How do we learn to enjoy the word of God?

To answer this question, we must look to answer a far more important question…

“How should we read the word of God?” 

The beauty and irony of this question is that the answer can only be found in the scriptures. So let’s get right to it.

Consider these three tips:

TIP #1: PLEAD WITH GOD FOR UNDERSTANDING 

 33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end 34 Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart

Psalm 119:33-34 ESV

In this prayer, the Psalmist makes two simple requests:

A. Teach me [your statutes]

The original Hebrew term for “teach” in this verse is “yarah” which translates to “cast or shoot” as in shooting an arrow.

According to Strong’s Lexicon, archery was a common practice amongst the people of ancient Israel and the term “yarah” would be used metaphorically to reflect the importance of precise and direct instruction.

The prayer “Teach me…” is then truly a cry for direction and instruction concerning the statutes of the LORD.

When was the last time we have inquired of God to precisely instruct us in His Word? If all scripture is truly inspired from God [2 Timothy 3:16-17], we should do well in daily pleading with the author for our instruction  

B. Give me understanding 

The phrase “give me understanding” in verse 34 is derived from the Hebrew term “bin” which means “to discern” or “recognize as true.

We must desire to understand God’s word, not simply regurgitate it with our lips.

In fact, Jesus’ very first parable – the parable of the sower –  speaks to the importance of understanding God’s word. According to Matthew 13:18-23, there are four possible outcomes to those who hear the “word of the kingdom”

1. Hear it and not understand it

2. Hear it and receive it with joy and endure for a while….until eventually falling away due to trials and tribulations on account of the word

3. Hear it, yet be so crowded by the cares and the riches of this world, that  it bears no fruit

4. Hear it and understand it, resulting in much fruit bearing. Those who understand the word of the kingdom…
   • stand firm in the face of trials and tribulations 
   • will not be consumed by the cares and riches of this world 

With that being said, here’s the question, are we genuinely aware of our inability to understand God’s word the way it ought to be understood? 

The Psalmist was…hence his plea to the LORD to give him an understanding of His laws. 

Or do we presume to know His word by mere head knowledge or human efforts?

In fact, according to Proverbs 2:1-6, it is the LORD that ultimately gives wisdom, knowledge and understanding of who He is. This was gifted to those who called out for insight and cried out for understanding 

Quite simply, we cannot understand His Word without Him, so cry out to Him.

We must humbly accept the reality that we cannot understand God’s word without help from the author Himself.

A failure to cry out for discernment reflects our proclivity of self-reliance rather than dependence on the LORD to know Him.  

TIP #2: JUDGE YOUR MOTIVE 

Let’s look back at Psalm 119:33-34..

 33 Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes; and I will keep it to the end 34 Give me understanding, that I may keep your law and observe it with my whole heart

Psalm 119:33-34 ESV

Why did David want to be taught God’s word? Why did he want to understand it?

A. To keep God’s Laws & statutes 

First, let’s define 3 key words.

1. Keep

“Keep” = to guard or protect something with care.

According to Strong’s Lexicon’s definition, from the original Hebrew word –natsar,: “It conveys the idea of protecting or preserving something valuable, often with a sense of vigilance and attentiveness”

2. Statutes

Statutes = A decree enacted by authority. In this case the authority being God

For example, in Exodus 30:20-21, during one of Moses’ several ascents to Mount Sinai, God gave Moses a specific decree concerning Aaron and his sons whenever they came near the altar to minister 

“20 When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn a food offering to the Lord, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die. 21 They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die. It shall be a STATUTE forever to them, even to him and to his offspring throughout their generations.”

Exodus 30:20-21 ESV

This is God speaking to Moses about a specific decree for Aaron and his sons.

3. Law

The word “Law” in Psalm 119:34 refers to the “torah” which encompass the first 5 books of the Bible. It is often used to describe the set of laws, commandments and teachings of God provided to the people of Israel through Moses.

The Psalmist  desired to know the decrees of the Lord and the laws of God provided to Moses, not just for the sake of knowing or for sake of pride nor perception.

No, he was delighted to know God’s word so that he may protect them with care in his heart, as some would do for a priceless treasure, because he understood their value.

Look at what he says in Psalm 119:103

“How sweet are your words to my taste,

    sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

Psalm 119:103 ESV

Do we view God’s word with this same posture?

