MEM. Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understandings than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts. I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word. I have not departed from Your judgments, for You Yourself have taught me. How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through Your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.

As a follower of God, it should be expected that we have a deep affection for the Lord and for His will. The Hebrew word ahab, translated here as “love”, is an all-encompassing word, used of “human love for one another, includes family, and sexual; human appetite for objects such as food, drink, sleep, wisdom; human love for or to God; act of being a friend...; God’s love toward man...” (Online Bible Hebrew Lexicon). We might say that the Psalmist had an appetite for God’s word; that he simply could not get his fill of the law of the Lord.

Never should God’s word be delegated to a single day or a couple days of the week in our lives. It is to be our “meditation all the day”, every day. It is a wonderful idea for the child of God to begin each morning with a reading from God’s word. What a wonderful way to kindle thought about His ways throughout our day. Having read a portion of Scripture, we can thus reflect upon it as we go about our day. Indeed, this was the very conduct that God expected of His people Israel: “...these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.” (Deuteronomy 6:6-7) If we will allow God’s word to be our focus throughout each day, He shall direct us in the path we should go. He will bestow to us the wisdom which can only develop from knowing the Lord and His ways. Notice how the Psalmist benefited from the instruction of God’s word, “You, through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies...” Jesus, when he was sending out the twelve to preach and perform miracles, said, “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” (Matthew 10:16) God wants us to walk in wisdom. The apostle Paul wrote, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:15-17).

If we seek God’s ways day after day, we will be made wise. Is battle not made much easier, and victory more sure if we are wiser than our enemies? We can always remain a step ahead; we will be able to confound them in their attempts to overthrow the faithful. Did Jesus not do so with those who sought to catch Him in some fashion, always knowing how to answer them? Peter commands us to be the same: “...sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear...” (1 Peter 3:15).

Notice however, the Psalmist was not only made wiser than his enemies, but went on to say, “...I have more understanding than all my teachers...” and again, “...I understand more than the ancients...” The diligent student of God’s word will certainly have within him the capacity to excel beyond the understanding of those whom he sat below in learning. The writer’s words are a testimony to his sincere love for God’s will, and perpetual pursuit of the truth which it imparts. Knowledge and understanding of God’s statutes is a realm where there is no limit for growth. The more studious we are, the more learning and mastery of spiritual things will be ours.

It appears that in the Psalmist’s time, the writings and concepts of the ancients were held in high esteem. It is no different in our day. Philosophers of various ages are admired by folks today, but still, those of antiquity are viewed as the elite (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, etc.). As great as the knowledge and understanding of these might have been, the faithful child of God understands more than the ancients. Why? Because we keep the precepts of God. The Psalmist elsewhere penned, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.” (Psalm 111:10) Solomon wrote, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10). Those who are outside of Christ have not the greater wisdom. Their understanding, though impressive in the eyes of men, is darkness.

Having attained the wisdom which is from God, the writer conducts his life according to the limitations of God’s word. He writes, “I have restrained my feet from every evil way...”, and again, “I have not departed from Your judgments...”, and once more, “...I hate every false way.” Understanding might be defined as the proper assembly of knowledge, and wisdom, the application of knowledge. The wisdom and understanding of a servant of God is not evident until it is shown in their faithful service. Some may amass much knowledge, but fail to fit it together accurately, or neglect to put it into practice. Paul speaks of this sort, a lot which are religiously dangerous, for they are “...always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:7) In context, the apostle reveals that they “...make captives...”, “...resist the truth...”, are of “...corrupt minds...” and are “...disapproved concerning the truth...”

Friends, let us abstain from every evil path, determined to walk in the paths of righteousness alone. Indeed, we are taught by God to walk in holiness, even as He has declared, “Be holy, for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16). May we find the word of God to be a sweet taste day by day. Surely, it will grow sweeter and sweeter as we grow in the Lord!

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When did the earth dry after the flood? Genesis 8:13 says one date, while Genesis 8:14 says another. Is there a contradiction?