Considering God’s law to be His word, the psalmist believed in the word: “Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments” (119:66). According to the New Testament, the first requirement in taking the Word of God is that we believe in it. We must believe in its genuineness, its accuracy, its authority, and its power.
Along with the Old Testament seekers of God, we should also choose God’s word. Psalm 119:30 says, “I have chosen the way of truth: thy judgments have I laid before me.” Verse 173 says, “Let thine hand help me: for I have chosen thy precepts.” What a marvelous choice this is! We all need to make a strong decision in favor of the word of God.
In 119:48 we find an unusual expression: “My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments.” What does it mean to lift up our hands to God’s word? If we consider the way we lift our hand to greet someone, we shall be able to understand this. To lift up our hands unto the Lord’s word is to welcome it, to indicate that we receive it warmly and say “Amen” to it. Many of us have spontaneously lifted up our hands when inspired by God’s word. Therefore, to lift up our hands to the word of God means to receive it gladly.
The Old Testament seekers loved God’s word. Eleven times the writer of Psalm 119 speaks of loving the word of God (vv. 47, 48, 97, 113, 119, 127, 140, 159, 163, 165, 167). I also can testify that I love the Word of God. No book is as lovable as the Bible.
The psalmist also delighted himself in God’s word (119:16, 24, 35, 47, 70, 77, 92, 174). He enjoyed the word and found it a source of delight. There is joy to be found in the word of God. Daily we need to take time to delight ourselves in the holy Word.
The psalmist even tasted God’s word: “How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth” (v. 103). Notice that the writer does not say, “How sweet is thy law!” Instead, he declares, “How sweet is thy word!” If we regard the law as nothing more than the commandments of God, it will not be sweet to us. But if we realize that God’s law is His word for our nourishment and life supply, we shall enjoy its sweet taste. According to his experience, the psalmist realized that the law was the sweet word of God. It was not just a list of commandments to regulate him; it was a word full of enjoyment and life supply, a word that, to his taste, was sweeter than honey.
When we taste the word of God, we rejoice in it. The psalmist says, “I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies” (119:14), and “Thy testimonies...are the rejoicing of my heart” (v. 111). In verse 162 the psalmist testifies of his rejoicing in the word: “I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil.”
To rejoice is more than just to be joyful. We may be joyful silently, but we must use our voice in order to rejoice. There is a difference between making a joyful noise and having a joyful voice. When we rejoice, praising the Lord and even shouting, we make a joyful noise to Him. To certain opposers, this is bedlam. They condemn us for making a joyful noise to the Lord. Nevertheless, we must be those who rejoice in the Lord and in His word. If you have never spontaneously rejoiced in reading the Bible, perhaps you have never been fully inspired by the Word. Whenever we are helped by the Bible, in a living way, we spontaneously rejoice in the Word.
The psalmist says, “Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage” (119:54). The psalmist would even sing of God’s word. We do not have much experience of this. We need to learn of the psalmist to sing the words of the Bible. I encourage all the saints to sing the Word of God.
Furthermore, the psalmist had respect unto all the Lord’s commandments (119:6). In verse 117 he declares, “I will have respect unto thy statutes continually.” If we would be genuine seekers of God, we must respect His word.