I have stored up your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you.
Psalm 119:11
As a Christian who professes belief in Christ, do I really need to read, study, memorize, and meditate on the Word of God? Isn’t that why I go to church on Sunday – so the pastor can tell me what it says?
If I had to choose just one verse of Scripture that answers all of those questions, it would be Psalm 119:11.
Psalm 119:105 tells us that God’s Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. The image of light is that of God’s guidance. God’s word is his guidance in our lives. How do we know how we are to live in light of the grace and mercy God has given us in Christ if we are not immersing ourselves in his Scriptures?
In verse 11, the psalmist is not simply referring to storing up the word of God by means of mental memorization only. It is not just an ability to regurgitate scripture. The Hebrew word for “stored up” means to “treasure up” or “hide“. When he says he stored the word in his “heart“, the Hebrew word means “inner man, mind, will“. In other words, he treasured up the word in his inner most being. We see in other passages of how he delighted in the word of God (verses 14,16,24,35,47,70,77,92,143,174). He longed for it (verses 20,40,82,131). It was the focus of his hope (verses 43,49,74,81,114,147).
And what was the result of his treasuring it up, delighting in it, longing for it and hoping in it? The result was his walking in obedience. By knowing, loving, delighting in, longing for it, and hoping in the Word of his beloved Lord, he walked in obedience to it. His love was for God, and it was the Word treasured up in the heart of the psalmist that guarded him from sinning against God. His desire was to live in godliness.
We do not have to be taught to sin. It comes naturally to us. We are born into sin through Adam. But in Christ we are given a new life – we are a new creation. But sin still dwells in us. Therefore, we have the gift of God’s word that instructs us on how we are to live in light of his grace and mercy. If we are not storing up that word in our heart – we are simply groping in the dark trying to find our way through life.
It is not just a matter of reading the words on a page, ticking off a box on a reading plan and going about our day. It is not just practicing our memory verses. It is not just showing up on Sunday’s and expecting the pastor to give us everything we need. It is immersing ourselves in God’s word that we should know HIM better and grow in our awe, reverence, adoration, love and obedience to him. Our salvation was never intended to be just about us – it was for God’s glory. How can we be those who glorify God when we neglect his Word?
“When the word is hidden in the heart the life shall be hidden from sin.“
Charles Spurgeon, Treasuries of David
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