Contentment with God
All around us we see things that we like and things that we want. The temptation for every believer is to become caught up in the things of this world to the neglect of their relationship with God.
The Psalmist lays out his commitment to the Lord over the things of this world by announcing that “The LORD is my portion” (119:1). Like the Levites in ancient Israel all that the psalmist needs is the Lord. Since God is the centre and focus of His life, he promises to obey God’s word. As a result of his knowledge of the Scriptures, the psalmist is confident praying to God for His grace based on His promises (119:58). He demonstrates he has an intimate relationship with the Lord, seeking the face of the Lord wholeheartedly. He feels confident that he can ask God for His favour because he has been faithful (119:59-60).
The psalmist lives a life of godliness, even in the midst of a life threatening crisis (119:61). First, he continues to focus on the revelation of God instead of retaliation against the wicked (119:61). Second, he demonstrates his spiritual discipline by intentionally spending time in prayer at midnight to give thanks to the Lord (119:62). Third, his loyalty to the Lord finds expression in his purposeful association with other believers (119:63). The tie that binds is a mutual commitment to the word of God.
The psalmist ends this stanza with a declaration that God’s love abounds to the earth. How much more is His love towards His saints (119:64). In light of God’s grace and love the psalmist cannot help but desire a greater knowledge of God.