I’ve mentioned on many occasions how I love God’s Word. I’ve thought of Scripture as a treasure and held to it dearly.

A while back, I read something somewhere to the effect that we, as Christians, give honor to Scripture far more than we should. Yes, we should read it. Yes, we should study and obey it. Yes, we should believe it’s the inerrant Word of God. But we should not “worship” the Bible.

So I took a step back and have considered my thoughts on the Bible and if I indeed had made God’s Word a thing of worship…an idol if you will.

But then I read a passage of Scripture that has allowed me to go back to my original way of thinking. Not because I thought it was right, but because God’s Word says its right.

King David loved God’s Word and the Book of Psalm is filled with David’s burning desire to know, understand and follow God’s Words. If David can revere Scripture as he did, surely that is God’s intention for my life as well.

The passage of scripture I referred to above is Psalm 119:6-16. I’ve read this passage in every translation and paraphrase to gain a better understanding of what God wants us to hear. I actually love the Contemporary English Version of this passage because there are some phrases that are a little different and it points out what is important. Take a look at Psalm 119:6-16 from the CEV.

^“6 Thinking about your commands will keep me from doing some foolish thing.
⁷ I will do right and praise you by learning to respect your perfect laws.
⁸ I will obey all of them! Don’t turn your back on me.

⁹ Young people can live a clean life by obeying your word.
¹⁰ I worship you with all my heart. Don’t let me walk away from your commands.
¹¹ I treasure your word above all else; it keeps me from sinning against you.
¹² I praise you, Lord! Teach me your laws.
¹³ With my own mouth, I tell others the laws that you have spoken.
¹⁴ Obeying your instructions brings as much happiness as being rich.
¹⁵ I will study your teachings and follow your footsteps.
¹⁶ I will take pleasure in your laws and remember your words.”

Does this version help you to understand this passage a little better? What were some of the phrases or words you saw that caught your attention? Let me share a few that I liked.

I loved verses 6 and 9! My life has been filled with foolish things. But the most foolish thing I’ve ever done was ignore God’s Word.

Verse 11 is one you probably have memorized, especially if you know the pledge to the Christian flag. Perhaps you’ll recognize it as, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:11 – NIV) A small change in language really helps us to understand that God’s Word is to be treasured because it will help us to obey God’s commands.

And then Psalm 119:15 is a delight for those who desire a deeper understanding of the Bible. When we study God’s Word, we will follow in His footsteps. God has given us the example. We must follow.

There is so much more in this passage of Scripture. We could talk about holiness. We could talk about what’s hidden in our hearts besides God’s Word. We could talk about worship and praise. We could talk about sharing the Gospel with others. We could talk about happiness in God’s Kingdom. These ideas are all in this passage.

My conclusion today is that we are to treasure God’s Word. We are to hold it above all other books as our example for holy living. God calls us to listen to His Words. And I intend to listen intently. Learn wholeheartedly. Obey exclusively. And respect enthusiastically.

The Bible holds all that God wants mankind to know. God has preserved the Bible and it’s writings throughout the ages so that we might have guidelines to live by. I believe we should love, honor and obey God’s Word, for within its pages are “Words of Life” (1 John 1:1).

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna