READ Psalm 119:41–48. 41 May your unfailing love come to me, LORD, your salvation, according to your promise; 42 then I can answer anyone who taunts me, for I trust in your word. 43 Never take your word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws. 44 I will always obey your law, for ever and ever. 45 I will walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts. 46 I will speak of your statutes before kings and will not be put to shame, 47 for I delight in your commands because I love them. 48 I reach out for your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on your decrees.
THE WORD AND FREEDOM. The more the psalmist seeks to obey God, the more he “walk[s] about in freedom” (verse 45). If God is not ruling us, something else is: sin and habit (verse 133), need for love and approval (verse 42), anxiety, or desire for money and success (verse 36). But when God is in charge, these things lose their inordinate power over us. Not even kings are feared (verse 46). Also, with God comes the freedom of “the mind-stretching encounter with a greater wisdom and vision than one’s own. Verse 45 literally means ‘at large.’ . . . Moffatt’s paraphrase of the verse is . . . ‘thou dost open up my life.’”124 Being near creative people frees you to think new thoughts. How much more an encounter with the living God and his Word?
Prayer: Lord, you do indeed “open up my life.” I used to think climbing the ladder of this world was all there was, but now I realize there are untold spiritual realities and eternity and glory to look forward to. I praise you for the astonishing vision of life you give me through your Word. Amen.