A Walk That Talks

Psalm 119:15-16 
 

Actions speak louder than words. And proof that we have meditated in God's precepts is that we have profound respect for them. That is why, when the psalmist wrote in Psalm 119:13-14, "With my lips have I declared all the judgments of Thy mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Thy testimonies, as much as in all riches," he continues in verses 15, 16 with these words, "I will meditate in Thy precepts, and have respect unto Thy ways. I will delight myself in Thy statutes: I will not forget Thy Word."

Now when he says that he will not forget God's word, he does not merely mean that he will keep that word in his mind, but that he will do what that word presents as man's calling. As our versification has it (PRC Psalter):

    Upon Thy precepts and Thy ways,
    My heart will meditate with awe;
    Thy word shall be my chief delight,
    And I will not forget Thy law.

Plainly, sincere and serious meditation in God's precepts will produce awe in us; and that awe will bring forth not only words that our lips utter, but works that reveal that we know what God demands of us.

For not forgetting His word is not merely being able to say what He says in it, but is doing what He demands of us. If we really stand in awe and have respect for God's precepts, we will have that law constantly before us as something we desire to do and keep doing.

What then does your walk of life say? The question is not what your lips say, even though that is important, and we must be careful what our lips declare. The question is, "What do your works say?" Do they say that you stand in awe before God's law, or that you do not delight in His statutes and have not meditated in His precepts? Do you, as Adam did, remember what God said but still go contrary to it?

Meditating in God's precepts we will know what is required of us in every circumstance of life. And if it is true that we rejoice in the way of God's testimonies, we are going to meditate in them, and by our deeds as well as by our lips declare that His testimonies are "wealth beyond compare."

Read: Matthew 5:21-48 
Psalter versification: #322:4
(Words and Music of the Psalter)

Meditations on the Heidelberg Catechism

Through the Bible in One Year
Read today:
Joshua 22:21-34; Joshua 23 
Luke 20:27-47 
Psalm 89:14-37 
Proverbs 13:17-19 
****

Quote for Reflection:

Homer C. Hoeksema on: "... with thee will I establish my covenant ..." (Gen. 6:18): "The covenant is altogether God’s work, unilaterally conceived, established, and realized. It is not dependent upon Noah’s choice, nor upon Noah’s work, nor upon Noah’s doing anything whatsoever. The Lord does not ask Noah, ‘Shall we enter into an agreement together? Shall we agree to be friends?’ He does not say to him, ‘I am willing to be your God and to be your friend, provided you are also willing and will obey and serve me.’ Not at all! The Lord simply comes to Noah, his covenant friend, with his divine word: ‘But with thee will I establish my covenant.’ All is of God. Nothing is of Noah" (Unfolding Covenant History, vol. 1, p. 304).