Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found. Psalm 119:35
Confession time: my sense of direction is not good. I am not exaggerating at all when I say that I would be lost without my GPS. As my GPS directs me to my desired location when I drive, I follow its directions exactly. Why do I follow my GPS’s instructions every single time as it guides me? I know that it will get me where I want to go. I know that if I want to get to my desired destination, I must do what my GPS tells me to do, one turn at a time. Now, the GPS is a guide to get us to physical locations, but we have something far greater. We have a guidebook for life, and that is Scripture, one of God’s main ways of communicating with us here on earth. Why should we heed the instructions in Scripture? They will guide us where we want to go in life every single time we follow them.
Earlier this week, we looked at a portion of Psalm 119. A note in the NLT Life Application Study Bible explains that this Psalm, which spans 176 verses, is the longest chapter not only in the book of Psalms but in the entire Bible. This entire Psalm is a reflection on God’s Word. Our focus today will be on another portion of this Psalm: verses 33-40. The Psalmist begins this set of verses by making this request from the Lord: “Teach me Your decrees, O Lord; I will keep them to the end…I will put them into practice with all my heart” (verses 33-34). Can you sense the Psalmist’s deep desire to know Scripture, and his commitment to keep God’s instructions found within it? He explains why he longs to know God’s instructions in Scripture and will commit to keeping them in the next verse, saying, “Make me walk along the path of Your commands, for this is where my happiness is found” (verse 35). According to the Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament, the Hebrew word translated as “happiness” in this verse can also be translated as “to delight in.” In other words, the Psalmist understood that following God’s commands in Scripture brings true, deep delight and joy because God’s guidance and instructions are given to us not only to honor Him but also for our benefit. If we follow them, we will reap the benefits of obeying God’s guidance in Scripture.
Imagine if every single follower of Christ had the same delight in and commitment to living according to God’s instructions found in the Bible. Imagine if you carried that same delight in and commitment to Scripture. My friend, if we follow and heed God’s teachings to us in His Word each and every day, we would find ourselves on the path toward delight and life. May each one of us read, follow, and delight in Scripture all the days of our lives, and may we find life and joy as a result.
Follow the example of the Psalmist of Psalm 119 by committing to follow God’s instructions in Scripture today. Pray the prayer found in Psalm 119:32-40. Commit to a lifetime of following God’s instructions in Scripture, and ask Him to help you as you seek to do this. After all, that is where true joy can be found.
“God, Your Word is my delight, and I want to obey it. Guide me…”
Psalm 119:33-40
Teach me your decrees, O Lord; I will keep them to the end. 34 Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions; I will put them into practice with all my heart. 35 Make me walk along the path of your commands, for that is where my happiness is found. 36 Give me an eagerness for your laws rather than a love for money! 37 Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word. 38 Reassure me of your promise, made to those who fear you. 39 Help me abandon my shameful ways; for your regulations are good. 40 I long to obey your commandments! Renew my life with your goodness.
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