Psalm 116:14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.
Making and fulfilling vows was an important expression of faith in the Old Testament. Jacob said, If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God . . . and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth (Genesis 28:20-22).
And when Hannah wanted a baby she said, Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life (1 Samuel 1:11).
But most people are better at making vows than keeping them. Imagine a man lost in the woods who prayed, Lord, if you save me, I’ll give you my life. Then he heard children playing and, by walking in their direction, found his way out. Later he wondered if God really answered his prayer, or if it was just a coincidence. Since he wasn’t sure, he decided the vow wasn’t binding, and went on living as before.
It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it (Ecclesiastes 5:5), wrote Solomon. Oaths and vows were so abused, in fact, that they’re never taught in the New Testament as an expression of Christian faith. They’re not forbidden, but they’re not encouraged either.
Shortly after I believed, a minister encouraged me to vow that I’d read four chapters of the Bible a day. I wanted to please my heavenly Father, so I made the vow and kept it—for about a week. If I hadn’t made the vow I wouldn’t have been guilty of sin, but since I made the vow I was.
Breaking a vow is a serious sin, but it’s handled like every other sin. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9), wrote John. It’s not wrong to tell God what you’d like to do for him but, because of human weakness, it’s better not to vow.
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Psalm 119:1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.
This is the first verse of the longest chapter of the Bible, which is a celebration of God’s word. It begins with the word blessed, which occurs over two hundred times in the Bible, and refers to the happiness of those who belong to God and follow his ways. The ways of God aren’t always easy, but they’re always best for us, and result in our greatest happiness. Human sorrow is the result of disobeying God, not the result of obeying him.
Psalm 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Few things are more helpful to combating sin than committing God’s word to memory. Satan wanted Jesus to turn stones into bread but Jesus replied, It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). Then Satan urged him to throw himself off the temple but Jesus replied, It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test (Matthew 4:7). Then Satan urged Jesus to worship him, but Jesus replied, Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only (Matthew 4:10).
Three times Jesus was tempted by the Devil, and three times Jesus quoted God’s word. By committing God’s word to memory, we’re able to use it against Satan whenever we’re tempted to sin.
Psalm 119:14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
The Bible is a treasure to those who know its worth. It’s like a pile of money that can never be exhausted. The better we understand the Bible, the wealthier we’ll feel.
An archaeologist uncovered five million dollars worth of jewelry from the fifteenth century, just eighteen inches beneath a cottage floor. The owners never worried about the economy, medical bills, or having enough to eat because they were so rich.
Eventually they died, of course, and the cottage was occupied by others for hundreds of years. Many couples sat at the kitchen table, wondering how to pay their bills, while a fortune lay just beneath their feet. Whoever has a Bible, but doesn’t read it, is sitting on buried treasure. Whoever reads it often will rejoice in all it contains.
Psalm 119:16 I will not neglect your word.
Like everyone else, the writer had commitments that competed with his desire to study God’s word. Instead of rising early, and staying up late, he may’ve been tempted to get extra sleep. But he resolved not to neglect God’s word, regardless of other commitments.
If a pastor stood up in church, and started tearing out pages of the Bible, many people would be upset. But unless we study every page of the Bible, we may as well tear it out. Everyone who believes the Bible should be able to say with conviction, I will not neglect your word.
Reflection and Review
What are some benefits of memorizing Scripture?
How does the Bible enrich our lives?
Why do we often neglect God’s word?
Making and fulfilling vows was an important expression of faith in the Old Testament. Jacob said, If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God . . . and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth (Genesis 28:20-22).
And when Hannah wanted a baby she said, Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life (1 Samuel 1:11).
But most people are better at making vows than keeping them. Imagine a man lost in the woods who prayed, Lord, if you save me, I’ll give you my life. Then he heard children playing and, by walking in their direction, found his way out. Later he wondered if God really answered his prayer, or if it was just a coincidence. Since he wasn’t sure, he decided the vow wasn’t binding, and went on living as before.
It is better not to make a vow than to make one and not fulfill it (Ecclesiastes 5:5), wrote Solomon. Oaths and vows were so abused, in fact, that they’re never taught in the New Testament as an expression of Christian faith. They’re not forbidden, but they’re not encouraged either.
Shortly after I believed, a minister encouraged me to vow that I’d read four chapters of the Bible a day. I wanted to please my heavenly Father, so I made the vow and kept it—for about a week. If I hadn’t made the vow I wouldn’t have been guilty of sin, but since I made the vow I was.
Breaking a vow is a serious sin, but it’s handled like every other sin. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9), wrote John. It’s not wrong to tell God what you’d like to do for him but, because of human weakness, it’s better not to vow.
*****
Psalm 119:1 Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord.
This is the first verse of the longest chapter of the Bible, which is a celebration of God’s word. It begins with the word blessed, which occurs over two hundred times in the Bible, and refers to the happiness of those who belong to God and follow his ways. The ways of God aren’t always easy, but they’re always best for us, and result in our greatest happiness. Human sorrow is the result of disobeying God, not the result of obeying him.
Psalm 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.
Few things are more helpful to combating sin than committing God’s word to memory. Satan wanted Jesus to turn stones into bread but Jesus replied, It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). Then Satan urged him to throw himself off the temple but Jesus replied, It is also written: Do not put the Lord your God to the test (Matthew 4:7). Then Satan urged Jesus to worship him, but Jesus replied, Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only (Matthew 4:10).
Three times Jesus was tempted by the Devil, and three times Jesus quoted God’s word. By committing God’s word to memory, we’re able to use it against Satan whenever we’re tempted to sin.
Psalm 119:14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches.
The Bible is a treasure to those who know its worth. It’s like a pile of money that can never be exhausted. The better we understand the Bible, the wealthier we’ll feel.
An archaeologist uncovered five million dollars worth of jewelry from the fifteenth century, just eighteen inches beneath a cottage floor. The owners never worried about the economy, medical bills, or having enough to eat because they were so rich.
Eventually they died, of course, and the cottage was occupied by others for hundreds of years. Many couples sat at the kitchen table, wondering how to pay their bills, while a fortune lay just beneath their feet. Whoever has a Bible, but doesn’t read it, is sitting on buried treasure. Whoever reads it often will rejoice in all it contains.
Psalm 119:16 I will not neglect your word.
Like everyone else, the writer had commitments that competed with his desire to study God’s word. Instead of rising early, and staying up late, he may’ve been tempted to get extra sleep. But he resolved not to neglect God’s word, regardless of other commitments.
If a pastor stood up in church, and started tearing out pages of the Bible, many people would be upset. But unless we study every page of the Bible, we may as well tear it out. Everyone who believes the Bible should be able to say with conviction, I will not neglect your word.
Reflection and Review
What are some benefits of memorizing Scripture?
How does the Bible enrich our lives?
Why do we often neglect God’s word?