God’s Treasure Book

Your statutes...are the joy of my heart.

Psalm 119: 112

As I came into the room, I noticed my granddaughter sitting at the kitchen table. It was early in the morning, and I knew Elysen was going through her daily routine of getting ready for school. Her breakfast and her open Bible and journal were on the table before her. At age thirteen, reading the Bible and journaling has become her practice and her joy.  

The writer of Psalm 119 obviously had a deep love for God’s Word. He penned 176 verses, most of which describe adoration for God’s Word and benefits gained from knowing it. God’s Word was his delight, his strength, his treasure, his hope, his guide...

In the Hebrew text, Psalm 119 is an acrostic, divided into 22 stanzas which follow the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The verses of each stanza begin with the same Hebrew letter, such as “Aleph,” “Beth,” “Gimel,” and so on. We could make our own acrostic for God’s Word using our alphabet.

God, your Word is my advisor, my anchor...

God, your Word is my belief, my blessing...

God, your Word is my certainty, my conviction...       

Throughout Psalm 119, the psalmist repeats two words often—I will. I will obey your decrees...I will not neglect your word...I will meditate on your precepts... (Psalm 119:8,16, 78).  Are you likewise determined to know, understand, and obey God’s Word?

How thankful I am for a granddaughter who early in life considers God’s Word her treasure. When I was her age, God’s Word was my treasure also. I’ve found through the years that the more I study and understand God’s Word, the dearer it becomes.

Perhaps you have not been a fervent student of scripture. It’s never too late. Will you determine this year to make the study of God’s Word your daily practice? If so, the Word of God will become your treasure and delight!

Lord, give us a hunger to know your Word and a love for your Word that draws us to scripture every day.  

Jan Burkhart