Treasure

October 24

Jeremiah 44-45

Psalm 119:9-16

Proverbs 25:23-24

Hebrews 6:1-12

Treasure

“Your word have I treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You.”  Psalm 119:11 LSB

Treasure is something of great value.  It is a prized possession, something that we will work for, protect and cherish.  David treasured God’s Word.  In David’s day, Scripture was not available like it is now.  David would likely have had access to some or all of the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, written by Moses.  He may have also had other historical writings like Joshua and Judges and perhaps Job.  Portions of now written Scripture would also have been passed down orally during his lifetime, but David did not have The Old Testament in its present form or, obviously, the New Testament we have today.  As king, more of it would have been available to him than the average person.  Most people in his time, probably could not read, so even if they had access to God’s Word they wouldn’t be able to read it. David said he treasured God’s Word in his heart.  He valued it so much that he meditated on it and memorized it.  He pondered it so that he could understand it.  He understood that Scripture is God’s message to man and he wanted to make sure he was paying attention.  By the time David wrote this psalm, he was king, but he had an exalted view of God’s Word long before he became king.  As a shepherd boy in the field, he spent many hours in prayer and meditation trying to grasp the love and majesty of his God.  We aren’t told who instilled in him this view of Scripture.  Perhaps it was a faithful Jewish mama who told him bedtime stories about Noah, Abraham and Joseph.  Maybe it was his father who talked about God’s Word as he taught him how to tend the sheep, or he may have been taught the value in synagogue services.  This love of the Word gave him strength and comfort in every season of his life and carried him through many difficult times. 

David knew that God’s Word would help him walk faithfully with God and would be a guide so that he wouldn’t fall into the temptation of sin.  And he knew that God’s Word would be there to help him turn back to God when he was disobedient.  He understood that God’s Word was his source of help and instruction.  Today, the Bible is available everywhere.  Most of us have numerous copies of God’s Word in our homes.  It is also available online, at libraries, and most churches have free copies for anyone who asks.  The question is whether we treasure His Word.  Is it something we value?  We have much more of it available to us but do we cherish it?  How much time do we spend reading it, meditating on it and memorizing it?  Are we hiding it in our hearts so that we won’t sin against Him?