“I long for your salvation, O Lord,
and your law is my delight.” Psalm 119.174
The poet has prayed for deliverance according to God’s Word (170). Now, he lives in anticipation and longing to experience his salvation. This is true of every believer, every faithful follower of Christ. The Lord has provided deliverance according to his Word. Now, our life is filled with longing for the full experience of our salvation.
Now, what does the psalmist do while he waits in longing and expectation? He delights in the law of God. While he awaits the full experience of deliverance, he finds satisfaction in the law of God, in God’s Word.
This serves as a poetic picture of what Christians call progressive sanctification. We have received deliverance by grace, through faith. In the present, we long for the full experience of eternal life. And, while we wait, we take delight in the law of God, having our minds renewed and our lives transformed into greater Christlikeness. Let us ever live with the psalmist’s inspired mix of anticipation and delight.
What impact does anticipating eternal life have on the way you live today? How are you delighting in the law of God? In what way is your life marked by anticipation of salvation and delight in God’s revelation?
Gracious Lord, we delight in your law. We delight in your testimonies. Give us, dear God, a deeper longing for your return, for the full realization of salvation. Cause us to love your law and to walk in your ways. Amen.