Experiencing God's Love in God's Word

"Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word."  Psalm 119:41

 We are about to commemorate Valentine's Day, the holiday devoted to the celebration of romantic love. The word used in the psalm for mercies can also be translated, "unfailing love." It is the love of those who are in covenant together. It is the Hebrew equivalent of "agape," love that is unfailing, unconditional, and unbounded. It is the highest and best of love and that to which all human love aspires. It is the grandest romance of all, for God is the suitor wooing His people unto Himself through His precious love letters in the scriptures.

The romance of scripture gripped King David so profoundly that he had to sing about it. He sings the praises of God's salvation through His Word. In the next few verses he describes God's salvation revealed in scriptures.

By embracing the mercies of God found in the scriptures, we are filled with confidence and have an answer for every critic according to verse 42. We can speak His Word freely because our hope is in Him according to verse 43.  Finally, because of His Word lovingly imparted to us and embraced in obedience, we can walk about in freedom according to verse 45.

Imagine any human love bringing such benefits to our lives. It would be the stuff of ballads … and it is.

Such love is something about which we cannot keep silent and we will speak of it before kings according to verse 46.  As human love is the topic of so much art, so many novels, and countless musical compositions, so God's love becomes the topic of conversation as David meets with kings. At the bottom line of God's love for us communicated in His Word and our love for God in receiving His Word is delight:

"And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved. My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes." (verses 47-48)