Well it's that time of year again when many people make New Year's resolutions, make great promises to themselves about what they are going to do in the New Year. "New Year, new you." Right? This maybe a very catchy phrase but it does not mean that it contains any meaningful truth. The year will certainly change, but you will likely be the same person on January 2015, that you were on December 2014.

I am not a big fan of New Year's resolutions. Statistics show that only 8% of people who make New Year's resolutions, stick to them, and those who do not, usually abandon them after just one week.

And don't fall into the trap of New Year's resolutions. The inherent message of New Year's resolutions is that, you can only change on the New Year and if you fail to keep your resolutions, you will have to wait a whole year before you get another chance.

Although I am not a big fan of New Year's resolution, may I suggest not a New Year's resolution, but a resolution for life, a life time's resolution? 

I would challenge you to be resolved to spend more time in the Word. To be resolved to read, to meditate, to memorize, to study and to spread the Word of God. My prayer is that as you do these, you will grow in your love for the Word of God and you will have a fresh appreciation for the Word of God.

Psalm 119 is about the word of God. Every other verse of this Psalm directly mentions the word of God. The only exception are verses 37, 90, 121, 122, 132. Five (5) out of 176 verses.

The synonyms use for the word of God - Law, word, testimony, precept, commandments, statutes, and judgment. Each one of these synonyms reveals a unique beauty of the word of God. This is entire Psalm celebrates the fact that the Scripture is sufficient for doctrine and life, faith and practice.

I — David's Confession of his love for God's Word

97: O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

David here makes a very bold declaration. He has a deep love for the Scripture. He has an intense affection for the Word of God and he is not ashamed to declare it.

David expressed his love for the Scripture in a number of places in this Psalm ...

Psalm 119:48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

Psalm 119: 127 Therefore I love thy commandments above gold; yea, above fine gold. 128: Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way. 129: Thy testimonies are wonderful: therefore doth my soul keep them. 130: The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. 131: I opened my mouth, and panted: for I longed for thy commandments.

Psalm 119:159 Consider how I love thy precepts: quicken me, O LORD, according to thy lovingkindness.

Psalm 119:164 Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments. 165: Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. 166: LORD, I have hoped for thy salvation, and done thy commandments. 167: My soul hath kept thy testimonies; and I love them exceedingly.

I pray this is our confession also, that we can honestly say with David "O how I love thy law!"

This is the mark of a healthy Christian life, a deep love for the word of God.

Love for the Word of God is not a decision you and I make. It is not like, from now on, I decided to love the Bible. Starting this year, I am going to love the Bible. No, it's not a decision. And no one can make you love the Word of God. It's either you love it or not.

God must do a powerful and a supernatural work in your heart. Something radical must take place in your heart to delight in the Word of God.

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Oh how I love ... it is almost a surprise to him that he loves the word of God. Isn't that how it is? How is it that we love the Word of God? Whereas before we were indifferent, and to some extent, we even resist it. But how is it now we have this intense love for God's Word? The answer is the new birth!

II — David's Proof of his love for God's Word

97: O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

How do we know David loves the word of God? We know he has a genuine love for God's word because it is his meditation all the day. What we love, we love to think of. He meditates on the Word throughout the day. His thoughts are always reflecting upon the word.

This doesn't mean that the Psalmist did nothing else but meditate on the Word. He did many other things but he always found time to meditate on the Word. In his daily routine and activities, he still kept his mind saturated with the word of God.

Holy Scripture is not a book for the slothful

"Who without love attempts anything in the law of God, does it coldly, and quickly gives it up. For the mind cannot give itself earnestly and perseveringly to things which are not loved. Only he who loves the law makes it his meditation all the day." - Wolfgang Musculus.

Meditation was both the effect of his love and the cause of it. He meditated in God's word because he loved it, and then loved it the more because he meditated in it.

Can you honestly say with David, "O how I love Thy law!" and can you say that with confidence because "It is your meditation all the day?"

III — David's 4 Reasons for Loving God's Word

Here in verses 98 to 104, David gives reasons why he loves the word of God.

1. It makes one wise

98: Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. 99: I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. 100: I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.

104: Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

Wiser than his enemies

98: Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.

David had enemies, as every Christian has. Our enemies are often very knowledgeable in natural things, in worldly things, in politics, in economy. But as far as spiritual things they have no clue. As far as the origin of men, moral issues, sexuality, salvation they have no idea. They do not have common sense.

