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Psalm 119: 17-24 NLT

Be good to your servant, that I may live and obey your word. Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions. I am only a foreigner in the land. Don’t hide your commands from me! I am always overwhelmed with a desire for your regulations. You rebuke the arrogant; those who wander from your commands are cursed. Don’t let them scorn and insult me, for I have obeyed your laws. Even princes sit and speak against me, but I will meditate on your decrees. Your laws please me; they give me wise advice.

The Psalmist in Psalm 119:20 said that he was “always overwhelmed with a desire for your regulations.” (NLT)

How did the Psalmist become so overwhelmed by God’s word that he used God’s word to fuel his desire to obey him?

When the psalmist wrote verse 20, He wrote down that positive feeling of being so overwhelmed by the Truth of God’s word that the wisdom he gained from God fueled his desire for a continuous seeking after God and his word so he could live in obedience to God.  

Maybe you have never thought about the word of God as being overwhelming. Especially with the desire to follow the word of God, let alone read it.

Some translations render the verse this way.

(ESV) My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times.

(NKJV) My soul breaks with longing For Your judgments at all times.

The psalmist had an overwhelming desire to obey God, even when his soul was consumed and broken with the longing always to follow God’s word.

When I first read this verse, I said to my inner self. Is it possible to experience what the psalmist wrote? Can I become so overwhelmed with a desire to follow God’s word that my soul will become consumed and break with a longing desire?

Well, verse 20 illustrates the importance of cultivating a deep yearning for Scripture. Cultivating the continuous desire emphasizes the need for a constant and unwavering passion for God’s guidance and wisdom. During times of plentiful harvest and even during times of drought. Physical hunger drives us to seek food; spiritual hunger should drive us to seek God’s word for sustenance and growth.

When we align our desires with God’s will, we seek to understand and live according to his word. As we live this way, God’s word transforms and reshapes our thoughts, actions, and character.

As we will learn on this podcast episode and throughout the rest of Psalm 119, that it is possible to cultivate a desire to become so overwhelmed by what you read in God’s word that you will long to obey God as you continue to walk the Jesus way.

Thank You for listening to this podcast from Abiding in the Faith Ministries!

Our focus is to come alongside you to help strengthen your walk with Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the church and encouraged them to “Walk in a manner worthy of your calling in the Lord” (Colossians 1:10 ESV).

Abiding in the Faith ministries was formed to provide ministry tools to help a Christian with their desire to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.

We offer ministries in the form of podcasts, blogs, and books. These resources are available to help strengthen your walk no matter where you find yourself in life.

Navigating life is difficult without Jesus Christ. God’s word, the Bible, contains the essential ingredients for a life well-lived.

To know more about our ministries, go to Abidinginthefaith.org.