Psalm 119:113-120 – Loving the Word helps us to depart from evil

Samekh, the fifteenth letter of the Hebrew Alphabets, starts off this portion of Psalm 119. Here the Psalmist expressed how he intensely disliked people who were double-minded. The opinions we entertain matter, because they reflect the kind of character we become. When the Psalmist talked about double-minded people he was referring to people who are indecisive, wavering with fluctuating sentiments and can’t stick to a good decision that they have made. In contrast to such people, the Psalmist stuck to the Word of God and loved it. It’s his way of saying that he pondered and studied the Word daily, and consistently lived them out. Frankly speaking we all do entertain vain thoughts occasionally. But we must learn never to dwell on them. What we think about all the time will either free us or ensnare us. Thus it’s wise to emulate the Psalmist and think about the Law and love it.

More than just merely black words on white paper, the Bible leads us to God. He is our best shield and protector. It is through the Word of God that we will be led to Him. He reveals Himself through the Word. That’s why the Word holds great hope before us.  Refusing to be influenced by people who were evil, the Psalmist stayed far away from them. He knew that the principles of God’s Word that he practiced weren’t congruent with the principles of those evil-doers. So he wanted to have nothing to do with people who practiced those evil principles.   

The Psalmist’s desire to walk uprightly according to the Word of God led him to pray for strength to be able to uphold his way of living. He was sure that God would be able to help him stay a faithful witness to the hope he had obtained. He refused to entertain the thought of being a disgrace to the hope he professed. This is the kind of God-pleasing attitude we should also adopt. Like him we must seek God to sustain and keep us safe so that we can continually honor Him, and uphold the standards He had ordained in His Word.        

In verses 118-119 we see a warning to people who have scant regard for God’s Word. Such people would accommodate deceit that God hates and cannot tolerate. He will deal with them. Nothing escapes the sight of God. He can see through man’s pretense and hypocrisy. The best way to show that we love the Word of God is to practice it. Ultimately God will remove all the wicked of the earth. Hence it pays to love God and His Word. The judgments that God will pour out on people who love wickedness is a fearful thing. When we love God and walk according to the His Word, we need not fear his judgments. But there’s a kind of fear that we should cultivate: a reverential fear for the Lord. We should live in awe of Him. It will help us to treat Him with respect and walk circumspectly before Him. Thankfully we are clothed in the righteousness of Jesus. And in practicing His Word daily, we are being honed and transformed to be more and more like Him.