“You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.” Psalm 119:114
This verse might make us think of dry, dead rules contained in God’s Word (the Bible) by which one has to live. Certainly, God’s Word proclaims rules for us to keep. However, Psalm119 repeatedly emphasizes that God gives life “according to” His Word. Generally, this phrase comes at the end of a verse, clinching the request with the certainty of God’s previous promise. The psalmist prays according to “Your word”, “Your promise”, “Your rules”, and “Your steadfast love”. He also notes that the insolent do not live according to God’s Word.
“According to” God’s Word, the psalmist asks specifically for direction in life, for life itself, for strength, for understanding, and for deliverance. Just as God’s Word created the world and God’s breath gave Adam life, God’s spoken and written Word gives life, hope, and salvation today. In the New Testament, Jesus, the Word, “became flesh” for our salvation (John 1:14).
God’s blessings on your day…