Psalms 119 in Summary.

“The giving of Your words gives light; it grants understanding to the simple.” - Psalms 119:130

Psalms 119 is the longest psalm in the book. It proclaims the wonderful truth that is God’s word. The whole psalm can be summed up simply, “I love; help me love. I believe; help me believe. I keep; help me keep.” Our love and devotion for the Lord is rooted in the Lord. It is only by His Spirit that we may choose His way. We see a lot of this paradigm, as the psalm is filled with a cry for help, while also being a stance on keeping God’s word. You see this personal declaration of standing on upholding the truths of God’s way, yet we also see the cry for help. That the Lord would help us keep His way. The Christian life is the product of effectual grace. It is grace and mercy that leads to sanctification. It is His love that draws us. We must purge ourselves of all the things that keep our gaze from Him.

We will not, and cannot, keep His ways perfectly, so then, by grace, we must create a dependency on God the Father. By the Spirit at work in us, we are free to strive towards His way of life. His faithfulness will convict us. The greatest affliction of love is conviction; that is to call our own hearts to repentance. This often hurts because it requires pride to be set aside and humility to be embraced. While actions can be learned, a heart must be cultivated. To walk out God’s way goes much further than just “doing better” or even “trying harder.” It is firmly based on the person and work of Jesus Christ. Being so consumed with gratefulness for His sacrifice that we can’t help but love him in return. Set time aside, and consider how good the Lord has been in your life. May the prayer of Psalm 119 be your prayer. Lord, I love, help me love you more.