567_Loving God is also loving His commandments (Psalm 119:121-128)
Psalm 119:121-128 I have done what is just and right;
do not leave me to my oppressors.
122 Give your servant a pledge of good;
let not the insolent oppress me.
123 My eyes long for your salvation
and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.
124 Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love,
and teach me your statutes.
125 I am your servant; give me understanding,
that I may know your testimonies!
126 It is time for the Lord to act,
for your law has been broken.
127 Therefore I love your commandments
above gold, above fine gold.
128 Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right;
I hate every false way.
There’s a story told about a young craftsman who worked in a small jewelry shop. His master was known across the land for creating ornaments of breathtaking beauty. Every morning, the apprentice would rush to his workbench, eager to learn from the master. But what struck others was not just his skill, but his devotion. He would spend hours polishing a single piece, carefully following every instruction his teacher gave. One day, a friend asked him, “Why do you take such pains to obey every word your master says? Surely you’ve learned enough to work your own way by now.”
The young man smiled and replied, “It’s not just his craft I love—it’s him. And because I love him, I can’t help but love everything he teaches me.”
That simple answer captures the heart of Psalm 119:121–128. True love for God is not shown in loud professions or lofty words, but in loving His commandments—in delighting to do what is right, simply because it pleases Him. Loving God and loving His Word are not two different affections; they are one and the same.
In this section of Psalm 119, we see a soul in love with God, not in theory but in life. The psalmist’s heart beats with longing for righteousness and for God’s truth to triumph. He begins by saying, “I have done what is just and right; do not leave me to my oppressors.” (v. 121) Here is not the cry of a self-righteous man, but of one whose love for God has moved him to live uprightly. He is saying, “Lord, I have sought to walk in Your ways; now be my defender.”
He doesn’t claim perfection—he claims loyalty. His obedience springs from affection, not obligation. Love for God had taken deep root in his heart, and it bore fruit in just and righteous living. He pleads, “Give your servant a pledge of good; let not the insolent oppress me.” (v. 122)
In other words, he is asking God to stand surety for him—to take responsibility for his good name and his welfare. The psalmist knows that in a world filled with the proud and the wicked, only God can be the true defender of those who love righteousness. There is humility in that prayer: a recognition that our strength to live rightly—and to stand firm when we are wronged—comes only from God’s grace.
Then he says, “My eyes long for your salvation and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise.” (v. 123) This verse paints the image of a man straining his eyes toward the horizon, waiting for the dawn. God’s salvation is his hope. He believes that the Lord’s promises are sure, but he is weary of waiting.
The same longing has echoed in the hearts of believers through the ages. David once sang, “I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.” (Psalm 13:5) And Jonah, from the belly of the fish, declared, “Salvation belongs to the Lord!” (Jonah 2:9)
But not everyone rested in God’s saving power. Psalm 78 reminds us that God’s anger burned against Israel because “they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power.” (vv. 21–22) The psalmist here stands in contrast to them. He does not demand instant deliverance; he waits with faith, knowing that God’s salvation always comes in His perfect time.
Then he prays, “Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love, and teach me your statutes. I am your servant; give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies.” (vv. 124–125)
What a beautiful picture of humility! He calls himself God’s servant—one who belongs completely to his Master. He does not ask for comfort or riches, but for understanding. His request is not, “Make my life easier,” but, “Teach me Your Word.” He sees God’s teaching as an act of mercy. To be taught by God is to be loved by God.
How different that is from the spirit of our age! We live in a time when people measure love by how much they can get, not by how much they can obey. Yet the psalmist knew that the truest mark of love is submission. Just as a child who trusts his father’s heart gladly accepts his father’s instruction, so a believer who loves God will hunger to learn His ways.
Then, in verse 126, he says something remarkable: “It is time for the Lord to act, for your law has been broken.” This is not a cry of frustration—it’s a cry of intimacy. He’s talking to God as a friend would, sharing his grief over the sin and rebellion around him. When you truly love someone, what grieves them grieves you. Because he loves God, he cannot bear to see God’s law ignored or trampled upon.
And then comes the key verse: “Therefore I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold.” (v. 127)
It’s one thing to say you love God’s Word; it’s another to say you love it more than gold—more than success, more than approval, more than anything this world can offer. The psalmist’s love for God’s commandments was not an abstract emotion. It was a conscious choice to value obedience above gain.
The word “therefore” is important. It points backward—to his grief that God’s law has been broken—and forward—to his resolve to treasure it even more. When others disregard God’s truth, he clings to it. When the world mocks righteousness, he doubles down on obedience. Love for God makes him steadfast when others fall away.
He echoes the same thought earlier in the psalm: “The law of your mouth is better to me than thousands of gold and silver pieces.” (Psalm 119:72) The treasures of the world glitter for a moment, but fade with time. The Word of God endures forever. To love God deeply is to value His commandments more than any fleeting reward.
Finally, the psalmist concludes, “Therefore I consider all your precepts to be right; I hate every false way.” (v. 128)
Love for God’s Word inevitably leads to hatred of evil. Psalm 97:10 says, “O you who love the Lord, hate evil!” The two always go together. If love draws us to what is right, it must also drive us away from what is wrong. The psalmist does not merely admire God’s precepts—he considers them right. His mind, his conscience, and his heart are aligned with God’s truth. He does not argue with it, twist it, or excuse himself from obeying it. He has learned to see everything from God’s perspective.
And because he loves truth, he hates falsehood. His loyalty to God’s commandments keeps his heart pure. That is the essence of holiness—not perfection, but wholehearted alignment with the will of God.
When Jesus rose from the dead, He asked Peter three times, “Do you love Me?” Peter had failed Him, denied Him, and gone back to fishing—the very life he had left behind. But Jesus didn’t ask, “Will you try harder next time?” or “Will you obey Me now?” He went to the root: “Do you love Me?” Because once love is restored, obedience follows.
That same question echoes today in our own hearts. Do we love Him—truly love Him—more than all these? More than comfort, success, or self? Do we love His Word enough to treasure it above gold and fine gold?
It’s easy to say we love God, but our real affection is revealed by what we value, by what we prioritize, and by what we’re willing to give up for His sake. Love that costs nothing means little. The psalmist’s devotion was not born in comfort; it was shaped through struggle, waiting, and opposition. Yet in all of it, his love for God’s Word burned brighter.
Perhaps today, our love has grown cold. We read the Bible, but without delight. We know His commandments, but they feel heavy instead of precious. The good news is that love can be rekindled. The same Spirit who inspired the psalmist to say, “I love your commandments above fine gold,” can awaken that same love in us.
Let’s ask God to give us that heart again—a heart that delights in His Word, that trusts His ways even when the world mocks, that clings to His truth even when it costs us. Because loving God is not only about worship or emotion—it is about loving what He loves, obeying what He commands, and walking daily in the light of His Word.
When we love God’s commandments, obedience ceases to be a burden; it becomes a joy. Like the young craftsman who loved his master, we will find ourselves obeying, not because we must, but because we can’t help it. For in the end, to love God is to love His will—and that love is worth more than all the gold in the world.