Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. Psalm 1:1-2
“What has delighted you lately?” A friend recently asked me this question, and it made me pause. I immediately thought of the kindness a friend had shown me and the giggles of my niece and nephew. I thought of my newfound love for stepping out of my comfort zone as I cook and create new meals. What I did not think of immediately is what I wish I had. I wish I would have also listed delight in Scripture. To be clear, Christ is the delight of my life, and I love His word, but sometimes I forget what a gift it is to me and the rest of the world.
One person in the Bible who modeled a deep love for God’s word was David. He wrote about this love in Psalm 1. “Oh the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night” (verses 1-2). These people David described in this verse delight in the Bible. The Oxford dictionary defines the word “delight” as “something that gives you great pleasure.” These people David describes take pleasure in reading their Bible and obeying it.
If we read on in Psalm chapter 1, we find out what happens when we delight in Scripture. Verse 3 tells us that those who delight in the Bible are “like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.” What a promise to claim! If we delight in our Bibles and spend time obeying God, we are secure, like a tree with a constant supply of water. We are also prosperous. Now, this does not mean we will be prosperous by the world’s standards, but by God's, which, in the end, is what matters. God honors those who delight in Scripture and obey it.
When you think about your life, do you have the delight for reading and studying the Bible as David describes in Psalm1? Is reading your Bible a duty for you, or is it a delight? As we talk throughout this study about going deeper in our Bible study, delighting in the Bible and delighting to read it is key. If we want to study it and know it, we must delight in it and love it. So, my friend, it is my deep prayer that you and I fall in love with Scripture and that we think about it and dwell on it all day long. So may it be true of us.
Has Scripture delighted you lately? If so, how? Write down the answer to this question. If not, that is okay. Spend some time right now focusing on Scripture from the Going Deeper section. Pay attention to what God may be teaching you. Marvel at the gift of His Word. Ask Him to give you a delight for the Bible, His Word given to us.
Psalm 1:1-6 (NLT)
Oh, the joys of those who do not
follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with mockers.
2 But they delight in the law of the Lord,
meditating on it day and night.
3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
and they prosper in all they do.
4 But not the wicked!
They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
Sinners will have no place among the godly.
6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.
©2024 Sagebrush Church
