A Look at Psalm 119:13

Psalm 119:13 “With my lips I recount all the laws that come from Your mouth.”
 

The word “laws” has to do with the “teachings” of God. The Old and New Testaments are teachings on how to live. The Psalmist would recount all the things that God had taught him through the law. He recognized the source of his life as being his obedience to God. With his lips, he would declare all of God’s “laws.” He knew that, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the Lord are tight, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the Lord are sure and altogether righteous” Psalm 19:7-9. 

David knew God’s law as his source of life. He fully realized that the laws of God are “more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb” Psalm 19:10.   
 

David wanted to be kept from willful (presumptuous) sin (Psalm 19:13). He did not want to live a life of continually making sacrifices for his sins. He did not want to live a life of continually sinning on the premise that god would forgive him. He knew that obedience was better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). Therefore he wanted a clean heart. The heart is cleansed through meditating on and declaring the law of God.
 

“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight” Psalm 19:14. Our heart is pleasing to God when it is centered on the Word of God, when our mouth is declaring His Word and when our heart is meditating on His Word. This is when we are most pleasing to God.
 

Let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, asking God to make your words and meditations pleasing to Him.

Continued