I will never forget your precepts
Psalms 119:93 - Making an effort to understand and learn God’s Word will transform you, which testifies to its divine origin and the part it plays in your sanctification.
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“I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life.”
Psalms 119:93 NIV
Psalm 119 is the longest of the acrostic psalms, psalms that are written in such a way that each section begins with another letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This psalm contains a whopping 176 verses, organized into 22 sections of 8 verses each starting with א (Aleph) and ending with ת (Taw). Why did the psalmist expend the effort to turn these psalms into acrostics? It was probably done as a tool for memorization.
Memory plays a part in today’s verse, as the psalmist says “I will never forget your precepts”. Verse 93 is in the section ל (Lamedh), which Enduring Word’s commentary titles “Saved by the word settled in heaven”. All eight verses in Lamedh refer to the eternal continuity, the truth, and the sustaining and transforming power of God’s Word.
In the first part of this verse, the psalmist is committing to remembering God’s precepts, His commandments and teachings. God’s law should be foremost in the hearts and minds of all believers. In the Old Testament, the Israelites were taught to keep God’s words in their hearts and teach them to their children, as we see in Deuteronomy 6:6-9:
“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
Christians don’t need to walk around with tefellin (small black leather boxes containing scrolls of parchment inscribed with sections of the Torah worn during prayer by many Orthodox Jews) strapped to their heads and/or hands, but the principle is sound. Believers should remember Scripture and dedicate themselves to living in a way that brings glory to God. Jesus taught us this in John 14:15, when He said “If you love me, keep my commands.”
The second part of the verse — “for by them you have preserved my life” — is an acknowledgement that living by God’s precepts brings new life to the believer. David Guzik says in his commentary on this psalm that “God’s word brings life because it is alive”, then quotes Martin Luther’s thoughts on this concept: “The Bible is alive, it speaks to me; it has feet, it runs after me; it has hands, it lays hold of me. The Bible is not antique or modern. It is eternal.” (Martin Luther, cited in Boice, James Montgomery "Psalms: An Expostional Commentary" Volume 3 (Psalms 107-150) (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 1998)).
This new life — this revival — is something that believers can understand spiritually and physically. God’s word provides guidance to our lives, comfort to our weary and worried souls, and physical and emotional strength when we think we can’t go on any further. Psalm 19:7 stated this precisely : “The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul”.
Making an effort to understand and learn God’s Word will transform you, which testifies to its divine origin and the part it plays in your sanctification.
Heaven On Wheels Daily Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for Your life-giving Word. I pray that I will never forget Your precepts, for by them You have preserved my life. Help me to hold tightly to Your truth each day, finding strength, wisdom, and hope in Your promises. May Your Word guide my steps and sustain my soul, now and always. AMEN.
Amen