Psalm 119:65-72

Teth.

You have dealt well with Your servant, O Lord, according to Your word. Teach me good discernment and knowledge, for I believe in Your commandments. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word. You are good and do good; teach me Your statutes. The arrogant have forged a lie against me; with all my heart I will observe Your precepts. Their heart is covered with fat, but I delight in Your law. It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes. The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.^[1]

We serve a God who is good and who does good. His Word is good and true, and proven to be so by the afflictions we endure that are often the result of our poor choices. God’s Word is never the problem, even though we may feel at times that it is too demanding of us. Our knowledge of His Word is not the problem, though it is because of the lack of knowledge that we perish. Our problem tends to be our inability to discern how, when and where to use that knowledge. The psalmist askes to be taught ‘good discernment and knowledge,’ and it occurs to me that we can do and should do no less.

We can and should do no less because of the lies the arrogant spoken against us. Good discernment gives us the ability to properly judge what is true and what is false. Good discernment enables us to recognize those who faithfully stand with our God, rest upon His Word, and those who are merely religious. Good discernment affords us the opportunity to make good and wise choices. Good discernment prevents us from repeatedly experiencing failure that comes from ignorance of God’s Word. God’s Word is precious. May we seek it in greater measure than we seek gold and silver.

Holy Father, thank You for speaking to us through Your Word. Thank You for Your gracious mercy and the demonstration of your continual goodness. Thank You for the zeal to study and learn Your Word. Now, O Lord, give to us the ability to use Your Word according to knowledge. Let us not be mere hearers of Your Word, but doers also. So give us the gift of good discernment that we may avoid the pitfalls our enemy places before us and do that which honors and pleases You. We ask this all in the name of Jesus. Amen.

^[1] New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995), Ps 119:65–72.