Psalm 119:137-176:

• The psalmist is jealous for people to know God’s words, God’s promises. (vs. 139) His love for the laws and promises of God is not naive and disconnected from real life. For, he is fully aware of the troubles of this world. (vs. 143) But, in his experiences of these troubles, there is something about the promises of God that transcends these troubles. Perhaps it is the “Great peace” that he talks about in vs. 165. My personal experience with engaging the Bible confirms this peace. However, I think that there’s something about God’s Word that transcends even further than this.
• It’s interesting how this experience with God’s laws and promises becomes a regular discipline. In vs. 147 we see the psalmist rising before sunrise to “cry” to God. He is passionately and personally speaking to God, the discipline of PRAYER. In vs. 148 he is awake while others are sleeping to consider, to ponder, to contemplate what the words of God mean. The discipline of READING.

LORD, You have made Yourself so fully known. I see You in creation. I see You in reason. And I see You so clearly in the Bible. Yet, I too often let small, trivial, insignificant, and selfish things interfere with my desire to commit to prayer and reading. Father, wake me to meet with You. Make me restless until I speak to You. Keep me seeking until I hear from You.