A Look at Psalm 119:40

Psalm 119:40 “How I long for Your Precepts! Preserve my life in Your righteousness.”
 
 

David longed for the precepts of God. “Precepts” denotes what we generally mean by “instructions.” In any position of responsibility, explicit instructions are given for doing whatever is a person’s charge. In our position as believers, we are instructed to treat others righteously. Righteousness deals with our relationship with others. Godliness deals with our relationship with God. To treat someone in a righteous manner would be to treat them the way God treats us.
 
 

David was mistreated many times in his life. King Saul pursued him in an attempt to kill him. This caused David to live on the run for some time. Later in his life his son, Absalom, rebelled against him in an attempt to take his kingdom from him. Absalom even attempted to kill his own father. However, when David heard of his son’s death he cried out, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you” 2 Samuel 18:33. Love like that comes only from the heart of Jesus. 
 
 

David longed for righteousness. Jesus emphasized in the New Testament, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” Matthew 5:6. David hungered and thirsted for others to be treated properly. When that is our longing also, we too will be filled with God’s righteousness. Whatever we long for we will eventually be filled with, whether good or evil.
 
 

David ends his prayer with, “Preserve my life in Your righteousness.” In whatever way we treat others, we will be treated. “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you” Matthew 7:12. David longed for others to be treated righteously. Therefore, his life was preserved because of the righteousness of God. God treated David the way David treated others.
 
 

I encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, and as you do, consider whether or not you long to follow God’s precepts.

Continued