Give Me Life, O Lord

“I am severely afflicted;
give me life, O Lord, according to your word!” Psalm 119.107

Having seen the word’s ability to light his path (105) and committed himself to God’s righteous rules (106), the poet returns to a repeated theme of this amazing psalm. He reaffirms his dependence on God. The poet understands well the benefits of God’s word, having already sung of those benefits for 106 verses. He also knows well the danger he faces. Putting these two together, he cries out to the Lord to preserve his life.

But notice, he doesn’t want just any life. He longs for life according to God’s word. The psalmist doesn’t ask for a successful life, prosperous life, easy life, fun life, happy life, love-filled life, purposeful life, highly-effective life, or any other humanly-defined life. He asks for life according to God’s word. He wants to live in accordance with God’s revelation.

Is that the kind of life you want? When you set out your five- or ten-year plan, do you think of how your life will be lived when compared to God’s holy word? When you face trials, do they drive you to seek life according to the Bible’s revelation? May we commit ourselves to seeking life, not as the world defines it, but as Scripture defines it.

Heavenly Father, gracious King, give us life according to your word. Cause us, dear Lord, to delight in your truth, to walk in faithfulness, and to grow in Christlikeness. Amen.

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