Psa 119:98 | KingComments | STEP | The letter mem has both the pictogram and the meaning of water (waves). Since water is essential to life, water as a picture of the Word of God in the Bible is always associated with purity and life ( ; cf. ). The desire for God is also the desire for the Word of God. That is why we read of a “thirst for God” ( ). This stanza about the water as a picture of the Word is therefore again a song of praise about the psalmist’s love for the Word. Whoever loves the LORD also loves His law ( ). Someone who says he loves God but never reads His Word is a liar (cf. ). What the righteous says here is not a hypocritical lip confession. “O how I love Your law”, is the exclamation of one who with all his heart pays attention to the teaching of God’s Word. Nor is he merely engaged with God’s Word now and then, but it is “all the day” his meditation (cf. ). Just as a sheep eats the grass and ruminates on it the rest of the day, so Mary hears what has been said to her and keeps and meditates on it in her heart ( ). This is how we should read the Word and meditate on the Word the rest of the day. In this the Lord Jesus Himself is the perfect example. He who loves God’s Word so intensely and thinks about it all day long is wiser than his enemies ( ). The world has rejected Christ, and because of this, every one who wants to follow the Lord knows that the price of following the Lord is rejection by the world. A believer must be mindful that he has enemies in the world. The Word of God makes the simplest believer, one who by the standards of the world is not among the learned, a wise one (cf. ). He stands out in wisdom far above the most intelligent people who are enemies of God. The world submits the Word of God to its wisdom and thinking, thereby rejecting the Word as the source of wisdom ( ). The believer submits his wisdom and thinking to the Word of God and receives wisdom that comes from above (cf. ; ). The wisdom of the world perishes, but those who possess wisdom based on the commandments of God have an eternal source of wisdom with them. What the righteous say is perfectly true of the Righteous. all begin in Hebrew with “more. The psalmist is wiser (more wise), has more insight and understands more than his enemies, his teachers and the aged. From this it is clear that this is not about intelligence or life experience, but about the guidance of God through His Word. The Word of God gives us the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which is the secret of the psalmist’s wisdom, understanding and insight. One who is wise through God’s commandments can say without a hint of pride: “I have more insight than all my teachers” ( ). His mind has been enlightened by God’s Word and God’s Spirit because he has made God’s testimonies his meditation. Here it is not about teachers who are God-given, but teachers who possess worldly wisdom. By meditating on the Word, the psalmist receives wisdom that comes from above ( ). He can speak with understanding about the things of life with which others struggle. Like the two previous verses, this applies perfectly to the Lord Jesus. The righteous, even when young, can also say without a hint of pride that he has “understands more than the aged” ( ). The aged here are not the recognized elders of God’s people, but older persons in general with life experience. That life experience, however, yields only human wisdom and not the wisdom that comes from above. The righteous does not say this because he himself is suddenly so wise and understanding, but because he lets himself be led by the LORD, by His Word. It is not about merely hearing or knowing the Word, but about keeping and obeying it, being led by that Word. A fool is one who is not led by the LORD and His Word, like the antichrist and his followers ( ). He has not only meditated on God’s Word, but has also observed it, that is, he has lived by it. As a result, his understanding all things of this life becomes like a light that shows every thing in its true nature and in its proper relation to every other thing. The Lord Jesus, as a Boy of twelve, has more understanding than the teachers and elders who will emerge as His enemies ( ). Love for the Word of God, meditating on it, makes one wise, gives insight and gives understanding ( ). are about the psalmist’s walk in life under the guidance of the Word. Keeping the Word means guidance in life, avoiding every evil way. We see this with the righteous, who has restrained his feet “from every evil way” ( ; cf. ). By doing so, he demonstrates his adherence to God’s Word. There are countless bad ways, but there is only one good way, which is the way that God’s Word shows. All evil ways lead to death; the one good way leads to life. That he abides by God’s Word is not his own achievement. He does not deviate from God’s ordinances because God Himself has taught him ( ). There is no teacher like Him ( ). He gives the perfect teaching that is exactly tailored to the student. The general effect of this sound teaching in the Word is that it has a preserving and sanctifying effect and works a desire for a life of holiness to God’s glory (cf. ). Teaching from God’s Word is sweet to his taste ( ). It is pleasant to take in. Its sweetness exceeds the sweetness of honey (cf. ; ). He who has tasted the sweetness of it has tasted that the Lord is kind ( ; ). Therefore he wants to have more of it. The precepts of the LORD are truth and give understanding in the way of truth ( ). The believer who obeys these precepts gains understanding into the will of God. As a result, he will hate “every false way”, for in that way the precepts of the LORD are not allowed. The evil way of is here called “false way”, for it goes against the way of truth, the way of the Word of God. The false way of sin is a way of error that leads to death. The righteous knows this because he listens to the precepts.

‏ Psalms 119:98

/mem/ Desire for the Word

The letter mem has both the pictogram and the meaning of water (waves). Since water is essential to life, water as a picture of the Word of God in the Bible is always associated with purity and life (Eph 5:26; cf. Rev 22:17). The desire for God is also the desire for the Word of God. That is why we read of a “thirst for God” (Psa 42:1b-2). This stanza about the water as a picture of the Word is therefore again a song of praise about the psalmist’s love for the Word.

