Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me.
Through His commandments God makes the one who keeps them wiser than his enemies, because those commandments are ever with him, held continually in mind and thought and carried into the life. To have them ever with him is to love the law and give it continual meditation and attention all the day. As its truths enter the heart and understanding, study of the Word teaches the principles of righteousness, makes plain right from wrong and truth from error, transforms the character, guides the conduct, and holds the keeper to the Word and away from evil. This wisdom belongs to the humble and contrite who surrender their own will and learn meekness in the school of Christ, and truth cherished in the heart baffles every effort to deceive and lead away from God. When contempt is placed upon the law in the last days, the commandment-keeping people who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus make these words the declaration of their faith, their love for the law increasing with the contempt placed upon it.
Wisdom From Ever-Present Law
Through His commandments God makes the keeper wiser than enemies, and the reason is that they are ever with him. Their continual presence is what gives wisdom and understanding, for their wise instructions remain always with that person. They remain continually in the believer's thoughts and life, kept continually in mind. That abiding presence guides him in keeping God's word and turning from evil.
Being ever with him means keeping the commandments close through continual meditation and attention. It is loving the law and meditating on it all the day, with love for God's law expressed in constant meditation. Such continual meditation and attention gives wisdom greater than that of enemies through the continual presence of the commandments.
Loving the law and meditating on it all the day and keeping the precepts gives understanding greater than enemies, teachers, and ancients. Meditating on God's law and keeping His precepts bring understanding beyond that of teachers and the ancients.
This wisdom comes as the truths of the Word enter the heart and understanding. Receiving and practicing those truths transforms character and guides conduct. Studying God's Word teaches the principles of righteousness and makes clear the difference between right and wrong, truth and error. That wisdom and understanding guide the keeper in holding to God's word and turning from evil.
God's Word is the source of this wisdom and belongs at the center of study. The whole psalm exalts God's law, which is to be the rule of life. His commandments are a delight to the obedient child of God.
Faithful Obedience Under Opposition
Keeping the commandments close in mind makes a person wiser than enemies who oppose him, and Jesus showed this when He met the hostility of His own brothers without resentment, with wisdom from the Word to resist evil and remain faithful. The verse is both a measure and a standard of continual growth, fulfilled when a life shaped by the commandments lives by faith in Christ and steadily improves life and work. Such obedience honors God's name by giving public testimony of love for Him. That testimony is to be decided and visible in features, temper, words, and character, showing that service to the Lord is good and that His requirements do not restrict liberty.
Truth kept in the heart thwarts efforts to deceive and lead away from God. It baffles and disappoints Satan, leaving his designs against the obedient defeated. This wisdom belongs only to the humble and contrite, who surrender their own ways and wills, learn in the school of Christ, and cherish meekness and lowliness of heart. Feeble in their own strength, they become strong in the Redeemer's strength through a saving knowledge of the Scriptures, a rich experience in trusting God and obeying His precepts, and a continual unwavering trust that believes even when darkness envelops the soul. That trust works from principle rather than feeling, and keeps quietness and peace in the midst of tumult.
This confession is the language of every truly obedient and sanctified heart. It stands set against those who pour bitterness against the law and stand in enmity to it. In the last days, when contempt is placed upon the law, the commandment-keeping people who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus sing these words as the declaration of their faith. Their fidelity and loyalty grow with the emergency, and their love for the law increases with the contempt placed upon it, so that they proclaim the third angel's message with heart and voice. The psalm points out the sacredness of the law and declares with solemn earnestness that when wickedness has reached the point where the law is made void, the Lord will certainly interfere.
Through His commandments God makes the one who keeps them wiser than his enemies, because those commandments are ever with him, held continually in mind and thought and carried into the life. To have them ever with him is to love the law and give it continual meditation and attention all the day. As its truths enter the heart and understanding, study of the Word teaches the principles of righteousness, makes plain right from wrong and truth from error, transforms the character, guides the conduct, and holds the keeper to the Word and away from evil. This wisdom belongs to the humble and contrite who surrender their own will and learn meekness in the school of Christ, and truth cherished in the heart baffles every effort to deceive and lead away from God. When contempt is placed upon the law in the last days, the commandment-keeping people who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus make these words the declaration of their faith, their love for the law increasing with the contempt placed upon it.
Wisdom From Ever-Present Law
Through His commandments God makes the keeper wiser than enemies, and the reason is that they are ever with him. Their continual presence is what gives wisdom and understanding, for their wise instructions remain always with that person. They remain continually in the believer's thoughts and life, kept continually in mind. That abiding presence guides him in keeping God's word and turning from evil.
Being ever with him means keeping the commandments close through continual meditation and attention. It is loving the law and meditating on it all the day, with love for God's law expressed in constant meditation. Such continual meditation and attention gives wisdom greater than that of enemies through the continual presence of the commandments.
Loving the law and meditating on it all the day and keeping the precepts gives understanding greater than enemies, teachers, and ancients. Meditating on God's law and keeping His precepts bring understanding beyond that of teachers and the ancients.
This wisdom comes as the truths of the Word enter the heart and understanding. Receiving and practicing those truths transforms character and guides conduct. Studying God's Word teaches the principles of righteousness and makes clear the difference between right and wrong, truth and error. That wisdom and understanding guide the keeper in holding to God's word and turning from evil.
God's Word is the source of this wisdom and belongs at the center of study. The whole psalm exalts God's law, which is to be the rule of life. His commandments are a delight to the obedient child of God.
Faithful Obedience Under Opposition
Keeping the commandments close in mind makes a person wiser than enemies who oppose him, and Jesus showed this when He met the hostility of His own brothers without resentment, with wisdom from the Word to resist evil and remain faithful. The verse is both a measure and a standard of continual growth, fulfilled when a life shaped by the commandments lives by faith in Christ and steadily improves life and work. Such obedience honors God's name by giving public testimony of love for Him. That testimony is to be decided and visible in features, temper, words, and character, showing that service to the Lord is good and that His requirements do not restrict liberty.
Truth kept in the heart thwarts efforts to deceive and lead away from God. It baffles and disappoints Satan, leaving his designs against the obedient defeated. This wisdom belongs only to the humble and contrite, who surrender their own ways and wills, learn in the school of Christ, and cherish meekness and lowliness of heart. Feeble in their own strength, they become strong in the Redeemer's strength through a saving knowledge of the Scriptures, a rich experience in trusting God and obeying His precepts, and a continual unwavering trust that believes even when darkness envelops the soul. That trust works from principle rather than feeling, and keeps quietness and peace in the midst of tumult.
This confession is the language of every truly obedient and sanctified heart. It stands set against those who pour bitterness against the law and stand in enmity to it. In the last days, when contempt is placed upon the law, the commandment-keeping people who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus sing these words as the declaration of their faith. Their fidelity and loyalty grow with the emergency, and their love for the law increases with the contempt placed upon it, so that they proclaim the third angel's message with heart and voice. The psalm points out the sacredness of the law and declares with solemn earnestness that when wickedness has reached the point where the law is made void, the Lord will certainly interfere.