Mensa Otabil - God's Word Is Precious
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We’ve been looking at Psalm 19 and examining the Word of God and how we should approach it. Now we are in verses 10 and 11, which say, «More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover, by them your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward.» God’s Word has been presented to us. Remember, we started at Psalm 19, with God speaking to us through the heavens, declaring the glory of the Lord. It then progresses beyond the heavens, telling us about the Word of God. It reveals God’s special revelation-His written word, the Bible-which gives us instruction, His judgments, His fear, and all of that.
Now the psalmist shifts gears. He tells us that the Word of God must be precious to us and that it must be desired more than gold. Gold here represents money, and money is indeed a great force. We work for it, waking up in the morning running after it, and we go to sleep and wake up again running after it. We go to school to learn so that we can make more money, as money is a very important medium of exchange by which we resolve our physical problems. So on and so forth, money is a very central part of our lives. Yet, the Word of God must be more desirable than money.
Think about all that you do to acquire money, and then consider what you do to know God’s Word. What we do to know God’s Word must be more than what we do to acquire money. That is a very high order. All of us, even pastors, are not always able to truly desire God’s Word with the same intensity that we desire our daily bread. Thus, it is crucial that the Word of God becomes central to our pursuits. We must know it not just when we need a miracle or a breakthrough. Many times, people use the Bible as a magical book; they want a miracle, so they pick a verse and hope it will provide something. That’s not how we should approach it. The Word of God must be studied methodically and systematically over a long period of time because we get to know God through that.
Furthermore, the Word of God must also be desired more than honey. Honey represents anything that is sweet and, in a wider sense, it symbolizes pleasure. We must desire God’s Word more than our pleasure-those things that make us feel good, the activities we love doing. Each one of us loves honey or pleasurable experiences, such as food, traveling, and having fun. The Word of God must be desired more than pleasure.
Thus, the Word of God must be more important to us than money and must take precedence over our happiness, joy, and pleasure. If you take these two out, these are the two most significant desires of human beings: for money and the pursuit of happiness. The Bible states that God’s Word must be desired more than these things. This means you and I have a great challenge to know God’s Word. We must know it not only in times of crisis but also as a daily pursuit. It must bring us joy to delve into God’s Word, and I hope you find that joy as you read the Bible every day.
The Word of God also gives us great reward, and through it, we are warned. God rewards us when we desire His Word more than money and pleasure. However, He doesn’t reward us merely with money and pleasure; He rewards us with His presence, His peace, and His joy. The more you get to know the Lord, the more settled you become in life, and things don’t shake you too easily because you know God, you understand His nature, and you can trust Him in difficult times to guide you through. The reward of the Lord is the reward of Himself; He gives us Himself as our reward, and I pray that we will receive that reward in our lives.
Let’s pray. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, Your Word is better than gold. I receive the reward of my faith in Your promises. In Jesus' name, amen and amen.»