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Oh, how I love Your Law!

I recently finished my bi-annual trek through the book of Psalms. As I usually do, I took a couple of days to read and study Psalm 119. This Psalm is known and loved by many. In addition to the fact that it is recognized as the longest chapter in the Bible, it also repeatedly expresses the love that David has for God’s Word. As a matter of fact in almost all of the 176 verses David reiterates the love he has for God’s commands and statutes.

One of the verses that always speaks and challenges me is Psalm 119:97 – Oh how I love your law, it is my meditation all the day. For some reason I never took the time to figure out what part of God’s Law David was referring to. Was he speaking of his love for the Genesis account of creation, or the Israelites exodus through the Sinai Peninsula or maybe even to the Psalms that he was writing? Although, it does not take a seminary degree in Old Testament studies to figure it out, I never really thought about it… until my latest reading.

Suddenly, it hit me; David was referring to God’s sacred instructions, both those that are abbreviated in the Ten Commandments, as well as the amplified version found in the book of Deuteronomy. That was significant for me, because quite honestly, the book of Deuteronomy is not one of my favorite Old Testament books. I don’t think that I have ever stated, “I love the book of Deuteronomy!” Yet, David did, more than 170 times in Psalm 119.

God viewed the book of Deuteronomy with such importance that the people of Israel were required to read the entire book together every seven years (Deut 31:10-13). Even more important, Deuteronomy 17:14-20 instructs each king, as a representative of/example for the people, to write out for himself an entire copy of the law at the beginning of his reign. Wow! How significant is that?

As I thought and meditated on that which gave joy and delight to David, I was convicted by the lack of enthusiasm and dedication that I place upon my own systematic reading. Can I say along with David that I take great delight in reading God’s Law? Would our congregation enjoy reading the book of Deuteronomy out loud? What if I had to write out by hand an entire copy of the Law or the New Testament for that matter?

Lord, help me to say along with David, “Oh how I love your law, it is my meditation all the day.”