Psalm 103; 119:1-48

Psalm 103 is all about praising God for the glorious benefits and gifts he provides us, namely forgiveness of sin. We bless and praise God for this. He forgives, heals, redeems, and satisfies us. God takes compassion on us and his love is so great that our sins are infinitely removed from him. This is the God we serve and worship. And for that he deserves all praise.

One of the ways we learn these things about God is when we delight in his word. That is the theme of Psalm 119. The psalmist declares his love for God’s word, using many different words to describe it. His prayer is that God would help him better understand it so that he can continue to keep God’s commands. And this is not just something he does because he has to, he delights and takes joy in it. The word of God is constantly on his mind and instructs how he lives.

While we can highlight the entirety of Psalm 119, verse 18 stands out above the rest. This verse is a prayer we should pray every time we open up our Bible. We should ask God to open our eyes so we can see and understand the wondrous things in Scripture. When we do that, we are then equipped to meditate on it and live it out. It is only when we understand it that we can delight in it like the psalmist. And that should be our heart’s desire.

Do you ask God for understanding when you open your Bible?