(1) Repeated words:
a. meditate all day long v.97, always aware v.98, meditate v.99
b. observe, stay away from the evil path so that I might keep your instruction v.101, do not turn aside from your regulations v.102
(2) Outline (Kel)
I. He declares his love and everlasting devotion to the law which brings him understanding and wisdom more than the aged teachers (97–100).
II. He testifies that he has kept himself pure (101–102).
III. He extols the precepts of God as having a pleasant taste (103–104).
(3) Application:
(Kel) the psalmist’s statements concerning his wisdom and discernment gained from divine revelation. These statements are partly wisdom and partly confessions. At first glance they might sound presumptuous but taken in context, affirm what everyone who is spiritual ought to be able to affirm...This meditation reminds us that true wisdom and understanding comes from the knowledge and study of the word of God and will be displayed in a life of obedience to God.
Reflection:
When I talked to a young man recently he told me how ignoring college education is. He supposed he could skip that and just took the professional exam. I reminded him how he told me he could teach the adult Sunday school when he was in the 6th grade!
For the psalmist his seemingly presumptuousness was based on God's words and his obedience. He seriously kept himself from the evil path and did not turn aside from God's words v.101-102. Most important of all he loved and delighted in God's words v.97, 103. That young man I talked to may "know" God's words, but the psalmist knew, meditated, observed, and loved God's words. How about us?
Audrey
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