#862 Mem 13

Mem

97 Oh how I love your law!

It is my meditation all the day.

98 Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies,

for it is ever with me.

99 I have more understanding than all my teachers,

for your testimonies are my meditation.

100 I understand more than the aged,

for I keep your precepts.

101 I hold back my feet from every evil way,

in order to keep your word.

102 I do not turn aside from your rules,

for you have taught me.

103 How sweet are your words to my taste,

sweeter than honey to my mouth!

104 Through your precepts I get understanding;

therefore I hate every false way. Psalm 119: 97-104 ESV

A continuation of Psalm 119, the love of God's word in practice.

Mem is the 13th letter of the Hebrew alphabet, having a numeric value of 40. It's pictograph looks like a wave of water, and can mean waters, people, languages, nations and tongues. Mem also represents aspects of God's rule, malkhut (kingship) and memshalah (dominion). 

…6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish and sustain it with justice and righteousness from that time and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will accomplish this. Isaiah 9: 6-7

Oh how I love Your law -

- It is a note of exclamation. He loves so much that he must express his love, and in making the attempt he perceives that it is inexpressible-- and therefore cries, "O how I love!" We not only reverence but love the law, we obey it out of love, and even when it chides us for disobedience we love it none the less. The law is God's law, and therefore it is our love. We love it for its holiness, and pine to be holy; we love it for its wisdom, and study to be wise; we love it for its perfection, and long to be perfect. Those who know the power of the gospel perceive an infinite loveliness in the law as they see it fulfilled and embodied in Christ Jesus. C. H. Spurgeon

It is my meditation all the day - Love for one does not increase upon meditation of another, pining for other than your betrothed. A godly man or woman greets the Lord in the morning, seeks out that time of study, personal time for prayer, and carries with them the strength of such deep and searching meditation. The heart grows and the desire reciprocates, the mind facilitates and each word becomes more precious. I met God through His word, Christ became that word, fulfilled His Father's words, and the Holy Spirit has convicted me through those words, that He now uses to sanctify me to that life I once was ignorant of and lost without. It is not my only thought or duty, but it is the foremost, above all, my standard and rule.

Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies - They haven't a genuine fear of God, and for those that would do by their own will, by clever means, swearing that the end does justify, a conscience to them seems burdensome. A lie always seems ready and accessible, but a man of principle never has to cover for a lie. He deals in truth, which being reality, he has not wasted his own time or mine.

- A thoroughly straightforward man, devoid of all policy, is a terrible puzzle to diplomatists; they suspect him of a subtle duplicity through which they cannot see, while he, indifferent to their suspicions, holds on the even tenor of his way, and baffles all their arts. Yes, "honesty is the best policy." He who is taught of God has a practical wisdom such as malice cannot supply to the crafty; while harmless as a dove he also exhibits more than a serpent's wisdom. C. H. Spurgeon

For it is ever with me - When in a cold war, enemies are not at battle but always armed, and the man of God is always at war, for the enemy is ever with him in this life. This is his sword, which study, prayer and meditation have prepared him to wield well. 

…16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times, with every kind of prayer and petition. To this end, stay alert with all perseverance in your prayers for all the saints.… Ephesians 6: 16-18

I have more understanding than all my teachers - I cannot make this same claim, for I have been fortunate to choose better and more godly men than myself to learn from, but I have sat under teachers and professors in the past, who were want of the least bit of discernment. If you make an arrogant man your teacher you will lack in the ways of God. It has been my sad experience that most of the "church" today has left Sola Scriptura, and now chases the soles of dead souls, men who have lost sight of Christ and do not cherish His word. 

- It behooves us then to follow closely the chart of the Word of God, that we may be able to save the vessel when even the pilot errs. If our teachers should be in all things sound and safe, they will be right glad for us to excel them, and they will ever be ready to own that the teaching of the Lord is better than any teaching which they can give us. Disciples of Christ who sit at his feet are often better skilled in divine things than doctors of divinity. C. H. Spurgeon

38 As they traveled along, Jesus entered a village where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to His message. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations to be made. She came to Jesus and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me!”…

…41“Martha, Martha,” the Lord replied, “you are worried and upset about many things. 42 But only one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10: 38-42

For I keep Your precepts - With age comes wisdom, but he has found that ageless wisdom that the patriarchs did not yet have. In keeping the commands of God, he has also found their end, for God never spoke without intent, and men should never be hearers only.

I hold back my feet from every evil way - Many profess to know God, of God, but He has believed God. If You said it then it is above my feelings, my culture, my own natural want, and I am desperate to keep Your commandments. 

4 By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as righteous when God gave approval to his gifts. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he did not see death. He could not be found, because God had taken him away. For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.… Hebrews 11: 4-6

How sweet are Your words to my taste - The Psalmist has found in the Word of God something more desirable than earthly comfort or food. If we could just grasp this, we would lay hold of that precious pearl of infinite value. Remember, nothing else shall remain.

Therefore I hate every false way - What I have come to love has taught me what to hate. If I am God's child, and my Father hates sin, then I should not take lightly that which Christ had to suffer for, forsaken in that moment that He wore my shame.

…28 Anyone who rejected the law of Moses died without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29 How much more severely do you think one deserves to be punished who has trampled on the Son of God, profaned the blood of the covenant that sanctified him, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge His people.”… Hebrews 10: 28-30

Jeremiah 23