Your Delight is Found in the Wisdom of God’s Word

What do you delight in? What fills your mind and your heart as you go about your day-to-day life? Where do you turn for wisdom, for peace, for security? The very first psalm has some answers for us:

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Psalm 1:1-2 ESV

The world surrounds us with its wisdom. Everyone claims to have the answers you are looking for. Everyone claims to know the “right” way to live, the “right” things to believe, the “right” opinions. And if you disagree – you are stupid, hateful, or both. So how do we know what is really “right?” Who gets to have the final say? Where do we go when we need answers to the difficult questions?

A Wisdom Psalm

Psalm 1 gives us the Lord’s perspective. This psalm that opens the book of Psalms is a Wisdom psalm. It reveals to us the mind of the Lord. It tells us what His ideals are, and His perspectives about what life should look like. Wisdom psalms distinguish between two outcomes: that of a life that embraces God’s wisdom compared with the outcome of a life that rejects it.

Psalm 1 is clear. If we want to be blessed by God, then the world cannot be the source of our wisdom. Instead, we find our answers from the wisdom that He gives us. And where do we find that wisdom? Psalm 1:2 gives us the answer – in His law.

The law?

But wait a minute – are we really to follow the law of the Old Testament? Is that what this is saying? Isn’t that contrary to the teaching of the New Testament that we are no longer under the law?

Look closely at the word “law.” Your Bible may have an asterisk next to it – indicating that there is another way to translate this word. In Psalm 1, this reference to God’s law is not necessarily speaking of the Law given to Moses at Sinai – the first five books of the Bible, although it does include that.

Instead, we can understand this word “law” as speaking of all of the instruction of the Lord. It is the entirety of Scripture. This isn’t an encouragement to become Pharisees, legalists who make sure that the Law of Moses is performed perfectly. Rather it is encouraging us to make the counsel of the Lord our central focus in our lives. Notice also the emotion in verse two. What word describes how the blessed man – or the blessed woman – feels about the Lord’s instruction, His Word?

Delight!

Delight! It’s not a burden, or another chore to check off of the to-do list. It’s also not something that should be overwhelming to you or cause you to feel obligated to do. We can easily make it that way by placing expectations and burdens on ourselves that destroy the joy that the Lord wants us to take in His word.

Bible study should grow your delight in the Word of God. I’m not saying that every day is going to be an amazing new revelation that makes you sing and dance. Sometimes there is work to do in laying a foundation that seems tedious.  But you will find that there will be times when the Lord speaks right to your heart in His word, and all that work you’ve done will come together, reinforcing that Word and planting it deep in your heart, and I guarantee you will be rejoicing.

Meditate on God’s Wisdom

So what does the person who delights in the instruction of the Lord do according to Psalm 1:2? He meditates on the Word day and night. A continual turning over in your mind of the truths of Scripture. Is this telling us to go become monks, secluding ourselves, devoting ourselves to do nothing but Bible study all day and all night?  Well – if you are called to this – then wonderful! But many of us have jobs, kids, and responsibilities that limit our time, making finding time to spend in deep study a challenge.

How do we live out the wisdom of Psalm 1?

So what does it look like to meditate on God’s word day and night? Let me share some practical suggestions.

Challenge yourself to spend SOME time in the Word every day

It doesn’t have to be all day long. How much time you spend is between you and the Lord. We all have different schedules and different things that the Lord has called us to do. 

When I had small kids, I would put my Bible in the bathroom. Quite honestly it was the only place I could go to get some uninterrupted time. It’s what worked for me until the kids were old enough to understand that I needed a few minutes uninterrupted – or old enough to reliably sleep for a little while.

My husband does things a little differently. He’s much more an audio learner than a visual one, and his commute has him traveling at odd hours to avoid traffic. Getting up early to sit at the kitchen table with his Bible and a notebook doesn’t work for him. Instead, he spends his commute time listening to the Bible.  It’s His way of making sure to spend some time in the Word.

I know others who take time in the evening before bed – they want the Word to be the last thing on their mind before they go to sleep.  Others will listen to the Bible as they walk or exercise. Others put on Scripture songs – scripture set to music that they listen to as they do their chores. It doesn’t matter how long, or when, or what it looks like for you – but you cannot meditate on what you do not know. You have to be in the Word in some way to meditate on it.  

Challenge yourself to THINK Biblically

Allow the Bible to be your filter in how you think about whatever you encounter in your day-to-day life. Whether it is a podcast you are listening to, a news report, or a situation you are working through, ask yourself, “What does the Bible say about this?”  Developing a Biblical worldview – a Biblical lens through which you understand and interpret whatever comes your way – will keep you on solid, peaceful ground, even when life gets turbulent. When something crosses your path – ask yourself – where is this coming from? Is this wisdom from the world? How does it align with the perfect truth of scripture?

Challenge yourself to REASON Biblically

Allow yourself to think deeply about the more challenging truths in the Word. As we grow in the knowledge of Scripture, we can start to see how Scripture is not a simple, one-dimensional FAQ about life. It is a living and breathing source of deep wisdom that can call for deep thinking and continued study. Because Scripture is supernaturally inspired by God Himself, there are passages and teaching and revelation that can be very challenging on the surface – even contradictory. 

For example, how does man’s free will interact with God’s sovereign control of all things? The Bible clearly teaches both – so will we reject one side for the ease of favoring the other? Or will we allow these ideas to maintain their Biblical tension?

Another example: What does happen when we die? How can we know? You would be amazed how practical this can be, even if it sounds like it should be confined to the realm of the scholars. Understanding how man’s free will interacts with God’s overarching control gives you peace as well as urgency to pray over some of the evils in this world. You will understand that God is sovereign over evil but not the source of evil. Having an understanding of what happens after death gives you a secure place from which to grieve the death of a loved one.

Even meditating on the nature of the trinity – a concept we do not have the words to describe – can keep you strong when people challenge you about the deity of Jesus. Reasoning through the Word, and allowing yourself to ponder these deep truths is for you and me, everyday believers. It grows our trust in the Lord, our desire to know Him more intimately, and builds that firm foundation in Him that cannot be shaken.

Challenge Yourself to SPEAK Biblically to others, and to the Lord.

Jesus tells us that our speech comes from the overflow of our hearts. The more we plant the Word in our hearts, the more we use the Word to base our thoughts, and the more it will come very naturally for us to speak the Word. And this isn’t just being able to quote scripture. Rather, because we have been transformed from the inside out, our thoughts and our speech will be in line with Scripture. You will be amazed at the wisdom that you can share with others – not a man-made wisdom, but a supernatural wisdom empowered by the Spirit of God.    

Children of God – I challenge you to find your delight in the Word of God.

The post has been inspired by and corresponds to Lesson 1 of Call to Worship: An Inductive Introduction to Studying the Psalms.

Are you looking for a study that will take your group deep into the Word? One that allows God’s Word to speak for itself, focusing on the text of the Bible, guiding your group through the process of transformational in-depth study? Check out Treasuring God’s Word Inductive Bible Studies! Flexible, engaging, challenging, designed for new believers and experienced students alike, with a heart for God’s Word to take center stage!

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