The author of this psalm, David, had some struggles in his life.   One could say he made some awfully bad choices in his life.  At minimum, he was human.  Human mind, human heart, human choices, and desires but, as he grew older and wiser David understood the importance of God’s presence in his life.  This is evident in these words

I keep your word close, in my heart, so that I won’t sin against you.  Psalm 119:11

What is interesting about the verse is that heart is more than just the thing that pumps your blood. In Hebrew, the word that translates into heart means more, it is the place that you feel feelings, the place where you think thoughts.  It really refers to the core of who you are, your will, your desires, your intentions.

You see when David writes this, that he has hidden God’s word in his heart, he is saying he is making God’s desire central in his life, that God’s word will be a part of all aspects of his life.  His motives, his desires, his decisions, his feelings.  David is placing God’s word into every part of who he is.  Making God’s desires the priority in his life

By doing this, by filling every nook and cranny of who he is with God’s word, his heart is changed, his life transformed.  I would encourage us all to find a way to do just that, to fill not just our feelings with God’s word but our will, our desires, our choices, our very being with God’s word, that we too might experience a change in our lives. 

Take time to memorize scripture verses each day or every week.  Consider meditating on a scripture verse each day, breathe it into your deepest parts that it may dwell with in you. And there are some who will pray over scripture each day.  Ask God to have it settle into your heart just where it needs to be.  In doing so, we can begin to see a change in our life and in the lives around us.

Prayer: “You are a true and faithful God, even when we might make a horrible choice, you are there, to love us and to guide us.  Let the wisdom and love of your Holy Word fill our very being that we might live as you have asked us to live.  Hold us firmly and guide us gently in your will and in your ways.  Amen”