Let’s continue…why else did David want to be taught God’s word?

B. To Observe God’s Law with His Whole Heart 

We have already established that “laws of God” in Psalm 119 is primarily referring to the Laws given to Moses in the first 5 books of the Bible.

To “observe” God’s laws simply means to steward and obey His commandments. The hebrew word for “observe” (shamar) is almost synonymous with the word “keep” described in the previous point. 

The Psalmist was motivated to know more of God’s law so that he may steward it with his ENTIRE heart. 

The heart pertains to the feelings, intellect, will, or the “inner-man” or our physical and spiritual being.

In essence, the Psalmist was motivated to know more of God’s laws so that may steward them wholeheartedly.

Question; what is your heart consumed by when you read scripture? 

Are we driven to be perceived as wise? Driven to become rich? Live comfortable lives?

The Psalmist was driven to observe God’s commandments wholeheartedly, which ultimately postured his heart to plead with God for understanding. 

Through prayer, let’s take inventory of our hearts’ intentions, before we open up God’s word.

TIP #3: MEDITATE ON GOD’s WORD DAILY

1 Blessed is the man

    who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,

nor stands in the way of sinners,

    nor sits in the seat of scoffers;

2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,

    and on his law he meditates day and night

Psalm 1:1-2 ESV

There is a difference between reading the Bible & meditating on the Bible.

I can choose to read the Bible for half an hour, but my mind may distract me from meditating on it.

The word “meditate” in this passage is derived from the Hebrew word “haga”

According to the NAS Exhaustive Concordance (link this), there are several alternative English words that can be used to describe “haga”  but they all relate to one another.

For this post, we will focus on 3 of them that we could apply to our daily lives.

To meditate (“haga”) means:

A. To Muse

To muse means to think about something carefully and thoroughly.

Reading God’s word carelessly without thought will prove to be unfruitful. 

If you read the word, without thinking carefully about what God has said, it is of little benefit to you.

Recall what we read in Matthew 13:23, that those who hear the word and understand it is like a seed that is sown on good soil and bears much fruit.

I believe God is able to bless any moment of reading scripture regardless of length…however, we are instructed to think carefully regarding what we read.

How will we understand it, if we skim through the scriptures half awake on our beds for 30 seconds every morning without intention?

When is the last time that we have intentionally set out time to memorize Bible verses, fully attentive? Whether its

Jesus instructed us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and MIND (Matthew 22:37). 

Our minds were created for far more than formal education. They were created for us to comprehend the depths of God’s word. 

Be intentional to dedicate time to think about the word, study the context, pray to God to give you clarity for what exactly it is that He wants you to know.

B. To Mutter

To mutter means to say something in a low audible voice. 

Ever heard the saying, “if you want to hear the voice of God, read the Bible out loud?”

Well according to Psalm 1:1-2, we are genuinely encouraged to do so.

Make it a habit to read out loud the scriptures that you have read throughout the day.

Say it to yourself over and over, in the kitchen, in the shower, in the washroom, in the car, on the train, during your lunch break….you get the point

However, note that it says “low” audible voice…in other words, there is no need to be obnoxious about it and read at the top of your lungs. The implication and purpose is to read the word of God over yourself.

C. To Growl

Lastly, to meditate means to growl or to roar.

The same Hebrew word, “Hagah” is used to describe the sound that a lion makes over their prey in Isaiah 31:4

For thus the Lord said to me,

“As a lion or a young lion growls over his prey,

    and when a band of shepherds is called out against him

he is not terrified by their shouting

    or daunted at their noise,

so the Lord of hosts will come down

    to fight[a] on Mount Zion and on its hill

• Isaiah 31:4

When lions roar, they do it as a sign of delight & satisfaction over their meal. 

To meditate on God’s word means to feast on it the way we do for a meal.

Savour every word that God has revealed to you as you study and read out loud, allow yourself to enjoy them like the honey that it is.

If you stayed with me for this entire read, thanks for sticking around!

There are many more tips for reading God’s word, but for now I’m praying that these would be a good start.

There is far more to reading than simply “reading”

Meditation without delight is insufficient. 

Otherwise, we are no better than the atheist theologians, who know the depths of God’s scriptures, but lack the capacity to faithfully enjoy and apply it.