30 Reasons To Love God’s Commands

I was reading the longest chapter in the Bible the other day – Psalm 119 – and was struck by this phrase: ‘Your testimonies also are my delight‘. I thought, “Do I really delight in reading the Bible?”

I mean… I read it every day, and often first thing in the morning, but I can’t truly say that I am delighted to read it every day!

There are more phrases like this in the Psalm too:

I love them exceedingly v167

Your commandments are my delights v143

They are the rejoicing of my heart V111

Your law is my delight v77

So then I wondered what made the writer love it so much – the whole of Psalm 119 is about God’s Word, so I set to looking through it and figuring out what he had written about it. Here are the reasons I found to love and delight in God’s commands and testimonies.

They Are Invaluable!

The psalmist has some fantastic descriptions of God’s laws:

1. They are righteous v7
2. They have wonderful things within them v18
3. They are the way of truth v30
4. They are good v39
5. They are worth more than riches v72
6. They are eternal v89
7. They are a lamp to our feet v105
8. They are a light to our path v105
9. They are faithful v138
10. They are pure v140
11. We can trust in them v43

God Commands Us To Obey Them

God’s ways are right and good, and the writer wanted to please God and do what He said.

12. God has commanded us to keep them diligently v4

13. If we keep them we will not be ashamed when we read them v6

14. God rebukes those who stray from them v21

They Will Bless Us

Do you want to be blessed? Or feel like you’re missing out? Just read this list of how we can benefit from God’s law!

15. You will be blessed if you walk in them v1

16. You will be blessed if you keep them v2

17. We can cleanse our way by taking heed of them v9

18. When we hide them in our heart they help us not to sin against God v11

19. They give us life v50

20. They give us comfort v52

21. They make us thankful v62

22. They give us friends – others who also keep God’s commands v63

23. They give us hope v81, 147

24. They help us to get through trials v92

25. They make us wise v98-100

26. They give us understanding of good and evil v104

27. They give light v130

28. They give us peace v165

29. They stops us from stumbling v165

30. They can be our counsellors v24

Some Hints to Help us Love God’s Commands More

So there are lots of reasons to love God’s word. But what if we don’t love it that much? Well we could take on board some of these hints from Psalm 119:

• Ask God to help us desire them v35
• Ask God to turn out eyes away from looking at worthless things v36
• Ask God to give us understanding so that we can learn His commands v73
• Ask God to revive us so that we can keep His laws v88
• Ask God to teach them to us v109
• Meditate on them at night v148

I have also thought about it and realised that the psalmist doesn’t say he loves reading God’s Word so much as that he loves it in itself.

And to this extent I can say that I do love and delight in it. It is what I base my life around – the principles and commands of the Bible. But I could definitely meditate on and treasure it even more!

Linking up with Spiritual Sundays, and Amy Schlichter