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God's Word in Your Heart
Psalm 119 Vs.11
Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might
not sin against thee.
Psalm 119 is the longest chapter in the Bible. It is
divided into 22 sections, each with 8 verses; each
section contains a letter from the Hebrew
alphabet. However it is not structure but the
theme of the Psalm which interests us.
The Psalmist wants us to focus on the Word of God variously described here as the law, the testimonies, the precepts, the statutes, the commandments and the judgments. Each of the 176 versus (except 5) referred to the Word of God. Never forget this book is unlike every other book written by a man. It is God's personal word to us. As such it is reliable, accurate, inerrant, pure, complete and eternal. It contains all we need to live effectively for God in the 21st century. Some see the Bible as old and out of date, but for the Christian, it is eternally fresh and relevant.
Verse 11 tells us what to do with the word - namely hide it or store it. Joseph stored the grain in the seven years of plenty and used it during the famine. What then do we store the Scriptures for? When the days of temptation, of correction, of adversity and of witness come, then we can draw out the right word from God, if it is stored up in our hearts.
Next we see where the word is to be stored - in the heart (not in the mind). Someone said, 'it is not facts in your head but truth in your heart that makes you grow'.
Finally we are told what effect this will have, 'that I might not sin against thee'. If the word is stored in our hearts it acts as a barrier to stop us from sinning. It will prevent sin invading our lives and breaking our fellowship with God.
John Bunyan aptly said, 'God's Word will keep me from sin, or sin will keep me from God's Word'.
Let us read it, study it, meditate upon it and store it in your heart during the coming year.
J.G.
