Psalms 119:111–112

The word had its own power within; and the full secret of this was — he had taken God's testimonies as his portion forever. It was not a present delight which may influence the mind, and be lost in a moment; it was a divinely given estimate of the good and divine truth that was in them. So, when really held by grace, it stays and is not affected by circumstances. The terror of the enemy and his tricks make the soul cling more closely to what is of God and true from Him.

He advances further, to speak of more positive attainment. The snare of the wicked had not made him swerve from the path of divine precept. Yes, his whole portion, his chosen inheritance, was the testimonies of God. They were the rejoicing of his heart, which he had inclined to perform forever — "to the end," or thoroughly, without reserve.

The Word that guides the godly through all trial remains as his eternal heritage, even when trials are forever past. He rejoices in it; the set purpose of his heart is to walk in obedience "to the end."

How precious, then, is the Word of God! Well might the psalmist say, "Your testimonies I have taken as my heritage forever." Precious heritage! Pure, incorruptible, immortal truth! How we should bless our God for making it our portion that cannot be taken away! One day all earthly things will vanish from view. The world will pass away, and the desire of it. All flesh will be consumed like withered grass. Then this portion will prove to the faithful a real, eternal, enduring substance.

All the inheritance of God's people is a future inheritance. But where do we find that inheritance described? Where do we have it spread before us in all its beauty, fertility, and perfection? In the precious Word of God. And so these Scriptures are our present inheritance, which we can enter now by faith, and already enjoy the reality unfolded to us there.

We have already seen that the Word revives us. Yes, we may rejoice in the Word "as much as in all riches"; "as one who finds great spoil"; "for they are the rejoicing of my heart" (Ps. 119:14, 162, 111). But on the other hand it is the holy Word of God that speaks with authority to our hearts and consciences. Are we "trembling" at His Word, and trying to order our lives by it? Or do we try to adjust God's Word to our behaviour when we have already drifted from it to some degree?

He had accepted God's testimonies as a heritage forever. How good to have this attitude toward the truth of God! It is a heritage, the possession of the believer, forever. No wonder they were "the rejoicing of my heart." This certainty is absolute. So it is only normal that we should gladly set our hearts to obey our God forever, "to the very end" (v. 112).

The word that guides the godly through all trial remains as his eternal heritage, even when trials are forever past. He rejoices in it; the set purpose of his heart is to walk in obedience "to the end."

This was not a passing delight, the kind that stirs the mind and is gone in a moment. It was a God-given sense of the good and the divine truth in God's testimonies. So, when grace truly holds it, it lasts, and circumstances do not shake it. That is why obedience became the purpose of the heart, practised day after day, as a bond that never ends.

We are back at verse 106, where he makes this solemn vow: "I have sworn, and I will perform…" But in verse 112 there seems to be a noticeable advance. He is not so very confident of himself, for he has learned to bow his heart before the Lord. There is no self-will or self-confidence any more. His heart and his entire being are in the hands of the Lord. As long as he remains in those hands he will be able to do the Lord's statutes. Remember, a statute is a divine direction meant to secure man's obedience! The Lord is faithful to the end.

The term translated "statutes" comes from the word for engraving, implying that these are unchangeable words.

He goes further, and speaks of more positive progress. The trap of the wicked had not made him turn aside from the path of God's precepts. Yes, his whole portion, his chosen inheritance, was the testimonies of God. They were the joy of his heart, and he had bent his heart to obey them forever — "to the end," meaning fully, without holding anything back.

These two things, the "whole heart" and "to the end," go together naturally. Elsewhere in the psalm he says of God's commandments, "I delight in it." So there is no slavery here at all. The man whose affections drive him is the freest man there is, and so it is here.

So a settled purpose of heart marks his path. His affliction, and even his danger, was great. His life was constantly in his hand, but that did not change his purpose: he does not forget God's law. He was not so absorbed in the danger as to put this out of his mind. This is a blessed witness to the power of the link with God that grace gives. Where faith is at work, what a person knows of God is stronger than the strongest effect of circumstances, and stronger than any power Satan can use.

Why was the second cleansing of the temple more thorough than the first? Because the book of the law had come to light between the two, and the king now saw how vile the things were that had long been tolerated. He now had divine understanding to keep the law, and he sought to observe it with his whole heart. Josiah could have said with David: "Your testimonies are my heritage forever, for they are the joy of my heart. I incline my heart to perform your statutes forever, to the end."