Today’s psalm reading comes from the longest psalm in the Bible, which is also the longest chapter in the Bible. This psalm is a praise to God’s law, God’s Word. Every verse makes mention of His law or Word, and how the psalmist wishes to follow and obey Him. He so fervently wishes to learn from God’s Word, and to be sure that he obeys all that is contained in it. It’s not good enough to just read the Scriptures and then close the Book and walk away. Like James says in his epistle in the New Testament, that would be like looking in mirror, seeing something wrong like messy hair or food on our face, and then just walking away (James 1:22-25). This was so important to the psalmist, and should be to us, as well.
In verse 36 the psalmist asks the Lord to keep his heart away from covetousness, or dishonest gain or profit. Many people tend to covet money so they can obtain the other things they desire. It is when we become so desirous of having things that we can become tempted to do things wrong and sinful to obtain them. Thus the psalmist doesn’t want to fall into any trap where his desires for things might lead him into doing anything that is wrong, sinful, or dishonest. God wants us to be more desirous of His Word and building up treasures in heaven, not anything here on earth (Luke 12:33). What we seek to obtain here on earth will perish. What we store up in heaven will last forever.
Another prayer that the psalmist makes in verse 37 is that the Lord will help him to keep his eyes from looking at things that are worthless, but instead to keep him following God’s way. What are some worthless things that we spend our time on? Idle TV shows or books? These weren’t necessarily sinful things, though the psalmist certainly wouldn’t want to be involved in anything like that. Here he asks God to lead him away from anything that is wasting his time, taking him away from spending time in God’s Word. Our minds need to be kept God-honoring. Throughout the Bible we learn that we need to guard our mind (Mark 7:14-23). As believers we need to replace the world’s influence with God’s influence from His Word and prayer. Yielding just a little bit here, a little bit there, to the values of the world, and pretty soon the Christian’s lifestyle is indistinguishable from that of the world.
In verse 39 we read that the psalmist prays that God will turn away his reproach, the scorn that others put upon him, and any disgrace or disapproval. When we seek to follow God’s ways, we may often find that others will reproach us. The more we stay in His Word and study it, the better able we are to answer those who reproach us, and cast scorn upon us for His sake (vs. 42). It’s always best to trust not in our own wisdom when answering others, but to trust God’s Word, instead. Keep His Word in our hearts, minds, and especially in our mouths, and we can answer all who challenge us (vs. 43). Peter, in his first epistle, told his readers to know the Scriptures so as to always be ready to answer those who question us about our faith, and to make sure our lifestyle is such that they will be ashamed for having reproached us (I Peter 3:15-16).
We can even speak with confidence to those in power, and not have to be ashamed (vs. 46). Jesus spoke that His believers would be brought before rulers for His sake, and that we didn’t need to worry what to say, as the Holy Spirit would give the words to speak (Matthew 10:16-20). We need to keep in the Scriptures, for the Holy Spirit to have more to work with. The more we meditate on God’s Word (vs 48), the more He will use it to bless and protect us.
Don't let the camel get his nose in your tent!
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