God brings joy. As the author moves toward the end of this psalm, he leans more and more into the nature of God and his Word. In this passage, he refreshes his own memory about the joy God’s Word brings him. You can see it for yourself in Psalm 119:161-164:

So far, the psalmist has shared that God’s word displays God’s mercy for us to see, and that God’s truth is found to be clear as well. As he meditates on those two characteristics, he seems to almost pause here to share the joy that those qualities of God bring to him.

And yet, at the same time, this is the third characteristic that we can see in this stretch of stanzas as we near the end of this psalm. God is the source of our delight, and that is a constant, whether we face easy times of difficult ones. The psalmist is facing persecution from those who do not love God, from those who hate the truth. But he still finds a reason to rejoice.

God’s Word Brings Joy

These few verses here bring a sense of refreshing to our hearts. The psalmist has covered some weighty and difficult things through the verses of this psalm so far. This brief section reminds us of the joy that God brings to us. And it seems as if he finds a new way to express this joy in every verse of this passage.

In verse 161, he states that his heart trembles at God’s Word. In my own experience, my heart trembles in two different ways: in the face of great fear, and in the face of great anticipation. Either could be the case here, and more likely both. He is standing against unjust persecution, and yet he trembles before God’s Word.

In verse 162, he rejoices in God’s promises. The word picture he displays here is one of a man who has found a treasure. It is reminiscent of the parable Jesus told of the landowner who found a treasure in a field, and then went and sold everything he had so that he could buy that field, obtaining that treasure (Matthew 13:44). Both that parable and this illustration in Psalm 119 depict the same thing. God is a treasure worth pursuing!

In verse 163, he makes a simple statement of love for God’s law. He does so in contrast to his hatred for falsehood. This reminds us of the quality he has already shared about God’s Word being true.

And in verse 164, he praises God for his Word, and he does so multiple times a day.

Each of these expressions in this portion of Psalm 119 express the joy that the psalmist finds within the Word of God. And they serve as vivid reminders to us that God’s Word still brings joy to our lives. That’s the simple truth.

But in order to experience that joy, we have to spend time in his Word daily.

It’s not optional.

In fact, it’s critical.

Without a solid grounding in the Word of God, we are likely to be swept away by the worries and fears that come at us in this life. And if you’re like me, we give in to these worries and fears all too easily most of the time. But God’s Word provides the anchor we need to stay grounded. It provides the nourishment we need to stay strong. It provides the joy we need to stay focused on the love, the mercy, the truth, and the peace that God gives to us so freely.

So how often are you spending time in the Word of God? What do you need to do to make this a habit, or to make an existing habit stronger? I have created a free Bible Reading Plan that can help you to spend time daily in the Word. There are actually three different plans contained within it, giving you the freedom to use the one that fits you and your needs best. With the New Year right around the corner, it’s a great time to start.

Question: How often do you spend time in God’s Word? What do you need to help you make this habit stronger? You can leave a comment by clicking here.