, they are the joy of my heart.
Psalm 119:112 I am resolved to obey your prescriptions to the very end.

light

How easy it is for us to walk around during the day since we can see all the potential obstacles. But at night we have to be more cautious. The Bible gives us the light we need to walk confidently in the realm of spiritual darkness. Don’t go anywhere without it.

20231118

sweet

Psalm 119:97-104 (JDV)

Psalm 119:97 How I love your instruction! She is my occupation all day long.
Psalm 119:98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies because they are always with me.
Psalm 119:99 I have more insight than all my teachers because your warning signs are my occupation.
Psalm 119:100 I understand more than the elders because I obey your directions.
Psalm 119:101 I have kept my feet from every evil path to keep your word.
Psalm 119:102 I have not turned away from your judgments, because you yourself have instructed me.
Psalm 119:103 How sweet your word is to my taste — sweeter than honey in my mouth.
Psalm 119:104 I gain understanding from your directions; therefore I hate every false road.

sweet

God’s word is not sweet to the rebellious, because it points out their transgression. But for the person who has determined to follow the right path, it is sweet indeed. What a joy to have constant contact with the Author of the Bible!

20231110

turn our eyes

Psalm 119:33-40 (JDV)

Psalm 119:33 Teach me, Yahveh, the meaning of your prescriptions, and I will always keep them.
Psalm 119:34 Help me understand your instruction, and I will obey it and follow it with all my heart.
Psalm 119:35 Help me stay on the path of your commands because I take pleasure in it.
Psalm 119:36 Turn my heart to your warning signs and not to dishonest profit.
Psalm 119:37 Turn my eyes from looking at what is worthless; give me life in your roads.
Psalm 119:38 Confirm what you said to your servant because it produces reverence for you.
Psalm 119:39 Turn away the disgrace I dread; indeed, your judgments are good.
Psalm 119:40 How I long for your directions! Give me life through your righteousness.

turn our eyes

It is amazing how many worthless things have our attention when we have the most valuable treasure ever in God’s word. Like David, we need to ask the LORD to turn our eyes away from these worthless things, and focus them on his holy word.

Harold Hazen wrote: “A good preacher could plan a whole year of Sunday morning and evening sermons including Wednesday evening Bible studies, and never probe all of the amazing depths of God’s truth contained in the 119th Psalm. Every verse focuses on the importance of God’s Word yet seems to be unrelated to the previous verse or the next verse, but all wonderfully expounding the timeless and eternal nature of God’s Word. As the longest Psalm it appears to be a compilation of David’s thoughts randomly expressed and unconnected to each other but all powerfully pertinent to our Christian walk. Equally impressive is how much David was able to draw from God’s Word given how little of it he had in comparison to what we have today. To our shame then if we don’t take advantage of the Scriptures available to us.” (Maranatha Devotional, Friday, August 11, 2017).