Sermon: The delight of God’s Word

Several years ago, after reading through Psalm 119, I was fascinated by all the different ways that the psalmist said he responded to the Word of God.  So I re-read through the psalm and made a chart of as many different responses as I could find in the psalm (the list is here).  Included are these responses:

• Account as worthy
• Behold/look upon/see
• Believe in
• Better than _____ to me
• Cling to
• Comforted by
• Consider
• Counsel with
• Esteem
• Hate false ways/ falsehood
• Inclined my heart
• Learn/know
• Loathe the treacherous
• Long for
• Meditate on
• Not ashamed of
• Not gone astray from
• Do not turn from
• Praise/worship
• Regard
• Reject wanderers from
• Rejoice/my joy
• Remember
• Run after/with
• Seek
• Sing
• Speak, tell/told
• Sweet to the taste
• Give thanks
• They are mine
• Treasure
• Trust
• Turn to
• Wait for/long for
• Weep (for not keeping)
• Zealous for

This morning, we come to two of the more common of the themes in the psalm — a love for/delight in the Word of God and obedience that springs from that delight.

It is fitting as we begin a new year with new resolutions to take in Scripture, to hear an impassioned joy in the Word of God.  Perhaps you finished 2018 on a “down” note; perhaps you are skeptical about 2019.  Or perhaps you finished 2018 with joy and you are optimistic about 2019.  Regardless, we both need to hear the one thing above all others that will give us joy and delight this year.  Here is what the psalmist says:

If you want to be wise, love God’s  Word.

As one writer says, “…there is no higher education than what the Word of God imparts.” [Barrick]

This stanza provides us with four encouragements about our affection for God’s Word:

1. Love God’s Word (v. 97)
2. Love God’s Word, Because it is Wise (vv. 98-100)
3. Love God’s Word Enough to Obey It (vv. 101-102)
4. Love God’s Word by Hating Evil (vv. 103-104)

Download the rest of this sermon on Psalm 119:97-104.

The audio will be posted on the GBC website by tomorrow.