Begin With God – Psalms 119:33-40

Teach me, Lord, the meaning of Your statutes,
and I will always keep them.
Help me understand Your instruction,
and I will obey it
and follow it with all my heart.
Help me stay on the path of Your commands,
for I take pleasure in it.
Turn my heart to Your decrees
and not to material gain.
Turn my eyes
from looking at what is worthless;
give me life in Your ways.
Confirm what You said to Your servant,
for it produces reverence for You.
Turn away the disgrace I dread;
indeed, Your judgments are good.
How I long for Your precepts!
Give me life through Your righteousness.

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Notice that this section of Psalms 119 is about what the Lord will do for us in regard to His Word. The psalmist is pleading for God to turn him from worldly things to the truths of Scripture. The Psalmist’s focus begins with a longing for Father God to move in his own heart and bring the truth of His Word to life. We must realize that even our desire for God must begin with God. We first seek Him and His strength to do in our lives what our weak, independent will is unable to do alone. All else will flow from this God granted desire; i.e. understanding, obedience, faithfulness, security, purity and salvation. In the next section the Psalmist moves to his own response and commitment.

Everything good begins with God and His Word. Everything.