Whoever loves the LORD also loves His law (Psa 119:97). Someone who says he loves God but never reads His Word is a liar (cf. Jn 14:23). What the righteous says here is not a hypocritical lip confession. “O how I love Your law”, is the exclamation of one who with all his heart pays attention to the teaching of God’s Word.

Nor is he merely engaged with God’s Word now and then, but it is “all the day” his meditation (cf. Psa 1:3). Just as a sheep eats the grass and ruminates on it the rest of the day, so Mary hears what has been said to her and keeps and meditates on it in her heart (Lk 2:19). This is how we should read the Word and meditate on the Word the rest of the day. In this the Lord Jesus Himself is the perfect example.

He who loves God’s Word so intensely and thinks about it all day long is wiser than his enemies (Psa 119:98). The world has rejected Christ, and because of this, every one who wants to follow the Lord knows that the price of following the Lord is rejection by the world. A believer must be mindful that he has enemies in the world.

The Word of God makes the simplest believer, one who by the standards of the world is not among the learned, a wise one (cf. 2Tim 3:15). He stands out in wisdom far above the most intelligent people who are enemies of God. The world submits the Word of God to its wisdom and thinking, thereby rejecting the Word as the source of wisdom (Jer 8:9b). The believer submits his wisdom and thinking to the Word of God and receives wisdom that comes from above (cf. Jam 1:5 ; Jam 3:13-17; 1Cor 2:14). The wisdom of the world perishes, but those who possess wisdom based on the commandments of God have an eternal source of wisdom with them. What the righteous say is perfectly true of the Righteous.

Psa 119:98-100 all begin in Hebrew with “more. The psalmist is wiser (more wise), has more insight and understands more than his enemies, his teachers and the aged. From this it is clear that this is not about intelligence or life experience, but about the guidance of God through His Word. The Word of God gives us the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which is the secret of the psalmist’s wisdom, understanding and insight.

One who is wise through God’s commandments can say without a hint of pride: “I have more insight than all my teachers” (Psa 119:99). His mind has been enlightened by God’s Word and God’s Spirit because he has made God’s testimonies his meditation. Here it is not about teachers who are God-given, but teachers who possess worldly wisdom. By meditating on the Word, the psalmist receives wisdom that comes from above (Jam 3:13-17). He can speak with understanding about the things of life with which others struggle. Like the two previous verses, this applies perfectly to the Lord Jesus.

The righteous, even when young, can also say without a hint of pride that he has “understands more than the aged” (Psa 119:100). The aged here are not the recognized elders of God’s people, but older persons in general with life experience. That life experience, however, yields only human wisdom and not the wisdom that comes from above.

The righteous does not say this because he himself is suddenly so wise and understanding, but because he lets himself be led by the LORD, by His Word. It is not about merely hearing or knowing the Word, but about keeping and obeying it, being led by that Word. A fool is one who is not led by the LORD and His Word, like the antichrist and his followers (Psa 14:1 ; Psa 53:1b).

He has not only meditated on God’s Word, but has also observed it, that is, he has lived by it. As a result, his understanding all things of this life becomes like a light that shows every thing in its true nature and in its proper relation to every other thing. The Lord Jesus, as a Boy of twelve, has more understanding than the teachers and elders who will emerge as His enemies (Lk 2:46-47).

Love for the Word of God, meditating on it, makes one wise, gives insight and gives understanding (Psa 119:97-100). Psa 119:101-104 are about the psalmist’s walk in life under the guidance of the Word. Keeping the Word means guidance in life, avoiding every evil way.

We see this with the righteous, who has restrained his feet “from every evil way” (Psa 119:101; cf. Psa 1:1). By doing so, he demonstrates his adherence to God’s Word. There are countless bad ways, but there is only one good way, which is the way that God’s Word shows. All evil ways lead to death; the one good way leads to life.

That he abides by God’s Word is not his own achievement. He does not deviate from God’s ordinances because God Himself has taught him (Psa 119:102). There is no teacher like Him (Job 36:22). He gives the perfect teaching that is exactly tailored to the student. The general effect of this sound teaching in the Word is that it has a preserving and sanctifying effect and works a desire for a life of holiness to God’s glory (cf. 2Tim 3:16-17).

Teaching from God’s Word is sweet to his taste (Psa 119:103). It is pleasant to take in. Its sweetness exceeds the sweetness of honey (cf. Psa 19:10b; Rev 10:9). He who has tasted the sweetness of it has tasted that the Lord is kind (1Pet 2:3; Psa 34:8). Therefore he wants to have more of it.

The precepts of the LORD are truth and give understanding in the way of truth (Psa 119:104). The believer who obeys these precepts gains understanding into the will of God. As a result, he will hate “every false way”, for in that way the precepts of the LORD are not allowed. The evil way of Psa 119:101 is here called “false way”, for it goes against the way of truth, the way of the Word of God. The false way of sin is a way of error that leads to death. The righteous knows this because he listens to the precepts.