Editor’s Note: This is post 4 of 6 in a weeklong series on Psalm 119. Click here for more.
Before you study Psalm 119 today…
- Ask God to meet you in the text and show you who He is, who you are in Him, and how you can apply the words you read to your daily life.
- Read and/or listen to the entire text of Psalm 119. Click on the images below for the text in the English Standard Version ready to print and/or read from BibleGateway and for the audio version of Psalm 119 (voice of Sara Nelson and recording by Matt Gley).
Psalm 119 is full of active verbs. The psalmist speaks of meditating on God’s law, setting his eyes on the good path of life that he will walk with steady steps, offering a free will offering of praise to God, and posturing his heart toward the ways of God. He models a full-body obedience that requires a choice but is not something done in isolation.
Humanly, it is impossible to muster up enough willpower to obey completely and perfectly, but with the Holy Spirit as our guide, we have supernatural guidance, strength, and grace to follow God’s best. We also have each other to lean on and to hold us accountable through the ups and downs in life.
God also gives us a chest of spiritual weaponry. Let’s read Ephesians 6:10-20 together:
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
— Jaime Sherman
Key verse: Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Ephesians 6:11
Questions to ponder: Think about the physical body and your inner being as you read Psalm 119 today and note the active verbs. What is God doing? What are you to do? Then, looking at the Armor of God section from Ephesians, picture putting on each of these protective pieces of your spiritual armor as you get dressed each morning. What parts of your life are protected? How does this give you confidence as you face the day ahead?
Prayer: Lord, thank You for giving me direction from the psalmist for how to actively live out whole-hearted obedience to You. Thank You for the picture of my physical body and of the ways You offer protection from the spiritual forces of evil. Remind me each morning as I wake that “You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word” (Psalm 119:114).