Romans 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20:,For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22: Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

2 Timothy 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

Our enemies most often are very smart, every intelligent, very educated but they lack wisdom.

Because God's testimony is David's meditation he sees things that his enemies cannot see. He can see beyond this life. He can see what really matters in this life. He has God-given discernment and insight to the issues of life.

Proverbs 4:20 My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. 21: Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. 22: For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. 23: Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Wiser than his teachers

99: I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation.

Education does not necessarily give wisdom. It makes one knowledgeable and smart but not necessarily wise.

Knowledge and wisdom are not the same. Knowledge is the understanding of truth, wisdom is the application of truth. It is knowing how to put it in to practice in one's own life. It speaks to the practical application of the truth in the life of the believer.

Wiser than the aged

100: I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts.

Old age does not necessarily give wisdom.

Job 32:7 I said, Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom. 8: But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding. 9: Great men are not always wise: neither do the aged understand judgment.

Experience is not the best teacher or instructor. The word of God is. You do not have to experience getting high or drunk to know that drugs and alcohol are damaging both to ones physical health and relationships.

Psalm 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.

It made him wise not because he owns a Bible

It made him wiser than his enemies, than his teachers and than the people much older than him because ...

98: Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. 99: I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. 100: I understand more than the ancients, because I keep (obey, practice) thy precepts.

As David grows in his knowledge of the Scripture, as he constantly contemplates on it and as he obeys and puts it into practice he gains greater understanding and wisdom. 

2. It sanctifies

There is no other book that sanctifies like this Book.

101: I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.

104: Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

Because of David's deep love for the word of God, and his daily meditation, it had an influence on his life and manner of life. His knowledge of the Scripture makes him refrain from evil, error, immorality. He causes him to hate false way.

Psalm 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Though there are many snares and temptations in this life, the word of God helps him avoid things forbidden and condemned by the word of God, abstain from all appearance of evil.

Love for the word of God and love for sin cannot exist together. It's like light and darkness. It cannot exist at the same time. Light dispels darkness.

You cannot have both in your life. You cannot love God's word and sin at the same time. One will displace the other.

This Book will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from this Book. - John Bunyan

3. It is alive

102: I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.

David is committed to obeying the Scripture. He has not turned aside from it. Why?

102: I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.

David has a deep love for the Scripture because he understands that when the Bible speaks, God speaks. It is not the voice of man speaking but it is the voice of God Himself speaking to ones own heart.

The Bible is not a dead book

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

2 Peter 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

I love this Book because God Himself speaks to me and teaches me. May we realize this powerful truth that every time you and I open this Book, it is God Himself who is speaking to us.

4. It satisfies

103: How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

This is true testimony of every true believer walking in fellowship with God. The Bible is not like an awful tasting medicine. 

Psalm 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

The more you study this Book it becomes sweeter and sweeter. It is not like a piece of gum that loses it sweetness after a period of time. Actually, it is just the opposite, the longer you have it in your mouth it gets sweeter. The deeper you go into the word of God the sweeter it becomes.

You can come back to passages that are you already know and have studied, it never becomes boring and never becomes old. 

Is there any other book like the Bible? None! There is none like the Bible. There is no other book that can satisfy like the Bible! There is no other book that is sweeter than the Word of God!

IV - Closing Thoughts

Here are four reasons for loving the word of God - it makes one wise, it sanctifies, it's alive and it satisfies. How could you not love the law of God?

To the unregenerate

If you cannot say with confidence that you love the word of God, you need to be born again. until you are born again, you will not desire the sincere milk of the word, like a baby does, until you are born again.

Be honest. Can you say with David, O how I love Thy law and make it stick? My question is not do you own a Bible. But rather, do you love the word of God? Do you know anything of meditation, and reading and studying and memorizing and spreading the word of God? Do you have a longing for God's word?

To the regenerate

To those who have drifted

You know you have this love for God's Word but you have allowed the busyness of life to crowd your time alone with the God and His Word out of your life.

Repent, remember from where you have fallen.

To those who are faithful

Keep on keeping on! How blessed you are!

Be resolve not only this year but for the rest of your life that you will not depart from His Word! Pray that God would give you a deep abiding love for His Word as you read, hear, meditate, memorize, study and share the Word.